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Stuff Every HVAC Tech Should Know

EPA Section 608 refrigerant certification prep: Core, Type I, II and III.

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  1. About how many ozone molecules can one chlorine atom destroy before it leaves the stratosphere?
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    Over 100,000. Chlorine is not used up when it breaks apart an ozone molecule, so it keeps going. That is why chlorine from CFC and HCFC refrigerants is such a big deal. Leaked refrigerant can reach the stratosphere and do long-lasting damage.

  2. In which layer of the atmosphere is most ozone found?
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    The stratosphere, about 15 to 30 km up. Most of the atmosphere's ozone sits in a layer in the stratosphere. That is why it is called the ozone layer. It soaks up much of the sun's harmful ultraviolet light before it reaches us.

  3. Ozone depletion potential (ODP) compares chemicals to which compound, defined as 1.0?
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    CFC-11. ODP compares a chemical's effect on ozone to the same mass of CFC-11. A bigger number means more ozone damage. A zero means none.

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  1. About how many ozone molecules can one chlorine atom destroy before it leaves the stratosphere?
  2. In which layer of the atmosphere is most ozone found?
  3. Ozone depletion potential (ODP) compares chemicals to which compound, defined as 1.0?
  4. Why do HFC refrigerants have an ozone depletion potential of zero?
  5. Which chemical family is R-22 refrigerant in?
  6. A refrigerant has a GWP of 700. What does that mean?
  7. In what year was the Montreal Protocol on ozone-depleting substances signed?
  8. The Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol extended controls to which refrigerant family?
  9. In the US, the ban on producing and importing CFCs took effect on January 1 of which year?
  10. Since which year has the US banned new production and import of R-22?
  11. Which Clean Air Act section created the national refrigerant recycling and emission reduction program?
  12. The AIM Act requires US HFC production and use to fall by how much from baseline by 2036?
  13. EPA's 2024 HFC leak repair rule applies to appliances holding at least how many pounds of refrigerant?
  14. Is it legal to intentionally vent HFC refrigerant like R-410A while servicing equipment?
  15. Which of these is exempt from the EPA venting prohibition in any application?
  16. A tech has recovered refrigerant into a cylinder. Knowingly releasing it afterward is what?
  17. Which term means removing refrigerant from a system and storing it in an outside container, with no testing or processing?
  18. Which term means cleaning recovered refrigerant for reuse in equipment owned by the same owner?
  19. Which term means reprocessing refrigerant to meet new-product purity specs, verified by analysis?
  20. A tech recovers refrigerant from one customer's unit. Without reclaiming, where can it go?
  21. Which Section 608 certification covers small appliances, high-pressure and low-pressure equipment?
  22. How long can someone work as a registered apprentice before they need their own Section 608 certification?
  23. Who issues your Section 608 certification card?
  24. Under EPA's sales restriction, who can a seller legally sell refrigerant to for use in equipment?
  25. Who certifies recovery and recycling equipment before technicians can use it?
  26. How long must techs keep records of refrigerant recovered from disposed appliances holding 5 to 50 pounds?
  27. For appliances holding 50 or more pounds of ozone-depleting refrigerant, what must you give the customer after adding refrigerant?
  28. For big ozone-depleting appliances, does a standing pressure decay test alone count as a leak inspection?
  29. What is the maximum a refrigerant cylinder should be filled, by volume?
  30. Reusable refrigerant recovery cylinders are identified by which color code?
  31. A disposable refrigerant cylinder is empty. What should you never do with it?
  32. Which of these is a recognized hazard of refrigerant exposure?
  33. Which gas should be used to pressurize a system for leak testing?
  34. Can any new refrigerant simply be swapped in as a 'drop-in' replacement with no changes?
  35. What does 'fractionation' mean for a blend refrigerant?
  36. Which part of the refrigeration cycle squeezes refrigerant vapor to a high pressure and temperature?
  37. In an air-cooled system, where does the refrigerant give up heat to the outdoor air?
  38. In the refrigeration cycle, where does refrigerant boil and absorb heat from the air being cooled?
  39. What drops the refrigerant's pressure before it enters the evaporator?
  40. To convert a gauge reading in psig to absolute pressure in psia, what do you add?
  41. DOT rules for liquefied gas cylinders say the liquid must never do what at temperatures up to 131 F?
  42. Why do techs evacuate a system with a vacuum pump at the end of service?
  43. When pressurizing a system with nitrogen, what does EPA's Core outline say to use with the cylinder?
  44. When recovering refrigerant, what does EPA's Core outline say technicians need to avoid?
  45. On an HFC system with POE oil, why should line set caps stay on until you connect them?
  46. R-32 and R-454B are classed A2L. In plain words, what kind of refrigerants are they?
  47. Which leak detector must never be used on a system with a mildly flammable A2L refrigerant?
  48. Under EPA rules, a small appliance holds how much refrigerant at most?
