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What is the difference between r134a and r12?

Author

David Richardson

Updated on March 03, 2026

What is the difference between r134a and r12?

R12 and 134a are refrigerants used in car air conditioning systems. R12 was used in most cars and trucks until 1995 when it was replaced with 134a. The main difference between the two is that R12 is the amount of time they remain in earth's atmosphere, with the newer 134a significantly less than the old R12.

Beside this, what happens if you put r134a in a r12 system?

R134a systems operate at higher discharge-side pressures than R12, which can cause compressor seals to leak. Bottom line, R134a simply doesn't cool as well as R12. The advantage of ester oil is that it works with both R12 as well as R134a, so you can fill the system with it and then use either refrigerant.

Similarly, does r12 cool better than r134a? They were not. Air conditioning is not efficient in any way. R12 was just more robust and blew colder. R134A takes a while to warm up, and it's harder to cool as the ambient temperature got higher.

Besides, can you convert r12 to r134a?

Before 1995 most vehicles came with R12 refrigerant in the air-conditioning system. If your air conditioning is no longer cooling as well as it once did, then chances are you need to recharge the refrigerant in the system. Instead you can convert an R12 system to an R134a system with a few parts and some basic tools.

Is it bad to mix r12 with r134?

The oils are different and not compatible and can cause an explosion. R134a is also a smaller molecule than r12 so if you HAD a small leak with r12 that you did not fix you have an even bigger leak now. R134a is so much smaller than r12 that it will leak right through the older hoses used for r12.

How much does it cost to convert r12 to r134a?

COST?? Make sure that your system is leak free and then stick with R12. It espeally makes sense if you're doing it yourself as the price of R12 is about $20-$25/can these days if you buy privately which is only a little more then R134. It works better, requires no flushing and will probably stay in there longer.

How much is 134a in a r12 system?

Calculate how much R134a to use
Since R134a is LIGHTER than R12, you must convert the charge weight to get the proper charge during your retrofit. Fill the system with 75 to 85% of the factory specified capacity to achieve the best cooling.

Can r12 and r22 be mixed?

They are two completely different refrigerants,won't mix at all.

Is R 12 Freon still available?

R12 is difficult to find now a days. It was phased out all the way back in 1994 and was replaced with R-134a. There are very few places where you can actively buy R-12 today.
R-134a systems require PAG (polyalkylene glycol) oil of a certain grade. PAG oil is hygroscopic, meaning that it readily absorbs moisture from the air. Never leave the cap loose when storing PAG refrigerant oil. Some manufacturers recommend using less hygroscopic POE (Polyol Ester) oil instead of PAG after a retrofit.

What happens if you put the wrong refrigerant in your car?

If the wrong refrigerant is used as a total charge, once again you may have expansion device issues. You will probably lose somewhere between a little loss of efficiency to an enormous loss of efficiency, and in a few rare cases you may even get a small gain.

How much does r12 freon cost?

Dear Albert: Prices for R-22 refrigerant have definitely risen over the past few years. "Freon" is a commonly known brand of refrigerant, though it is not a descriptive or generic term. Companies have quoted prices ranging from $35 to $175 per pound for R-22.

When did they stop using r12 refrigerant?

1993

What pressure does r12 run at?

about 60 psi

Is r134a toxic?

Adverse Health effects.
The inhalation of high concentrations of R134a vapour may cause temporary central nervous system depression, with narcosis, lethargy and anaesthetic effects. Continued breathing of high concentrations of R134a vapours may produce cardiac irregularities, unconsciousness and death.

What refrigerant is compatible with r12?

The best replacement for R12 is considered to be R-134a. The chemical name of R134a is tetrafluoroethane and it chemical formula is CF3CH2F. It is a hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) and has zero ozone depletion causing potential and very low greenhouse effect.

What is the best replacement for r12 refrigerant?

Why R-134a is the Best Replacement for R12
R-134a is non-corrosive with the copper, aluminum and standard steel materials. R-134a is the single component refrigerant and not the blend like the other alternatives.

Why r12 is banned?

In conclusion folks R-12 Freon was banned due to the damage that it caused to the Ozone layer. The Chlorine found in CFC refrigerants like R-12 would not break down in the atmosphere when vented or leaked. The Chlorine would then erode the Ozone bit by bit.

Do you have to recover r134a?

If you need to crack open your A/C for repairs or parts replacement, then you need to recover the refrigerant first. You should never vent R134a into the atmosphere or the EPA and the Tree Huggers will kick the crap out of you.

What is 1234yf made of?

R1234yf is a hydrofluoroolefin (HFO) refrigerant. HFO refrigerants are composed of hydrogen, fluorine and carbon atoms, but contain at least one double bond between the carbon atoms. Due to its composition, R1234yf does not damage the ozone layer or has minimal global warming impact.

What is r12a refrigerant?

HC-12a. HC-12a is a mixture of hydrocarbons, specifically propane (R-290) and isobutane (R-600a), and is therefore considered nearly non-ozone-depleting when compared to dichlorodifluoromethane (R-12, Freon-12) or 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane (R-134a). The mixture can be used in refrigeration systems designed for R-12.

What's the difference between r134a and r1234yf?

R134a and R1234yf are similar, however, R1234yf was created as a more environmentally friendly replacement to R134a. The biggest difference between the two, is that R1234yf is mildly flammable and does require special handling. Diagnosis of the air-conditioning system can be done in the same way as with R134a.

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