Free EPA 608 Type 1 Practice Test
By BRIX Editorial Team · Updated
The EPA 608 Type I section covers small appliances: units sealed at the factory with 5 pounds of refrigerant or less, like refrigerators, window air conditioners, dehumidifiers and vending machines. It tests recovery levels, passive recovery on dead compressors and disposal rules. You take 25 Type I questions plus 25 Core, and the proctored test passes at 70%.
Key takeaways
- Type I is for small appliances only. A split system charged on site is not a small appliance, even at 3 pounds.
- Know the recovery rule cold: 90% with a working compressor, 80% without (newer equipment), or a 4-inch vacuum.
- Type I is the only section that can be taken by mail, but mail-in needs 84% and can't count toward Universal.
- These are original practice questions, not real exam questions.
EPA 608 Type I practice questions
28 original questions. Study mode shows the answer and explanation after each question. Exam mode gives you 25 random questions and scores you at the end. No sign-up; progress saves in this browser.
Sample questions
1. Under the Section 608 rules, what makes an appliance a "small appliance"?
- A. It's any residential appliance, regardless of charge size
- B. It's fully manufactured, charged and hermetically sealed in a factory with 5 pounds or less of refrigerant
- C. It holds less than 15 pounds of refrigerant, however it was charged
- D. It weighs under 100 pounds and plugs into a standard outlet
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B. It's fully manufactured, charged and hermetically sealed in a factory with 5 pounds or less of refrigerant
The definition in 40 CFR 82.152 has two parts: the unit must be fully manufactured, charged and hermetically sealed at the factory, and it must contain 5 pounds or less of refrigerant. A system charged in the field doesn't qualify, even if its charge is small.
Source: 40 CFR 82.152 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-40/chapter-I/subchapter-C/part-82/subpart-F/section-82.152
2. A homeowner's ductless mini-split was charged with 3 pounds of R-410A by the installer at the house. Is it a small appliance?
- A. No, because R-410A systems are never small appliances
- B. Yes, because its charge is under 5 pounds
- C. No, because it wasn't charged and hermetically sealed in a factory
- D. Yes, because it's residential equipment
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C. No, because it wasn't charged and hermetically sealed in a factory
Charge size alone isn't enough. A small appliance must be fully manufactured, charged and hermetically sealed in a factory. A split system charged on site is a high-pressure appliance, so working on its refrigerant circuit takes Type II (or Universal) certification.
Source: 40 CFR 82.152 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-40/chapter-I/subchapter-C/part-82/subpart-F/section-82.152
3. Which of these does the regulation list as an example of a small appliance (assuming a factory-sealed charge of 5 pounds or less)?
- A. A 20-ton rooftop unit
- B. A walk-in cooler with a remote condenser
- C. A packaged terminal air heat pump (PTHP) in a hotel room
- D. A farm tractor's air conditioner
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C. A packaged terminal air heat pump (PTHP) in a hotel room
The small-appliance definition names refrigerators and freezers, room air conditioners (including window units, portable units and packaged terminal air heat pumps), dehumidifiers, under-the-counter ice makers, vending machines and drinking water coolers. A tractor's AC is an MVAC-like appliance, and the other two are field-built systems.
Source: 40 CFR 82.152 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-40/chapter-I/subchapter-C/part-82/subpart-F/section-82.152
4. What is the most refrigerant a small appliance can contain?
- A. 2 pounds
- B. 5 pounds
- C. 15 pounds
- D. 50 pounds
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B. 5 pounds
The regulation caps a small appliance at 5 pounds of refrigerant, charged and sealed at the factory. The 15-pound and 50-pound figures in Subpart F belong to other rules: the limit on system-dependent recovery equipment and the leak repair threshold.
Source: 40 CFR 82.152 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-40/chapter-I/subchapter-C/part-82/subpart-F/section-82.152
5. You recover refrigerant from a refrigerator whose compressor runs, using recovery equipment made in 2015. What does the rule require?
- A. Recover 80 percent of the charge
- B. Recover 100 percent of the charge
- C. Pull the appliance down to 25 mm Hg absolute
- D. Recover 90 percent of the charge, or pull the appliance down to 4 inches of mercury vacuum
Show answer and explanation
Answer: D. Recover 90 percent of the charge, or pull the appliance down to 4 inches of mercury vacuum
For equipment made on or after November 15, 1993, the rule is 90 percent when the appliance's compressor works and 80 percent when it doesn't. Evacuating the appliance to 4 inches of mercury vacuum is an alternative way to comply in either case.
