Adding Freon to a Fridge

[Risen242]

We are at anchor on the east coast of Puerto Rico and got a puncture hole in our freezer we temporarily fixed the hole but need to find a place to add freon in PR. Any help would ne very appreciated.

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Risen242.

YOU don't add freon. A professional might (I doubt it); but would more likely convert you to another gas.

[Astrid]

I doubt that you can get freon anymore; most likely you will need to look for an HCFC or newer non-ozone depleting refridgerant gas.

There are a number of places near San Juan:

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[Bulldawg]

R12 is almost impossible to find as it has been banned in US and illegal for anyone to refill even if they have some left. I think it is still available in some countries(not sure which). You should be able to find a repairman to do fairly simple conversion.

[Auspicious]

*sigh* Ice pick or knife?

[Risen242]

Thanks for all the responses. Dont know why I didnt join earlier. And yes Auspicous it was an ice pick. Not fun.
Anyway can u just put in a diffrent gas or do I have to get a whole new system installed, and how much would that cost?
And how much time am I looking at for the process?
Was going to go to port in Fajrdo in the northeast. Anyone know anything about it?
Thanks again in Advance.

[hellosailor]

Freon is still readily available, about $50/pound in the US and your system probably takes one or two pounds, so it is not a big deal. However, you don't just fill a system once it has been opened. You evacuate it (put it under vacuum), confirm that it has been repaired, and then refill it.

You need to confirm exactly which gas your boat uses, folks tend to call everything "freon" but read the compressor plate and find out exactly what you need. A licensed repairer uses a completely separate set of equipment for each gas type, and if it really is R12 a lot of shops just may not deal with it any more.

Changing gas types sometimes will work, depending on the particulars of your system. A new system...depends on the capacity, whether anything can be re-used, but should just be a day job for a pro.

[Juniper]

You need to find out exactly what type of freon in needs, how old is the system, R12 has not been used in some time, R134A is and a few others, Freon is actully a trade name.

[four winds]

Yes, the r12 type is available, just has to be done by a pro with the proper containment equipment. It can't be released into the atmosphere legally unless by accident. It's more efficient than other refrigerant gases so stick with it if possible.

Could be hard to find someone that still works on it because of the certification and cost of equipment.

[Highlander40]

Just to be clear, you don't switch refrigerants!

There are very few cases where that will work and all require a trained refrigeration specialist.

[four winds]

Upgrade kits for do it yourself were quite common in my neck of the woods a few years ago, not sure about now.

On my old Chevy truck the kit included adapter fittings, a cleaner or "wash" to fill and flush the lubricant from the old system, and the new refrigerant. The lube was incompatible and had to be flushed.

The problem is the components aren't sized properly for the new less efficient gas, so the system doesn't cool as quickly nor as cold. That would be the case for any r12 based system if upgraded. I think that would be an issue for a boat system.

[Juniper]

There are R12 replacements but be careful about using some of them as some are propane/butane based and as such are flamable.

[bene505]

What year is your boat/fridge? Ours was built in 2000 and the refrigerant is 134a. Follow your refrigerant tubes and you will eventually find something that will say 134a or R134a or R12 on it.

Knowing that will help when you call the pro who will work on it.

Good luck with it!

Regards,
Brad

[osirissail]

As Hellosailor and others have mentioned you do not change gases such as R12/22 to R134A. The lubricants and other factors like seals, etc. are different inside the systems due to the chemical nature of the various gases. Additionally you need a/c gauges and hoses with fittings appropriate to your system. The service fittings on older units are quite different from the newer 134A systems. Read the manual for your system carefully as adding gas to your system is a technical process requiring putting in exactly the correct amount and not too little or too much. And the little cans of refrigerant are not cheap, in Trinidad a single small cost me US$50 from a marine supplier.
- - And as stated you need to have the unit tested to see if the repair is valid or the unit still leaks. The pressures inside can be such as to dislodge your repair especially when radical temperature changes occur from room temperature to freezing.
- - The are service shops in Fajardo, P.R. who can deal with your system. There is also two marine supply stores in the Villa Marina area that can advise you as to who and where you can find a repair shop. If you are further south then Marina del Rey would have vendors to do the job.
- - Using an ice pick to remove frost is rather dangerous and expensive if your aim is not good. I defrost my units in less than a minute using a garden hose and spray nozzle. I spray the cold plate/evaporate bin with the water and frost and ice disappear quite rapidly. Since I built a drain into the bottom of my boxes, the water drains away quickly. Otherwise you would have to scoop and sponge out the water. Which is not bad as you get to clean the inside walls of the box at the same time.

[four winds]

Generally I don't posts links, nor do I rarely go to those posted by others. I prefer the issues to be summarized and stated based on personal experiences and knowledge of the member. Similar to a face to face conversation.

But, here's a link to an e-how article about refrigerant conversion and the issues involved. Still, after converting my truck, I wouldn't do it again. I did so because I could do it myself for less than a pro using r12. I doesn't cool as well even if done properly. Just like new cars take longer to cool down on a hot day especially if travel speeds are slow and compressor rpm lower than highway speeds, when an old car would be throwing snow balls out of the vents in two minutes.

I would not convert. Going to the trouble to repair with r12 (if that's what it has) will be worth the extra expense and trouble.

How to Replace a R12 With a R134a | eHow.com