Safety Precautions When Working On A/C System And When Handling Refrigerant R134A

A/C Service Station

There is a risk of getting frostbite from the refrigerant.

Refrigerant can come out under pressure when working on the A/C system. Frostbite on the skin and other parts of the body is possible.

-- Wear safety gloves.

-- Wear protective eyewear.

-- Evacuate or drain refrigerant and open the refrigerant circuit immediately.

-- If more than 10 minutes elapse after extracting or draining the refrigerant and the refrigerant circuit has not been opened, extract or drain the refrigerant again. Pressure develops in the refrigerant circuit due to evaporation.

There is risk of destroying the refrigerant lines.

The refrigerant lines can be destroyed by ripping through the inner foil.

-- Never bend the refrigerant lines to a radius smaller than r = 100 mm.

• Never weld or hard/soft solder components of a filled A/C system. This applies also for welding and soldering work on the vehicle, in the event that parts of the A/C system may heat up. When performing paintwork repairs, the temperature in the drying booth or preheating zone must not exceed 80 °C (176°F).

Reason

Exposure to heat increases the pressure in the system, which could cause the system pressure relief valve to open.

Corrective Measure

-- Discharge the refrigerant circuit using the A/C Service Station.

Refrigerant canisters (for example, charging cylinders for A/C Service Station) must never be subjected to excessive heat or exposed to direct sunlight.

Corrective Measure:

-- Canisters must never be completely filled with liquid refrigerant. Without sufficient room for expansion (gas cushion), reservoirs will rupture with devastating effects in the event of a temperature increase. Refer to REFRIGERANT R134A CHARACTERISTICS .

Refrigerant is never to be transferred to systems or reservoirs in which air is present.

Corrective Measure:

-- Evacuate systems and reservoirs before charging with refrigerant.