When I began working in the trades, our customer service was much different. When we called in our orders the suppliers pulled them and delivered them as soon as possible. When those orders came there were items not only for the head carpenter, but for the crew-members as well. Small items like Stanley tape measures, 25-footers, calk boxes with calk, the people who sold us merchandise also had worded in the trades and would give good advice or guidance. The small Brick and mortar store now must compete with the big box home improvement centers.
Today a couple of weeks of store training and you too can be an expert. We didn’t go to these huge chain store which funnel our money supply off to their headquarters. We were not left walking countless isles looking for the materials we wanted, until settling for materials we could make work. These huge chain store do not provide us with customer service, because we do not make them. When we the public start demanding proper service, they deliver proper service, or fold.
Recently I purchased a two tun Mini-Split. It Said it came with R32 refrigerant, but it also came with a USE AND INSTALLATION GUIDE OUTDOOR UNIT. On the cover of this guide, it has an emblem of the A2L logo
As is clearly visible this label has the following Caution, risk of fire and the words “Please read the installation and use instruction carefully before use!” in print so small that I had to use my I phone camera as a magnifying glass to tell you what was printed.
The other thing concerning this Manuel is you have to purchase the Mini Split units before you get this. They are packed in the Compressor’s box.
A2L is a new rating. It means that the refrigerant has a lower flammability B shows it has a higher toxicity level. So, our new refrigerant is A2l which is lower the A3 like propane of gasoline.
At the bottom of page 2 in the manual they have a chart to help the installer determine the amount of refringent required for your new system. This is based off room size according their instructions.
Above is the image of the installer’s math after using their chart to determine the amount of refrigerant needed for the proper installation of that system, it is 5.625 oz. You divide the pounds by 16 because there are 16 oz in a lbs. However, the column states they are oz not lbs. Also, the chart also shows the largest room with a 7’10’ height is only 88 square feet. The square root of 88 is 9.38083152 that is a little over 9&1/3 per length of wall or some other amount but they could not be multiplied together and be greater than 88 square feet.
All of this to give you the back ground of purchasing the system. I was told by my supplier that the unit was completely charged with refrigerant. Once the condition was discovered and the manufacture or their stateside representative was called, I was repeatedly told the system comes completely charged and the refrigerant must have escaped due to a faulty system or error by the installation personal.
This is the image from the top of Page 3 in their manual.
Notice the warning concerning R 32 and R45 4B. The GWP is the abbreviation for Global Warming Potential.
When this unit’s line-sets were correctly installed the lines were pressurized with nitrogen to test for leaks from the line-set to the inside unit. None were detected and that part of the system was vacuumed to 450 microns.
The lines were let sit for the wait time given again. The system did not leak it held that pressure and when the valves were opened. There was a small hiss but the gauges showed 0. The unit was then charged to 5.5 oz.
Before we jump off the deep end, I need to explain that the out lawed R410A is mostly R 32 according to the A C expert. R 410A was R 32 with a corrosive additive which made the R 32 non-flammable; however, I was told this additive was harmful to the environment. So, the additive was outlawed. When it was removed R-32 remained. Which is flammable, so a new classification was given A2L. This means lower flammability, but still, we do not know lower than what, gasoline, propane. This is not said to knock the industry but to tell the public they are still working on the right solution. R 22 destroyed the ozone, the R410A problem was explained. R 32 has its issues but new products are invented every day and a new solution may appear at any time.
The above photo was at the top of page 5.
The reason extreme caution must be used when handling R 32 is its lower flammability. This means that IT IS FLAMMABLE. Once you place a flammable substance in a sealed package you run the risk of an explosion. It is for these reasons that these systems must have the proper signs to be transported. Now I ask you can you ship a flammable substance by ship or air with out the proper signage. Can you ship it overland by Trucks. Do our home improvements big box stores display these signs when hauling these new HVAC units with R-32 refrigerant in them. These are concerns we all should have, especially after the fires our country has had to endure.
The flowing are the signs of warning that must be displayed to transport a flammable substance in America in 2025. These listed items were taken from various web sites, but they are from governmental regulations.
