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Although there may be a temptation to simply treat A2L refrigerants as equivalent to ammonia with respect to flammability hazard, ammonia really is an entity unto itself. Like an A2L, it exhibits a low-flame velocity in flammability tests, but ammonia has the unique safety advantage of a strong and unmistakable odor that is typically present long before the onset of a flammability hazard. All of the current A2L refrigerants, on the other hand, are odorless.

R-134a has a global-warming potential (GWP) of 1,430. This means it traps 1,430 times as much heat per kilogram as carbon dioxide does over a 100-year period. Because R-134a has such a high GWP, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) listed R-134a as an “unacceptable” refrigerant for certain refrigeration and air conditioning applications under its Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) program.

To prevent unnecessary return visits (aka callbacks) for your company or future issues for your customers, here are some helpful items to remember when completing a repair. It can be easy to overlook some of these items, but taking the extra time to complete them before leaving the call can pay off in the long run.

The SRS3 Wireless Refrigerant Scale delivers accurate measurements for residential or light commercial facilities and sends those measurements either to the SRS3 remote handle or directly to the Fieldpiece Job Link™ mobile app to record and document refrigerant use.

The Epic Unit Cooler Series is ideal for medium and large walk-in coolers and freezers, distribution facilities, dock arrangements, and storage facilities. Sleek and lightweight, the Epic units provide excellent airflow and are available in many fan and coil combinations.

Members of The NEWS’ trainer panel examined compressor valves and determined the best methods for maintaining valves, diagnosing faulty ones, and implementing proper troubleshooting techniques when they go bad.

The United States International Trade Commission (USITC) has decided that U.S. industry is being materially injured by imports of refrigerant R-134a from China that are being “dumped” in the U.S. The USITC’s affirmative determination paves the way for the U.S Department of Commerce to issue an anti-dumping duty order.

Is it time to remake the image of the refrigeration technician? Could a new title for the role help the hardest-working men and women in the HVACR industry get more of the respect they so richly deserve? And, more importantly, could a new image help attract more young people to our industry? If so, maybe it’s time to introduce the newest member of the HVACR industry: the thermodynamic energy specialist.

Refrigeration contractors don’t get many opportunities to “slam dunk,” but when it comes to energy savings opportunities for their supermarket clients, they can soar like NBA all-stars.