Source: 40 CFR 82.156 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-40/chapter-I/subchapter-C/part-82/subpart-F/section-82.156
6. Same newer recovery machine, but this time the appliance's compressor is dead. What recovery level applies?
- A. 70 percent
- B. 80 percent
- C. 90 percent
- D. 95 percent
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B. 80 percent
With recovery equipment made on or after November 15, 1993, you must recover 80 percent of the refrigerant when the appliance's compressor isn't functioning (or reach 4 inches of mercury vacuum). The 90 percent level applies only when the compressor runs.
Source: 40 CFR 82.156 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-40/chapter-I/subchapter-C/part-82/subpart-F/section-82.156
22 more questions load when you start a round.
Who needs EPA 608 Type I certification?
Anyone who maintains, services or repairs small appliances needs Type I (or Universal) certification under 40 CFR 82.161. That's appliance repair techs, vending and ice machine route techs, hotel maintenance staff who work on PTACs, and anyone who services dehumidifiers or water coolers. People who only dispose of small appliances don't need to be certified, but the recovery rules still apply to whoever removes the refrigerant.
The trap is the definition. A small appliance is "fully manufactured, charged, and hermetically sealed in a factory with five (5) pounds or less of refrigerant" (40 CFR 82.152). A ductless mini-split the installer charged in the field fails the first half of that test no matter how small the charge, so it's Type II work. If you install or service residential split systems, Type I alone won't cover you.
What's on the Type I section?
EPA's official Type I topic list is short, and it leans hard on recovery. Our bank tracks it topic by topic, and your results page scores you on the same groups.
| Topic | What you should be able to answer |
|---|---|
| Small appliance definition | The two-part test (factory-sealed + 5 lb max) and the listed examples: refrigerators, freezers, room ACs, PTHPs, dehumidifiers, under-counter ice makers, vending machines, water coolers |
| Recovery requirements | The 80% / 90% / 4-inch-vacuum rule, and how it changes with the age of your recovery equipment (before vs. after November 15, 1993) |
| Recovery techniques | Running a working compressor during passive recovery; high- and low-side access valves when the compressor is dead; heating and tapping the compressor; removing solderless fittings afterward; identifying refrigerant by pressure and temperature |
| Substitutes | R-134a as the likely replacement for R-12; which hydrocarbon uses (like isobutane in household refrigerators) are exempt |
| Safety | Refrigerant breaks down into harmful products at high temperatures, so never put a torch on a charged line |
| Disposal | What the final processor (scrap yard, landfill) must do: recover or collect a signed statement, and keep it three years |
The recovery numbers Type I tests
This is the table most Type I questions come back to. It comes from 40 CFR 82.156(b), restated here in plain terms. Reaching a 4-inch vacuum is always an acceptable alternative to measuring the percentage.
| Your recovery equipment was made… | Appliance compressor works | Appliance compressor is dead |
|---|---|---|
| Before November 15, 1993 | Recover 80% | Recover 80% |
| On or after November 15, 1993 | Recover 90% | Recover 80% |
| Either date (alternative) | Evacuate to 4 in. Hg vacuum | Evacuate to 4 in. Hg vacuum |
How are Type I questions different from Core?
Core asks about the big picture: why chlorine matters, what the Montreal Protocol did, how to label a cylinder. Type I asks what you do with your hands on a refrigerator in a customer's kitchen. Expect scenarios, not definitions. Here's a typical one from our bank:
One more thing to know: system-dependent recovery equipment is barred on appliances with more than 15 pounds of refrigerant (40 CFR 82.156(e)). Small appliances top out at 5 pounds, so passive recovery is legal on every one of them. That's why Type I spends so much time on it.
Mail-in or proctored Type I?
Type I is the only section EPA allows in a mail-in format, and only from organizations offering Type I alone (Appendix D). The trade-off: a mail-in Type I test needs 84% to pass, compared with 70% for the closed-book, proctored version, and a mail-in result can't be used toward Universal. If there's any chance you'll go on to Types II and III, take Type I proctored. EPA's list of certifying programs notes which ones offer mail-in, on-site or remote testing.
How to study for Type I
- Pass Core first, or alongside. You can't be certified on Type I alone. Every test includes 25 Core questions. Use the Core practice test.
- Draw the recovery table from memory. Two equipment dates, two compressor states, one vacuum alternative. If you can sketch it on scrap paper, you'll get most recovery questions right.