[1] – https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/subtitle-B/chapter-I/subchapter-C/part-173/subpart-D
[2] – https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/49/172.514
[3] – https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/subtitle-B/chapter-I/subchapter-C/part-172/subpart-F/section-172.519
[4] – https://jjkellercompliancenetwork.com/regsense/172516-visibility-and-display-of-placards
[5] – https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/subtitle-B/chapter-I/subchapter-C/part-172/subpart-F/section-172.504
[6] – https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/49/172.504
[7] – https://jjkellercompliancenetwork.com/regsense/what-are-the-placarding-requirements-for-a-mixed-load-of-hazardous-materials-consisting-of-5000-pounds-of-flammable-liquid-loaded-at-one-facility-and-500-pounds-of-a-corr
[8] – https://www.actenviro.com/hazmat-placards/
[9] – https://www.saferack.com/guide-hazmat-placards-un-numbers/
[10] – https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/regulations/hazardous-materials/how-comply-federal-hazardous-materials-regulations
[11] – https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/subtitle-B/chapter-I/subchapter-C/part-172/subpart-D/section-172.332
[12] – https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/subtitle-B/chapter-I/subchapter-C/part-172/subpart-F
[13] – https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/49/172.336
[14] – https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/subtitle-B/chapter-I/subchapter-C/part-172/subpart-D
[15] – https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/49/173.120
On page 12 of these instructions is the following Safety Precautions.
The maximum refrigerant charge amount is 2.5 kg. The specific refrigerant charge is based on the nameplate of the outdoor unit.
I ask you how can the out-door unit legally have any R-32 in it while it is being transported.
For more information the link is provided below.
These packages were sealed, strapped and unmarked by the necessary disclaimers. But my supplier said the flammable is on the back of the Boxes. I did not see them.
The outdoor unit’s nameplate was clearly marked with 1.35 kg in the heading of Pre-charged Refrigerant/
Refrigerant Pre-charge (R32)
Now 1.35KG is more than 5.625 oz. And by law this units must be labeled to be shipped charged so the 25lb bottle of R-32 had to be purchased and 6.625 oz. placed into the system.
1.35 Kilograms = 1.35 × 35.273962 Ounces = 47.619849 Ounces.
Did the system come over charged for the installation because the manufacture did not know the room size it would be cooling. Not only did it need refrigerant the refrigerant needed to be placed in cost $40 per ounce to install or $540 for 25lbs.
I was told by the expert that the unit was calibrated to be properly charged using a 25-foot line-set but it came with a 16-foot line-set and the additional 25 foot one that had to be shortened. Then according to the instructions, the rooms size calibration needed to be added to the equation.
I am now confused, isn’t overcharging this unit harmful to it.
After doing the math
25 lbs. of refrigerant equals 400oz
400 oz -5.5 once is still 394.5 oz
Using cross multiplication 450 multiplied by 5.5 and the sum divided by 400 equals $6.1875 or $6.19.
Did I do something wrong when I purchased the unit other than but forgetting that no good deed goes unpunished.
Who is at fault?
This my friend is why you need to hire professionals and only deal with reputable suppliers.
I believe a fair solution has been worked out.
All this to say customer service is not dead in smaller suppliers and which smaller contractors.
Not every small contractor wishes to become an industry giant again some of use concentrate on the quality of our workmanship not the quantity. The big companies can’t ignore their overhead and provide the custom service an independent contractor can many times.
Know your limitations. Accept your limitations.
Customer service hasn’t left; you left customer service when you went into your big box home improvement centers. It’s so called convenience, or quality merchandise and great customer service at different locations. Where you shop makes the difference.
Note: Images on this blog site are from a free source or taken by the author. No image or group of photos is intended to represent the people the author serves. The author does not care about Race (that is a politically correct term that he does not like because we are all of the same Race, the Human Race. He prefers the term ethnicity, color, religion, sex, gender, marital status, disability, genetic information, national origin, source of income, Veteran or military status, ancestry, citizenship, primary language or immigration status.) He is a service provider for all people. We will all rise together when we band together and help one another. Joseph Erwin is a Real Estate Broker, DRE # O2131799, and a CA general contractor # B 696662. He resides in Southern California.
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