Refrigerant for ductable and packaged AC
What is actually installed
Ductable and packaged units sit between residential splits and chiller plant: showrooms, banquet halls, small offices, banks, clinics and light industrial spaces. They are common in Hyderabad commercial property and they last a long time, which is why the installed base spans three refrigerant generations at once.
R-22 on anything installed before roughly 2015 and much after. R-410A across the mainstream of the last decade. R-32 on newer models as manufacturers move the range across.
Servicing an R-22 unit
Servicing existing R-22 equipment is lawful and we supply R-22 for it under our ODS registration. What ended on 1 January 2025 is manufacturing new equipment with HCFCs, not maintaining what is already installed. Supply continues under a declining servicing quota that runs to 2040.
For an owner the practical question is not legality but economics: as quota tightens, R-22 becomes harder to source and the case for retrofitting or replacing strengthens. R-407C is the closest capacity match if a retrofit is the route, and the retrofit guide covers what that involves. It is not a drop-in, because the oil has to change from mineral to POE.
Charge size and why it matters
A ductable unit holds substantially more refrigerant than a wall split, and a packaged unit more again. Two consequences follow. A leak is a larger loss, both in cost and in fugitive emissions that an organisation with Scope 1 reporting has to account for. And a recharge needs the gas ordered rather than grabbed off a van.
If you run a portfolio of these units under an AMC, the sensible move is knowing your usual quantities and telling a supplier the pattern, rather than treating every failure as an emergency.
Never interchange
R-22, R-410A and R-32 are not interchangeable. R-410A and R-32 run roughly 50 to 60% higher pressure than R-22 and use POE oil rather than mineral oil. Charging one into equipment designed for another is a compressor failure with a delay built in.
What we supply
R-410A, R-32, R-407C and R-22 for servicing existing equipment, from Stallion and Refron (GFL), in the sizes on each product page.
Quick answers
What gas does a ductable AC use?
Units from the last decade mostly run R-410A, with R-32 on newer models. Older ductable and packaged units run R-22, which remains lawful to service.
Can I still service an R-22 ductable unit?
Yes. Servicing existing R-22 equipment is lawful through registered sellers under a declining quota to 2040. What ended on 1 January 2025 is manufacturing new HCFC equipment.
Can I convert an R-22 ductable unit to R-410A?
Not directly. R-410A runs far higher pressure and needs POE oil. The realistic retrofit route from R-22 is a blend such as R-407C, with an oil change and expansion valve work.
How much refrigerant does a packaged unit hold?
More than a wall split, and it varies by capacity and pipe run. The nameplate gives the charge. It is enough that a recharge needs planning rather than improvising.
- Ozone Cell, MoEFCC · HCFC phase-out management plan and servicing tail to 2040 · ozonecell.nic.in.
- ASHRAE Standard 34 · refrigerant designation and safety classification · ashrae.org.
- IPCC Fourth Assessment Report · GWP values used across this site · ipcc.ch.
This guide is general information compiled from the cited sources — not legal, safety or engineering advice. Read our full disclaimer.
Related: R-22 retrofit options · Operating pressures · Mineral oil vs POE · Is R-22 banned in India?