The benefit of R-1234yf is simple: the new refrigerant lasts only 11 days in the atmosphere, compared to 13 years for R-134a. This is why the EPA required R-1234yf to be installed in all new systems by 2021.
So, what does this mean for independent shop owners and technicians? It is not a question of if, but when, your shop will have to deal with one of these systems. While working on R-1234yf systems is not that different from the R-134a variety in operation or theory, identifying the refrigerant and recharging the system has some new twists.