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EPA 608 NEC 2023

EPA 608 Core Practice Test 22

This practice test focuses on recovery cylinder safety: DOT approval, the 80% maximum fill rule, the gray-body-with-yellow-shoulder color convention, and periodic hydrostatic retesting. It also reviews venting bans, recovery versus recycling versus reclaiming, and substantial leak repair rules for a well-rounded Core review.

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The EPA 608 certification is required by law for any technician who purchases or handles refrigerants. It covers safe handling, leak detection, recovery, and environmental regulations.

Type I covers small appliances (≤5 lbs refrigerant), Type II covers high-pressure systems, Type III covers low-pressure systems, and Universal covers all three. Most HVAC technicians pursue Universal certification.

You must score at least 70% on each section of the exam. The Universal exam has four parts: core, Type I, Type II, and Type III.

Core Exam Tip: Remember the 80% rule: never fill a recovery cylinder past 80% of its rated capacity by weight. That extra space keeps the cylinder safe if the refrigerant warms up and expands.

25

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25 min

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70%

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EPA 608 Core Practice Test 22 — Question List

Question 1: What kind of cylinder must be used to store recovered refrigerant?

Any metal container available on-site
A plastic storage drum
A cardboard container lined with foil
A DOT-approved cylinder

Question 2: What is the maximum level, by weight, that a recovery cylinder should ever be filled to?

80% of its rated capacity
100% of its rated capacity
50% of its rated capacity
There is no fill limit

Question 3: Why should a recovery cylinder never be filled past 80% of its rated capacity?

To make the cylinder lighter to carry
Because cylinders are never actually full at 100%
To leave room for the refrigerant to expand safely if it warms up
To save money on refrigerant

Question 4: What is the standard color convention for a refrigerant recovery cylinder?

Gray body with a yellow shoulder
All black
Bright orange all over
White body with a red shoulder

Question 5: What is the purpose of periodic hydrostatic retesting for recovery cylinders?

To repaint the cylinder
To confirm the cylinder can still safely hold pressure
To measure how much refrigerant is left inside
To check the cylinder's resale value

Question 6: Before using an older recovery cylinder that has been sitting in the shop, what should a technician check on it?

The manufacturer's logo only
Whether it matches the technician's toolbox color
The stamped hydrostatic retest date
Nothing, cylinders never need to be checked

Question 7: A technician fills a recovery cylinder to 95% of its rated capacity to save a trip back to the shop. What is the main danger of this?

The refrigerant will instantly turn into a different chemical
There is no real danger at any fill level
The cylinder will automatically become DOT-approved
There is not enough room left for the refrigerant to expand safely, which can create a dangerous overpressure situation

Question 8: A technician is looking through a truck full of cylinders for one to recover refrigerant into. Which color combination should they look for?

A green cylinder with a blue shoulder
A solid pink cylinder
A gray cylinder with a yellow shoulder
A solid brown cylinder

Question 9: True or False: A technician can legally use any sealed metal container to store recovered refrigerant, as long as it does not leak.

True
Only true for HFC refrigerants
Only true for small amounts
False

Question 10: Since what date has venting CFC and HCFC refrigerant been illegal?

July 1, 1992
November 15, 1995
January 1, 1990
July 1, 1987

Question 11: Since what date has venting HFC refrigerant been illegal?

July 1, 1992
January 1, 2000
November 15, 1995
It has never been illegal

Question 12: What does "recovery" mean under EPA 608 rules?

Removing refrigerant from a system and storing it in an outside container, with no cleaning
Chemically testing refrigerant purity
Selling refrigerant to a new company
Melting a cylinder down for recycling

Question 13: What does "recycling" refrigerant involve?

Testing it to AHRI Standard 700 at a lab
Cleaning it on-site so it can be reused by the same owner
Selling it to a new owner
Storing it in a DOT-approved cylinder only

Question 14: A company fills several gray-and-yellow recovery cylinders with used refrigerant and wants to sell the contents to another company. What must happen before that sale is legal?

Nothing, it can be sold directly from the recovery cylinder
The refrigerant must be reclaimed to AHRI Standard 700 purity at a certified facility
The cylinders must be repainted first
The refrigerant must be vented and replaced with new stock

Question 15: What yearly leak rate counts as substantial for a comfort cooling appliance with 50 pounds or more of charge?

35%
5%
50%
15%

Question 16: How many days does an owner have to repair, retrofit, or retire an appliance after a substantial leak is discovered?

10 days
90 days
6 months
30 days

Question 17: How long must documentation for refrigerant purchases of 2 pounds or more be kept?

1 year
10 years
6 months
3 years

Question 18: What is the passing score for the Core section of the EPA 608 exam?

60%
70%
84%
90%

Question 19: How should POE and PAG refrigerant oils be stored to protect them from moisture?

In open metal pans
In sealed plastic containers
In sealed metal containers
In cardboard boxes

Question 20: What is the difference between self-contained and system-dependent recovery equipment?

Self-contained equipment has its own compressor; system-dependent equipment relies on the appliance's compressor
There is no meaningful difference
System-dependent equipment always recovers refrigerant faster
Self-contained equipment cannot be used on cylinders

Question 21: After recovering refrigerant into a cylinder, a technician uses a vacuum pump to remove leftover air and moisture from the system before recharging it. Why can the vacuum pump exhaust be released to the air?

Because evacuation happens after recovery, so there is no refrigerant left to protect
Because vacuum pump exhaust is a different, unregulated gas
It cannot be released, this would also be illegal venting
Because evacuation only applies to HFC systems

Question 22: What is the Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP) of common HFC refrigerants?

1.0
0.055
0 (zero)
675

Question 23: What international treaty led to the creation of Section 608 and its refrigerant handling rules?

The AIM Act
The Montreal Protocol
The Kyoto Protocol
The Paris Agreement

Question 24: A recovery cylinder is filled to the correct 80% level. Why is it still important to keep the cylinder away from direct heat sources, such as sitting in direct sun in a hot truck bed?

Because heat causes the refrigerant inside to expand further, increasing pressure inside the cylinder
Heat has no effect on a properly filled cylinder
Because heat changes the color coding on the cylinder
Because heat makes the cylinder DOT-approved

Question 25: A technician improperly vents refrigerant while trying to avoid overfilling a recovery cylinder. What is the maximum civil fine that could apply, per day, per violation?

$100
$44,539
$2,500
There is no fine if it was an accident

Study Tip: The EPA 608 exam is closed book. Memorize: recovery is required before opening any refrigerant system. Venting refrigerant is illegal. Know the ODP and GWP values for R-22, R-410A, R-134a, R-32, and R-454B.

EXAM CARD EPA 608

Questions25

Time limit25 min

Pass score70%

RegulationEPA Section 608

DifficultyIntermediate

Last reviewedJun 2026

Timer starts immediately. Progress is auto-saved.

Source: EPA Section 608 (40 CFR Part 82)