Well, to clarify a little. R-134a is the refrigerant used in today's vehicles.
R-12 is still available to licenesed/certified A/C mechanics.
The problem with the kits is that a lot of folks don't know the proper port to hook up to.
Hooking to the high side port can have devestating results.
Imagine if someone hooks the port to the high side, which can be 200+psi to a refrigerant can, which isn't designed to take much more than 50 psi. There is a good possibility of blowing the can apart. If a person doesn't know the difference between the high side and low side, there is a good chance of hooking up to the system wrong.
The proper way to do A/C work is to have a guage on the high side and low side.
Add to the fact, that the system must be properly evacuated, cleaned and recharged to prevent causing destruction to the A/C compressor and system.
Inproper cleaning and evacuation of the system can cause what is known as "black death". This is a condition where the system turns into a black tar like mess.
Why are they allowed to sell them? Good question. A lot of the A/C industry would like to see them removed.
As for the leak, there are leak detection kits to determine where the leak is.
Is the gauge safe? Well, the gauge isn't what you have to worry about. The gauge is a tool, knowing how to use it is the key. If you don't know how to use it, leave it alone.
The link I posted is one of the leading A/C sources on the internet.
Source: http://www.autoacforum.com
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