  49. Which of these counts as a small appliance under EPA's definition?
  50. Using post-1993 recovery equipment on a small appliance with a working compressor, how much must you recover?
  51. Post-1993 recovery equipment, small appliance with a dead compressor. What percent must you recover?
  52. Instead of recovering a percentage, a technician can evacuate a small appliance to what vacuum?
  53. Using recovery equipment made before November 15, 1993, how much of a small appliance's refrigerant must be recovered?
  54. Does a person who only disposes of small appliances need Section 608 certification?
  55. What makes a piece of recovery equipment 'system-dependent'?
  56. What score is needed to pass a mail-in Type I certification test?
  57. Recovering from a small appliance with an inoperative compressor, which access valves does EPA say you need to install?
  58. What should a technician do with solderless access fittings after finishing a small appliance service?
  59. EPA calls a refrigerant 'high-pressure' if its liquid saturation pressure at 104 F falls in what range?
  60. Which refrigerant does EPA list as an example of a high-pressure refrigerant?
  61. Medium-pressure appliance under 200 lb, recovery equipment made after November 15, 1993. Evacuate to how many inches of mercury vacuum?
  62. The EPA leak rate that triggers repair for commercial refrigeration with 50+ lb of refrigerant is what?
  63. The EPA leak rate that triggers repair for industrial process refrigeration is what?
  64. The EPA leak rate that triggers repair for comfort cooling appliances with 50+ lb of refrigerant is what?
  65. An appliance exceeds its leak-rate trigger. Normally, how long does the owner have to repair the leaks?
  66. Section 608 leak repair rules apply to appliances with a full charge of at least how much ozone-depleting refrigerant?
  67. After a successful initial verification test of a leak repair, the follow-up test is due within how many days?
  68. An owner chooses to retire or retrofit a leaking appliance instead of repairing it. How long to finish?
  69. An appliance leaks 125 percent of its full charge in a calendar year. When is the report to EPA due?
  70. A commercial refrigeration system with 500+ lb exceeds its leak rate. How often are leak inspections required?
  71. Opening a high-pressure appliance with under 200 lb, using post-1993 equipment. Evacuate to how many inches of mercury vacuum?
  72. High-pressure appliance with 200 lb or more, post-1993 recovery equipment. Evacuate to how many inches of mercury vacuum?
  73. Non-major repair on a medium-, high- or very high-pressure appliance that won't be evacuated to atmosphere afterward. Evacuate to?
  74. System-dependent recovery equipment may not be used on appliances holding more than how much refrigerant?
  75. Which of these counts as a 'major' repair under EPA's Section 608 rules?
  76. After reaching the required recovery vacuum, what does EPA's test outline say to do before opening the system?
  77. What should a technician never do with a hermetic compressor while it is under a vacuum?
  78. A low-pressure refrigerant has liquid saturation pressure below what value at 104 F?
  79. What evacuation level must be reached for a low-pressure appliance?
  80. Non-major repair on a low-pressure appliance that won't be evacuated to atmosphere afterward. Pressurize to what before opening?
  81. Low-pressure appliance, refrigerant boils at or below 85 F. Which pressurizing method may you not use?
  82. Per EPA's Type III topics, to cut refrigerant release, heat the chiller's oil to what temperature before removing it?
  83. During refrigerant evacuation of a chiller, why does EPA say to circulate or remove the water?
  84. When recharging a low-pressure chiller, EPA says to introduce what first to prevent freezing water in the tubes?
  85. On a low-pressure chiller, excessive purging is a sign of what?
  86. Under ASHRAE Standard 15, as covered in EPA's Type III topics, R-123 equipment rooms need what?
  87. Someone picks up refrigerant saying they represent a certified shop. Whose job is it to confirm they are authorized?
  88. Small cans of car air conditioner refrigerant, like R-134a, can be sold to uncertified buyers if they hold at most how much?
  89. How long must refrigerant sellers keep invoices showing the buyer, the date and the quantity?
  90. Can someone with only a Section 609 (car air conditioning) certification buy refrigerant for stationary equipment?
  91. Which transfer of used refrigerant is allowed without having it reclaimed first?
  92. How long is a Section 608 technician certification valid?
  93. For Universal certification, how must the core portion of the test be taken?
  94. What is the passing score on the closed-book Type II, Type III or Universal certification test?
  95. How many questions are on a Universal certification test?
  96. An uncertified apprentice may work on refrigerant circuits if they are...
  97. A scrap yard uses a signed statement to show a junked fridge's refrigerant was recovered. What must the statement include?
  98. In EPA's leak repair rules, what does it mean to 'mothball' an appliance?
  99. Under EPA rules, is connecting and disconnecting hoses and gauges to read pressures considered 'opening an appliance'?
  100. On a refrigerator or room air conditioner, what is a 'process stub'?
  101. In EPA's leak repair rules, a leak rate is expressed as a percentage of full charge lost over what period?
  102. New VRF systems with GWP 700 or more, with all parts made before 2026, may be installed until when?