DENSO, Australia’s largest supplier of air conditioning products, does not support the use of hydrocarbons as a replacement refrigerant in current automotive applications. Automotive air conditioning systems have been designed for fluorocarbon refrigerants (HFC-134a) since 1995. In 2005, Government legislation was introduced to control these refrigerants with the intention to prevent unnecessary emissions.
We support the latest Government legislation as it equips the Service industry with clear guidelines for refrigerant usage enforced with education and an individual handling licence. Only companies with licensed individuals can purchase HFC-134a refrigerants. This Legislation however has inadvertently increased the use of lower cost hydrocarbons as a replacement for the genuine HFC-134a refrigerant. These hydrocarbons are not controlled and are freely available to non accredited repair shops.
The use of hydrocarbon refrigerant will affect the air conditioning system in the following ways:
Safety and serviceability
Hydrocarbons are flammable and in the event of a leak, place the safety of both the occupants and service technician at risk of an explosion. As a result, licensed Service Dealers may refuse to service your system.
Durability
Hydrocarbons charge amount is typically 1/3 of normal refrigerant levels resulting in a reduced amount of oil returned to the compressor. Hence the durability of the compressor can be adversely affected by a lack of oil returned.
Only HFC-134a refrigerant is approved by DENSO as the system supplier and also by the Vehicle Manufacturer for replacement use in their vehicles. This refrigerant will allow your system to operate as it was designed. It will ensure reliability of operation, durability of components and a safe environment for all concerned.
For all car air conditioning maintenance and repairs, contact our network of Service Dealers. These Service Dealers are qualified licence holders trained to safely handle the maintenance of automotive air conditioning systems.