Which of these is a small appliance under 40 CFR 82.152?
An appliance fully manufactured, charged and hermetically sealed in a factory with five pounds or less of refrigerant. A dehumidifier sealed at the factory with 14 ounces qualifies. All the conditions have to be met.
- A split-system central air conditioner charged on site by the installer
- A walk-in cooler with a remote condensing unit
- A rooftop package unit holding 12 pounds of refrigerant
- A dehumidifier sealed at the factory with 14 ounces of refrigerantCorrect answer
Why “A dehumidifier sealed at the factory with 14 ounces of refrigerant” is correct
Dehumidifiers are named in the small-appliance definition, and this one is factory-sealed with well under 5 pounds. Field-assembled systems and anything over 5 pounds fall outside the definition and are serviced under Type II or Type III rules.
Source: 40 CFR 82.152
Why the other answers are wrong
- A split-system central air conditioner charged on site by the installer — A field-charged split system was not charged and sealed in a factory, so it is not a small appliance.
- A walk-in cooler with a remote condensing unit — Walk-in coolers are piped and charged on site, so they fail the factory-sealed test.
- A rooftop package unit holding 12 pounds of refrigerant — Twelve pounds is over the 5-pound limit for a small appliance.
The source, word for word
Small appliance means any appliance that is fully manufactured, charged, and hermetically sealed in a factory with five (5) pounds or less of refrigerant, including, but not limited to, refrigerators and freezers (designed for home, commercial, or consumer use), medical or industrial research refrigeration equipment, room air conditioners (including window air conditioners, portable air conditioners, and packaged terminal air heat pumps), dehumidifiers, under-the-counter ice makers, vending machines, and drinking water coolers.
Examples that pass and fail
Size alone does not settle it, because a field-charged system fails however little it holds.
| Appliance | Small appliance? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Home refrigerator or freezer | Yes | Named in the definition, factory-sealed |
| Window air conditioner | Yes | Named in the definition, factory-sealed |
| Vending machine or water cooler | Yes | Named in the definition, factory-sealed |
| Split-system central air | No | Charged on site by the installer |
| Walk-in cooler with a remote condensing unit | No | Piped and charged on site |
| Rooftop unit holding 12 pounds | No | Over the 5-pound limit |
Why the category matters
It decides your certification and your recovery rules: Type I covers small appliances, and 40 CFR 82.156(b) replaces Table 1 for recovery levels.
Keep practicing
- Who needs Type I certification
- The standard for small-appliance recovery equipment
- Who verifies refrigerant is removed before disposal
- 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.