In June 2005, the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) started a research program to reduce the emissions of R-134a. The program, called I-MAC (Improved Mobile Air Conditioning), was tasked with cost effectively improving R-134a systems while reducing refrigerant emissions. The I-MAC members have pledged to design smaller systems with fewer leak points and improve service equipment. As a result of this program, the SAE recently approved tighter standards for automotive A/C recovery, recycle and recharge equipment. The new standard, SAE J-2788 requires that all service equipment manufactured after November 1, 2007, must recover 95% of the refrigerant and recharge to within 1/2 ounce.
Up until a couple of years ago, R-134a was cheap and plentiful. Today it’s a different story- refrigerant is much more expensive and not always available. The Robinair 34788 recovers up to 20% more refrigerant, which means it will cost less to recharge the system. The best charge accuracy that could be claimed by older generation service machines is +/- 1 ounce, a 3% error on a two-pound system. That same charge accuracy on a 14-ounce system is over twice the error (7%). Early R-134a systems could still provide some cabin cooling when they were 4-6 ounces (12-18%) low on refrigerant. However, new designs are so efficient, they do not have reserve refrigerant, and charge accuracy will be critical. In the shop, the Robinair 34788 will recharge the vehicle to within 1/2 ounce of the charge capacity, and you will avoid the dreaded “call back”. As the shop owner, you will realize more profits per service by recovering more refrigerant and charging less.
Older, larger systems and components served as a reservoir for refrigerant
New A/C systems are physically smaller and require increased charge accuracy
