EPA 608 Type I Practice Test: 25 Free Questions With Answers

ByJabeer

Quick answer: Type I covers small appliances: hermetically sealed units factory-charged with 5 pounds or less of refrigerant, such as refrigerators, window air conditioners and dehumidifiers. The exam is 25 questions, pass mark 18 (72%), and it is the only Section 608 section that programs may offer open book without a proctor.

EPA 608 Type I exam at a glance

  • Questions: 25 multiple choice (this practice test: 25)
  • Equipment: small appliances, 5 lb or less, factory sealed
  • Key numbers: recover 90% (compressor running) or 80% (not running), or reach 4 in. Hg vacuum
  • Pass mark: 18 of 25 correct (72%) on each section
  • Core: must be passed before any Type certification is issued
  • Cost: roughly $25–$150 depending on the program; Type I open-book tests are cheapest
  • Expiry: none — Section 608 certification is for life

How to use this practice test

Click an answer for instant feedback and a short explanation of the rule behind it. Your running score stays pinned at the top; finish all 25 and you will see whether you cleared the 72% line that the real Type I section uses. These are original questions written from EPA’s Section 608 regulations, not copied from any exam, so use them to find weak spots and then read your program’s manual for the exact wording it tests.

Type I — small appliances

1. Under Section 608, a small appliance is one that is hermetically sealed and factory charged with:

2. Which of these is NOT a small appliance for Type I purposes?

3. A technician who only services small appliances needs recovery equipment that is:

4. When recovering from a small appliance whose compressor is operating, recovery equipment manufactured after November 15, 1993 must capture at least:

5. If the compressor of a small appliance is not operating, the recovery requirement is:

6. Why is 4 inches of mercury vacuum offered as an alternative to the percentage recovery requirement?

7. Which recovery method uses the appliance’s own compressor to push refrigerant into a recovery bag or cylinder?

8. When using a system-dependent recovery process on a small appliance with a working compressor, the recommended technique is to:

9. Recovery from a small appliance with a seized compressor can be improved by:

10. A piercing-type (saddle) access valve installed to recover refrigerant from a small appliance should be:

11. Which practice is most likely to prevent refrigerant loss when connecting service hoses?

12. A household refrigerator is found to have a leak in the evaporator. Before the repair the technician must:

13. The best leak-detection method for a small, slow refrigerant leak on a household refrigerator is:

14. Which refrigerant is commonly found in older domestic refrigerators and has the highest ozone depletion potential?

15. R-600a (isobutane), used in many modern refrigerators, is classified as:

16. After recovery, a disposable refrigerant cylinder (DOT 39) should be:

17. Why should a technician never mix refrigerants in a recovery cylinder?

18. Which personal protective equipment is appropriate when handling refrigerant from a small appliance?

19. Before a household refrigerator is scrapped, the refrigerant must be:

20. A scrap dealer who accepts small appliances for disposal must either recover the refrigerant or:

21. Which of the following is a certified technician required to keep as a record?

22. Recovered refrigerant from a customer’s small appliance may be reused:

23. The Type I certification exam section consists of how many questions?

24. Which Section 608 exam may be offered as an open-book mail-in test by some programs?

25. A technician holding only Type I certification wants to service a 30-pound rooftop unit. They must:

Answer key with explanations

Read straight through as a study sheet, or print it to revise from.

