EPA 608 Type I Study Guide

What Counts as a Small Appliance

40 CFR 82.152 defines a small appliance as any appliance that is fully manufactured, charged and hermetically sealed in a factory with five pounds or less of refrigerant. All three conditions matter. Examples include:

• Household refrigerators and freezers
• Window and packaged terminal air conditioners (PTACs) and heat pumps
• Dehumidifiers and water coolers
• Under-counter ice makers and vending machines
• Room air conditioners sold as a sealed unit

A system charged in the field, such as a residential split AC, is not a small appliance even if its charge is small. Motor vehicle AC is covered by Section 609, not Type I.

Recovery Requirements

The core numbers come from 82.156(b). When opening a small appliance for service or disposal, the technician must recover a set percentage of the charge, or reach a set vacuum:

Alternatively, the technician may evacuate the appliance to 4 inches of mercury vacuum. Questions often ask which figure applies, so memorise the table and the vacuum alternative together. The EPA 608 Recovery and Evacuation Requirements page puts this table next to the Type II and III levels.

Self-Contained vs System-Dependent Recovery

Self-contained (active) recovery equipment has its own compressor and pulls refrigerant out of the system into a recovery cylinder. It works whether or not the appliance compressor runs.

System-dependent (passive) recovery relies on the appliance’s own compressor or system pressure to push refrigerant into a container, often a non-pressurised bag or a cylinder. Key points:

• It may be used on small appliances, but not on appliances holding more than 15 lb (unless permanently attached pump-out units).
• If the compressor runs, run it and recover from the high side.
• If the compressor doesn’t run, access both the high and low sides, and tapping or heating the compressor can release refrigerant dissolved in the oil.
• Recovery equipment used on small appliances must be certified under 82.158.

Access Fittings and Piercing Valves

Most small appliances have no service valves. Technicians install a piercing (saddle) access valve. Exam-relevant practice:

• Install it on the process tube, and leak-test it.
• Solderless piercing valves can leak over time and should be removed or replaced with a permanent fitting once service is done; they are not meant for long-term use.
• Before recovery, check the nameplate to identify the refrigerant. Don’t mix refrigerants in a recovery container.

Identifying Non-Condensables and Contaminants

If the pressure in a recovery cylinder is higher than the saturation pressure for the refrigerant at that temperature, non-condensables (usually air) are present. The fix is to let the cylinder stabilise and vent only the non-condensable vapour through proper procedures, or send the refrigerant for reclamation. The Core section tests the pressure-temperature relationship in the same way.

A burnt-out compressor produces acid in the oil. Use acid-resistant hoses, handle the oil as contaminated and avoid skin contact.

Safety in Type I Work

Small-appliance work brings its own risks:

• Refrigerants like R-600a (isobutane) and R-290 (propane) are A3, highly flammable, and are now common in domestic refrigerators. Use equipment rated for flammable refrigerants and remove ignition sources.
• Ammonia-absorption refrigerators and some older sulphur-dioxide units are dangerous. Some absorption units contain sodium chromate; never vent or open them without the right procedure.
• Never use an oxyacetylene torch on a charged system. Heat decomposes refrigerant into acids, including phosgene from some older refrigerants.

The Refrigerant Safety and Cylinder Handling guide covers PPE and cylinder limits that apply across all types.

Safe Disposal Requirements

Under 82.155, the final person in the disposal chain (often a scrap recycler or landfill) must either recover any remaining refrigerant or verify it was already recovered. Verification is usually a signed statement from the supplier listing the name and address of the person who recovered it and the date. Technicians who recover from small appliances for disposal should keep their own records for reference.

Exam Format and Pass Marks

Type I is 25 questions drawn from the EPA-approved bank. When you take it proctored (including as part of Universal), you need 70%, which is 18 of 25. Appendix D also allows a mail-in or equivalent non-proctored Type I test, but then the pass mark is 84%, or 21 of 25. You must also pass Core to be certified.

Study Checklist

• Recite the small appliance definition, all three parts.
• Fill in the 80/90/80 table from memory, plus the 4 in. Hg alternative.
• Explain when system-dependent recovery is allowed.
• Describe piercing-valve practice and why they shouldn’t stay installed.
• Know how disposal verification works under 82.155.
• List A3 refrigerants found in domestic appliances.

When you can do all six, try the EPA 608 Type I practice test. Every question shows the rule reference so you can close any gaps. If you also need Type II or III, the EPA 608 Universal Certification guide explains how sections combine.

Common Exam Traps

• “Factory-sealed” matters. A 4 lb field-charged system is not a small appliance.
• The equipment date, not the appliance date. The 1993 cut-off in the recovery table refers to when the recovery equipment was manufactured.
• 15 lb, not 5 lb. The system-dependent limit is 15 lb, a different number from the 5 lb small-appliance limit.
• 84% only for mail-in. The higher mark doesn’t apply when Type I is proctored.

Small Appliance Questions You Should Expect

• The definition of a small appliance: a product fully manufactured, charged and hermetically sealed in a factory with 5 lb or less of refrigerant.
• Recovery percentages for equipment made before and after 15 November 1993, and the 4 in. Hg alternative.
• When system-dependent recovery equipment is allowed.
• How to tell if a compressor is operational, and why running it improves recovery.
• Installing access fittings, and leak-checking piercing valves after the job.
• Safe disposal: who must recover the refrigerant and the signed statement option.

Practical Tips for Recovery

When the compressor works, run it during recovery so that it pushes more refrigerant out. When it doesn’t, heating and tapping the compressor can help release refrigerant trapped in the oil. Access both the high and low sides where possible.