ENVIRONMENTALLY SAFE REFRIGERANT SERVICE TECHNIQUES FOR MOTOR VEHICLE AIR CONDITIONING TECHNICIANS A Self Study Course for EPA 609 Motor Vehicle A/C Certification in the Proper Use of Refrigerants, including Recovery, Recycling, and Reclamation Written by: Robert P. Scaringe Seventh Edition June 2016 © Copyright 1996-2016 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED by Mainstream Engineering Corporation 200 Yellow Place Rockledge, Florida 32955 Except as permitted by Sections 107 and 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, no part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form, or by any means, or stored in any database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the copyright owner. Information contained in this work has been obtained by Mainstream Engineering Corporation from sources believed to be reliable. However, neither Mainstream Engineering Corporation nor its author guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any information published herein and neither Mainstream Engineering Corporation nor its author shall be responsible for any errors, omissions, or damages arising out of the use of this information. This work is published with the understanding that Mainstream Engineering Corporation and its author are supplying information but are not attempting to render engineering or other professional or technical services. If such services are required, the assistance of an appropriate professional should be sought. 1 Preface The information in this course is intended for educational purposes only. Procedures described are for use only by qualified Motor Vehicle Air Conditioning, (MVAC), service technicians. Improper use of any A/C equipment can cause personal injury. Like any other piece of equipment, always read your recovery equipment Operator's Manual before using the equipment. This training course is not a substitute for the manufacturer's Operator's Manual. Never operate any equipment if you do not understand its operation. Where procedures described in this manual differ from those of a specific equipment manufacturer, the equipment manufacturer's instructions should be followed. Do not leave any refrigerant recovery or recovery-recycling machine ON and unsupervised. All refrigerant recovery and recycling devices are to be used by trained refrigeration technicians only! Misuse of such devices can cause explosion and personal injury. Use only approved refillable storage cylinders. Do not overfill any storage cylinder beyond its rated capacity. Take proper safety precautions when using all A/C equipment. Wear safety glasses and insulated gloves. Protect the skin from flash freezing. Use extreme caution when working with refrigerants; hoses may contain liquid refrigerant under high pressure. Technical and legislative information presented is current as of the date of the latest publication of this manual. Due to rapidly advancing technology and changing regulations in this field, no representation can be made for accuracy of this information into the future. Visit https://www.epa.gov/mvac for the latest details. Mainstream Engineering Corporation assumes no liability for the use of the information presented in this publication. This information is presented for educational purposes only. Equipment operator's manuals must be consulted for the proper operation of particular equipment. The course content is limited to information and service practices needed to contain, conserve, and reuse refrigerants, preventing their escape to the atmosphere when servicing Mobile Motor Vehicle Air Conditioning Systems. This manual is not intended to teach air conditioning-refrigeration system installation, troubleshooting, or repair. The certified refrigeration technician should already be well- versed in these areas prior to taking this course. EPA Examination Information Since January 1, 1993, any person, repairing or servicing motor vehicle air conditioners for consideration must certify to the EPA that such person has acquired, and is properly 2 using, approved equipment, and that each individual authorized to use the equipment is properly trained and certified under Section 609 of the Clean Air Act. In addition, only Section 609 Certified Motor Vehicle A/C technicians can purchase refrigerants in containers of 20 pounds or less. Mainstream is approved by the EPA as a certifying agency for 609 MVAC Technician Certification and 608 Type I, II, III, and Universal HVAC Technician Certification Exams. This book is only for Section 609 Motor Vehicle A/C Technician Certification. Section 609 addresses the mobile motor vehicle air conditioning industry. The sale of small containers of refrigerant fewer than 20 lb., including the "one pound" cans, is restricted to only people certified in Section 609. The purpose of 609 (Mobile Vehicle Air Conditioning) certification, as established by EPA, is to teach technicians and test their ability to properly handle and recover refrigerants. Technicians will also learn about the laws enacted to protect the stratospheric ozone layer. This manual contains all the information necessary for answering the questions on the EPA open-book exam. By carefully reading this manual, you will find the information necessary to correctly answer these questions. To pass the examination you must: Correctly answer 21 of the 25 questions, (84% passing), without any help from any other person. It is an open-book exam, you can use this manual to help you find the correct answers, and you can take as much time as you need, but you cannot get help from any other person. You will be asked to certify that you received no help from any other person. Complete the Self-Certification Statement, where you pledge that you received no help from anyone in completing the test. 3 Table of Contents Preface ........................................................................................................................... 2 EPA Examination Information ...................................................................................... 2 List of Tables ................................................................................................................. 7 List of Figures ............................................................................................................... 7 Introduction ................................................................................................................... 8 Definitions .................................................................................................................... 10 Units Conversions....................................................................................................... 13 Conversion Factors ..................................................................................................... 14 SECTION I: Refrigerants, Past, Present, and Future ............................................... 15 Introduction ................................................................................................................ 15 Molecular Structure and Terminology ........................................................................ 15 CFCs .......................................................................................................................... 16 HCFCs ....................................................................................................................... 16 HFCs .......................................................................................................................... 16 Replacement Refrigerants ......................................................................................... 16 Disposable Refrigerant Cylinders ............................................................................... 18 Size and Color Codes ............................................................................................. 18 Regulations ............................................................................................................. 18 Safety ..................................................................................................................... 18 Hazards of Reuse ................................................................................................... 19 Disposal .................................................................................................................. 19 Refillable Cylinders .................................................................................................... 19 Overfilling ................................................................................................................ 20 Cylinder Re-testing ................................................................................................. 20 Refrigerant Safety ...................................................................................................... 20 General Safety Considerations ............................................................................... 20 Health Hazards ....................................................................................................... 21 First Aid .................................................................................................................. 21 Other Hazards ........................................................................................................ 21 Precautions ............................................................................................................. 21 Safety for Refrigerant Cylinders .............................................................................