When must the owner of a 1,000-pound R-123 chiller calculate its leak rate?

Leak repair requirements · EPA 608 Type III. The correct answer, and the reasoning behind it.

Allowable annual leak rates for low-pressure appliances.

The question

When must the owner of a 1,000-pound R-123 chiller calculate its leak rate?

• AEvery time refrigerant is added, with a few exceptionsCorrect answer
• BOnce each calendar year
• COnly when the purge unit runs excessively
• DOnly when the charge falls below half

Why “Every time refrigerant is added, with a few exceptions” is correct

Under 40 CFR 82.157(b), the owner must calculate the leak rate every time refrigerant is added, unless the addition follows a retrofit, a new installation, or qualifies as a seasonal variance. The technician who adds refrigerant supplies the records needed for that calculation.

Source: 40 CFR 82.157(b)

Why the other answers are wrong

• Once each calendar year — The calculation is tied to each refrigerant addition, not to the calendar.
• Only when the purge unit runs excessively — Excessive purging is a warning sign, but it is not what triggers the calculation.
• Only when the charge falls below half — The rule does not wait for the charge to drop by half.

Practice more of this

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