Maintaining Chemical Stability In the Refrigeration System

MAINTAINING CHEMICAL STABILITY IN THE REFRIGERATION SYSTEM
The efficient operation and life of the air conditioning system is dependent upon the chemical stability of the refrigeration system. When foreign materials, such as dirt, air, or moisture, contaminate the refrigeration system, they will change the stability of the Refrigerant-12 and 525 viscosity refrigerant oil. They will also affect pressure-temperature relationship, reduce efficient operation and possibly cause interior corrosion and abnormal wear of moving parts.

General Practices
The following general practices should be observed to ensure chemical stability in the system:
1. Before disconnecting a refrigerant connection, wipe away any dirt or oil at and near the connection to reduce the possibility of dirt entering the system. Both sides of the connection should be capped, plugged or taped as soon as possible to prevent the entry of dirt, foreign material and moisture.
2. Keep tools clean and dry. This includes the manifold gage set and replacement parts.
3. When adding 525 viscosity refrigerant oil (see ADDING OIL in the DISCHARGING, ADDING OIL, EVACUATING AND CHARGING PROCEDURES), the transfer device and container should be clean and dry to assure that refrigeration oil remains as moisture-free as possible.
4. When it is necessary to "open" an A/C system, have everything needed ready and handy so that as little time as possible will be required to perform the operation. Do not leave the A/C system open any longer than is necessary.
5. Any time the A/C system has been "opened," it should be properly evacuated before recharging with Refrigerant-12 according to the DISCHARGING, ADDING OIL, EVACUATING AND CHARGING PROCEDURES.

Service Parts
All service parts are dehydrated and scaled prior to shipping. They should remain sealed until just prior to making connections. All parts should be at room temperature before uncapping (this prevents condensation of moisture from the air entering the system). If, for any reason, caps are removed but the connections are not made, parts should be resealed as soon as possible.