Warning Against Using HC Refrigerants For Retrofit Applications

Frost 22a 

Back on June 25th, I came home from work and started my "night job" as I call it; going through my emails, blog sites, etc. that I do every day without fail. One site me and my business partner belong to is called the "Service Roundtable", which has a knowledge-sharing database, idea exchange, and more for those in the HVACR or plumbing sectors. 

The idea exchange works by sending peoples questions and each answer to them as an email to my inbox. I didn't know how upset I was about to become as I sat down with my glass of Arnold Palmer and began to comb through all the messages.

As I read a post from a member in Grand Rapids, Michigan asking if anyone knew of this product, my mind flew into high gear, imagining the dangers of this product being offered. So what is it that got me so upset that day?

The link in the post took me to a website for a rural farming supplier who is selling the product you see to the right. An R-22 drop-in substitute. Why the big deal? This is not like any other "drop-in" we are using today. It is a hydrocarbon-based replacement, primarily of propane and is both flammable and explosive.

The original person the posted the comment I read even ordered one bottle to check it out. Alarmingly to him, it was shipped to him via Fed-Ex! When the driver from Fed-Ex dropped it off, he asked if he know that this was basically propane he delivered. The Fed-Ex driver was alarmed as well, stating that it certainly was against policy to deliver a flammable or explosive product through their system. If only they had known... 

Immediately I thought of we technicians walking up to a condensing unit a home with our manifold gauge set in one hand and tools in the other. The system, unknown to the technician, was worked on previously by "Bubba with a truck" and retrofitted with this drop-in refrigerant, and never labeled as such.

The follow-up technician has an issue, resulting in the escape of refrigerant to the surrounding air where a spark from the compressor contactor or condenser fan motor causes the cloud of gas to explode. The techniician is killed, most of the home is scattered throughout the neighborhood, and the next door home is mostly destroyed as well. 

This is a worst-case thought going through my little techie head, but when you think of the many times a technician may come upon a system using this alternative throughout the country, you can conclude that it will be a future TV news story with no stretch of your imagination.

That same night and the next day, I began making contact with those in the industry who can help spread the word about the illegality and dangers of this practice. Hydrocarbon (HC) refrigerants are not approved by the EPA for use in any retrofit application. New equipment utilizing these refrigerants are limited to very small quantities of HC refrigerant, have sealed contacts for relays, insane amounts of labeling, and other precautions to make them safe to work with. Heck. We don't even have a recovery machine on the market yet that is approved to work with HC refrigerants!

So back to my plea to get the word out. I first contacted Patrick Murphy at RSES International Headquarters to discuss this. He also contacted Peter Powell at ACHR News magazine. I then contacted IHACI to ask that something be published in their magazine. I really wanted techs to know never to touch this stuff! Respond they did!

Soon after, I started seeing the results of my reaching out. The July, 2013 issue of RSES Journal, page 29 has a an article addressing R-22a. IHACI's monthly newsletter has the story "front and center" on page 1 and also published an article in the August, 2013 issue of Indoor Comfort News, also "front and center"! The ACHR News has several of their weekly issues with something about HC alternative use. First, they immediately published an article in the July 1st edition on page 21. In the July 29th issue, ICOR international, a manufacturer of standard refrigerants, replied to the article quite favorably. And in the August 26th issue, Peter Powell published a commentary on the topic on page 22. Even the EPA got involved and said both their regulatory and enforcement divisions will look into it.

I really want to thank everyone for their tremendous response addressing this important topic. I hope the health and safety of some technicians and innocent customers will be saved by all the response. To clarify some issues based on questions I have been reading, please remember...

1. Never mix any (even HC's) type of refrigerant. No "topping off" with another type of refrigerant if you are low on R-22, for example. How could you use a P-T chart or know what your saturated evaporating and condensing temperatures would be?
2. HC refrigerants are only approved for use in the U.S. in equipment specifically designed to utilize these refrigerants. They will have small charges and specialized components to prevent sparks from setting off vapor refrigerants.
3. There will be ample warning labels in multiple places on the unit about the type and safety of the refrigerant it contains.
4. It will NEVER be used as an alternative refrigerant.

There are several others marketing similar HC refrigerant products on the market today. Stay away and potentially save a life! Yes, HC refrigerants may cost less than some approved alternatives and may cost less to operate in the machine, but that does not preclude the safety of you or you client, does it?

I'll leave you with a clip from the wholesaler that was selling the original (R-22a) alternative I found, stating that it's the best stuff out there!

Visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQNQ4zF5nJ0 and see the video and comments under it. My comment, of course, was deleted by the moderator who posted the video since I talked down using this product pretty strongly.

Be safe,

Ken Robinson, CM