CFC Refrigerant Identification & Testing 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which tool is specifically designed to identify the type of refrigerant present in a system before servicing?
- Manifold gauge set
- Refrigerant identifier/analyzer (Correct answer)
- Electronic leak detector
- Clamp-on ammeter
Correct answer: Refrigerant identifier/analyzer
A refrigerant identifier/analyzer uses infrared spectroscopy to determine the exact composition of refrigerant before service work begins.
Question 2: What is the standard cylinder color for R-22 refrigerant per AHRI color-coding standards?
- White
- Sky blue
- Light green (Correct answer)
- Orange
Correct answer: Light green
R-22 refrigerant cylinders are painted light green per AHRI cylinder color-coding standards to help technicians quickly identify refrigerant type.
Question 3: A technician receives an unlabeled cylinder of refrigerant. What is the FIRST step they should take?
- Weigh the cylinder
- Identify the refrigerant using an analyzer (Correct answer)
- Connect it to the recovery machine
- Check the pressure with a gauge
Correct answer: Identify the refrigerant using an analyzer
Identifying unknown refrigerant with an analyzer before any service procedure prevents contamination of recovery cylinders and ensures safe handling.
Question 4: What physical property difference most readily distinguishes R-410A from R-22 using manifold gauges?
- R-410A has a lower boiling point
- R-410A operates at significantly higher pressures than R-22 (Correct answer)
- R-410A is flammable while R-22 is not
- R-410A has a distinct odor while R-22 is odorless
Correct answer: R-410A operates at significantly higher pressures than R-22
R-410A operates at pressures approximately 50-70% higher than R-22, which is a key distinguishing characteristic visible on manifold gauges in the field.
Question 5: What does a positive result on a chloride test strip applied to refrigerant oil indicate?
- The refrigerant is an HFC
- CFC or HCFC refrigerant contamination is present (Correct answer)
- The oil needs changing due to age
- The system has an active refrigerant leak
Correct answer: CFC or HCFC refrigerant contamination is present
A positive chloride test indicates the presence of chlorine atoms, which are found in CFCs and HCFCs but not in HFCs, helping identify the refrigerant family.
Question 6: Which AHRI standard establishes purity specifications that reclaimed refrigerants must meet before resale or reuse?
- AHRI 340/360
- AHRI 700 (Correct answer)
- AHRI 210/240
- AHRI 520
Correct answer: AHRI 700
AHRI Standard 700 sets the purity requirements — including moisture, acidity, non-condensables, and particulate limits — that reclaimed refrigerants must meet to be equivalent to new refrigerant.
Question 7: What is the primary reason for using a refrigerant identifier before adding refrigerant to an existing system?
- To determine the correct recovery cylinder color to use
- To verify the system contains the expected refrigerant and has not been contaminated or changed (Correct answer)
- To check overall system operating efficiency
- To measure the refrigerant's current purity level
Correct answer: To verify the system contains the expected refrigerant and has not been contaminated or changed
Verifying the existing refrigerant's identity prevents adding incompatible refrigerants that could damage the system or create hazardous, unrecoverable mixtures.
CFC Refrigerant Identification & Testing 1
Which tool is specifically designed to identify the type of refrigerant present in a system before servicing?