❓ A parliamentary question regarding R134a refrigerant loss from government vehicles and the potential use of hydrocarbon refrigerants. The government response focuses on warranty concerns and safety hazards associated with alternative refrigerants.
AnsweredQoN 1767Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
(1) What volume of R134a refrigerant has been lost to the atmosphere through Government vehicles, air conditioning units leaking, or through vehicle accidents in 2005 and 2006?
(2) How many air conditioning units of Government vehicles’ have failed in temperatures over forty five degrees Celsius, and how often?
(3) Is the Government aware of an Australian-made purely hydrocarbon refrigerant that can be used in all automotive air-conditioners without any modification to the existing system?
(2) How many air conditioning units of Government vehicles’ have failed in temperatures over forty five degrees Celsius, and how often?
(3) Is the Government aware of an Australian-made purely hydrocarbon refrigerant that can be used in all automotive air-conditioners without any modification to the existing system?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
19 March 2007
Response time
20 days
(2) New vehicles released in Australia are designed to handle ambient temperatures well in excess of 40 degrees and, while specific information is not available, failures (and consequently refrigerant loss) caused by temperature are likely to be rare. (3) Vehicle owners, including government, are required by manufacturers to use specified refrigerants. To do otherwise is to risk voiding warranty. Consequently, it would be neither feasible nor desirable to replace the specified refrigerant with something else - especially in a fleet of over 10,000 vehicles. Further, industry sources indicate that hydrocarbon refrigerants are not commonly used in mobile applications, as hydrocarbons pose risks of fire or explosion in such situations and are considered a safety hazard.
(3) Vehicle owners, including government, are required by manufacturers to use specified refrigerants. To do otherwise is to risk voiding warranty. Consequently, it would be neither feasible nor desirable to replace the specified refrigerant with something else - especially in a fleet of over 10,000 vehicles. Further, industry sources indicate that hydrocarbon refrigerants are not commonly used in mobile applications, as hydrocarbons pose risks of fire or explosion in such situations and are considered a safety hazard.
(3) Vehicle owners, including government, are required by manufacturers to use specified refrigerants. To do otherwise is to risk voiding warranty. Consequently, it would be neither feasible nor desirable to replace the specified refrigerant with something else - especially in a fleet of over 10,000 vehicles. Further, industry sources indicate that hydrocarbon refrigerants are not commonly used in mobile applications, as hydrocarbons pose risks of fire or explosion in such situations and are considered a safety hazard.
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