Recover, recycle, reclaim: EPA 608 Practice Questions

What does it mean to recover refrigerant?

Recover means removing refrigerant in any condition and storing it in an external container, without necessarily testing or processing it.

What does it mean to recycle refrigerant?

Recycling cleans refrigerant for reuse in the same owner's equipment through oil separation and passes through filter-driers, without meeting reclamation standards.

What does it mean to reclaim refrigerant?

Reclaiming reprocesses refrigerant to the purity in Appendix A (based on AHRI 700) and confirms it with chemical analysis.

Who may reclaim refrigerant so it can be sold to a new owner?

Only reclaimers certified by EPA under 82.164 may reclaim refrigerant for resale; they must analyze each batch to the required purity.

How can a technician tell that a recovery machine is certified for use under Section 608?

Certified equipment carries a permanent label stating that an approved testing organization certified it to EPA's minimum requirements, with the date of manufacture and serial number.

Recovery equipment for large appliances made on or after January 1, 2017 that will be used with flammable refrigerants is tested under which appendix?

Since 2017, Appendix B3 (based on AHRI 740-2016) covers non-flammable refrigerants and Appendix B4 covers flammable ones. Appendix C is for small-appliance equipment.

Recovery equipment made before November 15, 1993 may still be used on appliances other than small appliances if it can do what?

Pre-1993 equipment is grandfathered if it can achieve the evacuation levels for older equipment, checked with a properly calibrated gauge.

What is self-contained recovery equipment?

Self-contained equipment removes refrigerant without relying on components of the appliance, such as its compressor. System-dependent (passive) equipment relies on them.

System-dependent recovery equipment may not be used on appliances with a full charge of more than how many pounds?

System-dependent equipment is limited to appliances of 15 lb or less, unless it is a pump-out unit permanently attached to the appliance.

Recycling equipment that purges non-condensables during recycling may release no more than what share of the refrigerant being recycled?

Equipment standards cap the refrigerant lost while purging non-condensables at 3% of the refrigerant being recycled.

A technician recovers R-410A from a unit at a restaurant and wants to charge it into a different customer's heat pump the same day. What does the rule allow?

Reuse without reclamation is limited to equipment of the same owner. Moving refrigerant to another owner's equipment requires reclamation by a certified reclaimer.

Why must hoses used with certified recovery equipment have low-loss fittings?

Low-loss fittings close automatically or by hand when disconnected, trapping refrigerant in the hose instead of releasing it.