EPA 608 Universal cheat sheet

Type I covers appliances charged at the factory with 5 lb or less of refrigerant: household refrigerators and freezers, window air conditioners, dehumidifiers, water coolers, vending machines. MVACs are excluded.

Recovery target when the appliance compressor is operational: at least 90% of the refrigerant charge.

Recovery target when the appliance compressor is not operational: at least 80% of the refrigerant charge.

A system-dependent (passive) recovery device may be used only on a small appliance whose own compressor runs; it uses that compressor, applied heat, or gravity to move refrigerant.

If the compressor will not run, a self-contained (active) recovery machine must be used to meet the 80% standard.

Leak-repair obligations (30-day repair, verification tests, chronic-leak reporting) apply to appliances holding 50 lb or more and therefore do not apply to small appliances.

Refrigerant recovered from a small appliance may be recycled on site and reused in equipment owned by the same owner; refrigerant changing ownership must be reclaimed to AHRI 700 purity.

Recovery equipment used on small appliances must be certified to the EPA-referenced standard (ARI/AHRI 740) for Type I equipment.

Sealed small systems without service ports are accessed with a line-piercing valve; the access point must be leak-checked before charging.

Type II covers high-pressure and very-high-pressure equipment other than small appliances and MVACs, e.g. R-22, R-134a, R-404A, R-407C, R-410A, R-502 systems.

Evacuation level for appliances built after November 15, 1993: 10 inches of mercury vacuum.

Evacuation level for pre-November 15, 1993 appliances using HCFC-22: 0 inches of mercury vacuum (atmospheric).

Evacuation level for pre-November 15, 1993 appliances using other high-pressure refrigerants: 4 inches of mercury vacuum.

R-410A is a near-azeotropic R-32/R-125 blend running roughly 50–70% above R-22 pressures; only R-410A-rated gauges, hoses, and recovery equipment may be used, and it is charged as a liquid.

A recovery cylinder must never be filled above 80% of its capacity by weight; liquid expansion at higher temperature can rupture the cylinder.

Leak testing uses dry nitrogen, soap bubbles, or an electronic detector on the system charge; oxygen, compressed air, and acetylene are prohibited because of fire and explosion risk.

Appliances holding 50 lb or more must have leaks repaired within 30 days of discovery, then pass an initial verification test and a follow-up verification test.

Opened systems are dehydrated with a vacuum pump and micron gauge (about 500 microns, held stable); the system compressor is never used as a vacuum pump.

Type III covers low-pressure appliances such as centrifugal chillers using CFC-11 or HCFC-123, refrigerants that boil below atmospheric pressure.

Required evacuation level is 25 mm of mercury absolute (about 29.6 inches of mercury vacuum), the same for pre-1993 and post-1993 equipment.

Because the machine runs in a vacuum, every leak or opened line draws air and moisture inward; air raises condensing (head) pressure and moisture forms acids.

Low-pressure chillers are protected by a rupture disc, typically set near 15 psig, rather than a reseating relief valve; never pressurize above the disc rating, and replace a burst disc before charging.

A purge unit removes air and other non-condensables from the condenser; excessive purging wastes refrigerant and usually indicates a leak on the low side.

Moisture entering a low-pressure chiller can freeze at the evaporator and block flow; keep the system closed, use filter-driers, and leak-test with dry nitrogen plus trace refrigerant, soap bubbles, or an electronic detector.

Recovery is done liquid-first, then vapor, using a machine capable of pulling from a vacuum; cooling the recovery cylinder speeds transfer of low-pressure vapor.

CFC-11 has an ODP of 1.0 while HCFC-123 is a lower-ODP replacement refrigerant; both are low-pressure and both must be recovered, never vented.

Section 608 certifications: Type I small appliances, Type II high-pressure, Type III low-pressure, Universal (all three).

Venting refrigerant to the atmosphere during service, maintenance, repair, or disposal has been prohibited since July 1, 1992; recovered refrigerant must be recycled, reclaimed, or destroyed.

Ozone depletion potential: CFC-11 and CFC-12 = 1.0, HCFC-22 = 0.05, HFCs such as R-134a and R-410A = 0.

Refrigerant must be recovered before an appliance is scrapped; the last person in the disposal chain verifies recovery and keeps the documentation for three years.

Motor vehicle air conditioners fall under Section 609 and require separate certification; Section 608 covers stationary refrigeration and air-conditioning.

Never braze or torch a line that still holds refrigerant: decomposition produces toxic, corrosive gas. Recover the charge and purge with dry nitrogen first.

Never mix refrigerants in a recovery cylinder; mixed refrigerant cannot be reclaimed to specification and cylinders must be labeled with the refrigerant they contain.

Recovery cylinders must be DOT-approved, requalified on schedule, and free of damage or corrosion; do not fill an out-of-test cylinder.

Releases that occur during good-faith recovery attempts (for example residual hose vapor) are de minimis and are not venting violations.