R-1234yf A/C Machines. Which one?

[volvoguy]

Hey guys. I have a newer shop and haven’t taken the plunge yet on purchasing a R-1234yf A/C machine. I’m bought a used Robinair for the R-134a cars so I’m covered there. My research so far has determined that it seems like NOBODY likes their 1234yf machine! I need to pick one as 2020 and up Volvo came with 1234yf and they are coming off warranty.

Snap-On?
Mahle?
Robinair?
Airtek on Amazon? They actually get the best reviews.

Thanks in advance for the help.

 

[2ndGearRubber]

My employer has a Mahle arctic pro - it sort of *****. The main problem is the on-machine instructions are very very sensitive, you need to be 100% exactly doing things in the most literal way possible. And doing anything out of order can screw up the process, meaning you need to start over. I agree the whole 1234yf process seems like a PITA no matter who you talk to and what machine they have. It's probably 2x in total service time, but the ******* thing just beeps and flashes constantly and really needs babysat unlike the robinair 134a machine where I need maybe 2 min of actual "hands on the machine" time to read/input weights, add oil, and equalize the hoses. As far as doing the service? It does work and charges correctly. IIRC our model cannot inject oil so you need to do that manually, I believe it came with the syringe and fitting to do so.

I'm not sure how you deal with leaks - the Mahle does not want to charge a system that leaks. So if it fails vacuum decay you need to trick it into re-vacuuming just the empty lines. Then when it passes it does a partial charge 1st IIRC it prompts you to check for evaporator leakage? That partial charge is how you will find the leak. This is obviously a rare situation as most things will survive a vacuum decay test even with significant leaks.


EDIT:

https://www.amazon.com/ArcticPRO-Integrated-Management-Non-Integrated-Identifier/dp/B07V4T7L23?tag=atomicindus08-20

Amazon reviews aren't great for our machine. LOL

 

[nicks78camaro]

Snap On's Ecotechnics is the same way. It's probably how these machines were required to be made. Too much control/nanny stuff for a refrigerant that's apparently so much less harmful to the environment but needs way more regulation in how it's recovered/recharged.

 

[Fedwrench]

I think they all **** but, we have this one at work and it seems to **** less. We've had it for almost three years now. It's not the fastest but, it's steady.

COMMANDER4100 AUTOMATIC R1234yf & HYBRID RRR MACHINE - Mastercool Inc.

COMMANDER4100 (110V) Automatic R1234yf & Hybrid R/R/R Machine COMMANDER4100-E (220V) Automatic R1234yf & Hybrid R/R/R Machine COMMANDER4100-E-X (220V) Automatic R1234yf & Hybrid R/R/R Machine without refrigerant identifier »DESIGN CERTIFIED FOR COMPLIANCE WITH SAE J2843« Mastercool’s enhanced...

mastercool.com

 

[andys]

We have a CPS brand machine, it works fine. This one handles both refrigerants if you want to switch tanks back and forth, but we already have a R134, so we don't.

I believe the process is strictly mandated so all of the machines will be slow and particular about their use. I'd go with a name brand that is easy to get support and parts for. That may vary by location, so choose accordingly.

 

[dnschmidt]

I think they all **** but, we have this one at work and it seems to **** less. We've had it for almost three years now. It's not the fastest but, it's steady.

COMMANDER4100 AUTOMATIC R1234yf & HYBRID RRR MACHINE - Mastercool Inc.

COMMANDER4100 (110V) Automatic R1234yf & Hybrid R/R/R Machine COMMANDER4100-E (220V) Automatic R1234yf & Hybrid R/R/R Machine COMMANDER4100-E-X (220V) Automatic R1234yf & Hybrid R/R/R Machine without refrigerant identifier »DESIGN CERTIFIED FOR COMPLIANCE WITH SAE J2843« Mastercool’s enhanced...

mastercool.com

They all **** because they're all so much slower than the 134 machines but that's just physics at work. Snap on makes a super expensive one that can do both refrigerants and in fact tests the system to determine which refrigerant is being used. The Car Care Nut (Toyota specialist) used his in one of his most recent videos.

 

[Sumboodie]

Dang, that thing costs more than many cars I've owned!

 

[andys]

Dang, that thing costs more than many cars I've owned!

Yes! This is not directed at you but remember such things the next time a shop quotes $$$ for "just a shot of Freon".

 

[theoldwizard1]

Dang, that thing costs more than many cars I've owned!

TRUE ! But on a hot summer, you can make a lot of $$$ ! I always wonder why busy shops don't own 2 or 4 !

 

[dnschmidt]

TRUE ! But on a hot summer, you can make a lot of $$$ ! I always wonder why busy shops don't own 2 or 4 !

Out here in Arizona THEY DO. It's 6:41 PM and the temperature is 105F. Out here very few people, at least here in North Phoenix, have older cars. The average age is almost certainly well into the 1234yf era. Since these machines are so slow any reasonably sized shop has to have multiple units.

 

[Sumboodie]

Yes! This is not directed at you but remember such things the next time a shop quotes $$$ for "just a shot of Freon".

I don't drive anything that has working a/c. Either never came with it, or stopped working years ago.

Didn't have A/C when I lived in Idaho. Regularly was over 100*

 

[2ndGearRubber]

TRUE ! But on a hot summer, you can make a lot of $$$ ! I always wonder why busy shops don't own 2 or 4 !

Buying two AC machines, a 134a and 1234yf, you're talking ~$10,000 by the time you throw a 10lb tank of YF and a 30lb tank of 134a in each machine.

You just stagger the car flow to work around machine limits. Unless you're in super high demand areas and then it's more cost effective because of how much relevant work there is. And many more things require discharging the AC now, so there is demand over and above just AC specific work. Remember that how many mechanics get paid offsets some inefficiencies from lack of machines. If there's 6 cars up and 1 machine to do all the services, those techs don't get paid anything to sit around and wait for the machine.

 

[xjfish]

Can confirm the Robinair machines are slow and "****". Have not had any reliability issues with the 2 actual machines I've personally used, if that helps.

 

[whateg01]

I don't drive anything that has working a/c. Either never came with it, or stopped working years ago.

Didn't have A/C when I lived in Idaho. Regularly was over 100*

 

[Jack_K]

Buy individual components instead of one of those machines. Manifold, vacuum pump, scales, recovery machine, etc. It is cheaper and when one part breaks you can easily replace it.

 

[AJHD]

I don't drive anything that has working a/c. Either never came with it, or stopped working years ago.

Didn't have A/C when I lived in Idaho. Regularly was over 100*

Yeah, no thanks. I'm good. We hit 118*F the other day and it's been above 110*F almost every day for a few weeks.

My A/C went out last summer. I was absolutely miserable. I paid to get it fixed a few months ago before it got hot again. Worth every penny, no regrets.

 

[Steel_Rain]

Mahle?

No No No! Don't even say that name. The worse reliability, poor support, unable to get parts and needlessly complex. I hate that brand and those machines, send them back to the Utopia that is Germany.

As others have already said, they all ****, but we have three Robinair AC1234-4's (after ditching our Mahle's) and they have been decent. Easy to service and service kits/filters/sensors are cheap.