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EPA 608 NEC 2023

EPA 608 Type II & III Practice Test 2

This test covers Type II refrigerant recovery methods: standard vapor recovery, faster liquid recovery, and push-pull recovery for large liquid charges. You will also see a few Type III questions for comparison.

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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.

Type II & III Exam Tip: Push-pull recovery is for large liquid charges, roughly 50 lbs or more as a rule of thumb. It uses the system's own pressure to push liquid out while the recovery machine pulls vapor.

25

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EPA 608 Type II & III Practice Test 2 — Question List

Question 1: What is the standard recovery method used for most small to moderate Type II refrigerant charges?

Push-pull recovery
Hot water recovery
Vapor recovery
Nitrogen recovery

Question 2: Which recovery method removes refrigerant as a liquid instead of a vapor, making it faster for larger charges?

Liquid recovery
Vapor recovery
Purge recovery
Nitrogen recovery

Question 3: A technician must recover a large liquid refrigerant charge, roughly 80 lbs, from a rooftop unit as quickly as possible. Which method is best?

Vapor recovery
Purge recovery
Hot water recovery
Push-pull recovery

Question 4: How does push-pull recovery move liquid refrigerant into the recovery cylinder?

It uses the recovery machine to pull only
It boils the refrigerant into a gas first
It uses a hand pump
It uses the system's own pressure to push liquid while the machine pulls vapor to maintain the pressure difference

Question 5: True or False: Push-pull recovery is generally used for small vapor-only charges.

False
True
Only on chillers
Only on R-410A systems

Question 6: Which recovery method is generally the slowest for a large refrigerant charge?

Push-pull recovery
Liquid recovery
They are all equally fast
Vapor recovery

Question 7: A walk-in cooler has a small charge of about 8 lbs. What recovery method is most appropriate?

Push-pull recovery
Vapor recovery
Hot water recovery
Purge-only recovery

Question 8: Why is push-pull recovery not typically used on small charges?

It is illegal on small systems
It requires hot water
It is designed for large liquid charges and offers little benefit on small amounts
It only works on Type III chillers

Question 9: What state of refrigerant does liquid recovery remove from the system?

Vapor
Liquid
Solid
Oil

Question 10: Roughly what charge size is often used as a general guideline for when push-pull recovery becomes worthwhile?

5 lbs or more
15 lbs or more
500 lbs or more
50 lbs or more

Question 11: During push-pull recovery, the recovery machine stops pulling vapor. What happens to the push-pull process?

Nothing changes
The pressure difference that pushes liquid refrigerant may be lost, slowing or stopping the transfer
The system automatically switches to vapor recovery
The liquid refrigerant turns solid

Question 12: Which recovery method works for both small and large Type II charges, though it is slower on large ones?

Vapor recovery
Push-pull recovery
Purge recovery
Hot water recovery

Question 13: A large low-pressure chiller needs refrigerant recovered. Which certification type authorizes this work?

Type III
Type II only
Either Type II or Type III
No certification is required

Question 14: A technician has a 60 lb liquid charge to recover from a rooftop unit but no push-pull setup available. Which method should be used instead, even though it will take longer?

Hot water recovery
Nitrogen-only recovery
Vapor recovery
No recovery is possible

Question 15: What is one advantage of liquid recovery over vapor recovery on a large charge?

It is required by law
It removes refrigerant faster since liquid holds more refrigerant per volume
It works without a recovery machine
It eliminates the need for an evacuation

Question 16: True or False: All three recovery methods, vapor, liquid, and push-pull, can be used on Type II equipment.

False
Only vapor can be used
Only push-pull can be used
True

Question 17: A technician recovers refrigerant from a hospital's centrifugal chiller. Which fact makes this job different from Type II recovery work?

The chiller runs above atmospheric pressure
No recovery is needed on chillers
The chiller runs below atmospheric pressure
Chillers use only push-pull recovery

Question 18: A rooftop unit has 210 lbs of refrigerant, mostly liquid. Which recovery method would move this large liquid charge most efficiently?

Push-pull recovery
Vapor recovery
Purge recovery
Hot water recovery

Question 19: Which of these best describes vapor recovery?

Removing refrigerant as a liquid using system pressure
Raising system pressure with hot water
Using nitrogen to push refrigerant out
Removing refrigerant as a gas through the recovery machine

Question 20: What do liquid recovery and push-pull recovery have in common?

Both are only used on small charges
Both require hot water
Both remove refrigerant in liquid form
Both are illegal on Type II systems

Question 21: A technician sets up push-pull recovery on a rooftop unit. Which two things happen at the same time?

The recovery machine pulls vapor from the cylinder while the system pushes liquid out
The recovery machine pulls vapor from the system while the system's pressure pushes liquid into the recovery cylinder
Hot water heats the system while nitrogen pressurizes it
The purge unit removes air while the compressor runs

Question 22: Which statement about recovery methods is TRUE?

Push-pull recovery is best for small vapor charges
Vapor recovery is the standard method for most small to moderate charges
Liquid recovery is illegal under EPA rules
Only Type III systems use vapor recovery

Question 23: Which recovery method is best described as combining a push from system pressure and a pull from the recovery machine?

Push-pull recovery
Vapor recovery
Liquid recovery
Purge recovery

Question 24: True or False: Push-pull recovery, as commonly used on Type II systems, is the standard leak-testing method for Type III chillers.

False
True
True, but only for small chillers
True, but only above 500 tons

Question 25: A technician must choose a recovery method for a light commercial refrigeration system with a large liquid charge. Ranking speed from slowest to fastest for large liquid charges, which order is correct?

Push-pull, liquid, vapor
Liquid, vapor, push-pull
Vapor, liquid, push-pull
Push-pull, vapor, liquid

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)