Enter the refrigerant and the charge in kg to get the CO2 equivalent in tonnes and the leak check interval required by the F-gas Regulation (EU) 2024/573.
CO2 equivalent and leak check interval
GWP values: IPCC AR4, as used by Regulation (EU) 2024/573. The charge is the total charge of the equipment, all circuits together.
What the CO2 equivalent means
The global warming potential (GWP) compares the climate effect of one kilogram of a gas with one kilogram of carbon dioxide over 100 years. The F-gas Regulation does not set obligations by kilograms of refrigerant, but by tonnes of CO2 equivalent. This means that 10 kg of R404A and 58 kg of R32 fall into the same category, although the second unit holds almost six times more refrigerant.
The formula is simple:
t CO2 eq = charge in kg x GWP / 1000
For example, an air-cooled chiller with two circuits of 14 kg R410A each holds 28 kg. With a GWP of 2,088 this gives 58.5 t CO2 eq, which puts the unit in the 50 to 500 t band: a leak check every 6 months, or every 12 months if an automatic leak detection system is installed.
Leak check intervals under Regulation (EU) 2024/573
| CO2 equivalent of the charge | Without leak detection system | With leak detection system |
|---|---|---|
| Below 5 t | No periodic check | No periodic check |
| 5 t to below 50 t | Every 12 months | Every 24 months |
| 50 t to below 500 t | Every 6 months | Every 12 months |
| 500 t and more | Every 3 months | Every 6 months, LDS mandatory |
Hermetically sealed equipment that is labelled as such and contains less than 10 t CO2 eq does not need periodic leak checks. Most chillers are not hermetically sealed in the sense of the regulation, because they have service valves, flare or brazed connections that can be opened. Check the documentation before you rely on this exemption.
How to use the calculator
- Choose the refrigerant from the nameplate. If it is not in the list, select “Other” and enter the GWP from the safety data sheet, using the AR4 value.
- Enter the total charge of the equipment in kg. If the nameplate shows the charge per circuit, add the circuits together.
- Say whether an automatic leak detection system is installed and whether the unit is hermetically sealed.
- Read the CO2 equivalent, the leak check interval and the charge at which the unit would move to the next band.
The last part is useful when you plan a retrofit. A unit that changes from R404A to R449A drops from 3,922 to 1,397 GWP, and the same 20 kg charge goes from 78 t to 28 t CO2 eq, which halves the number of mandatory checks. A change to a low GWP refrigerant needs an engineering check of the compressor, the expansion valve and the oil, so it is never only a paperwork exercise.
Typical charges and results
Small process chillers with scroll compressors usually hold 3 to 15 kg of refrigerant, medium air-cooled chillers for buildings 20 to 80 kg, and large screw chillers 100 kg or more. With R410A, 2.4 kg is already 5 t CO2 eq, so practically every chiller with HFC refrigerant needs regular leak checks. With R32 the same threshold is reached at 7.4 kg and with R134a at 3.5 kg.
Practical advice
- Keep the equipment records for at least five years: refrigerant type and quantity, quantities added and recovered, dates and results of leak checks, and the company that did the work.
- After a leak is repaired, the repair must be checked again within one month.
- A leak check means more than a look at the pipes: the technician checks the joints, valves, vibration points and the operating values with a calibrated electronic detector.
- Look at the history of added refrigerant. A unit that needs a top-up every season has a leak, even if nobody found it yet.
For the full scope of a periodic check, see our page on F-gas leak checks. If you want a schedule for several units at once, use the chiller inspection calculator.
Frequently asked questions
Which GWP values does the calculator use?
The values from the Fourth Assessment Report of the IPCC (AR4), which the F-gas Regulation uses for CO2 equivalent and leak check thresholds. Newer IPCC reports give slightly different numbers, but they do not change the legal calculation.
Do I add up the charge of all circuits?
Yes. The threshold applies to the piece of equipment, so a chiller with two independent circuits counts with the total charge of both circuits.
Does a chiller with R290 or R744 need F-gas leak checks?
No, these are not fluorinated gases. They still need regular inspections for safety reasons, and R290 units must follow the rules for flammable refrigerants.
What counts as an automatic leak detection system?
A calibrated system that detects leaks and alerts the operator, for example refrigerant gas sensors in the plant room or a system that monitors pressures and temperatures in the circuit. It must itself be checked at least once every 12 months.
Need the leak checks done?
We carry out F-gas leak checks with calibrated detectors and enter the results in your equipment records.