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The BUZZ

Winter 2010

2010 is here and we're STILL talking about R-410A! Heck, if you're anything like us, you're probably dreaming about it. Or would having nightmares be a more accurate description? Whatever the case, it's a big change in the industry, and with change comes questions and adjustment. Whether you're still struggling with the transition or could handle R-410A in your sleep, we hope you find a nugget of new knowledge in this issue.

We're going in-depth on three products essential to your job – hoses, gauges and manifolds:

  • The spotlight is on the proper hoses and fittings for R-410A.
  • Gauge accuracy and R-410A. It matters.
  • Mixing oils and manifold sets.
If you have any questions for us or content you want us to address in upcoming issues, be sure to send your ideas our way!

Product Spotlight

As you know by now, R-410A is a higher-pressure refrigerant and requires tools and equipment that can handle the extra load. Hoses in particular need to be able to stand up to the job. So, what features are most important when it comes to R-410A?

First off, you want to make sure the hoses you're using with R-410A have a 5:1 safety factor. This means that the burst pressure of the hose needs to be five times greater than the working pressure. All of our YELLOW JACKET® PLUS II™ 1/4" hoses have a burst pressure of 4000 psi and working pressure of 800 psi (5:1), the required rating for R-410A. For added confidence, use hoses that are UL recognized.

You’ll also want to make sure you’re using proper fittings with R-410A. While several manufacturers use 1/4” access ports for R-410A, we’ve noticed that many manufacturers are now using 5/16” (1/2-20 thread) access ports. A YELLOW JACKET 5/16” female quick coupler x 1/4” male flare will adapt your 1/4” hose for these systems, but we recommend our YELLOW JACKET PLUS II™ 1/4” hoses with 5/16” flare (1/2-20 thread) compact ball valves on the service port ends. Why compact ball valves? The higher-pressure load of R-410A can make it hard to turn the hoses off; the compact ball valve ends let you close off the pressure before you turn off the hose. As always, please check the manufacturers’ instructions to determine which fittings to use.

Flare Conversion Chart:
5/16" flare = 1/2-20 thread = 5/8" hex
1/4" flare = 7/16-20 thread = 9/16" hex
3/8" flare = 5/8-20 thread = 3/4" hex

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Gauges and R-410A
Accuracy is important with R-410A, so you're going to want gauges that are specifically made to read R-410A. Now, the variation between Class B (3-2-3 accuracy) and Class 1 (1% accuracy) may not seem significant, but the difference between 1 and 3% percent is considerable. Say you're working with an 800 PSI gauge, which would be a gauge used to read R-410A. A Class B gauge can be off by around 24 PSI of the true reading, whereas a Class 1 gauge can be off by around 8 PSI of the true reading.

The YELLOW JACKET 3-1/8" gauges are an excellent choice; they're Class 1 (1% accuracy) and have a large dial (3-1/8" vs. 2-1/2"), both of which are important features when an exact reading is critical.


Mixing Oils and Manifold Sets
Many equipment manufacturers require the use of a dedicated R-410A manifold set. The YELLOW JACKET R-410A manifold is a popular option, and there is very little contamination with the residual oils in the hoses and Bourdon tube in the gauges. We also recommend the following steps be taken between every job:

1. Keep ports and charging lines capped when not in use. Manifold sets have screw-on hose-holder fittings for the system end when the gauges are not in use. Because any dirt that gets into the hose end will be pushed into the next system you service, be sure to attach the service end of the hose to these fittings every time you finish a job.

2. If there is any oil in your gauges after removing them, be sure to drain the oil into an approved container to avoid reintroducing the wrong oil into a new system with different lubricants.

3. Purge and clean contaminants from the manifold and hose before each use. Open the valve and allow some refrigerant to flow at a low rate for about two seconds.

Please follow equipment manufacturers' recommendations on separate manifolds for separate oils so as not to void the warranty.

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