Why does warming and tapping a dead compressor help recovery from a small appliance?
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
Why does warming and tapping a dead compressor help recovery from a small appliance?
- It restarts the compressor motor
- It seals small leaks in the compressor shell welds
- Refrigerant in the oil is driven out as vaporCorrect answer
- It turns noncondensables into liquid
Why “Refrigerant in the oil is driven out as vapor” is correct
Compressor oil holds dissolved refrigerant. Warming the oil and jarring the compressor release that refrigerant as vapor so it can be drawn out, which is why EPA's test topics list heating and sharply striking the compressor.
Source: EPA: Test Topics
Why the other answers are wrong
- It restarts the compressor motor — Heat and tapping are used because the compressor will not run.
- It seals small leaks in the compressor shell welds — Heat and tapping do not repair leaks.
- It turns noncondensables into liquid — Noncondensables do not condense under these conditions.
Practice more of this
More EPA 608 Type I practice questions, or see every EPA 608 practice test.
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.