Pink Plastic Caps Are a Green Topic in the World of Refrigerants
Environmentalists compelled the HVAC industry to create a new industry standard refrigerant and plastic caps maintain an important role to secure against contaminants.
Environmentalists concerned with ozone-depleting chemicals are at the heart of the creation of the refrigerant known as R410A, although this is not a recent development. It was back in the '80's when the quest began to develop a replacement for the industry standard refrigerant, R-22. The concern then and remains today, is that emissions and leaks from R-22 are harmful to the ozone. Actions of the environmentalists resulted in a mandate to phase out use of the R-22. In fact, as of January 1, 2010, all manufacturers of air conditioning equipment must stop producing units that use hydrochloro-fluorocarbons (HCFC's) refrigerants.
R410A helps to reduce emissions and leaks simply because it performs better than R-22. It performs more efficiently because it uses less refrigerant. In turn, associated components are downsized to a more compact state, which makes each component more efficient and reduces costs of materials, storage, etc. It is very likely that when you need to replace an air conditioner, you will benefit from the new efficiencies and the new refrigerant.
All this is terrific news towards a greener world and a boost to the HVAC industry since the new refrigerant cannot be used in older model air conditioning and heat pump units. Installers and maintenance personnel must recognize the equipment in order to know which refrigerant to add. A color coding system aids the installation crew. Original engineers used pink to call out the R410A refrigerant and this trend has continued among manufacturers. When you see an installer carrying a pink refrigerant cylinder, you can be sure it contains R410A.
StockCap quickly joined the team effort and began producing pink caps for the industry. For over 50 years, StockCap has supplied the HVAC industry with vinyl caps and it was no problem to produce them in pink. Using the pink color-coded cap will serve as a reminder to the installer as to the proper refrigerant to use.
Plastic caps and plugs will continue to provide high-value protection needed for complex components of HVAC systems, such as heat exchangers, condensers, line sets, tubing and compressors. These units require protection from contaminants to prevent extensive damage. On the surface, plastic caps and plugs appear a minor piece of the puzzle, but HVAC industry manufacturers know a simple protective cap or plug could mean thousands of dollars in preventative measures. Plastic caps and plugs are instrumental in defending HVAC components from harsh elements.
Like the manufacturers, StockCap knows the importance of safeguarding HVAC components from dirt, dust and moisture. StockCap produces plastic end caps, vinyl caps, tube end caps, tapered plugs and rubber seal plugs, which work extremely well with copper tubing often found in HVAC units. To assist members of the HVAC industry, the StockCap website displays the best options specific to each major component. The StockCap online store provides smaller quantities to help during the prototype and testing phases of component design.
For more information on plastic caps or plugs call today, 800-827-2277 or visit the StockCap website at www.stockcap.com/markets/hvac/index.asp
