How dangerous is air con gas?

[Billy Hunt]

Getting mixed results though Google so I thought I'd throw the question out to the PH community.

How dangerous is air con gas? (The current stuff used R134A)

Some people say its dangerous to inhale where others are saying its not, some are saying its dangerous to get onto your skin etc etc

Is it only the old stuff that was 'properly dangerous'?

Edit for speeling

Edited by Billy Hunt on Thursday 3rd March 20:24

[MotorsportTom]

It might be worse if you "inhale" it

[lost_boy]

A mate of mine is an aircon/refrigeration engineer and told me about R134A before and if I remember right, try not to inhale it and like most gasses it can give you freezer burn.

You cant vent it to the atmosphere either.

Actually, just found his post on another forum

[quote]Hi bud is there def gas in it as if it hasnt been used in a while chances are the seal on the compressor could have leaked it out?
All refrigerant gases harm the atmosphere regardless of how new or old the car is, and to get a local company to do it on the books wouldnt be cheap as you have to take into account the disposal charge of the gas etc etc.
IF you do decide to remove it yourself though a rule bending method YES it will give you frost bite if it touches skin as the boiling point of R134a which is whats in your car is around -30c and a frost burn hurts more than a standard burn. As for H+S I would be more worried about it getting in your eyes more than anything as it will crystalise the liquid within the pupil and blind you.

Just one more thing there has always been people checking the release of these gases and is some ridiculas fine and jail time if caught.

Just an insight for you as i have been in this game for 8yrs plus hope it helps.
[/quote]

[joebongo]

http://ww2.ramapo.edu/libfiles/HR/Environmental_He...

Think you'd have to inhale a lot and the main thing is suffocation/asphyxiation which would be an acute emergency.

If you've inhaled a bit and are sufficiently with it to write a post on PH I'd suspect you are ok.

But cardiology is my bag not toxicology.

Edit: skin burns etc as per most of these types of low boiling point liquids.

[Jimmyarm]

I got a good mouthful of it when taking an aircon compressor off a car and undoing what I thought was a mounting bolt.

Despite the initial shock I am still alive to tell the tale

[EarlOfHazard]

I think R134A plus naked flame = mustard gas. Although it could be the old stuff R12.

FYI - gas powered airsoft guns use R134A gas

[Billy Hunt]

Ah thanks was as I thought then.
I knew about it being illegal to let it into the atmosphere (an un-enforceable law?) which was how a few of us got into discussion about it.

Don't worry I haven't done anything stupid... Yet!

Jimmyarm said:

I got a good mouthful of it when taking an aircon compressor off a car and undoing what I thought was a mounting bolt.

!

[MercuryRises]

It shouldn't be toxic, especially if it's R134A, as it's the same stuff they use in regular air con and some domestic fridges.

It's not supposed to be toxic for these reasons, otherwise anytime you got a leak in the office or your house, you'd be poisoned. For similar reasons it's not flammable of explosive (unlike the Methane that they used to use in large air con systems)

That said, the only thing your lungs really enjoy being filled with is air.

As has been pointed out, venting it to atmosphere is a big no-no, although I don't know the odds of getting caught, but I wouldn't risk it.

[EarlOfHazard]

5K fine or imprisonment for releasing it if you're in the trade.

[Rich_W]

It's heavier than air. So if you get it in your lungs. You are in trouble as it sinks to the bottom and difficult to get out.

Leave to someone whose at least got a machine to take it out IMO.

[joebongo]

Rich_W said:

It's heavier than air. So if you get it in your lungs. You are in trouble as it sinks to the bottom and difficult to get out.

Leave to someone whose at least got a machine to take it out IMO.

You could do a headstand and get it out that way