25 Type II — High-Pressure Practice Questions & Answers
Every Type II — High-Pressure practice question from the EPA 608 Certification Practice Test, with the correct answer and a short explanation.
Start practice test →1. A technician will remove the compressor from a rooftop R-410A air conditioner holding a full charge of 60 lb, using a recovery machine manufactured in 2015. What level of evacuation does 40 CFR 82.156 Table 1 require before opening the system?
- A.10 inches of mercury vacuum (in Hg)
- B.15 inches of mercury vacuum (in Hg)
- C.0 inches of mercury vacuum (in Hg)✓ Answer
- D.4 inches of mercury vacuum (in Hg)
Table 1 lists a high-pressure appliance with a full charge of less than 200 pounds at 0 in Hg, and that row is 0 for recovery equipment made either before or on/after November 15, 1993. Because high-pressure refrigerant boils off aggressively, EPA judged that pulling the appliance down to atmospheric pressure (0 psig) already removes nearly all of the charge, so no vacuum is demanded.
Source: 40 CFR 82.156(a), Table 1 (required levels of evacuation)Report a problem with this question
2. An R-22 chiller holds a full charge of 400 lb. The technician's recovery unit was manufactured in 2010. Before major repair, to what level must the appliance be evacuated?
- A.15 in Hg vacuum
- B.0 in Hg vacuum
- C.10 in Hg vacuum✓ Answer
- D.4 in Hg vacuum
For a high-pressure appliance with a full charge of 200 pounds or more, Table 1 requires 4 in Hg with recovery equipment manufactured before November 15, 1993 and 10 in Hg with equipment manufactured on or after that date. A 2010 machine falls in the later column, so 10 in Hg applies; 15 in Hg is the medium-pressure row for 200 pounds or more, not the R-22 row.
Source: 40 CFR 82.156(a), Table 1 (high-pressure appliance, 200 lb or more)Report a problem with this question
3. A medium-pressure R-134a appliance contains a full charge of 100 lb and is serviced with a recovery machine built in 2018. What evacuation level is required?
- A.15 in Hg vacuum
- B.29 in Hg vacuum
- C.0 in Hg vacuum
- D.10 in Hg vacuum✓ Answer
R-134a is a medium-pressure refrigerant, and Table 1 requires 10 in Hg for a medium-pressure appliance under 200 pounds when the recovery equipment was manufactured on or after November 15, 1993. This is the classic trap: an equally sized high-pressure (R-22/R-410A) unit would need only 0 in Hg, because medium-pressure refrigerant does not self-evacuate as completely at atmospheric pressure.
Source: 40 CFR 82.156(a), Table 1 (medium-pressure appliance, less than 200 lb)Report a problem with this question
4. In the required levels of evacuation table, the date November 15, 1993 refers to when what item was manufactured or imported?
- A.The appliance being serviced
- B.The recovery cylinder being used
- C.The building housing the system
- D.The recovery/recycling machine✓ Answer
Table 1 splits its columns by the manufacture or import date of the recovery/recycling machine, not the appliance or its installation date. Equipment built on or after November 15, 1993 had to meet tougher EPA/AHRI-740 performance standards, so it is held to deeper vacuum requirements than older machines.
Source: 40 CFR 82.156(a), Table 1 column headings; 40 CFR 82.158 equipment certificationReport a problem with this question
5. Which of the following counts as 'major maintenance, service, or repair' of a high-pressure appliance under Section 608?
- A.Brushing the coil fins
- B.Removing the compressor✓ Answer
- C.Replacing a contactor
- D.Topping off the charge
EPA defines major maintenance, service, or repair as any work involving removal of the compressor, condenser, evaporator, or auxiliary heat exchanger coil. The distinction matters because a major repair triggers a verification test that the required evacuation level was actually reached, while non-major work still requires evacuation to the Table 1 level but no verification test.
Source: 40 CFR 82.152 (definition of major maintenance, service, or repair)Report a problem with this question
6. System-dependent (passive) recovery equipment may NOT be used on an appliance whose full charge exceeds what amount, unless the equipment is permanently attached as a pump-out unit?
- A.5 pounds of refrigerant
- B.200 pounds of refrigerant
- C.15 pounds of refrigerant✓ Answer
- D.50 pounds of refrigerant
Section 608 bars system-dependent recovery on any appliance with a full charge of more than 15 pounds unless the passive equipment is permanently installed as a pump-out unit, because passive recovery relies on the appliance's own pressure and cannot reliably pull a large charge down to the required level. This 15 lb figure is distinct from the 5 lb small-appliance line, the 50 lb leak-repair threshold, and the 200 lb evacuation split.
