One component that you should pay close attention to as a car owner is the car air conditioner. Without it, your comfort in driving is definitely questionable.
What should get more attention when your car’s air conditioner is not cold is the Freon that has run out or has a leak.
Freon or refrigerant gas serves to cool the air which will be exhaled by the AC. Disturbances that occur in Freon gas make you have to understand the types of car air conditioner Freon, given the many kinds.
Do not use the wrong Freon because it can damage the walls of your car’s AC compressor. To help you with that, here are the different types of car AC Freon available on the market.
1. Freon R-12
This type of Freon is already difficult to find again, because it can damage ozone so that the government prohibits its use. In addition, Freon R-12 is a type of Freon that is only used by cars from the 80s-90s.
This gas can damage ozone because it contains fluorine, chlorine, and carbon which are included in the type of chlorofluorocarbon (CFC). This type of Freon has physical characteristics, namely:
- Has a boiling point of 29.8 degrees Celsius at a pressure of 1 atmosphere.
- Has a condensation pressure of 93.3 psig at 30 degrees Celsius.
- Has an evaporation pressure of 11.8 psig at 15 degrees Celsius.
- Has a relatively high dielectric ability.
- Stable at high and low temperatures.
Freon R-12 is non-corrosive, colorless, and toxic if inhaled in high doses and can result in death. Freon R-12 can also cause skin, eye, and respiratory irritation.
2. Freon R-22
The type of Freon that is better than Freon R-12 is R-22, which is a type of Freon that belongs to the category of hydro chlorofluorocarbon (HCFC). Even though it is said to be more environmentally friendly, AC Freon R-22 still has a risk of being able to damage the ozone layer because there is still chlorine in it.
This type of Freon R-22 has physical characteristics, such as:
- Has a boiling point of 40.8 degrees Celsius at a pressure of 1 atmosphere.
- Has a condensing pressure of 158.3 psig at 30 degrees Celsius.
- Has a vapor pressure of 28.3 psig at 15 degrees Celsius.
- Has a relatively high dielectric ability.
- Stable at high and low temperatures.
Freon R-22 is not flammable, but has a high ozone destruction potential value of 0.05, so it has been banned for use since 2015. Currently we can find Freon that is more environmentally friendly with a zero ozone destruction potential value.
3. Freon R-134a
The type of Freon that is more common and also much better than the two previous types of Freon is the R-134a Freon.
Besides being more environmentally friendly because it does not contain chlorine. This type is also still used today, unlike other types that have been banned from circulation.
Freon R-134a is a gaseous refrigerant hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) that does not contain chlorine. This type of Freon R-134a has physical characteristics, such as:
- Has a boiling point of 26.1 degrees Celsius at a pressure of 1 atmosphere.
- Does not cause corrosion.
- Has a condensation pressure of 668 KPa at a temperature of 30 degrees Celsius.
- Has an evaporation pressure of 4060 Kpa at a temperature of 15 degrees Celsius.
- Has a relatively high dielectric ability.
- Has a stable chemical structure.
- Stable at high and low temperatures.
When you want to fill the Freon in your car air conditioner with this type, you need to know that you should not mix it with other types that are not HFC categories such as R-134a, other than because of the different constituent substances, your car air conditioner compressor can be damaged due to differences in compressor wall thickness.
The type of Freon R-134a with 100 percent purity without mixed ingredients has a good cooling effect, although it is priced at a higher price.
4. Freon Hydrocarbon
This type of hydrocarbon Freon was created to reduce the impact of chlorine on the ozone layer. This type of Freon is made from natural substances, namely hydrogen and carbon.
Unfortunately, although it is environmentally friendly because it has a low level of global warming potential (GWP), this type of Freon is not often found due to the nature of flammable hydrocarbons, so it requires special equipment if it is to be used as car air conditioner Freon.
How to Maintain Air Conditioner in Your Car
Things you need to pay attention before maintaining your car’s air conditioner are:
- Check AC Freon Pressure
You do this by using a manifold gauge. If the AC Freon pressure gauge is in a low position at 15-30 psi, then there needs to be additional Freon.
However, if it is at a high point at 160-250 psi, it means that there are other reasons that cause the air conditioner to not cool.
- Empty the Remaining Freon
Empty the Freon on your car’s air conditioner, after that make sure there are no leaks, then you can fill your car’s AC Freon.
If you don’t get cold wind and smell bad odor, it is recommended to add Freon. But you have to be more careful, because the reason your air conditioner is not cold is might be the evaporator blower or the dirty silica filter in the condenser.
- Keep Clean and Perform Periodic Maintenance
Keep the compressor working so that it is not heavy by regularly cleaning the cabin filter. Replace the cabin filter with a new one every eight months.
Add Freon, compressor oil, once a year. Replace the dryer components, and always keep the evaporator clean so that your air conditioner is optimally cold.