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.25 mm Hg absolute
- 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; 25 mm Hg absolute is the low-pressure (Type III) 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 refrigerant cylinder receiving the charge
- C.The building in which the appliance was installed
- D.The recovery or recycling equipment being used✓ 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.Cleaning the condenser fins with a coil brush
- B.Removal of the compressor, condenser, evaporator, or auxiliary heat exchanger coil✓ Answer
- C.Replacing a contactor in the electrical panel
- D.Adding refrigerant through the suction service valve
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
- B.200 pounds
- C.15 pounds✓ Answer
- D.50 pounds
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(a); 40 CFR 82.158 (system-dependent recovery equipment)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 document the leak in the service record
- B.Evacuate to the lowest level attainable without substantially contaminating the refrigerant, not to exceed 0 psig✓ Answer
- C.Pressurize the system with nitrogen and open it immediately
- D.Vent the remaining charge, since the required level cannot be met
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
- B.200 pounds
- C.15 pounds
- D.50 pounds✓ 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.There is no threshold for comfort cooling
- 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 industrial process refrigeration
- B.60 days, extended to 180 days for industrial process refrigeration
- C.30 days, extended to 120 days when an industrial process shutdown is required✓ Answer
- D.90 days, with no extension available
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 conclusion of the repair, before any additional refrigerant is added✓ Answer
- B.Only after the appliance has run at normal operating conditions for a full season
- C.At the same time as the annual leak inspection, whenever that falls
- D.Only if 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, with the work completed within one year✓ Answer
- B.A retirement plan within 6 months, with the work completed within three years
- C.Nothing further; replacement automatically satisfies the rule
- D.Immediate 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 all covered appliances regardless of charge size
- B.Monthly for all covered appliances regardless of charge size
- C.Quarterly for appliances with 500 lb or more, and annually for appliances with 50 to 500 lb✓ Answer
- D.Only once, at the time the leak is first discovered
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(i) (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.Pressurizing with pure refrigerant
- B.Dry nitrogen used alone✓ Answer
- C.Compressed air from a shop compressor
- D.Nitrogen with a trace quantity of HCFC-22 added
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 inside the system✓ Answer
- B.They freeze inside the metering device and block flow
- C.They dissolve the copper tubing over time
- D.They void the electronic 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.A refrigerant identifier and a low-loss fitting
- B.A sight glass and a filter drier
- C.A vacuum gauge and a charging scale
- D.A pressure 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 with a heat gun
- B.Using the longest, smallest-diameter hoses available
- C.Recovering liquid refrigerant at the beginning of the process✓ Answer
- D.Leaving the Schrader valve cores installed in the service ports
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 replacement for either refrigerant
- B.No consequence, as long as the cylinder stays under 80 percent full
- C.The mixture cannot be reclaimed to purity standards and must be destroyed at the owner's expense✓ Answer
- D.The blend can still be reclaimed and resold at full value
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 converts the liquid charge to vapor so it can be legally vented
- B.It isolates and stores the charge in the appliance so only the worked-on section must be recovered✓ Answer
- C.It eliminates the need to leak-test the system afterward
- D.It raises the 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 and that is the only reason
- B.Liquid charging removes moisture from the system
- C.Vapor charging draws off the more volatile components first, changing the blend's composition✓ Answer
- D.Vapor charging would overfill the cylinder past 80 percent
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 discharges to the atmosphere and is not certified to capture refrigerant into a cylinder✓ Answer
- B.A vacuum pump cannot reach any vacuum below 10 in Hg
- C.Vacuum pumps are only rated for low-pressure refrigerants
- D.Federal rules require two vacuum pumps in series for recovery
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, as long as the system is labeled as flammable afterward
- B.Proceed only after a follow-up verification test
- C.Refuse; hydrocarbons are not approved as retrofit refrigerants for existing CFC or HCFC equipment✓ Answer
- D.Proceed only if the charge is 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.The vacuum pump will be damaged by backflow
- B.The compressor will pump the vacuum back to atmospheric pressure
- C.The motor windings can arc internally and burn out in the low-density atmosphere✓ Answer
- D.The oil will foam and overfill 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 stored inside the room
- B.A halide torch mounted near the entrance
- C.A window that can be opened by hand
- D.A refrigerant or oxygen-deprivation sensor with an 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 →