- Picture the job. For every technique question, ask what you'd physically do: which valve, which side, which tool. The right answer is usually the one that gets refrigerant out without venting it.
- Learn the definition, not just the 5-pound number. Expect at least one question where a small charge is a distractor and the real issue is whether the unit was sealed at the factory.
- Run exam mode until you clear 70% three rounds in a row, then switch to study mode for whatever topic still shows red.
More EPA 608 practice
Frequently asked questions
What is EPA 608 Type I certification for?
Type I certifies you to maintain, service and repair small appliances: units manufactured, charged and hermetically sealed in a factory with 5 pounds of refrigerant or less. Examples include refrigerators, window and portable air conditioners, PTACs, dehumidifiers, vending machines and water coolers.
How many questions are on the EPA 608 Type I test?
EPA's regulation requires 25 questions from the Type I group plus 25 from Core, so a Type I certification test is 50 questions. The closed-book, proctored version passes at 70 percent.
Can I take the EPA 608 Type I test online or by mail?
Organizations offering only Type I may use a mail-in format, which requires 84 percent to pass and can't count toward Universal. EPA's list of certifying programs shows which ones test on-site, by mail or remotely, so check it for current formats.
Does Type I cover mini-splits or window units?
Window units, yes, if they were factory-sealed with 5 pounds or less. Mini-splits charged by the installer on site aren't small appliances under the regulation, so working on their refrigerant circuit takes Type II or Universal certification.
Do I need certification to throw away an old refrigerator?
No. The regulation says people who dispose of small appliances don't need to be certified. But the refrigerant must still be recovered to the required levels before final disposal, and the scrap yard or landfill must either recover it or get a signed statement that it was recovered.
Related
- Free EPA 608 Practice TestsFree EPA 608 practice tests for Core, Type I, II, III and Universal: 125 original questions, a 20-question diagnostic, and help picking a section.
- Free EPA 608 Core Practice TestFree EPA 608 Core practice test: 36 original questions with explanations, study and exam modes, and a score by topic. No sign-up.
- Free EPA 608 Type 2 Practice TestFree EPA 608 Type 2 practice test: 33 original questions on high-pressure systems, leak repair and evacuation levels, with explanations. No sign-up.
- Free EPA 608 Universal Practice TestFree EPA 608 Universal practice test: a 100-question exam mode (25 Core + 25 per type) from 125 original questions, scored by section.
- EPA 608 Certification: Who Needs It and How to Get ItEPA 608 certification explained: who needs it, Type I, II, III and Universal, test format and passing scores, how to replace a lost card, and A2L changes.
- How to Start an HVAC Business in 2026 (Costs, Licenses and First Customers)Start an HVAC business in 2026: startup cost calculator, EPA 608 and state license rules, HVAC insurance costs, service pricing and a launch checklist.
- HVAC Software That Answers the Phone, Books the Tech and Keeps the BooksHVAC software that answers every no-heat and no-cool call, books the tech, follows up on replacement quotes, chases invoices and keeps QuickBooks clean.
- BTU CalculatorFree BTU calculator built on the ENERGY STAR room AC sizing chart, with sun, occupant and kitchen adjustments. A rule of thumb, not a Manual J load calc.
- AC Tonnage CalculatorRough AC tonnage calculator using the square-feet-per-ton rule of thumb, with a Manual J reality check. Ballpark only; size systems with ACCA Manual J.
- Superheat CalculatorFree superheat calculator: enter suction pressure and suction line temperature for R-410A, R-454B, R-32 or R-22 and compare with your target superheat.
Sources
- EPA — Section 608 Technician Certification Test Topics (checked October 24, 2026)
- EPA — Section 608 Technician Certification Requirements (checked October 24, 2026)
- eCFR — 40 CFR 82.152 Definitions (checked October 24, 2026)
- eCFR — 40 CFR 82.154 Prohibitions (venting, exempt substitutes) (checked October 24, 2026)
- eCFR — 40 CFR 82.155 Safe disposal of appliances (checked October 24, 2026)
- eCFR — 40 CFR 82.156 Proper evacuation of refrigerant (Table 1) (checked October 24, 2026)
- eCFR — 40 CFR 82.158 Standards for recovery and recycling equipment (checked October 24, 2026)
- eCFR — 40 CFR 82.161 Technician certification (checked October 24, 2026)
- eCFR — 40 CFR Part 82, Subpart F, Appendix D (test standards) (checked October 24, 2026)
- EPA — Certification Programs for Section 608 Technicians (updated 2026-10-20) (checked October 24, 2026)