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This SAE Recommended Practice applies to the use of generally available electronic leak detection methods to service motor vehicle passenger compartment air-conditioning systems.

Under U.S. GHG and CAFE regulations, manufacturers are required to perform confirmatory testing to validate indirect air conditioning credits (refer to 40 CFR 86.1868-12). The purpose of this SAE Recommended Practice is to provide manufacturers with updated criteria for the 2020 and later model years. This SAE Recommended Practice is also suitable for reporting credit using and Engineering Analysis to the California Air Resources Board (CARB). This SAE Recommended Practice describes the work done by the IMAC GHG CRP to develop test procedures, publish SAE Standards, and determine performance requirements to demonstrate the performance of A/C technologies from the pre-approved credit menu meeting regulatory requirements. Also, enclosed in this SAE Recommended Practice are instructions that can be used by vehicle manufacturers in establishing an engineering analysis in lieu of performing the AC17 test on a vehicle which does not incorporate the credit-generating technologies.

This SAE Standard describes methods to understand the risks associated with vehicle mobile air conditioning (MAC) systems in all aspects of a vehicle’s lifecycle including design, production, assembly, operation, and end of life. Information for input to the risk assessment is provided in the appendices of this document. This information should not be considered to be complete, but only a reference of some of the data needed for a complete analysis of the risk associated with the use of refrigerants in MAC systems.

This Standard is restricted to refrigeration circuits that provide air-conditioning for the passenger compartments of passenger and commercial vehicles. This Standard includes analytical and physical test procedures to evaluate refrigerant concentration inside the passenger compartment. In the early phases of vehicle evaluation, usage of the analytical approach may be sufficient without performing physical tests. The physical test procedure involves releasing refrigerant from an external source to a location adjacent to the evaporator core (inside the HVAC module). An apparatus is used to provide a repeatable, calibrated leak rate. If the system has multiple evaporators, leakage could be simulated at any of the evaporator locations. This standard gives detail information on the techniques for measuring R-744 (CO2) and R-1234yf (HFO-1234yf), but the general techniques described here can be used for other refrigerants as well.

This SAE Standard applies to refrigerant vapor compression systems that provide cooling and/or heating for passenger cars, light trucks, and commercial vehicles (on and off road) that use automotive type mobile air conditioning (MAC) systems. Large trucks, buses, and other vehicles that do not use typical automotive A/C systems or use refrigerants not listed in this document are not covered by this standard. This standard covers vehicles with MAC systems using belt driven compressors and electric motor driven compressors. This document provides industry-recognized standards for the design, assembly, and test of MAC systems, including necessary service equipment, and is intended to cover all phases of the lifetime of MAC systems to minimize environmental, health, and safety impacts. The standards listed in this document cover the currently accepted industry guidelines and procedures.