yumyum1667

It is my understanding that as of January 2010 R-410 AC refrigerant will be required for new AC systems going forward. I am in the process of replacing one of my AC units in my home and my tech told me that the old R-22 will be phased out completely over the next several years.

Where does that leave older systems for the 911's? I assume they will need to be converted? I am shopping for my first 911 (most likely a 964) and and need to factor this into long term ownership.

Greg

velocitylover

Home AC units have different refrigerant than cars (R-22 vs. R-134a) so this may not be relevant for us old car owners.
PS (what I learned online):
The boiling points of the 2 are completely different.(-15 for 134 and -41 for R-22). In order for the system to maintain the correct temps/pressure, the refrigerant must be compatible. 134 A operates at higher pressure/temps than R-22 and will not cool, as the pressure in the system is directly related to temperature.
And:
r22 = very efficient for houses but bad for ozone

r134a = not very efficient in houses, okay in cars, okay for ozone

r410 = good for houses, okay for ozone

To answer your question: Original R-12 in our 964s can still be legally converted to R-134a.

yumyum1667

Ok great. I know little about AC. What a nightmare if the Feds required all of these old cars to be retrofitted.

springer3

R-12 went out of production in 1990. All 964s were fitted with barrier hoses to be ready for R134a. From 1993-on, all 964s left the factory with R-134a. R-12 used in 1991 and 1992 was old stock produced before the ban.

Converting an early 964 to R-134a is no big deal - just fittings which screw on to the R-12 fittings. Old-stock or illegally-produced R-12 can still be purchased on eBay and from licensed suppliers. Legally you should have a license, but nobody checks and the Feds are not enforcing the law. R-134a is less expensive, and you will never notice the 1 - 2% difference in cooling capacity. Clean the condensor and pick up 20% if you need more cooling.

Where are you in Atlanta? I live in Midtown near Georgia Tech.