Folks -

I've been running the an R-12 (Autofrost) substitute all summer now and can
report that it works just fine.  It's a bit more expensive that R-134 ($250 for
a 25lb jug) but *no* conversion is required.

- Frank

 >Subject:      Re: R12 - Freon
 >To: Vanagon@VANAGON.COM
 >
 >Yes, this is true, but the fact remains that r-12 is being phased out
 >and will someday no longer be avail in The States.  Only recycled is now
 >and it requires a special licence to be purchased.  It is now very
 >expensive.
 >
 >FHerzig@swri.edu wrote:
 >
 >> Sorry folks, but the patent on Freon ran out long ago, sometime
 >> before 1974. At NASA-Langley we had a wind tunnel that flowed
 >> Freon rather than air and when the patent ran out, the cost to
 >> supply the wind tunnel dropped in half because of competition.
 >> Patents are only for 17 years (generally, some specific situations
 >> can modify it slightly) and Freon has been around a long time.
 >>
 >> Frank Herzig
 >> '85 Vanagon, with AC but took the compressor belt off long ago.
 >

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Frank Terhaar-Yonkers
Cisco Systems, Inc.
Cat3900 Software Team
7025 Kit Creek Road  PO Box 14987
Research Triangle Park,  North Carolina  27709
fty@cisco.com   voice (919)472-2101   FAX (919)472-2940