A hermetic compressor has been cut out of a small appliance after the charge was recovered to the required level, and it is going into the shop's scrap metal bin. What should the technician bear in mind about that shell?
Correct Answer
C) The oil inside still holds refrigerant, so the stubs stay capped until the oil is drained
The reason the recovery requirement stops short of the whole charge is that refrigerant dissolves in the compressor oil, and that oil leaves the building inside the compressor. Capping the stubs keeps it contained until the oil can be drained into a proper container, which is where the last of the refrigerant is released under control rather than into the yard. The drained oil is handled as used oil. Crushing a shell on site releases both the oil and whatever refrigerant is still in it, which is the outcome to avoid.
Why This Is the Correct Answer
Recovering to the required level removes most of the charge but leaves refrigerant dissolved in the compressor oil, and that oil goes with the compressor. Keeping the process stubs capped keeps the remainder contained until the oil is drained in the shop and handled as used oil, which is where the dissolved refrigerant is dealt with rather than being let go in an open bin.
Why the Other Options Are Wrong
Option A: The shell is empty once the appliance reached the required level, so it needs no attention
The required level is a percentage or a vacuum reading, neither of which empties the oil. A recovered compressor is not an empty vessel.
Option B: The shell should be filled with nitrogen so the scrap dealer knows it has been serviced
Filling a scrap shell with nitrogen accomplishes nothing for the scrap dealer and does not address the oil or the refrigerant dissolved in it.
Option D: The shell should be crushed on site so any remaining pressure is released under control
Crushing releases the oil and any remaining refrigerant with no control at all, and it puts the technician next to a shell that may still hold pressure.
Memory Technique
The charge went out. The oil kept a sip of it.
Reference Hint
Refrigerant remains dissolved in the compressor oil after recovery, so removed compressors are capped and their oil drained and handled properly.
More epa-608-type-1 Questions
An under-counter ice maker is one factory-sealed cabinet, while a modular ice machine head is joined to a remote condenser by field-run tubing. What certification does servicing the modular machine's circuit require?
A technician recovers refrigerant from a small appliance using a recovery machine that was manufactured in 1991. What recovery level must that older equipment achieve?
Two technicians recover from identical refrigerators with working compressors, one using a 1991 recovery machine and the other a 2015 machine. Why do their required recovery levels differ?
System-dependent recovery equipment may be used only on appliances that normally hold up to what amount of refrigerant?
What feature defines a self-contained recovery unit and sets it apart from the system-dependent kind?
When system-dependent recovery equipment is used on a small appliance whose compressor still runs, how can that working compressor be put to use?
Recovery from a small appliance has slowed down and the pressure is barely moving. What accepted technique helps drive the remaining refrigerant out?
After the recovery unit stops pulling on a small appliance, how does a technician confirm that the recovery is actually complete?
A sealed small appliance offers no service port at all. What has to happen before recovery equipment can be connected to it?
As refrigerant from a string of small appliances collects in a recovery cylinder, what fill limit applies to that cylinder?
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A technician relies on a platform scale to weigh recovered refrigerant against a data plate charge and to weigh new charges in. Which routine check keeps those readings trustworthy?
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