EPA 608 Certification

Bill Degassi | December 26, 2011 | 0 Comments

The EPA 608 certification is the first HVAC certification you should pursue. Why? Because it is a federally mandated certification! That means that if you are going to be buying or working with refrigerants, you are going to need to pass this test first.

Types of EPA 608 Certification

As discussed in our What is EPA Certification? post, there are 3 types of EPA 608 certification available. They are:

Type I – Small Appliances
Type II – High-Pressure
Type III – Low Pressure

There is a specific exam associated with each of the separate types of certifications. In addition, you will need to pass a CORE exam that is required for all certifications.

The CORE EPA 608 certification exam covers a wide variety of HVAC topics – it is the least “focused” exam, if you will. The exams relating to the Type I, Type II, and Type II certifications are much more centered around their applicable topic, and rightfully so. According the EPA, the CORE exam consists of the following topics:

CORE

Ozone Depletion

Destruction of ozone by chlorine

Presence of chlorine in CFC and HCFC refrigerants

Identification of CFC, HCFC, and HFC refrigerants (not chemical formulas, but idea that R-12 is a CFC, R-22 is an HCFC, R-134 is an HFC, etc.)

Idea that CFCs have higher ozone-depletion potential (ODP) than HCFCs, which in turn have higher ODP than HFCs

Health and environmental effects of ozone depletion

Evidence of ozone depletion and role of CFCs and HCFCs

Clean Air Act and Montreal Protocol

CFC phaseout date

Venting prohibition at servicing

Venting prohibition at disposal

Venting prohibition on substitute refrigerants in November, 1995

Maximum penalty under CAA

Montreal Protocol (international agreement to phase out production of ozone-depleting substances)

Section 608 Regulations

Definition/identification of high and low-pressure refrigerants

Definition of system-dependent vs. self-contained recovery/recycling equipment

Identification of equipment covered by the rule (all air-conditioning and refrigeration equipment containing CFCs or HCFCs except motor vehicle air conditioners)

Need for third-party certification of recycling and recovery equipment manufactured after November 15, 1993

Standard for reclaimed refrigerant (ARI 700)

Substitute Refrigerants and oils

Absence of “drop-in” replacements

Incompatibility of substitute refrigerants with many lubricants used with CFC and HCFC refrigerants and incompatibility of CFC and HCFC refrigerants with many new lubricants (includes identification of lubricants for given refrigerants, such as esters with 134; alkylbenzenes for HCFCs)

Fractionation problem–tendency of different components of blends to leak at different rates

Refrigeration

Refrigerant states (vapor vs. liquid) and pressures at different points of refrigeration cycle; how/when cooling occurs

Refrigeration gauges (color codes, ranges of different types, proper use)

Three R’s

Definitions

Recover

Recycle

Reclaim

Recovery Techniques

Need to avoid mixing refrigerants

Factors affecting speed of recovery (ambient temperature, size of recycling or recovery equipment, hose length and diameter, etc.)

Dehydration Evacuation

Need to evacuate system to eliminate air and moisture at the end of service

Safety

Risks of exposure to refrigerant (e.g., oxygen deprivation, cardiac effects, frost bite, long-term hazards)

Personal protective equipment (gloves, goggles, self-contained breathing apparatus–SCBA–in extreme cases, etc)

Reusable (or “recovery”) cylinders vs. disposable cylinders (ensure former DOT approved, know former’s yellow and gray color code, never refill latter)

Risks of filling cylinders more than 80 percent full

Use of nitrogen rather than oxygen or compressed air for leak detection

Use of pressure regulator and relief valve with nitrogen

Shipping

Labels required for refrigerant cylinders (refrigerant identification, DOT classification tag)