Maintaining Refrigerant Chemical Stability

The efficient operation and life of the air conditioning system is dependent upon the chemical stability of the refrigeration system. When foreign materials such as dirt, air, or moisture contaminate the refrigeration system, the stability of the Refrigerant-134a and polyalkylene glycol (PAG) synthetic refrigerant oil will change. Contaminants will also affect pressure-temperature relationship, reduce efficient operation and possibly cause interior corrosion and abnormal wear of moving parts. The following general practices should be observed to ensure the chemical stability in the system:

^ Before breaking a refrigerant connection, wipe away any dirt or oil to reduce the possibility of dirt entering the system. Both sides of the connection should be capped, plugged or taped as soon as possible to prevent the entry of dirt, foreign material and moisture.
^ Keep tools clean and dry. This includes the manifold gage set and replacement parts.
^ When adding polyalkylene glycol (PAG) synthetic refrigerant oil, the transfer device and container should be exceptionally clean and dry to assure that refrigerant oil remains as moisture-free as possible.
^ When it is necessary to open an A/C system, have everything needed ready and handy so that as little time as possible will be required to perform the operation. Do not leave the A/C system open any longer than is necessary.
^ Any time the A/C system has been opened it should be properly evacuated before recharging with Refrigerant-134a.
^ All service parts are dehydrated and sealed prior to shipping. They should remain sealed until just prior to making connections. All parts should be at room temperature before uncapping. This prevents condensation of moisture from the air entering the system. If for any reason caps are removed but the connections are not made, parts should be resealed as soon as possible.