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The Daily Insight

Are R12 and R22 compatible

Author

Emily Dawson

Published Apr 07, 2026

R12 and R22 are both now banned by the EPA in the United States. Other more environmentally friendly alternatives exist, but even those cannot be changed in air conditioners or other refrigeration units with R12 without a thorough cleaning of the unit.

What refrigerant can be mixed with R12?

R12 is compatible with mineral oil, and most R12 systems use this. R134a uses Polyalkylene Glycol (PAG) oil.

Is R22 the same as R12?

Like R12, which is the original ozone-depleting refrigerant, R22 is marketed under the brand name Freon, and it’s one of the earliest CFC alternatives.

What refrigerant can you mix with R22?

The most commonly mixed refrigerants in the field are the replacements for R-22 — R-427A, R-438A, R-422D, and R-407C — which are often combined with the remaining R-22 in the system, said Maiorana.

Can I put R22 in my car?

R22 refrigerant has been used for years in central air conditioners, heat pumps, mini-splits, car AC systems, and other refrigeration equipment.

What happens if you mix R134a and r22?

If you add R-22 to an R-134a system, you will not get close to the rated cooling capacity of the A/C system. In conclusion, do not mix R-22 with R-134a refrigerants, you will ruin the charge, and possibly seriously damage or destroy your A/C system. NEVER mix refrigerants.

Is R22 a freon?

R22 (also known as HCFC-22) is a chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) once widely used as a refrigerant. If your home or office AC is over 10 years, then it’s probably using R22 as its freon. However, R22 Freon is banned in the U.S. today.

Can you mix R12 and r134 refrigerant?

R134a systems operate at higher discharge-side pressures than R12, which can cause compressor seals to leak. Bottom line, R134a simply doesn’t cool as well as R12. … The advantage of ester oil is that it works with both R12 as well as R134a, so you can fill the system with it and then use either refrigerant.

Is it legal to sell R12 refrigerant?

Yes, you can still sell R-12 and other CFC refrigerants. Although these refrigerants can no longer be manufactured, it is perfectly legal to sell to an EPA certified buyer.

Is it illegal to mix refrigerants?

Due to the destructive effects of the compositions of refrigerants on the environment, the EPA has banned the use of certain refrigerants altogether. These banned refrigerants were to be replaced with new ones, and mixing refrigerants became totally illegal.

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Can I mix R22 with R290?

Because R290 has similar saturated pressure-temperature characteristics and volumetric refrigerating capacity as R22, is miscible with the oils typically used in R22 compressors, is relatively cheap and is reported to yield favourable efficiency, it is often deemed as a desirable option to use in existing R22 systems.

Can you mix R22 with nu22?

Can Freon™ MO99™ or Freon™ NU-22B™ be mixed with R-22? No. There is no such thing as a “drop in” replacement for R-22. Mixing refrigerants is not recommended.

Does R22 contain chlorine?

Freon is DuPont’s commercial name for R22, a member of the chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) organic compounds that contains carbon, chlorine, hydrogen and fluorine. …

Is Freon 12 the same as R12?

Refrigerant R12 or Freon 12 is said to be the most widely used of all the refrigerants being used for different applications. The chemical name of refrigerant R12 is dichlorodifluoromethane and its chemical formula is CCl2F2. … The wide range of applications of the refrigerant are due to its safe properties.

Can I buy R134a in Canada?

Since R134a is not available for sale in Canada, a void was filled by companies making HC-12a DIY kits.

Can you mix different types of freon?

In short, the answer is, “No!” Automotive refrigerants are volatile compounds that can have a negative effect on the environment. Combining them can have adverse effects, and cause damage to your car’s A/C system.

Is R134 a HFC?

R134a was the first chlorine free (ODP = 0) HFC refrigerant that was tested comprehensively. It is now used world-wide in many refrigeration and air conditioning units with good results. As well as being used as a pure substance, R134a is also applied as a component of a variety of blends.

Why is R22 illegal?

Since you’re reading this article, you probably know that the former industry-standard R22 refrigerant (also known as Freon) has been phased out worldwide due to its harmful effects on the ozone layer.

Can you put R410A in a R22 system?

No, you cannot. To make a short story long, R410A and R22 are refrigerants. They are both good refrigerants and they both work, but they have to be charged in the system at different pressures. R410A is a higher pressure system and R22 is a lower pressure system.

How much is a pound of R22 Freon 2020?

R22 Freon Cost Per Pound R22 Freon costs $90 to $150 per pound installed or $13 to $21 per pound wholesale.

Is R22 better than R134a?

R134a is more powerful than R22 on the swelling of rubber, and the leakage rate is higher in the actual operation. R134a has a strong corrosive to copper, causing “copper plating phenomenon” in use of the process, so there must additive in the system.

Who can buy R12?

Refrigerant can only be sold to technicians certified under the Section 608 or Section 609 technician certification programs, where individuals may only purchase refrigerant consistent with the appliances covered by their certification.

Is refrigerant certification needed and what can happen if I don't have it?

Do I need a technician certification to sell refrigerant? No. However, sellers should understand the requirement to check that the purchasers of refrigerant are, or employ, certified technicians. They should also understand the recordkeeping requirements for refrigerant sales.

Can you ship Freon USPS?

The United States Postal Service has a lot of regulations concerning what it will ship and what it will not. You can mail Freon through the USPS but only by ground and it involves a lot of paperwork, certifications and labeling regulations.

Is R12 colder than R134a?

R12 can blow 6 to 7 degrees cooler than R134a and is 15% more efficient. … As a result, a perfectly functioning R12 system will blow colder and reduce temperatures faster than a system that was converted to R134a.

Can I use R12a in a R12 system?

Adding R12a refrigerant to the R12 system: It’s basically the same procedure as adding R12 except you must screw on the R12-to-R12a quick-connect adapter fitting pictured below (included in the kit) to the LOW suction service port first. The adapter fitting has it’s own Schrader valve internally, so no gas will escape.

How do you convert a refrigerator from R12 to R134a?

The conversion is determined by multiplying the R12 charge value by . 75 (R12 charge x . 75 = R134a charge).

Can you top off R22 with 427A?

Can I mix Forane® 427A and R-22? Mixing refrigerants is not recommended as it creates a new refrigerant that is not EPA approved. In addition, it contaminates the R-22. Proper calculation of superheat and subcooling becomes extremely difficult, which could result in damaging the compressor.

Can shops can mix refrigerants?

The short-long-only answer is no, never. There are many reasons why it’s impractical, illegal, and not economical for a homeowner to mix refrigerant types. CFC-type refrigerants like R-22 – the most popular in the United States by far – are a single type of refrigerant.

Is R290 a drop in for R22?

There are some R290-based mixtures designed as a virtually drop-in replacement for R22. Not all R290, of course, but they do work in R22 systems. At least one of those (Enviro-Safe 22a) even guarantees that it will not damage equipment when used correctly.

How much is NU22 per pound?

NU22 Refrigerant Price NU22 refrigerant is an ecologically friendly replacement for R22 Freon that does not require an oil replacement. The average cost of NU22 per pound is between $7 and $8. All R22 should be evacuated before adding the NU22 coolant.