This SAE Information Report is a source of information concerning the basic properties of engine coolants which are satisfactory for use in internal combustion engines. Engine coolant concentrate (antifreeze) must provide adequate corrosion protection, lower the freezing point, and raise the boiling point of the engine coolant. For additional information on engine coolants see ASTM D3306 and ASTM D4985.

This SAE Standard applies to refrigerant vapor compression systems that provide cooling and/or heating for passenger cars, light trucks, and commercial vehicles (on and off road) that use automotive type mobile air conditioning (MAC) systems. Large trucks, buses, and other vehicles that do not use typical automotive A/C systems or use refrigerants not listed in this document are not covered by this standard. This standard covers vehicles with MAC systems using belt driven compressors and electric motor driven compressors.

This document provides industry-recognized standards for the design, assembly, and test of MAC systems, including necessary service equipment, and is intended to cover all phases of the lifetime of MAC systems to minimize environmental, health, and safety impacts. The standards listed in this document cover the currently accepted industry guidelines and procedures. The standards can be used as requirements for regulatory authorities to meet minimum environmental, health, and safety requirements. Also included are cautionary statements for the service industry to alert technicians to the inadvisability and possible health or safety effects associated with venting refrigerant during service. It is not intended to restrict the use, or further development of, other types of refrigerants or refrigeration systems for MAC applications. This document may be amended, or additional safety standards created, should other refrigerants or refrigeration systems become practical. This document addresses only HFC-134a (R-134a), carbon dioxide (R-744), HFO-1234yf (R-1234yf), and HFC-152a (R-152a) refrigerants. For R-152a refrigerants, this standard will only apply to secondary loop systems. To prevent system contamination, all refrigerants used in MAC vapor compression systems require unique service fittings and service equipment. The unique service fittings are intended to significantly reduce the potential for refrigerant cross-contamination during service activities.

CFC-12 (R-12) is no longer in use in new MAC systems. The service fitting description is maintained as a reference for older vehicles still in use. When retrofitting an R-12 system to use R-134a or when removing R-12 (during vehicle disposal), use service equipment designed for R-12 and certified to meet the requirements of SAE J1990 (R-12 recovery and recycle equipment).

The purpose of this SAE Standard is to establish the specific minimum equipment requirements for recovery/recycling/recharge equipment intended for use with both R-1234yf and R-134a in a common refrigerant circuit that has been directly removed from, and is intended for reuse in, mobile air-conditioning (A/C) systems. This document does not apply to equipment used for R-1234yf and R-134a having a common enclosure with separate circuits for each refrigerant, although some amount of separate circuitry for each refrigerant could be used.

The purpose of this document is to establish guidelines for determining the critical R134a refrigerant charge for off-road, self-propelled work machines as defined in SAE J1116 and Agricultural Tractors as defined in ANSI/ASAE S390. It will develop a minimum to maximum refrigerant charge range in which the HVAC system can maintain proper operation. Operating conditions and characteristics of the equipment will influence the optimum charge. Since these conditions and characteristics vary greatly from one application to another, careful consideration should be taken to determine the optimum R134a refrigerant charge for the HVAC system.

This SAE Standard provides testing and functional requirements to meet specified minimum performance criteria for electronic probe-type leak detectors. The equipment specified here will identify smaller refrigerant leaks when servicing motor vehicle air conditioning systems, including those engineered with improved sealing and smaller refrigerant charges to address environmental concerns and increase system efficiency. This document does not address any safety issues concerning the equipment design or use beyond that of sampling a flammable refrigerant save those described in 3.1 and 3.2 of this document. All requirements of this standard shall be verified in SAE J2911.

This SAE Standard covers fittings, couplers, and hoses intended for connecting service hoses from mobile air-conditioning Systems to service equipment such as charging, recovery and recycling equipment. (Figure 1) This specification covers service hose fittings and couplers for MAC service equipment service hoses, per SAE J2843 and SAE J2851, from mobile air-conditioning systems to service equipment such as manifold gauges, vacuum pumps, and air-conditioning charging, recovery and recycling equipment.

This SAE Standard applies to new refrigerant used in motor vehicle passenger air-conditioning (A/C) systems designed to use R-1234yf, including belt and electrically driven compressors. Refrigerant for use in hermetically sealed, refrigerated cargo systems is not covered by this document.

This SAE Standard applies to equipment to be used with R-1234yf refrigerant only. It establishes requirements for equipment used to recharge R-1234yf to an accuracy level that meets Section 9 of this document and purity levels defined in SAE J2099. Refrigerant service equipment is required to ensure adequate refrigerant recovery to reduce emissions and provide for accurate recharging of mobile air conditioning systems. Equipment shall be certified to meet all performance requirements outlined in this document and international/regional construction and safety requirements as outlined in this document.

Technician training is required to ensure that recommended procedures are used for service and repair of Mobile Air Conditioning (MAC) systems using R-744 and/or R-1234yf. Unique requirements for each refrigerant are detailed within this standard. Technicians may be trained in either or both refrigerants. The technician shall be trained to recognize which refrigerant is being handled, how to handle it safely and be equipped with the essential information, proper equipment and tools, which are unique to these refrigerants. This standard outlines minimum content requirements for such training programs. Training programs designed in accordance with this standard are not intended to ensure or assess the technical skills of technicians regarding the diagnosis and repair of motor vehicle air conditioners. Rather, the goal of such programs is to provide information to technicians about safely handling refrigerants.