EPA 608 Type I key terms

The part of the Clean Air Act that prohibits knowingly venting ozone-depleting refrigerants and sets certification, service, and disposal requirements for refrigerant-handling equipment and technicians.

The rule that refrigerant may not be intentionally released to the atmosphere during service, maintenance, repair, or disposal; recovered refrigerant must be captured instead of vented.

A credential issued after passing an EPA-approved Section 608 exam; Type I covers small appliances, and Types II and III cover other equipment categories.

A number comparing how strongly a substance destroys stratospheric ozone relative to CFC-11, which is assigned a value of 1.0. HCFCs have lower values than CFCs.

A number comparing the heat-trapping effect of a gas to carbon dioxide over a set time horizon; refrigerant selection increasingly favors lower-GWP alternatives.

Chlorofluorocarbon, a refrigerant containing chlorine and fluorine that has high ozone depletion potential. Examples include R-11 and R-12, which are no longer manufactured in the United States.

Hydrochlorofluorocarbon, a refrigerant containing hydrogen, chlorine, and fluorine. It depletes ozone less than a CFC; R-22 is the most common example and is being phased out.

Hydrofluorocarbon, a refrigerant containing hydrogen and fluorine but no chlorine. It does not deplete stratospheric ozone but commonly has high global warming potential.

Removing refrigerant from a system and storing it in an external container without necessarily testing or processing it, so it can be reused, recycled, or reclaimed later.

Extracting refrigerant from a system, cleaning it by separating oil and noncondensables, and returning it to the same equipment or another system owned by the same owner.

Reprocessing recovered refrigerant to new-product purity specifications, typically by a certified reclamation facility, with the resulting refrigerant documented and labeled for resale.

A refillable pressure vessel built to DOT specifications and used only for recovered refrigerant; it must not be filled above its marked capacity and must be labeled with its contents.

Air or another gas that will not condense at normal system pressures and temperatures. It raises head pressure and is removed from recovered refrigerant during recycling or by purging.

The Section 608 credential that allows a technician to service, maintain, repair, or dispose of small appliances, including those containing R-12, R-22, R-134a, and R-290.

Under Section 608, equipment manufactured, charged, and hermetically sealed with 5 pounds or less of refrigerant, such as household refrigerators, freezers, window air conditioners, and dehumidifiers.

A system in which all refrigerant-containing components are joined by welding, brazing, or similar permanent means and cannot be opened for service without cutting or destroying the connection.

The refrigerant amount that defines a small appliance. Equipment with 5 pounds or less of charge falls under Type I rules; larger charges require Type II or III certification.

Recovery that uses the appliance's own compressor to move refrigerant into a recovery container. It is common for small appliances and is limited by the compressor's ability to pull a vacuum.

A recovery machine with its own compressor and pump that pulls refrigerant from an appliance into a storage cylinder independently of the appliance's compressor.

A spring-loaded service valve, often with a threaded access fitting, used to connect gauges or recovery equipment to a sealed system. It can leak if its core is damaged.

A valve installed on a sealed system to allow charging, evacuation, or recovery. On small appliances, a line-piercing or bolt-on valve may be added when no service port exists.

Refrigerant-grade propane, a flammable hydrocarbon used in some small appliances. Its use requires special handling, and it must never be mixed with other refrigerants during recovery.

The process of recovering refrigerant from a small appliance before it is scrapped. The final processor must recover refrigerant and document the amount removed.

The Section 608 credential for servicing high-pressure and very high-pressure equipment other than small appliances and motor vehicle air conditioners, such as commercial splits and rooftop units.

Equipment with a refrigerant circuit that operates at pressures typical of R-22 or R-410A systems and is not a small appliance or motor vehicle air conditioner; it falls under Type II rules.

Equipment whose refrigerant circuit is designed to operate at discharge pressures above 220 psig, such as many R-410A and R-404A systems; it is covered by Type II certification.

A near-azeotropic HFC blend of R-32 and R-125 with zero ozone depletion potential and high global warming potential. It operates at higher pressures than R-22 and requires compatible gauges and recovery equipment.

A mixture of two or more refrigerants, such as R-410A or R-404A, that must be recovered as a mixture and not mixed with other refrigerants unless the container is labeled accordingly.

The Section 608 credential for servicing low-pressure appliances, including chillers that use R-11, R-123, or similar low-pressure refrigerants.

Equipment that operates at a pressure at or below 1 atmosphere inside the evaporator, such as many centrifugal chillers; it requires special recovery practices and leak detection.

An HCFC refrigerant used in low-pressure centrifugal chillers. It has a low ozone depletion potential compared with CFC-11 and is being phased out under the HCFC schedule.

A pressure-relief device that bursts at a set pressure to protect low-pressure equipment. It must be replaced after activation and its discharge must be considered when recovering refrigerant.

A valve that opens automatically at a set pressure to prevent overpressure. On low-pressure chillers it may be isolated for service only if a temporary relief device is installed.

Removing moisture from a refrigeration system by evacuation, using a vacuum pump and often a micron gauge, before charging with refrigerant.

An instrument that measures deep vacuum in microns of mercury, used to confirm that a system has been evacuated to the required level before charging.

Pulling a vacuum on a system to remove air and moisture. It is performed after recovery and repairs and before recharging, and its level is verified with a micron gauge.

Finding refrigerant leaks using methods such as electronic detectors, soap bubbles, or dye. Section 608 requires repair of leaks above applicable thresholds on covered equipment.