AHRI Update Removes Paint Color Assignments for Refrigerant Containers
Hopes to reduce confusion among similarly colored refrigerant containers
Significant changes to refrigerant container color protocol will commence in January 2020, as outlined in the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute's (AHRI) Guideline N, Assignment of Refrigerant Container Colors. Guideline revisions, first published in 2015, specify that all refrigerant containers should have the same paint color, RAL 7044, to reduce confusion among similarly colored refrigerant containers.
“Misidentifying refrigerants can lead to serious safety issues, because refrigerants have different operating pressures and physical properties, including potential flammability,” said Helen Walter-Terrinoni, vice president of regulatory affairs at AHRI. “It can also cause equipment damage if refrigerants are used in the wrong applications. The updated guideline will ensure that refrigerants continue to be used correctly and safely.”