After installing a piercing access valve on a refrigerator's process stub, what should the technician check…

Recovery techniques · EPA 608 Type I. The correct answer, and the reasoning behind it.

Identifying refrigerants, access valves, passive recovery and solderless fittings.

The question

After installing a piercing access valve on a refrigerator's process stub, what should the technician check before starting a vacuum-assisted recovery?

• AThat the appliance has been charged with extra refrigerant
• BThat the thermostat is set to its coldest setting
• CThat the valve seals tightly, so no air is drawn inCorrect answer
• DThat the process stub has been cut open

Why “That the valve seals tightly, so no air is drawn in” is correct

A loose piercing valve can leak refrigerant out or, under vacuum, pull air in. Air in the recovered refrigerant is a noncondensable contaminant, so the fitting should be sealed and leak-free before recovery starts.

Source: EPA: Test Topics

Why the other answers are wrong

• That the appliance has been charged with extra refrigerant — Adding refrigerant before recovery makes no sense.
• That the thermostat is set to its coldest setting — The thermostat setting does not affect the seal of the fitting.
• That the process stub has been cut open — Cutting the stub would release refrigerant; the piercing valve makes the opening.

Practice more of this

More EPA 608 Type I practice questions, or see every EPA 608 practice test.