R-12 Refrigerant Charge - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

tobybul · #1 05-03-2007, 09:41 PM

Is R-12 still still available for charging the a/c? The a/c system on my 84D seems to be functioning fine. But it could be just low in charge. I have a set of gages so I'll have to chk how much charge is in it. Is there any compatible product out there that to fill it with other than R-12?

nhdoc · #2 05-03-2007, 09:49 PM

Yes, R12 is readily available...just look on ebay. Technically you are supposed to have an EPA certification to buy/use it...I have the cert and it is not that hard to get it by taking an open book test online. No seller on ebay has ever asked me to prove I have it though, so you can probably just buy some there and pay for it and they will just send it to you.

OMEGAMAN · #3 05-04-2007, 01:18 AM

you can just pick it up at a local auto parts store. Just need the licence

Biglex · #4 05-04-2007, 01:51 AM

There is alot of stuff on there called "freeze 12", designed to replace r-12 without converting to r134. Has anyone used this?

nhdoc · #5 05-04-2007, 06:18 AM

Forget the substitutes like Freeze 12 and just pick up a couple of cans of R12...nothing will work as good as that in your system.

POS · #6 05-04-2007, 06:41 AM

Freeze12 is great for an old Oldsmobile or the like, but for our cars I'd stick with the R12. My indy shop will pump the system full of R12 for $120.

pmckechnie · #7 05-04-2007, 07:28 AM

My only suggestion is if you buy it from someone that doesn't require a license have it checked with an identifier before you put it in your car. Believe me when I say we have seen official looking 30 lb cylinders of R-12 that were not R-12. I don't know what it was but it was NOT R-12.
So use caution.
By the way, Freeze 12 works fine in both of my cars but I won't put it in a customers car.

OMEGAMAN · #8 05-04-2007, 10:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by POS

Freeze12 is great for an old Oldsmobile or the like, but for our cars I'd stick with the R12. My indy shop will pump the system full of R12 for $120.

I agree the condensor is too damn small to use anything but R-12.

tobybul · #9 05-04-2007, 11:53 AM

Has anyone ever converted to Duracool? If so, how did it work?

DeliveryValve · #10 05-04-2007, 01:16 PM

IMHO, if you are going to "top" off your R-12 system... Then use R-12. If you are going to evacuate and flush your system. Then you can consider the other different stuff. I have a full charge of Freeze-12 on my '83. But I changed condensors to a parallel type and it works great.

tobybul · #11 05-04-2007, 03:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rmarzan

IMHO, if you are going to "top" off your R-12 system... Then use R-12. If you are going to evacuate and flush your system. Then you can consider the other different stuff. I have a full charge of Freeze-12 on my '83. But I changed condensors to a parallel type and it works great.

Marz, can you explain why the benefit of a parallel condenser vs ????? condenser?

rrgrassi · #12 05-04-2007, 03:48 PM

A Parallel condenser basically give more "air" time to the freon as it passes through the condensing tubes, giving more liquid freon to the evaporator, which results in colder air.

DeliveryValve · #13 05-04-2007, 04:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tobybul

Marz, can you explain why the benefit of a parallel condenser vs ????? condenser?

I did a pictorial write up here: http://schumanautomotive.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3302

I am taking this explaination from that write up....

What I’ve read, a parallel flow condenser is a more efficient then the original Behr Serial unit (which is why it the new condenser can be smaller) by having a higher fin count for better heat dissipation and being designed to provide a lot of contact between the refrigerant and the tubes. Parallel flow condensers consists of not one tube, but many (10 to 12) parallel tubes that, from the outside, look like a single tube. Each of the parallel flow condenser's tubes is between 1mm and 2mm thick. In a series flow condenser, one giant round tube has about 75% of the refrigerant is not making contact as it flows through the condenser. But small tubes, nearly all the refrigerant flowing through the parallel flow condenser is in constant contact with the tube. The contact with the tube transfers the heat being carried by the refrigerant onto the tube and then it transfers to the fins for heat dissipation.