Source: 40 CFR 82.156(e)-(f) (system-dependent equipment; pump-out unit exemption)Report a problem with this question
7. Leaks in a high-pressure appliance make the Table 1 evacuation level unattainable and the work to be done is not a major repair. What does Section 608 require?
- A.Skip recovery entirely and log the leak in the service record
- B.Evacuate to the lowest level attainable, not above 0 psig✓ Answer
- C.Pressurize the system with dry nitrogen, then open it
- D.Vent the remaining charge and note it in the service log
When leaks render the Table 1 level unattainable, the rule allows evacuation of the leaking components only to the lowest level attainable without substantially contaminating the refrigerant, and in no case may the appliance be left above 0 psig. Leaving it at or below atmospheric pressure guarantees that air is not drawn in and that refrigerant cannot flow out when the system is opened.
Source: 40 CFR 82.156(a) (leaky appliances; not to exceed 0 psig)Report a problem with this question
8. The Section 608 leak repair requirements of 40 CFR 82.157 apply to an appliance containing a full charge of at least how much class I or class II (ozone-depleting) refrigerant?
- A.5 pounds of refrigerant
- B.200 pounds of refrigerant
- C.15 pounds of refrigerant
- D.50 pounds of refrigerant✓ Answer
Section 82.157 is triggered by a full charge of 50 pounds or more of a class I or class II refrigerant, such as CFCs and HCFCs like R-22. Below that charge size the owner still may not knowingly vent, but the formal leak-rate calculations, repair deadlines, verification tests, and recordkeeping do not attach.
Source: 40 CFR 82.157(a) (applicability: 50 lb or more of class I or class II refrigerant)Report a problem with this question
9. For a commercial refrigeration appliance subject to 40 CFR 82.157, what annualized leak rate triggers the leak repair requirements?
- A.10 percent of the full charge per year
- B.15 percent of the full charge per year
- C.20 percent of the full charge per year✓ Answer
- D.35 percent of the full charge per year
The current thresholds are 30 percent for industrial process refrigeration, 20 percent for commercial refrigeration, and 10 percent for comfort cooling and all other appliances. The 35 percent and 15 percent figures printed in many older study guides were replaced by the lower, stricter rates, which reflect EPA's finding that leak rates above these levels are economically and technically avoidable.
Source: 40 CFR 82.157(c) (leak rate thresholds)Report a problem with this question
10. A rooftop comfort cooling unit with a 200 lb charge of R-22 is losing refrigerant. At what annualized leak rate must the owner begin the required repair process?
- A.10 percent per year✓ Answer
- B.20 percent per year
- C.15 percent per year
- D.30 percent per year
Comfort cooling appliances and 'all other appliances' carry the strictest trigger, 10 percent of the full charge per year. EPA set comfort cooling lowest because these systems are the most numerous and their leaks are generally the easiest and cheapest to locate and repair.
Source: 40 CFR 82.157(c) (comfort cooling and all other appliances: 10 percent)Report a problem with this question
11. Once a leak above the applicable rate is discovered on a covered appliance, within how many days must repairs generally be completed, and what extension applies to industrial process refrigeration?
- A.7 days, extended to 30 days for a process shutdown
- B.14 days, extended to 60 days for a process shutdown
- C.30 days, extended to 120 days for a process shutdown✓ Answer
- D.60 days, extended to 90 days for a process shutdown
Repairs must be completed within 30 days of discovering the leak, and that window extends to 120 days when the repair requires an industrial process shutdown. The longer window exists because shutting down an industrial process line cannot always be scheduled quickly without significant economic disruption.
Source: 40 CFR 82.157(d) (repair deadlines; industrial process shutdown extension)Report a problem with this question
12. When must the initial verification test be performed after repairing a leak on an appliance covered by 40 CFR 82.157?
- A.At the end of the repair, before recharging✓ Answer
- B.After the appliance has run a full season
- C.At the same time as the annual leak inspection
- D.Only when the owner requests it in writing
The initial verification test must be conducted at the conclusion of the repair and before refrigerant is added back, so the joint or component is proven tight while it can still be tested under a controlled pressure. A separate follow-up verification test is then performed after the appliance has been returned to normal operating characteristics and conditions.
Source: 40 CFR 82.157(e) (initial and follow-up verification tests)Report a problem with this question
13. Repairs on a covered appliance fail the verification tests and the owner elects to replace the appliance instead. What does 40 CFR 82.157 require?
