EPA 608 Type III practice test: low-pressure chillers
Type III certifies a technician to service low-pressure appliances, mostly large centrifugal chillers that run below atmospheric pressure on refrigerants such as R-11, R-123 and R-1233zd(E). The section is 25 questions passed at 18 right. The free drill below is 12 original Type III-style questions, then the rules that follow from running in a vacuum, and the traps.
- 10 psig
- max leak test pressure
- 15 psig
- rupture disc
- 25 mm Hg
- absolute recovery level
- 12
- free drill questions
Last checked · Rules from 40 CFR 82 subpart F and EPA guidance
Free drill: 12 original EPA 608-style Type III questions at our practice pace, then every answer explained. No sign-up.
12
questions
14:24
time limit
Free
every answer explained
By the LifeScore Editorial Team · Updated · How we check facts · How this is scored
What is on the EPA 608 Type III section?
Leak testing at no more than 10 psig, purge units, rupture discs, recovery to 25 mm Hg absolute, water in the tubes during recovery, charging and safety. It is 25 questions, passed at 18 right.
| Topic | What the questions ask |
|---|---|
| Low-pressure systems | Why they run below atmospheric pressure, and what that does to leaks (air and moisture in, not refrigerant out) |
| Purge units | Removing air and non-condensables, high-efficiency purge units, and what frequent purging means |
| Leak testing | Raising pressure to no more than 10 psig with hot water, heating blankets or a pressurizing kit |
| Recovery | Liquid first, then vapor, to 25 mm Hg absolute; circulating water to stop tubes freezing; recovery from the condenser |
| Charging and safety | Charging vapor first to avoid freezing, rupture discs at 15 psig, and equipment room alarms |
Type III is the one type many technicians never touch at work, so it is the easiest to fail on a Universal attempt. Almost every rule follows from one fact: the chiller runs in a vacuum. Learn that chain and the section becomes logic.
Which Type III rules do I need to know?
The rules that follow from running below atmospheric pressure: leaks pull air in, the purge unit removes it, leak testing needs a small pressure rise, and recovery and charging must protect the tubes.
- Leaks let air and moisture in, so a purge unit that runs often is a sign of a leak.
- To leak test, raise pressure to no more than 10 psig, because the rupture disc opens at 15 psig.
- Recover liquid first, then vapor. Keep water circulating in the tubes to stop them freezing as the pressure drops.
- Recovery level for low-pressure appliances: 25 mm Hg absolute with recovery equipment made on or after November 15, 1993, and 25 inches of mercury vacuum with older equipment.
- When charging a chiller from a deep vacuum, start with vapor until the saturation temperature is above freezing (about 35°F for R-123 at about 18 inches Hg vacuum), then add liquid.
- Read inches of mercury vacuum against absolute pressure: 29.92 inches of mercury is about 14.7 psi, and a deeper vacuum means less absolute pressure.
Equipment rooms for these refrigerants need an oxygen-deprivation or refrigerant sensor and alarm, because refrigerant vapor is heavier than air and can displace it.
What do EPA 608 Type III questions look like?
Short questions on a rule or a situation, with four options. The first is worked step by step; the rest open when you tap.
EPA 608-style question 1 · Leak testing
A technician wants to leak test a low-pressure centrifugal chiller by raising its pressure. What is the most the pressure should be raised to?
- A10 psig
- B15 psig
- C50 psig
- D150 psig
Worked answer
A: 10 psig. The rupture disc on a low-pressure chiller opens at 15 psig, so leak testing raises the pressure to no more than 10 psig, usually with controlled hot water or heating blankets (or a pressurizing kit).
- Rupture disc setting: 15 psig.
- Stay below it with a margin.
- So no more than 10 psig.
The trap: Choosing 15 psig. That is where the disc bursts, not a safe test pressure.
EPA 608-style question 2 · Recovery
Why should liquid refrigerant be recovered first from a low-pressure chiller?
- AIt removes most of the charge quickly before vapor recovery
- BVapor recovery damages the purge unit
- CLiquid refrigerant cannot be recovered after the vapor
- DIt raises the pressure for a leak test
Show the worked answer
A: It removes most of the charge quickly before vapor recovery. Most of a chiller's charge is liquid, and liquid moves far faster than vapor. Recovering liquid first, then vapor down to the required level, saves hours, and water is kept circulating in the tubes to stop them freezing as the pressure drops.
- Most of the charge is liquid.
- Liquid transfers much faster than vapor.
