Safe R12 Refrigerant Recovery: A Guide for HVAC Professionals

R12 gas is an obsolete coolant gas used in refrigeration and air conditioning systems. At the time of publication, the mandated coolant gas for use is R134a. This change in systems means it is necessary to recover and discard the R12 gas in a safe way so it cannot harm the ozone layer.

Things You'll Need

• Recovery cylinder

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Instructions

• 1

  Attach a recovery cylinder to the port on your compressor. Drain the compressor of R12, sending it into the cylinder. The exact process for draining varies widely by manufacturer.

• 2

  Deliver the cylinder or cylinders with R12 to the manufacturer for disposal.

• 3

  Put the cylinder into a treatment system. Gas manufacturers have a variety of technologies they use to condense the R12 and dispose of the liquid safely.