International. The AREA (European Association of Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heat Pump Contractors), published a number of reasons why R-32 refrigerant should not be charged in systems designed for R410A.
Recently, the Federation of Environmental Trade Associations (FETA) has been informed that there have been cases of the refrigerant R410A (classified as A1, non-flammable) that has been completely removed from an air conditioning system, and the system has simply been recharged with R32 (classified as A2L, low flammability). Given the differences in the properties of these two refrigerants, this is a cause for concern for several reasons.
Therefore, they presented a series of issues to take into account:
Refrigerant manufacturers have clearly stated that A2L refrigerants are not suitable for retrofitting.
A system that was originally designed for R410A will not have taken into account the safety factors required when using an A2L refrigerant and could create a significant safety hazard. Systems designed for use with R32 have different pressure switch regimes, altered inverter profiles, and specially designed heat exchangers.
Loading an existing system with R32 would leave the system not complying with the EN 378 refrigerant safety standard, which would result in the possibility of forming a flammable atmosphere in a leakage situation.
Such a change of refrigerant would be strictly against the instructions of the system manufacturer and would void the validity of any relevant warranties. It would also mean that the system would not comply with CE marking or the Pressure Equipment Directive, and could also have insurance implications.
The R32 has a higher compressor discharge temperature than R410A, and will increase compressor wear, significantly reducing its service life.
In case any problem arises from a system change like this, any responsibility would fall entirely on the person who made the change.
In short, it is not good practice to load a system with a refrigerant that the system was not originally designed to use without proper assessment of the differences in the characteristics of the replacement gas.
