I have extensive experience with R290. Most of all the glass merchandisers I work on are r290 systems. Proper precautions and common sense go a long way. 😊 Nitrogen is your friend.
@@R290s_biggest_fan yep. I always have my gas sniffer too. If possible I will take the unit outside but not always possible. Just be aware of surroundings and pay attention. The quicker we get used to it and comfortable working with it the better off we are. Changes are coming and we can either embrace them or not a be caught behind the 8 ball.
That is crazy so an out door Freezer that doesn't typically have a flame source can only have 300 grams yet my gas grill who frequently is near a flame and has a rubber hose has 9000 grams of R290? LOL. Can we stop acting like R290 is Scarwy.
As a drop in replacement for R-22, R-290 overall efficiency is nearly identical, and R-22 is close to the tops of refrigerants in terms of efficiency. Another advantage is that moisture in the system will not end up become acidic as at will with R-22 and some oils. One of the best, comprehensive residential and light business refrigerant evaluations was made by the DOE around 2000; unfortunately I can no longer find the tech report, but what I do find are less comprehensive evaluations that slant/ bias their conclusions towards questionable marketing arguments.
Everyone calm down. Just purge before you braze. Honestly I've started a flame on every compressor I've worked on. It is a lazy flame so you purge more and away you go.
R-290 refrigerant doesn't really bother me at all. RVs have been using propane as a refrigerant for decades, safely. What does bother me is the way some of the equipment is being manufactured. ie Pepsi drink display coolers where the neutral is literally the chassis of the unit, which presents a significant shock hazard. Or Maxx Cold units that are built as cheaply as possible which presents real concerns about the life expectancy of their units. Contrast that with units that are being built for export to the EU which seem to be built to a very robust standard.
Can you please tell me what is the difference between a R134a compressor and a R290 compressor? And what is the impact if a R134a compressor will be used in a R290 system?
Limited gas amounts in a closed loop stored mostly outdoors in unit; why is this an issue considering many homes if not most are heated with flammable natural gas in an open system ignited indoors with virtually unlimited feed amounts. Why is the focus based on scare tactics highlighting flammability? The focus should be that R290 is non ozone depleting, is non proprietary making it inexpensive and requires lower pressures than many current refrigerants.
I am not an HVACR tech so please excuse this question but why isn’t Anhydrous ammonia used more in smaller scale applications ? (Package units restraunt refrigeration etc) i work in a meat processing plant which utilizes Ammonia
R290 sounds way better for heat pumps and water heaters. R290 can not burn or blow up without oxygen. Most leaks in AC units are slow leaks, so as long as there is some air flow, it would be hard to build up to an explosive mix. Within the unit, don't have open sparking, like unenclosed relays or loose wire connections. Don't let your pit bull play with the plumbing. Millions have gas or propane heating, stoves, fireplaces, etc. and I would be more concerned with there plumping, as they are often more in the open were they could be bumped or something and have a large amount of gas behind them.
I'd be most interested in seeing the effects of igniting a stoichiometric mixture of air and propane in a closed refrigerator. Wouldn't that be enough to blow it to smithereens?
You would have to ignite the entire charge at once with the right Oxygen mixture others a little poof is about it. Nearly an impossible event. Like a shark bite in a swimming pool.
R290: so scary. Oh wait if you have propane stove, propane water heater, hooked up to piping that can deliver 100s of pounds of flammable gas inside your house and yet we don't think twice about using gas appliances. R290 is a great refrigerant. Cost, single component, no glide, etc. Did i say COST? Basically a drop in for R22. Yes it deserves respect for safe handling and understanding if used. Why didn't we have it accross the board? The chemical companies can't make money selling you R290. There's no patent on it. So I bet if you looked closely enough you'd see they are the companies that are pushing the scary narrative. But remember gas range, gas furnace, gas water heater, even gas lighting if you are Amish or want back up in case of power outage. I don't like the fear being used to prevent a great refrigerant being available.