- A.A retrofit or retirement plan within 30 days✓ Answer
- B.A retrofit or retirement plan in 6 months
- C.Nothing further; replacement satisfies it
- D.Shutdown of the appliance within 24 hours
If repairs fail verification or the owner chooses retrofit or retirement instead, a written retrofit or retirement plan must be developed within 30 days and the work completed within one year of the plan's date. The deadline prevents an owner from indefinitely operating a chronically leaking system while claiming replacement is planned.
Source: 40 CFR 82.157(h) (retrofit or retirement plans)Report a problem with this question
14. While an appliance covered by 40 CFR 82.157 remains above its leak rate threshold, how often must leak inspections be conducted?
- A.Annually for every covered appliance, any charge
- B.Monthly at 500 lb or more, annually at 50 to 500 lb
- C.Quarterly at 500 lb or more, annually at 50 to 500 lb✓ Answer
- D.Quarterly for every covered appliance, any charge
Inspections run quarterly for appliances with a full charge of 500 pounds or more and annually for those with 50 to 500 pounds, continuing until the appliance has stayed below the threshold for four consecutive quarters or one full year. A continuously monitored automatic leak detection system, audited annually, may be substituted because it provides equivalent or better assurance than periodic manual checks.
Source: 40 CFR 82.157(g) (leak inspections)Report a problem with this question
15. When pressure-testing a high-pressure system for leaks, which gas choice does EPA rank as the most preferable?
- A.Pure refrigerant vapor only
- B.Dry nitrogen used alone✓ Answer
- C.Air from a shop compressor
- D.Nitrogen with trace HCFC-22
EPA's order of preference is dry nitrogen alone first, nitrogen with only a trace of HCFC-22 second, and pure refrigerant last. Nitrogen alone is best because the test gas can be released to atmosphere lawfully, whereas knowingly venting a nitrogen and refrigerant mixture after a pressure test is prohibited.
Source: EPA Section 608 Type II test topics (leak detection); 40 CFR 82.154(a) venting prohibitionReport a problem with this question
16. Why must oxygen or compressed air never be used to pressurize a refrigeration system for a leak test?
- A.They can react explosively with compressor oil✓ Answer
- B.They freeze in the metering device and block flow
- C.They dissolve the copper tubing over time
- D.They void the leak detector's calibration
Oxygen and compressed air introduce an oxidizer into a system containing hydrocarbon compressor oil, and under pressure that mixture can ignite or detonate. Compressed air also carries moisture that contaminates the system, which is why dry nitrogen is the only accepted pressurizing gas.
Source: EPA Section 608 Type II test topics (leak detection safety)Report a problem with this question
17. What two devices must be used on a nitrogen cylinder when pressurizing a high-pressure system for a leak test?
- A.An identifier and a low-loss hose
- B.A sight glass and a filter drier
- C.A vacuum gauge and a charging scale
- D.A regulator and a relief valve✓ Answer
A nitrogen cylinder can hold well over 2,000 psi, so a regulator is required to step the pressure down and a relief valve is required as a backstop if the regulator fails. Even with both installed, the technician must never exceed the equipment manufacturer's stated test pressure, since overpressurizing can rupture components.
Source: EPA Section 608 Type II test topics (leak detection; nitrogen pressure testing)Report a problem with this question
18. Which technique most directly speeds up recovery from a large high-pressure system?
- A.Warming the recovery cylinder
- B.Using long, small-bore hoses
- C.Recovering the liquid first✓ Answer
- D.Keeping the Schrader cores in
Removing the charge as liquid first moves far more refrigerant mass per minute than pulling vapor, so it is the single biggest speed gain. Complementary tactics are the opposite of the distractors: chill the recovery cylinder rather than heat it, use short large-diameter hoses, and remove the Schrader cores to cut flow restriction.
Source: EPA Section 608 Type II test topics (recovery techniques)Report a problem with this question
19. A technician recovers R-410A into a cylinder that already contains recovered R-22. What is the consequence?
- A.The mixture becomes a legal drop-in refrigerant
- B.No problem if the cylinder stays under 80 percent
- C.The mixture must be destroyed, not reclaimed✓ Answer
- D.The blend can still be reclaimed and resold
Reclaimers process refrigerant to the AHRI 700 purity standard, and a cross-contaminated mixture cannot be separated economically back to that specification, so it is routed to destruction and the owner pays disposal costs. Preventing this is why technicians dedicate cylinders and hoses per refrigerant and use a refrigerant identifier before recovering into a shared cylinder.
Source: EPA Section 608 Type II test topics (reducing cross-contamination); AHRI 700 reclamation standardReport a problem with this question
20. On a system equipped with a liquid receiver and a king valve, why does a technician often close the king valve and pump the charge down into the receiver before service?
