IEC’s Draft Proposal Increases Charge Limit For Flammable Refrigerants
In May, the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) released its draft proposal to raise the maximum charge size for flammable refrigerants in commercial self-contained cases from 150 grams to 500 grams. This marks a significant step forward for the North American Sustainable Refrigeration Council (NASRC), which has been working to change the standards to increase the maximum charge limit for R-290 (propane) use in self-contained equipment.
According to Marek Zgliczynski, chairman of the IEC subcommittee responsible for developing the proposal, this standard -- known as IEC60335-2-89 – “is the basis for all regional and national product standards for household or similar commercial-type applications.” The proposed change will “increase the maximum allowable charge of flammable refrigerants in [commercial self-contained display cases], while maintaining the same safety level of the present standard with 150 grams,” he explained.