To be certified for small appliances, what must new recovery equipment show it can do on the test stand?
It must be certified to recover 90 percent of the refrigerant in the test stand with the compressor running, and 80 percent with it off. An approved equipment testing organization certifies it.
- Recover 80% with the stand's compressor running and 70% with it off
- Recover 90% with the stand's compressor running and 80% with it offCorrect answer
- Recover 100% of the charge in every test
- Recover 95% with the compressor running and 90% with it off
Why “Recover 90% with the stand's compressor running and 80% with it off” is correct
Section 82.158(e) requires small-appliance equipment to be certified as able to recover 90 percent of the test-stand charge with the compressor operational and 80 percent without it. Those numbers match the field recovery levels for newer equipment.
Source: 40 CFR 82.158(e)
Why the other answers are wrong
- Recover 80% with the stand's compressor running and 70% with it off — Both figures are too low; the standard is 90 and 80 percent.
- Recover 100% of the charge in every test — No certification standard requires complete recovery.
- Recover 95% with the compressor running and 90% with it off — Both figures are higher than the standard in 82.158(e).
The source, word for word
Equipment used during the maintenance, service, repair, or disposal of small appliances must be certified by an approved equipment testing organization to be capable of recovering 90 percent of the refrigerant in the test stand when the compressor of the test stand is operational and 80 percent of the refrigerant when the compressor of the test stand is not operational
The standard on the job
The test stand numbers match what newer equipment has to do in the field. A technician has three ways to meet the rule for a small appliance.
| Situation | Required |
|---|---|
| Equipment made before November 15, 1993 | Recover 80 percent |
| Newer equipment, appliance compressor working | Recover 90 percent |
| Newer equipment, appliance compressor not working | Recover 80 percent |
| Any of the above, as an alternative | Evacuate to four inches of mercury vacuum |
Older equipment
Equipment made before November 15, 1993, counts as certified if it can recover 80 percent, whether or not the test stand compressor is working, or reach a four-inch vacuum (40 CFR 82.158(e)(1)).
Keep practicing
- Who certifies recovery equipment
- When system-dependent recovery is not allowed
- What counts as a small appliance
- EPA 608 Type 1 practice test
- EPA 608 Type 1 mock exam
Unofficial, not affiliated with the EPA or any EPA-approved certifying organization. Questions are original practice written from public EPA material, not real exam questions.