Open the full answer key (25 answers)
  1. 1. B — 5 pounds or less of refrigerant. Small appliances are manufactured, charged and hermetically sealed in a factory with five pounds or less of refrigerant. Examples include household refrigerators and freezers, window air conditioners, dehumidifiers, water coolers and vending machines.
  2. 2. D — A split-system heat pump charged in the field with 6 pounds. A split system is charged in the field, not factory sealed, and its charge is above 5 lb, so it is Type II equipment. PTACs qualify as small appliances when they are factory charged with 5 lb or less.
  3. 3. A — Certified for small appliances by an EPA-approved testing organisation. Recovery equipment used on small appliances must be certified by an EPA-approved organisation such as AHRI or UL, unless it was grandfathered. Technicians may use system-dependent or self-contained equipment for small appliances.
  4. 4. B — 90% of the refrigerant. The rule is 90% when the compressor is operating and 80% when it is not, or, as an alternative, the equipment must achieve a vacuum of 4 inches of mercury. The percentage reflects how much refrigerant the compressor helps push out.
  5. 5. D — Recover 80% or reach 4 inches Hg vacuum. With a non-operating compressor the target drops to 80%, or 4 inches of mercury vacuum. Techniques that help include heating and tapping the compressor, and using a vacuum pump in series with the recovery device.
  6. 6. D — Because it is impossible to measure the exact charge remaining in a sealed system in the field. A technician cannot weigh the refrigerant remaining in a sealed small appliance, so a measurable vacuum level is the practical compliance test.
  7. 7. A — System-dependent (passive) recovery. System-dependent, or passive, recovery relies on the appliance’s compressor or internal pressure. It may only be used on appliances with 15 pounds or less of refrigerant, and small appliances fall within that limit.
  8. 8. D — Run the compressor and recover from the high side. Running the compressor pushes refrigerant to the high side where it can be captured quickly. If the compressor will not run, heat and tap it to release refrigerant trapped in the oil and pull from both sides.
  9. 9. D — Heating the compressor with a heat gun and tapping it with a rubber mallet, then recovering from both high and low sides. Refrigerant dissolves in compressor oil. Warming and striking the compressor releases it. Accessing both sides of the system shortens recovery time.
  10. 10. C — Removed and the hole brazed or the line sealed after recovery, because piercing valves leak over time. Piercing valves are only approved for temporary access. They are a known leak point, so after service the valve is removed and the tube is sealed, or a permanent brazed process-tube access fitting is installed.
  11. 11. B — Using hoses with low-loss or self-sealing fittings. Low-loss fittings close when disconnected so only a trivial amount of refrigerant escapes. Deliberately purging hoses to atmosphere is venting.
  12. 12. D — Recover the remaining refrigerant to the required level. Even a leaking small appliance must be recovered before opening the system. The leak does not excuse venting the remaining refrigerant.
  13. 13. D — An electronic leak detector or soap-bubble solution at joints under pressure. Electronic detectors find small leaks; bubble solution confirms the exact spot. Halide torches are outdated, and open flames should not be used near refrigerant.
  14. 14. A — R-12. R-12 (CFC-12) was the standard domestic refrigerant until the mid-1990s and has an ODP of about 1. R-134a replaced it; many newer units use R-600a (isobutane).
  15. 15. C — A3, highly flammable. R-600a is a hydrocarbon in safety group A3. Servicing requires spark-proof tools, good ventilation, no open flames and recovery equipment rated for flammable refrigerants. Charges are kept very small for this reason.
  16. 16. A — Evacuated to a vacuum, rendered unusable and recycled as scrap. Disposable cylinders must never be refilled or used as recovery cylinders. Recover any remaining refrigerant, pull a vacuum, then puncture or mark the cylinder so it cannot be reused.
  17. 17. D — Mixed refrigerant cannot be reclaimed economically and may have to be destroyed, at the owner’s cost. Mixed refrigerants cannot be separated by most reclaimers. The batch is usually incinerated, and the technician’s shop may be charged for destruction. Use a refrigerant identifier when the charge is unknown.
  18. 18. A — Safety glasses and gloves, because liquid refrigerant can cause frostbite and eye injury. Liquid refrigerant boils at very low temperatures when released and can freeze skin and eyes on contact. Gloves and eye protection are the minimum.
  19. 19. A — Recovered by a certified technician or by the final person in the disposal chain. The safe-disposal rule puts responsibility on the last person who handles the appliance before destruction, such as a scrap yard, unless the technician has already recovered the charge and a verification statement is provided.
  20. 20. B — Obtain a signed statement from the person delivering the appliance that the refrigerant has already been recovered. The verification statement must include the name and address of the person who recovered the refrigerant and the date. Dealers keep these statements on file.
  21. 21. D — A copy of their Section 608 certification card. Technicians must be able to prove certification, for example when buying refrigerant. Detailed recovery records are required for appliances of 50 lb or more and for refrigerant sent off site for reclamation.
  22. 22. C — Only in equipment owned by the same customer, unless it is reclaimed to AHRI 700. Recycled refrigerant may only go back into the same owner’s equipment. To use it elsewhere it must be sent to a certified reclaimer and brought to AHRI 700 purity.
  23. 23. B — 25. Every Section 608 exam section, including Core, has 25 multiple-choice questions and requires 18 correct (72%) to pass. Core must be passed before any Type credential is issued.
  24. 24. B — Type I only. EPA allows the Type I exam to be given as a non-proctored open-book test. Core, Type II and Type III must be proctored, in person or online.
  25. 25. D — Obtain Type II (or Universal) certification first. Type I is limited to small appliances. High-pressure equipment above 5 lb requires Type II. Universal certification covers all three types.

Questions people ask about the EPA 608 Type I exam

How many questions are on the EPA 608 Type I exam?

25 multiple-choice questions, like every Section 608 section. You need 18 correct (72%). Most programs give one combined sitting of Core plus whichever Types you register for.

Is the EPA 608 Type I test open book?

Only Type I may be offered as a non-proctored open-book test by mail or online. Core, Type II and Type III must be proctored, either in person or by an online proctor.

Does EPA 608 certification expire?

No. Section 608 certification is valid for life. If you lose your card, see our EPA 608 certification lookup guide for how to get a replacement.

Can I take the Type I test by mail?

Yes. EPA allows Type I to be given as a non-proctored open-book exam, and several approved programs sell a mail-in or online version. You still have to pass Core, which must be proctored.

Related guides

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