The flammability of the new class of low-GWP refrigerants is a source of misunderstanding and unnecessary anxiety among contractors who will be working with the newer materials, which must be used by HVAC equipment manufactured beginning Jan. 1, 2025.
A2L refrigerants
The newer A2L refrigerants, specifically R-454B, perform similarly to previously used materials such as R-410A, and flammability is so mild as to be almost negligible.
What’s needed is more education to make contractors more comfortable with the newer refrigerants. And sensible precautions, of course.
flammability of refrigerants
Among the trainers educating the industry on the benefits of, and needed precautions for, the new materials is Don Gillis, Technical Trainer of Chemours.
“The flammability part of it is the elephant in the room,” says Gillis. “Our training seeks to remove the fear of the unknown and to get ahead of what the expectations are.”
Don Gillis experience
At Chemours, he is applying his real-world experience to address the practical aspects of the refrigerant transition
Gillis’s background includes more than 32 years of experience in the industry, 24 of which were on a service truck. Before coming to Chemours, he was the Senior Technical Trainer for Copeland compressors where he helped to train thousands of contractors across North America.
At Chemours, he is applying his real-world experience to address the practical aspects of the refrigerant transition in hundreds of training sessions this year.
peculiarities and similarities of new refrigerants
“Change is now coming so fast that technicians are struggling to keep up,” says Gillis.
“We need more education, not just about the differences in the new refrigerants but also about the similarities. We need to understand the peculiarities and the similarities of new refrigerants compared to what we used in the past.”
Features of A2L refrigerants
The refrigerants are safe when handled properly, offer lower toxicity, and have been used effectively around the world
Working with A2L refrigerants such as Opteon XL41 (R-454B) is similar to working with R-410A. For R-454B systems, the installation and service procedures are similar. Moreover, the best practices that technicians have used for years remain applicable with A2Ls. These refrigerants are safe when handled properly, offer lower toxicity, and have been used effectively around the world to increase efficiency and reduce emissions.
When working with R-454B, processes that were once described as good practice will be required. These processes include purging a line with nitrogen to remove any residual refrigerant, testing lines under pressure for 60 minutes, and documenting the results.
training sessions
Gillis is seeing higher-than-expected attendance at his training sessions this year, with actual attendance sometimes doubling what was expected. There are classes with more than 100 in attendance, even 200 and 300 in some cases.
While most of the training is geared toward contractors, distributor training is similar, ensuring that the “counter people” speak the same language as their customers when it comes to the transition.
Urgency due to transition
“We are not having an issue of people not coming to training,” says Gillis.
“I think right now there is a new urgency because [the transition] is happening. Dealers and distributors are telling them the new equipment is coming out, and they are peeking in to see what the hubbub is all about. We want everyone to get better. The more knowledge the better.”
R-454B refrigerant availability
All equipment manufactured or imported beginning in 2025 will use newer refrigerants
New equipment that uses R-454B refrigerant will be on the market within weeks. At least three original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) say they will have equipment out by the end of the first quarter.
All equipment manufactured or imported beginning in 2025 will use newer refrigerants.
Misinformation
Misinformation is a problem as the refrigerant transition looms, says Gillis. For example, 50 to 60% of attendees at a recent training session were still under the impression that the new refrigerants contain hydrocarbons such as propane. Not true.
The flammability of A2L refrigerants more closely resembles the refrigerants currently in use than materials at the far end of the flammability spectrum.
Fact-checking and myth-busting
A2L refrigerants have already been used safely for years in automobiles, window air conditioners, PTAC systems, and dehumidifiers. “I’m all about fact-checking and myth-busting,” says Gillis. “You don’t know what you don’t know.”
Some of the misunderstandings may have come from earlier messaging in the industry that addressed A2Ls along with other “flammable refrigerants” such as propane, thus confusing the matter.
Key points
Key points Gillis seeks to communicate in his training sessions include:
- ∙There are no hydrocarbons or propane in A2L refrigerants.
- ∙Although similar to previous refrigerants, an A2L refrigerant cannot be used in an existing unit.
- ∙No extra ventilation or placards are required for trucks carrying A2L refrigerants; tanks of Chemours’ Opteon XL41 (R-454B) refrigerant can be transported on their sides.
- ∙The 440-pound maximum allowable refrigerant truck load stays in place.
- ∙Safety and handling requirements and good installation and service practices are required.
- ∙Factors such as servicing, installation, safety, pressure, temperatures, and oils are the same for R-454B as for R-410A.
To access educational resources, contractors and others may visit Opteon.com to request training by webinar, remotely, or in person. There are also YouTube videos available on demand.
training certificate
Chemours provides a 2-hour certificate of attendance, with a number enabling “credit” with NATE, ACCA
Although there is currently no EPA requirement for special training on the new refrigerants, the jury is out on whether a requirement might be forthcoming.
There currently are also no federal or state certifications. Chemours provides a 2-hour certificate of attendance, with a number enabling “credit” with North American Technician Excellence (NATE), Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA), or whomever.
high-GWP refrigerants
The U.S. AIM Act will limit the amount of high-GWP refrigerants that can be made in coming years. As the manufacture of legacy refrigerants is phased out over time, existing legacy systems will need to use more reclaimed/recovered refrigerants from existing systems.
Fortunately, the processes of reclamation are improving, and even refrigerant mixtures will still have value in the market moving forward.