INTRODUCTION
This manual is intended to prepare technicians for the certification test, and contains all the information a technician
will require to successfully complete the test. This booklet is not intended to be a formal refrigeration training course.
Technicians should be familiar with the basic vapor ‐ compression refrigeration cycle and common service equipment
and procedures.
This manual has been assembled with the most current information available at the time of this edition. Should EPA
regulations change after a technician becomes certified, it is the responsibility of the technician to comply with any
future changes. The EPA also reserves the right to modify the test questions and or call for a new certification based on
advancements in future technology. The ESCO Institute will update this manual as necessary to keep current with EPA
rulings.
Section 608 of the Federal Clean Air Act requires that all persons who maintain, service, repair, or dispose of appliances
that contain regulated refrigerants, be certified in proper refrigerant handling techniques as of November 14, 1994.
There are four (4) categories of technician certification:
TYPE I
Persons who maintain service or repair small appliances must be certified as Type I technicians.
TYPE II
Persons, who maintain, service, repair or dispose of high or very high‐pressure appliances, except small appliances and
motor vehicle air conditioning systems, must be certified as Type II technicians.
TYPE
III
Persons, who maintain, service, repair, or dispose of low‐pressure appliances must be certified as Type III technicians.
UNIVERSAL
Persons, who maintain, service or repair both low and high‐pressure equipment, as well as small appliances, must be
certified as Universal technicians.
TEST FORMAT
The test contains four sections, A, I, II, III. Each section contains twenty five (25) multiple‐choice questions. A technician
MUST achieve a minimum passing score of 70 percent in each group in which they are to be certified. For instance a
technician seeking Universal certification must achieve a minimum score of 70 percent, or 18 out of 25 correct, on each
of the Sections of the test. If a technician fails one or more of the Sections on the first try, they may retake the failed
Section(s) without retaking the Section(s) on which they earned a passing score. In the meantime the technician will be
certified in the Type for which they received a passing score. There is one exception; a technician MUST achieve a pass‐
ing score on Section A to receive any certification.
Section A contains 25 general knowledge questions concerning stratospheric ozone depletion, rules and regulations of
the Clean Air Act, the Montreal Protocol, refrigerant recovery, recycling and reclaiming, recovery devices, substitute
refrigerants and oils, recovery techniques, dehydration, recovery cylinders, safety, and shipping. Section I contains 25
sector specific questions pertaining to small appliances. Section II contains 25 sector specific questions pertaining to
high‐pressure appliances and Section III contains 25 sector specific questions pertaining to low‐pressure appliances.
The law requires the test to be a closed book exam. The only outside materials allowed are a temperature/pressure
chart and a calculator.
Certain personal information is required on the exam. Technicians should be prepared to present:
Picture identification
Social security number
Home address
Technicians should carefully study Sections A and the Section(s) related to the Type of certification in which they are
seeking to achieve a passing score.
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