A technician plans to convert an R-22 system to a substitute refrigerant. What must be done with the R-22 first?
Substitute refrigerants and oils · EPA 608 Core. The correct answer, and the reasoning behind it.
Why there are no true drop-in replacements, and fractionation in blends.
The question
A technician plans to convert an R-22 system to a substitute refrigerant. What must be done with the R-22 first?
- Recover it with certified recovery equipmentCorrect answer
- Vent it, since R-22 is being phased out
- Leave it in and add the substitute on top
- Mix it with the substitute in a cylinder
Why “Recover it with certified recovery equipment” is correct
The existing charge must be recovered before the system is opened for a retrofit. The new refrigerant's lubricant and component requirements are then followed, because a retrofit is not a simple drop-in.
Source: 40 CFR 82.154(a); 40 CFR 82.152
Why the other answers are wrong
- Vent it, since R-22 is being phased out — Venting R-22 is a violation, phaseout or not.
- Leave it in and add the substitute on top — Adding a substitute on top creates a mixture of unknown composition.
- Mix it with the substitute in a cylinder — Mixing refrigerants makes them hard or impossible to reclaim.
Practice more of this
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