Refrigerant Color Codes

Color Codes

Refrigerant color codes are useful for us to recognise the type of gas that is stored in the cylinders. The name of the gas are usually labelled on the cylinders as an added aid so that we will not make any mistakes in recognising them. Putting the wrong gas into our air conditioning systems can damage the compressors.

Take note that in the future, all CFCs and HCFCs will eventually be phased out due to their effect on the ozone layers.

R407C as a replacement for R-22

CFCs

Number	Cylinder Color	Refrig. Name	Application
R-11	Orange	Trichloromonofluoromethane	Centrifugal Chillers
R-12	White	Dichlorodifluoromethane	Reciprocating and rotary equipments
R-13	Light Blue	Monochlorotrifluoromethane	Used in low stage of cascade systems
R-13B1	Coral	Bromotrifluoromethane	Low to Medium temperature applications
R-113	Purple	Trichlorotrifluoroethane	Low capacity centrifugal chillers
R-114	Dark Blue	Dichlorotetrafluoroethane	High capacity Chillers
R-500	Yellow	Refrig. 152A/12	Industrial and commercial reciprocating compressors
R-502	Light Purple	Refrig. 22/115	Reciprocating and rotary equipments
R-503	Aquamarine	Refrig. 23/13	Low temperature commercial refrigeration

HCFCs

Number	Cylinder Color	Refrig. Name	Application
R-22	Light Green	Monochlorodifluoromethane	Residential, commercial and industrial
R-123	Light Gray	Dichlorotrifluoroethane	R-11 replacement for centrifugal chillers
R-124	Deep Green	Chlorotetrafluoroethane	Medium pressure chillers
R-401A	Coral Red	R-22 + R-152a + R-124	Medium temperature systems
R-401B	Mustard Yellow	R-22 + R-152a + R-124	Transport refrigeration, domestic refrigerators
R-402A	Light Brown	R-22 + R-125 + R-290	Ice machine, vending, supermarket and food service
R-402B	Green Brown	R-22 + R-125 + R-290	Supermarket, food service and transport

HFCs

Number	Cylinder Color	Refrig. Name	Application
R-23	Light Gray	Trifluoromethane	Low temperature refrigerant
R-134a	Light Sky Blue	Tetrafluoroethane	Automotive industry and refrigeration systems
R-404A	Orange	R-125 + R-143a + R-134a	Medium and low temperature
R-407C	Chocolate Brown	R-32 + R-125 + R-134a	R-22 Replacement
R-410A	Rose	R-32 + R-125	Replacement for residential air conditioning
R-507	Light Brown	Refrig. 125/143a	Replacement for low-temp commercial refrig.