School may be out for summer, but the upgrades are in full swing at an elementary school in Glendale, Arizona, where a 19-year-old walk-in freezer just received a high-tech makeover. Braving the sweltering July heat, Arrowhead Superior Refrigeration Service LLC installed a new system from Heatcraft Refrigeration Products, replacing the school’s aging refrigeration equipment with modern, future-ready technology.
At the heart of the upgrade is Heatcraft’s new convertible model evaporator and condensing unit — a dual-refrigerant class system engineered to operate with either A1 or A2L refrigerant. UL-approved and built to meet all applicable safety standards for both refrigerant types, Heatcraft says its system offers flexibility without compromising safety. That flexibility was on full display during the elementary school installation, which, according to the contractor, went off without a hitch.
Partnerships
Arrowhead Superior Refrigeration became involved in the walk-in freezer project through its long-standing partnerships with both Heatcraft and distributor American Refrigeration Supplies (ARS). The company also has a deep-rooted relationship with the local school district, which made the Glendale elementary school an ideal candidate for the A2L system installation.
“We service over 250 public schools,” said Manuel Griego Jr., service manager at Arrowhead Superior Refrigeration. “We try to give back to them as much as possible, so it’s exciting for us to be able to help them out with this, along with our partners from Heatcraft and ARS.”
The district placed full trust in Arrowhead’s recommendation to move forward with the A2L refrigerant, noting that if the contractor endorsed it, they would be comfortable with it as well. Griego said it was nice to have their vote of confidence.
Arrowhead’s technicians also had no trouble adapting to the new refrigerant technology, and Griego praised their readiness and willingness to learn.
“That’s the great thing about this trade — you’re never done learning. There are always new things coming out, like new equipment, new refrigerants, and new safety protocols.”
OUT WITH THE OLD: This 19-year-old unit at an elementary school was replaced with Heatcraft’s new dual-refrigerant system. (Courtesy of Heatcraft)
Griego also had some advice for other contractors who may be hesitant about switching to A2Ls. “Read your manuals,” he said. “Make sure that you’re going through step-by-step processes with the manuals. Don’t be hesitant to reach out to tech support. They have so many things they can send you — pamphlets, videos, etc. They want to make sure that you’re set up for success.”
That’s definitely the goal at Heatcraft, said Marketing Manager Pete Grasso.
“We want to make sure that our new convertible models are easy to convert from A1 to A2L refrigerants — not just for flexibility, but to make that transition as safe and straightforward as possible for technicians in the field. We want to make life easier for contractors and more cost-effective for end users. In fact, everything Heatcraft has done during this technology transition has been designed with the end user, contractor, and customer in mind.”
Putting The System To The Test
While Arrowhead had previous experience installing R-454B in HVAC systems, this was their first A2L install for a refrigeration application.
“It’s definitely very exciting to be a part of it and see it firsthand and be with our partners in working out any kinks,” said Griego. “It’s a nice feeling to get the support from the factory and to be able to really get fully involved with them.”
To demonstrate performance with both refrigerant types, Arrowhead first charged the newly installed dual-refrigerant system with the A1 refrigerant R-448A to establish a baseline. A week later, they returned to convert the system to the low-GWP A2L refrigerant, R-454A. It is important to note that this was not a retrofit of an existing unit — the brand-new evaporator and condensing unit were specifically designed to safely operate with both refrigerants. According to Heatcraft, this approach offers a safer, standards-compliant path as the industry transitions to A2Ls.
That conversion process included recovering the R-448A, installing Heatcraft’s refrigerant detection system (RDS) kit — a safety feature designed specifically for mildly flammable A2L refrigerants — and recharging the unit with R-454A. The installation not only validated the equipment’s performance with both refrigerant types, but also served as a model for contractors, distributors, and end users preparing for the refrigerant regulations under the AIM Act.
Griego noted that the installation itself was pretty straightforward — including the installation of Heatcraft’s RDS kit in the evaporator.
“For the RDS, the board, the relays, the sensor — everything was easily mounted inside of the evaporator. We ran the electric out for the new liquid solenoid valve that’s going to be above the box for mitigation purposes and installed the new check valve for the suction line as well.”
Beyond proving the ease and efficiency of converting from A1 to A2L refrigerants, the installation in Arizona also served as a data-gathering opportunity.
“Now we can compare,” said Grasso. “We have data from one week with R-448A, and we’ll have additional data once it runs with R-454A. We will be able to see what the capacity looks like and observe how it is performing.”
Grasso added that Heatcraft’s goal is not just to simplify conversions, but also to reduce the burden on distributors by limiting the number of SKUs they need to stock.
“That’s part of the design, too. Everything we’ve done is with simplicity and flexibility in mind.”
For Arrowhead, the opportunity to be the first contractor to install Heatcraft’s new convertible system in the field was a definite thrill.
“It’s not only exciting, but it also just gives us that pride — to be able to be a part of something like this,” said Griego. “So, thanks to Heatcraft and ARS for just letting us be a part of this.”