CFC Recovery Equipment & Techniques 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which condition MUST be met before transferring recovered refrigerant from a recovery cylinder to a reclaim facility?
- The cylinder must be at least 50% full
- The refrigerant must be tested for purity on-site before transfer
- The cylinder must be labeled with the refrigerant type and any known contaminants (Correct answer)
- The cylinder must be degassed to remove all non-condensables
Correct answer: The cylinder must be labeled with the refrigerant type and any known contaminants
Recovered refrigerant cylinders must be properly labeled with the refrigerant type and contaminant status before sending to a reclaim facility.
Question 2: What does the term 'critical charge' mean in the context of refrigerant recovery from small appliances?
- The minimum charge needed for the system to function (Correct answer)
- The refrigerant charge level at which venting is legally permitted
- The maximum charge level before a system becomes dangerous to service
- The refrigerant charge level that triggers mandatory EPA reporting
Correct answer: The minimum charge needed for the system to function
Critical charge is the minimum amount of refrigerant required for a system to operate at its rated capacity.
Question 3: A technician is recovering R-22 from a system and notices the recovery machine discharge pressure is extremely high. The SAFEST immediate action is to:
- Continue recovery but monitor closely
- Switch to vapor-only recovery to reduce pressure
- Stop recovery, check for a full cylinder or blocked discharge line, and address the cause (Correct answer)
- Vent excess pressure from the recovery cylinder to reduce pressure
Correct answer: Stop recovery, check for a full cylinder or blocked discharge line, and address the cause
Extremely high discharge pressure indicates a potentially dangerous condition such as a full cylinder or blockage, and recovery must stop until the cause is resolved.
Question 4: Under EPA regulations, recovery equipment manufactured after November 15, 1993 must be certified by an EPA-approved equipment testing organization. Which organization is recognized for this certification?
- ASHRAE
- UL (Underwriters Laboratories)
- ARI (now AHRI) (Correct answer)
- OSHA
Correct answer: ARI (now AHRI)
ARI (Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute, now AHRI) is the EPA-recognized organization for certifying refrigerant recovery equipment.
Question 5: When using a system-dependent recovery method on a small appliance, what is required if the appliance compressor is not operational?
- Venting is permitted if the compressor is inoperable
- A recovery machine must be used instead of the system compressor (Correct answer)
- The appliance must be returned to the manufacturer for recovery
- Recovery is not required for appliances with non-functioning compressors
Correct answer: A recovery machine must be used instead of the system compressor
If the system compressor cannot be used for passive recovery, a self-contained (active) recovery machine must be used instead.
Question 6: What is the function of the high-pressure cut-out switch on a recovery machine?
- It prevents over-recovery of refrigerant from the system
- It protects the recovery machine compressor from damage due to excessive discharge pressure (Correct answer)
- It automatically switches from liquid to vapor recovery mode
- It signals when the recovery cylinder is full
Correct answer: It protects the recovery machine compressor from damage due to excessive discharge pressure
The high-pressure cut-out switch shuts down the recovery machine compressor when discharge pressure exceeds a safe limit, preventing compressor damage.
Question 7: After completing refrigerant recovery, EPA rules require the technician to verify recovery is complete by:
- Weighing the recovery cylinder and comparing to the nameplate charge
- Checking that system pressure has stabilized at or below the required vacuum level (Correct answer)
- Running the system for 5 minutes to ensure no refrigerant remains
- Using a refrigerant identifier to confirm the system is empty
Correct answer: Checking that system pressure has stabilized at or below the required vacuum level
EPA verification requires confirming that system pressure has reached and remains at or below the required vacuum level for the specific system size.
CFC Recovery Equipment & Techniques 4
Which condition MUST be met before transferring recovered refrigerant from a recovery cylinder to a reclaim facility?