I know they limit it to small charges. I guess the running pressure may separate it from other applications as well. But I see your point. We drive things that are powered by motors where controlled explosions occur rapidly.
@@Zacksshoptalk in the USA we live in a lawsuit happy wanna be nanny state. From my point of view there's no valid reason to not use R290 wherever R22 had been used with similar safety protocals used with gas fired appliances. But creating a boogy man out of it, means the chemical companies can sell you these other gases for a lot more money and profit. Seems like chemical companies are taking a page out of big pharma's play book, raising prices as high as the market will bear.
Informative video! I have worked with 600a quite a bit and have avoided problems. Complete purging is probably the key keeping refrigerant away from the flame. Just stay focused and use common sense and it’ll all be good. I don’t particularly like flames near propane but hvac work can be done safely with 600 and 290
I have extensive experience with R290. Most of all the glass merchandisers I work on are r290 systems. Proper precautions and common sense go a long way. 😊 Nitrogen is your friend.
As long as the refrigerant is out of it, the most I've gotten was a small candle size flame when un sweating a compressor.
@@R290s_biggest_fan yep. I always have my gas sniffer too. If possible I will take the unit outside but not always possible. Just be aware of surroundings and pay attention. The quicker we get used to it and comfortable working with it the better off we are. Changes are coming and we can either embrace them or not a be caught behind the 8 ball.
In my area, they have begun introducing r290 mini split air conditioners
what what what?????? I have been waiting 5 years for my state to get R32. No clue if we will ever get it. I would love an R290 or R600a mini split.
What area, and which mini- splits ?
That is crazy so an out door Freezer that doesn't typically have a flame source can only have 300 grams yet my gas grill who frequently is near a flame and has a rubber hose has 9000 grams of R290? LOL. Can we stop acting like R290 is Scarwy.
Its not half as dangerous as some of you think.
Its super easy to work with, and is crazy efficient.
And the lower pressures means the equipment and or last longer, leaks are less common and its not an over price proprietary formula.
As a drop in replacement for R-22, R-290 overall efficiency is nearly identical, and R-22 is close to the tops of refrigerants in terms of efficiency. Another advantage is that moisture in the system will not end up become acidic as at will with R-22 and some oils.
One of the best, comprehensive residential and light business refrigerant evaluations was made by the DOE around 2000; unfortunately I can no longer find the tech report, but what I do find are less comprehensive evaluations that slant/ bias their conclusions towards questionable marketing arguments.
Agreed. Safer then a natural gas stove. More efficient then CO2 in warm climates. System cost and maintenance equivalent with. HFCs.
Everyone calm down. Just purge before you braze. Honestly I've started a flame on every compressor I've worked on. It is a lazy flame so you purge more and away you go.
The same people that are worried about the tiny flame from a R290/R600 system have a torch with much more stored energy.
R-290 refrigerant doesn't really bother me at all. RVs have been using propane as a refrigerant for decades, safely. What does bother me is the way some of the equipment is being manufactured. ie Pepsi drink display coolers where the neutral is literally the chassis of the unit, which presents a significant shock hazard. Or Maxx Cold units that are built as cheaply as possible which presents real concerns about the life expectancy of their units. Contrast that with units that are being built for export to the EU which seem to be built to a very robust standard.
Flammable refrigerant has also been used for quite a while in the EU, I have a 2007 R600A freezer that still cools great.
USA needs to just go to R-290 for minimum. For residential & commercial refrigeration hvac equipment.
Can you please tell me what is the difference between a R134a compressor and a R290 compressor? And what is the impact if a R134a compressor will be used in a R290 system?