- A.It turns the liquid charge into vapor that may be vented
- B.It traps the charge so only the low side needs recovery✓ Answer
- C.It removes the need to leak-test the system afterward
- D.It raises suction pressure so the compressor runs cooler
Closing the king valve and pumping down traps the charge in the receiver and condenser, so only the isolated low side must be evacuated to the Table 1 level before it is opened. This reduces how much refrigerant has to be pulled into a cylinder, shortening the job and lowering emission risk, but the refrigerant is not removed from the appliance, so the isolated section still must be properly evacuated.
Source: EPA Section 608 Type II test topics (recovery techniques; isolation and pump-down); 40 CFR 82.156(a)Report a problem with this question
21. Why must a zeotropic blend such as R-407C be charged into a system as a liquid rather than as a vapor?
- A.Liquid charging is faster, nothing more
- B.Liquid charging removes system moisture
- C.Vapor charging fractionates the blend✓ Answer
- D.Vapor charging would overfill the cylinder
A zeotropic blend fractionates: its components have different boiling points, so vapor drawn from the cylinder is richer in the more volatile component and both the cylinder contents and the system charge end up off-specification. For the same reason, topping off after a leak is inappropriate for blends, because the remaining charge is already fractionated and the correct practice is to recover and recharge by weight.
Source: EPA Section 608 Type II test topics (refrigerants and blends; glide and fractionation)Report a problem with this question
22. Why may a vacuum pump not be substituted for certified recovery equipment when removing refrigerant from an appliance?
- A.A vacuum pump vents to the room, not a cylinder✓ Answer
- B.A vacuum pump cannot pull a vacuum below 10 in Hg
- C.Vacuum pumps only work on low-pressure systems
- D.Federal rules require two pumps in series here
A vacuum pump exhausts whatever it pulls to the room, so using it to remove refrigerant would be knowingly venting. Recovery must be done with equipment certified to EPA/AHRI-740 standards that transfers refrigerant into an external container; the vacuum pump's proper role comes later, in dehydrating an evacuated, already-recovered system down to a micron-gauge reading.
Source: 40 CFR 82.152 (definition of recover); 40 CFR 82.158 (recovery equipment certification)Report a problem with this question
23. A customer asks a technician to retrofit an existing R-22 rooftop unit with R-290 (propane) because it is cheap and efficient. What is the correct response?
- A.Proceed if the system is labeled as flammable
- B.Proceed after a follow-up verification test
- C.Refuse; R-290 is not an approved retrofit✓ Answer
- D.Proceed if the charge stays under 15 pounds
Under EPA's SNAP program, hydrocarbons such as R-290 and isobutane are acceptable only in specific new equipment designed and listed for them, never as a substitute charge in an existing CFC or HCFC system. An existing R-22 unit lacks the ignition-source controls, charge limits, and component ratings that make hydrocarbon use safe, so charging it with propane is both unsafe and a violation.
Source: EPA SNAP program, 40 CFR Part 82 Subpart G; EPA Section 608 Type II test topics (refrigerants)Report a problem with this question
24. Why must a hermetic compressor never be energized while the system is under a deep vacuum?
- A.Backflow will damage the vacuum pump
- B.The compressor will refill the vacuum
- C.The motor windings can arc and burn out✓ Answer
- D.The oil will foam in the crankcase
In a hermetic compressor the motor windings sit inside the refrigerant atmosphere, and at deep vacuum the gas dielectric strength collapses so voltage can arc between windings or to the shell, destroying the motor. This is why technicians break the vacuum with refrigerant or dry nitrogen before applying power.
Source: EPA Section 608 Type II test topics (safety)Report a problem with this question
25. Under ASHRAE Standard 15, which safety feature is required in a refrigeration machinery room regardless of which refrigerant is used?
- A.A spare recovery cylinder kept in the room
- B.A halide torch mounted by the entrance
- C.A hand-operable window to the outdoors
- D.A refrigerant or oxygen-deficiency alarm✓ Answer
ASHRAE 15 requires a refrigerant or oxygen-deprivation sensor and alarm in the machinery room for all refrigerants, because refrigerant vapor is heavier than air and can silently displace oxygen at floor level and asphyxiate a worker. The standard also calls for mechanical ventilation, tight-fitting self-closing doors, an exit to the outdoors, and relief or purge discharge routed outside.
Source: ASHRAE Standard 15 (machinery room requirements); EPA Section 608 Type II test topics (safety)Report a problem with this question
Practice questions modeled on the EPA Section 608 Technician Certification content (Clean Air Act §608; 40 CFR Part 82). Not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency or any approved certifying organization. Study the official EPA program materials before testing. Official EPA 608 →