EPA Section 608 Universal Certification ExamCoreMedium
A technician is preparing to recover refrigerant from a system that has had a compressor burnout. Which of the following is crucial to prevent contamination of the recovery machine and subsequent systems?
- ABypass the recovery machine's internal filter.
- BUse a larger recovery tank.
- CIncrease the recovery machine's operating pressure.
- DInstall an in-line filter-drier before the recovery machine.
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: D. Install an in-line filter-drier before the recovery machine.
A compressor burnout can introduce high levels of contaminants (acid, sludge, carbonized oil) into the refrigerant. Installing an auxiliary in-line filter-drier before the recovery machine is crucial to protect the recovery equipment and prevent the spread of contamination to other systems.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Bypassing the internal filter would increase contamination, not prevent it.
- B. A larger recovery tank might hold more contaminated refrigerant but doesn't prevent contamination of the machine itself.
- C. Increasing operating pressure offers no protection against contaminants and could be dangerous.
Recovery After Burnout
When recovering refrigerant from a system that has experienced a compressor burnout, it is essential to install an auxiliary in-line filter-drier to protect the recovery equipment from acid and particulate contamination.
- Burnout introduces contaminants (acid, sludge).
- Protects recovery machine's internal components.
- Prevents cross-contamination of other systems.
- Use a high-capacity filter-drier.
Memory trick: After a 'burnout', 'filter' out the 'bad stuff' before recovery.