R-22 to R-422 replacements

[Crazygator]

I wanted to know what the other parts of our country are seeing in regards to using any of the replacements for R-22, mainly with the residential markets.

We have not changed over any residential or commercial units. The new package systems we install are coming with R-410a, but was wondering about the many R-22 systems we have that are in place and running fine for the moment ( ) and their options for the future.

Which R-22 replacement are you using, or have used? R-422-B, R-422-D?
Was there any retrofit needed, of a direct drop in replacement?
Did you see any changes in efficiency?
Any other problems that you came across, that these MFG's aren't telling us to watch for?

I have read some having other refrigerant replacement problems, leaking seals etc, so for us having no real world experience with the new and improved R-22's I am not wanting to fall for the almighty snake oil sales pitch.

[VTP99]

Stick with R22 it's going to be around for some time yet.

[monkeyspanners]

Can you still get new R22 there? Its been banned here, all i can get now it recycled and its costing about nine times what i was paying for new last year.
I haven't decided what drop in to use, some are good with txvs but not cap tubes and vice versa, some are only good for high temp work while others are good for low temp only.

Some of the milk cooling tanks i work on have ice builders for pre cooling the milk and then a dx milk tank, these are orifice systems with accumilators and the other thing i have heard is the blends can seperate in the accumilators affecting performance also so there is nothing suitable to run these on as a drop in

[skippedover]

Virgin R-22 is still legal and available in the USA, however the purchase price has gone up with the cut back in manufacturing. It's true that the protocol for phase out will take many more years but the manufacture of new R-22 equipment is now illegal. There are financial implications for all who need to, or example, replace a condensing unit. They may not have an indoor coil that's compatable with R-410A and that means the more expensive complete change-out. Sooner or later, that change-out is inevitable.

On the other hand, there's a decreasing number of service techs who've still never worked with R-410A and they're just plain scared to make the move. So they're pushing a drop in replacement refrigerant to assuage their own desires of not addressing R-410A. Some other techs can't get their heads around the fact that the simple math says most of the older R-22 systems will benefit by replacing with higher efficiency equipment.

So there's several issues at play and each tech/company needs to make its own decisions on the R-22/drop-in/R-410A issue. Personally, our company has been using R-410A for over 15-years and is perfectly comfortable with it. After all, it's just another refrigerant.