Is R-134a flammable?
R-134a is not flammable at ambient temperature and atmospheric pressures. However, R-134a service equipment and vehicle a/c systems should not be pressure tested or leak tested with compressed air. Some mixtures of air and R-134a have been shown to be combustible at elevated pressures. These mixtures may be potentially dangerous, causing injury or property damage. • Has the EPA declared any alternatives to CFC-12 for use in vehicles to be unacceptable? Yes. The EPA determined that two CFC-12 substitutes, OZ-12 and HC-12a, both manufactured by OZ Technology, Inc. of Post Falls, Idaho, were unacceptable for use in motor vehicle air conditioners because of unanswered flammability concerns. EPA regulations also state that all flammable refrigerant substitutes are unacceptable for use in vehicle A/C conversions. Other refrigerants have also been found unacceptable for environmental reasons. See the current EPA’s fact sheet “Choosing and Using Alternative Refrigerants for Motor Vehicle Air C