This is going to get interesting in a flash (pretty soon)
Yeah, the flash is a real dramatic with this refrigerant
Limited gas amounts in a closed loop stored mostly outdoors in unit; why is this an issue considering many homes if not most are heated with flammable natural gas in an open system ignited indoors with virtually unlimited feed amounts. Why is the focus based on scare tactics highlighting flammability? The focus should be that R290 is non ozone depleting, is non proprietary making it inexpensive and requires lower pressures than many current refrigerants.
Could pure hydrogen be used as refrigerant? And yes I know it would be very flammable also!
I am not an HVACR tech so please excuse this question but why isn’t Anhydrous ammonia used more in smaller scale applications ? (Package units restraunt refrigeration etc) i work in a meat processing plant which utilizes Ammonia
I assume it is the toxicity
We started out with R-290, R-717 and R-744. Now we’re going back to them.
@@Zacksshoptalk yes. Also highly corrosive to brass in most service valves, TXV’s and RV’s.
Expensive, toxic, can be used to make very destructive weapons, corrosive, smelly, temperamental.
The toxicity. Great for industrial but not so much for smaller applications.
In a outdoor monoblock system there is no problem with R290. It can heat the water to 75 degrees celcius
R290 sounds way better for heat pumps and water heaters. R290 can not burn or blow up without oxygen. Most leaks in AC units are slow leaks, so as long as there is some air flow, it would be hard to build up to an explosive mix. Within the unit, don't have open sparking, like unenclosed relays or loose wire connections. Don't let your pit bull play with the plumbing. Millions have gas or propane heating, stoves, fireplaces, etc. and I would be more concerned with there plumping, as they are often more in the open were they could be bumped or something and have a large amount of gas behind them.
I'd be most interested in seeing the effects of igniting a stoichiometric mixture of air and propane in a closed refrigerator. Wouldn't that be enough to blow it to smithereens?
You would have to ignite the entire charge at once with the right Oxygen mixture others a little poof is about it. Nearly an impossible event. Like a shark bite in a swimming pool.
R290: so scary. Oh wait if you have propane stove, propane water heater, hooked up to piping that can deliver 100s of pounds of flammable gas inside your house and yet we don't think twice about using gas appliances.
R290 is a great refrigerant. Cost, single component, no glide, etc. Did i say COST? Basically a drop in for R22.
Yes it deserves respect for safe handling and understanding if used.
Why didn't we have it accross the board?
The chemical companies can't make money selling you R290. There's no patent on it.
So I bet if you looked closely enough you'd see they are the companies that are pushing the scary narrative. But remember gas range, gas furnace, gas water heater, even gas lighting if you are Amish or want back up in case of power outage.
I don't like the fear being used to prevent a great refrigerant being available.
I know they limit it to small charges. I guess the running pressure may separate it from other applications as well.
But I see your point. We drive things that are powered by motors where controlled explosions occur rapidly.
@@Zacksshoptalk in the USA we live in a lawsuit happy wanna be nanny state. From my point of view there's no valid reason to not use R290 wherever R22 had been used with similar safety protocals used with gas fired appliances. But creating a boogy man out of it, means the chemical companies can sell you these other gases for a lot more money and profit. Seems like chemical companies are taking a page out of big pharma's play book, raising prices as high as the market will bear.
my boss sent me your youtube channel to nerd out over and i absolutely love the outro music 🤣
Who’s your boss?
@@ZacksshoptalkNick Peregoy from Monticello Heating and Air in Central VA. He recommended that I watch your channel and it's absolutely great.
Informative video! I have worked with 600a quite a bit and have avoided problems. Complete purging is probably the key keeping refrigerant away from the flame. Just stay focused and use common sense and it’ll all be good. I don’t particularly like flames near propane but hvac work can be done safely with 600 and 290
Would R290 explode in a residential unit? Like a 5 ton.
In the US yes, in most other countries never. LOL It all depends if you live in a Nany state that has suffocation warnings on plastic bags.
Propane Propane...
Propane go boom 😂! Dont braze! 🤦🏾♂️🤦🏾♂️
What fuel do you use to braze with????