- So recover liquid first, then vapor.
The trap: Thinking the order is about safety of the purge unit. It is about speed.
These were written for this page and are not in any mock or drill. More are on EPA 608 practice questions.
More Type III practice
Four Type III drills of 12 and Type III in each of eight full mocks, every answer explained like the ones on this page.
The EPA 608 Pass Pack gives you 8 full mocks on the real clock, 16 drills of 12 questions for the sections that cost you points, and a predictor that turns your mocks into the odds of reaching your target. One payment, no subscription, and your free score stays free.
Prep courses for these tests usually cost $19 to $129. The EPA 608 Pass Pack is US$39 (£29), once.
- 8
- timed mocks
- 16
- topic drills
- 1
- score predictor
Where do people lose points on the EPA 608 Type III section?
On numbers that belong to a neighbouring rule, and on rules that sound sensible but are not what the regulation says. These are the ones our explanations correct most often.
- Raising leak test pressure to the rupture disc setting. Stay at 10 psig or below.
- Thinking low-pressure systems leak refrigerant out. In normal operation they leak air in.
- Charging liquid into a chiller in a deep vacuum, which can freeze the water in the tubes.
- Using the Type II evacuation levels. Low-pressure appliances recover to 25 mm Hg absolute (25 inches of mercury vacuum with equipment made before November 15, 1993).
- Forgetting to circulate water through the tubes during recovery.
How is the EPA 608 Type III section scored?
It is 25 multiple-choice questions, closed book and proctored, passed on its own at 70%: 18 of 25. Type III counts only with a Core pass.
| Who needs it | Anyone who maintains, services, repairs or disposes of equipment that could release refrigerant into the airPublished by the ownerEPA, "Section 608 Technician Certification Requirements" |
|---|---|
| Who gives it | EPA-approved certifying organizations, not EPA itself; each sets its own fee, format and time limitPublished by the ownerEPA, "Section 608 Technician Certification" |
| Sections | Core, Type I, Type II and Type III. Core plus a type certifies that type; all four is UniversalPublished by the ownerEPA, "Types of Technician Certification" |
| Questions | 25 multiple-choice questions per section, closed book and proctoredPublished by the owner40 CFR part 82, subpart F (eCFR): recycling and emissions reduction, including appendix D |
| Passing score | 70% on each section, which on 25 questions is 18 right. Each section is passed on its ownPublished by the owner40 CFR part 82, subpart F (eCFR): recycling and emissions reduction, including appendix D |
| Type I by mail | A Type I test may be taken open book by mail, needs 84% (21 of 25) and cannot count toward UniversalPublished by the owner40 CFR part 82, subpart F (eCFR): recycling and emissions reduction, including appendix D |
| How long it lasts | For life: Section 608 certification does not expirePublished by the ownerEPA, "Section 608 Technician Certification" |
Our free Type III drill is 12 questions at the 30-minutes-a-section practice pace, and each full mock has 25 Type III questions. Your result shows right answers against 18 of 25. More is on EPA 608 passing score.
What should I study after the Type III section?
The other sections you need for your certification. Universal needs all four, and each has its own free drill.
Ozone depletion and climate, the Clean Air Act and Montreal Protocol, the venting prohibition, refrigerant classes, recovery, recycling and reclaiming, the three Rs, dehydration, safety, shipping and cylinders, and pressure and temperature
What counts as a small appliance, recovery requirements (80% or 90%, or 4 inches of mercury vacuum), self-contained and system-dependent recovery, piercing valves, and safety
Leak detection, leak rate thresholds and repair deadlines, required evacuation levels, recovery techniques, superheat and subcooling, charging, and refrigeration safety
Or take the free EPA 608 practice test, which scores all four sections in one sitting, and see which type you need in the EPA 608 certification guide.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need Type III if I never work on chillers?
How many questions are in the Type III section?
Does Type III count toward Universal?
Is this drill the real EPA 608 exam?
Clear 18 of 25 on Type III before you book
Eight full EPA 608-style mocks, four drills for each section and every answer explained, for one payment.
The EPA 608 Pass Pack gives you 8 full mocks on the real clock, 16 drills of 12 questions for the sections that cost you points, and a predictor that turns your mocks into the odds of reaching your target. One payment, no subscription, and your free score stays free.
Prep courses for these tests usually cost $19 to $129. The EPA 608 Pass Pack is US$39 (£29), once.
- 8
- timed mocks
- 16
- topic drills
- 1
- score predictor