Test Data
Oil Compatibility Test
All air conditioners have oil to help lubricate the compressor. There are three different oil types, and A/C Re-New is compatible with all standard air conditioning oils - mineral oil, alkylbenzene, as well as polyol esters.
Refrigerant Compatibility
Depending on type of air conditioner and when it was made, your system can contain one of many different refrigerants. Fortunately, A/C Re-New is compatible with all standard air conditioning refrigerants and with standard system materials - metals, polymers and plastics. Refrigerant compatibility includes:
- CFC – R11, R12
- HCFC – R22
- HFC – R134A, R410A
ASHRAE-97 Test
Standard- ASHRAE 97 (American Society of Heating Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers)
Title - 14 Day Sealed Tube Method to Test the Chemical Stability of Materials for Use within Refrigerant Systems
Purpose- The primary industry test that establishes how the thermal and chemical properties of metals and refrigerant are impacted over time when exposed to the lubricant.
Description-The lubricant is sealed in a tube along with the refrigerant, various metal specimens, and elevated moisture levels. The tube is then taken to 347°F and a high pressure for 14 days. Stability is measured by the degree of refrigerant decomposition, metal deterioration, acid formation and visual appearance of the oil. The test and results are extensive. A/C Re-New was tested with R-22, the standard refrigerant in most home and business air conditioners, and against an industry standard oil - POE.
Results- The full results are too extensive to list, but A/C Re-New exceeded the standard in all scenarios. Results show significant improvement in chemical stability and metals protection. Some of the key test results with A/C Re-New are:
- R-22 decomposition was reduced by 60%
- Corrosion of copper was reduced from 384 ppm to 56 ppm (86%)
- Corrosion of steel was reduced from 21 ppm to 0.05ppm (99%)
- No increase in the total acid number (TAN)
- Oil retained clarity and cleanliness in appearance
What does this mean to me?
- A/C Re-New will not impact the refrigerant over time.
- A/C Re-New will not impact the metal components of an air conditioner over time.
- This is one of the reasons why one application lasts the lifetime of the air conditioner.
Heat Transfer Test
Standard- ASTM D2717
Title - Standard Test Method for Thermal Conductivity of Liquids
Purpose- This test evaluates how well the lubricant conducts or transfers heat.
Description - The tests results in a factor. This factor indicates how much heat is transferred. The higher the factor, the better the lubricant's ability to transfer heat. A/C Re-New was compared against mineral oil and POE.
Results - A/C Re-New is 5% better than mineral oil and 10% better than POE oil.
Thermal Conductivity
Test at 0°F:
A/C Re-New - 0.89
Mineral Oil - 0.84
POE - 0.81
Test at 40°F:
A/C Re-New - 0.75
Mineral Oil - 0.71
POE - 0.68
What does this mean to me?
- A good air conditioner is one that is able to more effectively transfer heat – move heat from inside to the outside.
- Improved Heat Transfer => Cooler Air
- Improved Heat Transfer => More Efficient System => Reduced Energy Consumption
Falex Pin Test
Standard- ASTM D2670 & D3233
Title - Standard Test Methods for Measurement of Extreme Pressure Properties of Fluid Lubricants (Falex Pin and Vee Block Methods)
Purpose- The test is used to evaluate wear and tear, friction and extreme pressure properties of materials and lubricants.
Description- A rotating pin, also referred to as a journal, is lubricated with the test oil and is compressed between two vee-shaped blocks. Pressure (depicted by the red arrows) is added at increasing levels until the pin fails. The goal is to determine how much load or force the lubricant can withstand before it fails. Therefore, the higher the load, the better the lubricant. Three typical industry oils (mineral oil, alkylbenzene, and POE) were tested, both alone and then mixed appropriately with A/C Re-New.
Results- A/C Re-New significantly improved the oil's load-to-failure points.
What does this mean to me?
- Improved lubrication reduces the friction between the air conditioner compressor's moving or wear surface. Less friction results in lower energy (electricity) demand and reduced incidence of failure.
- Higher Pressure Tolerance => Less System Failures => Lower Maintenance Costs
Four-Ball Friction Test
Standard- ASTM D4172 & D5183
Title- Standard Test Method for Wear Preventive Characteristics of Lubricating Fluid (Four-Ball Method)
Purpose- This test evaluates how well the lubricant reduces wear when metal is rubbed together.
Description- Three steel balls, which are immersed in the lubricant being tested, are locked into a test cup. A fourth steel ball is placed on top of the three steel balls and is rotated at a speed of 1,200 rpm under a 40 kgf (kilograms of force) load at 167ºF (75ºC) for one hour. After the one-hour test period, the three stationary balls are washed and the wear scars are measured to the nearest 0.1 mm. The smaller the scar, the less the wear, and the better the lubricant.
Results- A/C Re-New significantly reduced the scarring of the balls.
What does this mean to me?
- Less Scarring => Less Wear and Tear => Longer Lasting Equipment
- Less Scarring => Less Friction => Lower Energy Consumption
- Less Scarring => Less Friction => Quieter System
Compressor Wear Test
Standard- Consulting Services International, Louisville, KY
Title- Compressor Wear Analysis
Purpose- This test evaluates how well the lubricant reduces wear when metal is rubbed together in various compressors.
Description- Six reciprocating compressors and six scroll compressors were tested with R-22 refrigerant at full load for a period of 500 hours. The reciprocating compressors used mineral oil while the scroll compressors used alkylbenzene. A/C Re-New was applied to three reciprocating and three scroll compressors.
Results- The full results are too extensive to list, but A/C Re-New performed well in all scenarios. Some of the key results are:
- Reciprocating compressor – bearing wear was significantly reduced in those compressors containing A/C Re-New.
- Scroll compressor – bearing wear and copper plating was reduced in those compressors containing A/C Re-New.
What does this mean to me?
- Equipment will last longer - less scarring means less wear and tear on the equipment.
- Reduced scaring also reduces friction which results in lower energy consumption.
Additional Testing
In real-world applications, test installations yielded the following results in residential systems:
Electricity Reduction When A/C is Running:
Test 1: 20
Test 2: 18
Test 3: 38
Average Outdoor Temperature (°F)
Test 1: 78.3
Test 2: 56.5
Test 3: 67.9
Average Running Amps Before A/C Re-New
Test 1: 15.7
Test 2: 16.4
Test 3: 16.0
Average Running Amps After A/C Re-New
Test 1: 13.5
Test 2: 15.4
Test 3: 14.4
% Improvement
Test 1: 13.9%
Test 2: 6.4%
Test 3: 10.1%