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Freeze 12 works and the 134A suppliers hate it![200/1986] posted by Mike on
Thursday, 19 April 2001, at 1:17 p.m.
Here's my 2 cants worth on the subject, I topped up the R12 A/C system in my '79 240D Benz 2 years ago with Freeze12. There was still R12 in the system and I have had no problems. It cools great and it is cheap to purchase, a can of R12 today is worth more than the Benz! I will be using it in the Turbo-wagon when it needs it. There is more voo-doo rumours about A/C and freon just to line the pockets of dealerships and 134A suppliers.
--'83 245Ti
Re: Freeze 12 works and the 134A suppliers hate it![200/1986] posted by Dave Stevens on
Sunday, 22 April 2001, at 4:14 p.m.
For the record, in a recent thread Tim Messenger referred us to some excellent information in the offical EPA Stratospheric Protection Division A/C Retrofit Guide. It would pay anyone contemplating a minimal A/C conversion to check this stuff out. Thanks, Tim.
In the guide it talks about the so-called drop-in replacements for R-12 (Freon) like Freeze 12. You'll find all these in a table at the end of the section on Choosing and Using Alternative Refrigerants, including manufacturers and 1-800 numbers. It is made abundantly clear that, although adding drop-in refrigerants like Freeze 12 directly into older systems designed for R-12 may technically work just fine, it is not legal to do so unless the old CFC refrigerant is first purged and collected and the system receives the newer R-134a style service fittings, a high pressure cut-out switch and the required labelling. Thus you can't legally mix ANY other refrigerant with R-12, period. Of course you probably wouldn't be doing much time in the slammer even if the A/C police did nab you. Just be sure to ask for a cell in one of those modern prisons with air conditioning.
Jurisdictions outside the U.S. often follow the lead of the EPA and sometimes go further, so check with your local authorities for current restrictions. Although your licensed A/C repair shop is supposed to know all this, there is still a fair bit of misinformation, confusion, deception and shady practice going on.
Despite having said all that, I would still find it very tempting to go directly with a cheap and simple solution like Freeze 12. Unless your system is leaking, I don't see how you would be doing much harm.