A/C Refrigerant Recovery And Recharge - Remove And Replace: Notes

Last modified: 29/11/2022 17:09:37

WARNING: Servicing must only be performed by personnel familiar with both vehicle systems and the charging and testing equipment. Always read and understand the HVAC machine operator's manual before operating the HVAC machine.

WARNING: R134a and R1234yf are hazardous liquids and, if handled incorrectly, can cause serious injury. Suitable protective clothing, consisting of face protection, heat-proof gloves, rubber boots and apron or waterproof overalls, must be worn when carrying out operations on the air conditioning system.

WARNING: Do not breathe refrigerant and lubricant vapor or mist. Exposure may cause personal injury, especially to the eyes, nose, throat, and lungs. Perform service and repairs in a well-ventilated area. If accidental discharge occurs, ventilate the work area before returning to work. Additional health and safety information may be obtained from equipment, refrigerant, and lubricant manufacturers; refer to their instruction manuals and Material Safety Data Sheets.

WARNING: Avoid using an extension cord on the recovery machine whenever possible. If an extension cord is used, it may overheat and cause a fire. If you must use an extension cord, use the shortest extension cord possible with a minimum 14AWG wire rating.

WARNING: Do not use compressed air to pressure test or leak test the HVAC machine or the vehicle HVAC system. Some mixtures of air and refrigerant are combustible at elevated pressures. These mixtures are potentially dangerous and may result in fire or explosion, causing personal injury or property damage.

WARNING: Be aware of fire hazards. Do not use the HVAC machine in the vicinity of spilled or open containers of flammable liquid.

WARNING: If you are operating the HVAC machine in an environment where temperatures exceed 120 degrees Fahrenheit/49 degrees Celsius, you must wait 10 minutes between jobs.

WARNING: Never transfer refrigerants to a cylinder or tank unless it is Department of Transportation approved for refilling. DOT approval is indicated by the designation "DOT 4BA" or "DOT 4BW" stamped on a tank's collar (handle). If a refrigerant tank is overfilled, it may explode. To prevent this from occurring, when transferring refrigerant into a tank, the safe filling level must be controlled by weight, and must not exceed 60% of the tank's gross weight rating.

CAUTION: Only use Tesla-specified refrigerant in the vehicle and the A/C recovery and recharge machine. The unit is designed to recover, recycle, and recharge only Tesla-specified refrigerant. Do not attempt to adapt the unit for another refrigerant. Do not mix refrigerant types through a system or in the same container; mixing of refrigerants will cause severe damage to the unit and the vehicle air conditioning system.

CAUTION: Do not mix different types of A/C system oil. Model S, Model X, and Model 3 use ND-11 spec POE oil, while Roadster 1.5 and 2.0 use different oils (PVE for 1.5 cars and POE for 2.0/2.5 cars). If the HVAC machine is not solely dedicated to Model S, Model X, and Model 3 use, perform internal self-flushing of the A/C lines in the machine before every service to prevent cross-contamination. Refer to the section "Set Up HVAC Machine" for further information on performing the self-flushing procedure of the A/C lines.

CAUTION: Do not allow refrigerant oil to come in contact with any surfaces of the vehicle as it may cause damage to the paint, trim, or finish on the vehicle.

CAUTION: Always keep refrigerant oil tightly sealed, clearly marked, and in its original container to prevent contamination of any kind.

CAUTION: Do not over-fill the vehicle's A/C system with oil. Only put in the exact amount that you take out. Always measure the amount of oil extracted and refill it with that exact amount.

CAUTION: Always maintain different oil canisters for managing different types of oil. These canisters should be clearly marked to avoid any cross-contamination when switching between the two oils.

CAUTION: The refrigerant cylinders currently in use as source tanks are disposable cylinders. Before they are discarded, disposable refrigerant cylinders should be connected to recovery equipment and brought to a vacuum to ensure that all refrigerant has been removed. The cylinder should then be marked "Empty".

CAUTION: Always follow the information label when determining the refrigerant capacity of the vehicle being worked on. Do not over-fill or under-fill the air conditioning system with refrigerant.

NOTE: This procedure might contain steps to use Toolbox 2 to supplement the service operation. Toolbox 2 and its Panels are being phased out and replaced with Toolbox 3 routines.