R134a Prices
- Thread starter OilNerd
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in this day and time its hard to pick what part if the govenment is screwing us the worst. they have lost sight of who works for who.
Originally Posted By: OilNerd
I'm hoping that at some point, R134a manufacturers will seek to capitalize on high R134a prices and start producing more gas, bringing the price down.
So you mean DuPont or a company producing under license from DuPont since they hold the patent on it? The theory we have at work is the patent is running out, so DuPont is jacking the price up and then making R134a have the same status as R12 so they can promote their new refrigerant.
I'm hoping that at some point, R134a manufacturers will seek to capitalize on high R134a prices and start producing more gas, bringing the price down.
So you mean DuPont or a company producing under license from DuPont since they hold the patent on it? The theory we have at work is the patent is running out, so DuPont is jacking the price up and then making R134a have the same status as R12 so they can promote their new refrigerant.
Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
Originally Posted By: OilNerd
I'm hoping that at some point, R134a manufacturers will seek to capitalize on high R134a prices and start producing more gas, bringing the price down.
So you mean DuPont or a company producing under license from DuPont since they hold the patent on it? The theory we have at work is the patent is running out, so DuPont is jacking the price up and then making R134a have the same status as R12 so they can promote their new refrigerant.
I don't know all the patent issues, but it's my understanding (which may very well be wrong) that the gas itself, Tetrafluoroethane - R134a, isn't patented, rather the various manufacturing processes of it, as well as various refrigerant blends using it as a component.
DuPont has one of the manufacturing processes patented (US Patent 5,345,016), as well as Ineos Fluor. Also, I believe the patent number for the invention would have to be on the product label, if the gas itself was the patented invention. (This might be all moot if DuPont's production process is the predominant one.)
While I can't dispute the motivations of DuPont and Honeywell in wanting to move to a freshly-patented product that they can control, there are quite a few manufacturers of R134a, whom I assume, still have any required patent licenses to produce R134a, so what's stopping them? At these prices, anyone still producing could make a fortune.
Originally Posted By: OilNerd
I'm hoping that at some point, R134a manufacturers will seek to capitalize on high R134a prices and start producing more gas, bringing the price down.
So you mean DuPont or a company producing under license from DuPont since they hold the patent on it? The theory we have at work is the patent is running out, so DuPont is jacking the price up and then making R134a have the same status as R12 so they can promote their new refrigerant.
I don't know all the patent issues, but it's my understanding (which may very well be wrong) that the gas itself, Tetrafluoroethane - R134a, isn't patented, rather the various manufacturing processes of it, as well as various refrigerant blends using it as a component.
DuPont has one of the manufacturing processes patented (US Patent 5,345,016), as well as Ineos Fluor. Also, I believe the patent number for the invention would have to be on the product label, if the gas itself was the patented invention. (This might be all moot if DuPont's production process is the predominant one.)
While I can't dispute the motivations of DuPont and Honeywell in wanting to move to a freshly-patented product that they can control, there are quite a few manufacturers of R134a, whom I assume, still have any required patent licenses to produce R134a, so what's stopping them? At these prices, anyone still producing could make a fortune.
Originally Posted By: Michael_P
In Mexico the locals use propane and ester. Just don't crash the car.
If I were to crash my car I would be much more concerned about the many gallons of gasoline I was carrying than a few ounces of Enviro-safe.
In Mexico the locals use propane and ester. Just don't crash the car.
If I were to crash my car I would be much more concerned about the many gallons of gasoline I was carrying than a few ounces of Enviro-safe.
Originally Posted By: Nick R
Originally Posted By: xxch4osxx
Originally Posted By: Bluestream
It being phased out because it a Greenhouse gas. I expect they are artificially jacking the price so that the new replacement will look that mush better. I wouldn't use the R134a anyway, as it doesn't cool very well, and you get really high head pressures.
Thats why I use Duracool in my truck, far lower head pressure and better cooling, and I can buy Duracool without a license.
Isn't it illegal to use a Hydro-Carbon based refrigerant as a replacement for Freon?
Not here it isn't.
Originally Posted By: xxch4osxx
Originally Posted By: Bluestream
It being phased out because it a Greenhouse gas. I expect they are artificially jacking the price so that the new replacement will look that mush better. I wouldn't use the R134a anyway, as it doesn't cool very well, and you get really high head pressures.
Thats why I use Duracool in my truck, far lower head pressure and better cooling, and I can buy Duracool without a license.
Isn't it illegal to use a Hydro-Carbon based refrigerant as a replacement for Freon?
Not here it isn't.
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