EPA 608 Certification Practice Test 3

Question 1

Under EPA Section 608, what is the primary purpose of the "safe disposal" requirements for small appliances?

Accepted Answer

To ensure refrigerant is recovered before appliances are disposed of at scrap facilities

Answer

The safe disposal requirements under Section 608 ensure that refrigerant is removed from small appliances (refrigerators, window ACs, etc.) before they are scrapped, crushed, or shredded at disposal facilities. Without these requirements, refrigerant would be released to the atmosphere as appliances are processed. The rules apply to both technicians and final disposal entities.

Question 2

When verifying the identity of an unknown refrigerant in a system, a technician should first:

Accepted Answer

Use a refrigerant identifier (analyzer) before recovery

Answer

Before recovering or working with refrigerant of unknown identity, a technician should use a refrigerant identifier (electronic analyzer) to determine what refrigerant is present. This prevents cross-contamination of recovery cylinders, avoids mixing incompatible refrigerants, and ensures proper handling procedures are used. Mixing refrigerants in recovery cylinders makes them unusable.

Question 3

Mixing which two refrigerants creates a mixture that is potentially flammable, even though neither is flammable alone?

Accepted Answer

R-22 and oxygen

Answer

Mixing any refrigerant with oxygen or air containing oxygen creates an extremely dangerous, potentially explosive mixture. Although R-22 itself is not flammable, when combined with oxygen under pressure (such as when improperly using oxygen to pressurize a system), the mixture becomes highly combustible. NEVER use oxygen to pressurize or test refrigerant systems — only dry nitrogen should be used.

Question 4

What does the ASHRAE refrigerant safety classification "A2L" indicate?

Accepted Answer

Mildly flammable with low toxicity

Answer

ASHRAE refrigerant safety classification uses letters (A or B) for toxicity and numbers (1, 2L, 2, 3) for flammability. Class A indicates lower toxicity; Class B indicates higher toxicity. Class 2L indicates mildly flammable refrigerants with burning velocities of 10 cm/s or less. R-32 and R-1234yf are classified as A2L — low toxicity, mildly flammable.

Question 5

Under what circumstances may a refrigerant recovery machine's recovery efficiency standards be waived?

Accepted Answer

When the system has a known leak that has already vented most of the refrigerant

Answer

The EPA does provide relief from recovery requirements when a system's refrigerant has already been substantially lost due to a catastrophic failure or leak. If a technician can document that the system was nearly empty due to a leak before they arrived, the normal efficiency standards may not be achievable. Documentation is critical in such cases to demonstrate compliance intent.

EPA 608 609 Practice Test

EPA 608 609 Practice Test

EPA 608 Certification Practice Test 3