Originally Posted by leathermang

First idiot statement :
"Yes it (hydrocarbon refrigerant) explodes as do gasoline (what most cars in the US run on)vapors." Looks like a factual statement to me. Yes, it would have been more informative to say "under certain conditions". But even those who are not like yourself, who are familiar with flammability characteristics of materials already know this.

Show me ONE VEHICLE which has gasoline exposed at the FRONT of the vehicle with as little protection from minor accidents as does a condensor.

Condensor? Not familiar with that component. If you are referring to the condenser, yes it could possibly be breached. And what that might end up looking like is the Porsche 928 conflagration-which was probably made worse by opening the hood.



Second Idiot statement :

"The actual accident frequency and hence risk of using hydrocarbon refrigerant in motor cars is much lower than predicted when commercial use commenced."

What difference does that make ? Someone might have been overly concerned about safety and it caused them to estimate a higher risk factor ?

Heck, why let facts interfere with your paranoia and be taken into account when we make risk assessments. Can the addition of a further source of flammable material in the automotive environment increase risk? Yes. If there existed a choice between two similar perfect DIY refrigerants except, one flammable and one not, would I choose the nonflammable one? Yes. But until such a substance becomes available hydrocarbon refrigerants are a reasonable alternative. After decades and millions of hydrocarbon air-conditioned miles driven there have been no known cases of injury or death attributed to hydrocarbons. Which does not mean it did not happen or it won't happen. But the risk appears low enough to allow it to be a personal choice and not one proscribed by government or leathermang. A stance that Canada, Australia, and numerous states in the US agree with.


If this were a FAIR world... and someone ...anyone ... followed your suggestion that hydrocarbons are fine for use in their AC... and one of those ' lower than expected ' accidents causes injury or death to one of their family members ... they should come and find you and take justice right out of YOUR HIDE. Perhaps also that of your family members...
But this is not a Fair world... so if they are injured .. and get this next word carefully --- UNNECESSARILY ---- it will not be any skin off your back... no monetary penalty.. no nothing....and as I suspect someone who would encourage these UNNECESSARY RISKS has no conscience and would therefor not lose any sleep over news that people's lives were affected adversely.
There are safer alternatives which work just fine for our cars... More handwringing pontifications from the heat of a R134 "cooled" MB cabin.

Originally Posted by winmutt