RECYCLING CYLINDER, FILLING WITH CONTAMINATED REFRIGERANT USING Extractor:VAS 581 007

Special tools and workshop equipment required 

• Minimum dimension 10 kg dry ice (as pellets or granulate) - commercially available.
• Evacuated recycling cylinder for contaminated R1234yf, which is suitable for low temperatures (for example with a permitted capacity higher than 3.0 kg (6.6 lbs)). Commercially available from gas supplier. Recycling cylinders not made of light metal alloy, because chemical reactions with refrigerant components are possible.
• Extractor:VAS 581 007  . Refer to the Parts Information.

• So that contaminated refrigerant can be filled by itself without corresponding devices in an evacuated recycling cylinder, it must be strongly cooled.
• Dry ice is solid carbon dioxide (CO₂ ), that at -78 °C (-108.4 °F) goes directly from a solid into a gas.
• The majority of gas, which can be used as a refrigerant, have a very low temperature and only have a low vapor pressure (at -50 °C (-58 °F) smaller than 0.6 bar absolute pressure). If in a deeply cooled recycling cylinder which is connected to a refrigerant circuit, the refrigerant becomes a liquid in a cold recycling cylinder and the refrigerant circuit pressure goes under the ambient pressure. Refer to REFRIGERANT VAPOR PRESSURE TABLE .
• The commercially available recycling cylinders are usually made from common construction steel, which is not always designed for low temperatures (here, up to -78 °C (-108.4 °F)). Therefore, only use suitable recycling cylinders for this procedure and adjust them slowly to ambient temperature (for example by placing the insulated container with the recycling cylinder at a secure and well vented location at which the dry ice can evaporate without creating a hazard).

• Dry ice evaporates at ambient temperature from the insulated container (depending on the ambient conditions approximately 20 to 30 % a day). For this reason only order dry ice when all other necessary tools are present and the procedure can be performed just after receiving the dry ice.

Fill the refrigerant in a supercooled recycling cylinder.

-- Remove the recycling cylinder seal and remove the closure cap from the connection.

• Recycling cylinders are usually available from the gas supplier, often sealed and already evacuated.
• Recycling cylinders are clearly labeled as such. They do not have a check valve and thus can be filled, contrary to refrigerant cylinders.

-- Connect the A/C Service Station to the recycling cylinder. To do so remove the low pressure service coupling from the A/C Service Station filler hose and connect the filler hose directly with the adapter belonging to the Extractor:VAS 581 007  to the adapter on the recycling cylinder.

-- Carefully open the recycling cylinder hand shut-off valve to check the vacuum and check the vacuum in the cylinder.

• Residual pressure in the recycling cylinder less than 50 mbar absolute pressure.

-- If necessary evacuate the recycling cylinder using the A/C Service Station.

• If the recycling cylinder has an absolute pressure greater than 900 mbar either the manual shut-off valve was opened and not closed correctly or the recycling cylinder is leaking. Contact the gas supplier and if necessary change the recycling cylinder.
• If the recycling cylinder has an absolute pressure larger than 100 mbar but smaller than 900 mbar which can be measured, evacuate the recycling cylinder with a A/C Service Station (residual pressure less than 50 mbar). Refer to REFRIGERANT CIRCUIT, EVACUATING .

-- Close the recycling cylinder hand shut-off valves.

Vehicles with High-Voltage System

-- Deactivate the "parking air conditioner". Refer to Owner's Manual.

Vehicles with high-voltage system, for which electric activated valves in the refrigerant circuit are not open when de-energized.

-- Open the electric activated valves for the refrigerant circuit for extracting, evacuating and filling. Refer to Refrigerant Circuit and the Vehicle Diagnostic Tester .

Tip

For vehicles with high-voltage system and secondary functions of the A/C system, valves may be installed in the refrigerant circuit. To guarantee correct draining, evacuating and filling of the refrigerant circuit, no segments are allowed to be closed off. That is why the valves need to be opened before respective work procedures. Refer to Refrigerant Circuit .

Continuation for all vehicles

-- Switch off the ignition.

-- Make sure there is sufficient ventilation at the work space. If available, turn on additional workshop ventilation systems.

-- Connect the service coupling for refrigerant R1234yf -5- to the filler hose -4-.

Courtesy of VOLKSWAGEN GROUP OF AMERICA, INC.

-- Connect the filler hose -4- with the connection piece -3- (and seal -2-) on the recycling cylinder -1-.

-- Position the spacer -6- in the insulated container -7-.

-- Cover the bottom of the insulated container -7- with dry ice.

-- Position the recycling cylinder -1- in the insulated container -7-.

-- Fill the remaining dry ice in the insulated container -7-.

-- Cool the recycling cylinder -1- with dry ice (approximately 15 minutes).

-- Connect the recycling cylinder -1- via the service coupling -5- on the vehicle refrigerant circuit.

-- Open the recycling cylinder hand shut-off valve -1-.

• Recycling cylinders are designed for international use, and this means that "O" on the hand wheel means "open" (for cylinder vale open).

-- Connect the pressure gauge to the refrigerant circuit (or the use the A/C Service Station pressure gauge) and check the refrigerant circuit pressure.

-- Carefully open the service coupling -5- on the filler hose to the recycling cylinder and let the refrigerant flow slowly in the recycling cylinder -1-.

-- Wait until the refrigerant in the recycling cylinder -1- is liquid (pay attention to the pressure indicator on the connected pressure gauge).

• When emptying a refrigerant circuit a pressure gauge or the pressure gauge of the A/C Service Station can be used.
• If the displayed pressure after approximately 60 minutes is smaller than 0.3 bar absolute pressure it can be assumed that the refrigerant in the recycling cylinder is liquid.
• The complete evaporation of the contaminated refrigerant from the refrigerant circuit takes a certain period of time, after 60 min it can be assumed that the entire refrigerant is evaporated.

-- Close the service coupling -5- and the recycling cylinder hand shut-off valve -1-.

-- Remove the filler hose -4- and connection piece -3- from the recycling cylinder -1- and close the recycling cylinder connection with the closure cap.

-- Place the insulated container -7- with the recycling cylinder -1- and the dry ice in a secured, well ventilated area outside of the building.

-- Open the cover of the insulated container -7- or remove and let the dry ice completely evaporate.

-- Remove the recycling cylinder -1- from the insulated container -7-.

-- Evacuate the refrigerant circuit with the A/C Service Station for at least one hour. Refer to REFRIGERANT CIRCUIT, EVACUATING .

• Then by evacuating the rest of the contaminated refrigerant, which could still be attached to the refrigerant oil can be removed at an absolute pressure of less than 10 mbar.

-- Fill out the supplement data sheet for the recycling cylinder with contaminated refrigerant and secure on the recycling cylinder.

-- Return the filled recycling cylinder via the supplier, while paying attention to the applicable laws.