EPA 608 Type I flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Section 608 venting prohibition

It is illegal to knowingly vent ozone-depleting refrigerants and their substitutes during service, maintenance, repair, or disposal of appliances. Good-faith recovery and brief gauge connection releases are narrow exceptions.

Small appliance definition

A factory-sealed appliance charged with 5 pounds or less of refrigerant, such as a household refrigerator, freezer, window air conditioner, or dehumidifier. Motor vehicle air conditioners are excluded.

Type I evacuation level

Recovery equipment for small appliances must evacuate the appliance to 80 percent vacuum, roughly 4 inches Hg vacuum, or to the level certified by the equipment manufacturer.

Recovery cylinder fill limit

A recovery cylinder may be filled to no more than 80 percent of its capacity by liquid volume, leaving room for liquid expansion and preventing hydrostatic rupture.

ODP of CFC-12

CFC-12 has an ozone depletion potential of 1.0, the reference value. It is a Class I ozone-depleting substance and its venting is prohibited under Section 608.

GWP reference

Global warming potential uses carbon dioxide as the reference with a value of 1. R-134a is about 1,430 and R-410A about 2,088, so recovery reduces climate impact even for zero-ODP refrigerants.

High-pressure evacuation, 5-50 lb

For appliances containing 5 to 50 pounds, recovery equipment made after November 15, 1993 must evacuate to 0 inches Hg vacuum; older equipment must reach 10 inches Hg.

Very high-pressure refrigerant handling

R-410A and R-32 operate at higher pressures than R-22, so only R-410A-rated manifolds, hoses, and recovery equipment may be used to prevent hose failure and injury.

Low-pressure evacuation level

Low-pressure appliances must be evacuated to 25 inches Hg vacuum using recovery equipment made after November 15, 1993, or 20 inches Hg with older equipment.

Leak repair 50-pound rule

Appliances containing 50 or more pounds of refrigerant must have leaks repaired within 30 days of discovery, or the owner must create a retrofit or retirement plan.

System-dependent recovery limit

System-dependent recovery equipment relies on the appliance compressor and is limited to high-pressure appliances containing 15 pounds or less of refrigerant with an operating compressor.

Piercing valve use

Small appliances often lack service ports, so a piercing or line-tap valve is installed to access the sealed system for recovery before disposal or repair.

Recovery before disposal

The final person in the disposal chain must ensure refrigerant is recovered from a small appliance before it is shredded or crushed, and must verify recovery occurred.

Purge unit function

Low-pressure chillers run below atmospheric pressure, so a purge unit removes air and moisture that enter the system; purge exhaust must be recovered rather than vented.

R-123 ODP

R-123 is an HCFC with an ozone depletion potential of about 0.012. It is regulated under Section 608, so recovery and leak repair requirements apply.

Vacuum dehydration target

After repair, a system is evacuated with a vacuum pump and micron gauge to 500 microns or lower and held to confirm no moisture or leaks before charging.

Nitrogen for leak detection

Nitrogen is used to pressurize a system for leak detection. Refrigerant must never be used as a pressurizing gas because it would be vented during the test.

Mixed refrigerant consequence

Mixing different refrigerants in one recovery cylinder makes the contents non-reclaimable and may require destruction, so each refrigerant type needs a dedicated labeled cylinder.

Section 608 certification scope

Certification is required for technicians who maintain, service, repair, or dispose of appliances containing regulated refrigerant, and it is specific to the appliance type.

Type I certification coverage

Type I certification covers small appliances charged with 5 pounds or less, including household refrigerators, freezers, window units, and dehumidifiers, but not motor vehicle air conditioners.

Recovered refrigerant disposition

Refrigerant recovered from small appliances may be recycled on-site with certified equipment or sent to a reclamation facility; it may never be vented to the atmosphere.

Standing vacuum test

On a low-pressure chiller, a rise in pressure during a standing vacuum test indicates air or moisture entering the system through a leak.

Moisture in low-pressure chillers

Water entering a low-pressure chiller reacts with refrigerant to form corrosive acids, so moisture must be removed with dehydration filters and proper evacuation before charging.

Relief device on chillers

Low-pressure chillers use rupture discs and relief devices for overpressure protection; a ruptured disc releases refrigerant and the charge must be recovered before repair.

R-410A GWP

R-410A has a global warming potential of about 2,088 relative to carbon dioxide at 1, so recovering rather than venting it substantially reduces climate impact.

De minimis release

Small refrigerant releases during good-faith recovery or while connecting and disconnecting gauges are permitted; routine purging of hoses to atmosphere is a violation.

Refrigerant frostbite hazard

Liquid refrigerant at room temperature is under pressure and boils rapidly at atmospheric pressure, causing frostbite on skin contact; gloves and eye protection are required.

Asphyxiation risk

Refrigerant vapor is heavier than air and displaces oxygen in confined spaces such as basements and mechanical rooms, so ventilation and leak detection must precede work.

Recovery cylinder marking

Recovery cylinders must be DOT-approved, evacuated before first use, and marked with the refrigerant type; unmarked or mixed cylinders cannot be legally reclaimed.

Small appliance recordkeeping exemption

Small appliances of 5 pounds or less are exempt from Section 608 leak repair and refrigerant management recordkeeping rules, but venting and recovery-before-disposal rules still apply.

High-pressure appliance definition

High-pressure appliances include most commercial refrigeration and residential split systems using R-22, R-134a, and similar refrigerants; very high-pressure units use R-410A or R-32.

Low-pressure appliance definition

Low-pressure appliances operate with low-side pressure below atmospheric, typically centrifugal chillers using R-11, R-113, or R-123, and require specialized recovery methods.