Both Oil Levels and for Refrigerant Leaks
All recovery equipment should be checked for oil levels and refrigerant leaks on a daily basis. These should be replaced whenever necessary.
Type I or Universal certification
Persons handling refrigerant during maintenance, service or repair of small appliances must be certified as either a Type I Technician or as a Universal Technician. (Page16 ESCO EPA 9TH V2 Edition Prep Manual)
True
Systems built before 1950 contain many different chemicals including sulfur dioxide and methyl formate.
ARI 700
ARI 700 is the established standard. This standard was created by the Air Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI)
Certified by an EPA-approved testing laboratory.
Recovery equipment used during the maintenance, service, or repair of small appliances that use CFCs, HCFCs, and HFCs must be certified by an EPA-approved laboratory. (Page16 ESCO EPA 9TH V2 Edition Prep Manual)
Self-Contained Recovery Units
Self-contained recovery equipment is built to recover the refrigerant without using the unit's compressor.
Appliances manufactured, charged, and hermetically sealed in a factory that contain 5 lbs. or less of refrigerant.
The EPA definition of a small appliance includes products manufactured, charged, and hermetically sealed in a factory with five pounds of refrigerant or less. (Page16 ESCO EPA 9TH V2 Edition Prep Manual)
Higher
You can use a pressure/temperature chart to detect noncondensables. Higher discharge pressure indicates the presence of air.
energize the compressor.
You should never energize the compressor. A hermetic compressor's motor winding could be damaged if energized when under a deep vacuum. (Page 22 ESCO EPA 9TH V2 Edition Prep Manual)
Compressor Burnout
A strong odor is an indicator of compressor burnout. Nitrogen can be used to get rid of the debris (as long as there is no refrigerant in the system).
Run the compressor and recover from the high side of the system only.
An appliance with an operating compressor and completely restricted capillary tube or metering device requires only one access valve on the high side of the system. (Page 17 & 18 ESCO EPA 9TH V2 Edition Prep Manual)
Upright
Cylinders should be transported in an upright position.
Nitrogen
When nitrogen is used to pressurize or blow debris out of the system, the nitrogen may be vented to the ambient air. (Page 18 ESCO EPA 9TH V2 Edition Prep Manual)
Temperature
A pressure/temperature chart can be used to detect noncondensables. You should wait until the temperature of the tank stabilizes.
Leaks should be repaired whenever possible.
The EPA does not require leak repair for small appliances, but leaks should be repaired whenever possible. (Page 17 ESCO EPA 9TH V2 Edition Prep Manual)
Hydrogen
Small amounts of liquid hydrogen can be explosive when combined with air and small amounts of energy.
