Maintaining Refrigerant Chemical Stability

The life and efficient operation of the air conditioning system depends on the chemical stability of the refrigeration system. When foreign materials, such as dirt, air, or moisture, contaminate the refrigeration system they change the stability of the refrigerant and compressor oil. They also affect the pressure/temperature relationship and reduce efficiency, and could cause internal corrosion and abnormal wear of moving parts.

Follow these general practices to ensure chemical stability in the system:

1. Before disconnecting a refrigerant connection, wipe away any dirt or oil at (and near) the connection to reduce the chance of dirt entering the system. Both sides of the connection should he capped, plugged or taped as soon as possible to keep out dirt, foreign material and moisture.
2. Keep all tools clean and dry. This includes the manifold gauge set and replacement parts.
3. When adding refrigerant oil, (see "Adding Oil" under "Refrigerant Recovery, Recycling Discharging Adding Oil, Evacuating and Charging the Refrigerant System") he sure the transfer device and container are clean and dry to assure that refrigeration oil remains as moisture-free as possible.
4. When it is necessary to open an A/C system, be sure that everything that will be needed is close at hand, so as little time as possible will he required to perform the operation. Do not leave the A/C system open any longer than is necessary.
5. Any time the A/C system has been opened, it should he properly evacuated before re-charging with refrigerant according to 'Refrigerant Recovery, Recycling Discharging Adding Oil, Evacuating and Charging the Refrigerant System".

All service parts are dehydrated and sealed before they are shipped. They should remain sealed until just before they are needed. All parts should be at room temperature before any caps are removed, to prevent condensation in the air from entering the system. If, for any reason, caps are removed but the part(s) are not installed, reseal the parts as soon as possible.