Type I covers factory-sealed small appliances with five pounds or less of refrigerant.
This mode builds a 25-question session from the site's original Type I bank and explains
why compressor condition, recovery-equipment date, and access location change the answer.
EPA defines a small appliance by how it was made and charged, not simply by how small it
looks. It must be fully manufactured, charged, and hermetically sealed in a factory with
five pounds or less of refrigerant. Examples include household refrigerators and freezers,
room air conditioners, dehumidifiers, vending machines, and drinking-water coolers.
Recovery targets
The 80 percent, 90 percent, and four-inches-of-mercury options.
Compressor condition
Why a working compressor can assist system-dependent recovery and an inoperative compressor changes access needs.
Recovery equipment
System-dependent versus self-contained equipment and the November 15, 1993 dividing date.
Service and disposal
Temporary access fittings, refrigerant identification, noncondensables, and the safe-disposal chain.
The 80/90 Rule Without Guessing
Condition
Required recovery
Memory cue
Recovery equipment made before November 15, 1993
80 percent
Older recovery equipment means 80 percent.
Post-1993 equipment + working compressor
90 percent
Newer equipment and a working compressor earn the higher target.
Post-1993 equipment + inoperative compressor
80 percent
A failed compressor brings the target back to 80 percent.
Alternative for a small appliance
Evacuate to 4 inches Hg vacuum
This is an alternative compliance path, not an extra step after the percentage target.
The app randomly selects 25 Type I questions and shuffles the choices.
Every submitted answer reveals an explanation, and missed questions are saved for review.
Your score and history stay in your browser; no signup is required.
The practice score measures this independent question bank and does not guarantee an exam result.
Original Type I Sample Questions
Small-appliance definition
Which detail is required for equipment to fit EPA's small-appliance definition?
It operates below atmospheric pressure
It is factory manufactured, charged, and hermetically sealed with five pounds or less of refrigerant
It is installed in a residence
It can be moved by one technician
Answer and explanation
B is correct. The definition depends on factory manufacture, factory charging, hermetic sealing, and a charge of five pounds or less. Size, portability, and residential use alone do not decide it.
Recovery percentage
A small appliance has a working compressor and is recovered with equipment manufactured after November 15, 1993. What percentage must be recovered?
70 percent
80 percent
90 percent
100 percent
Answer and explanation
C is correct. Post-1993 recovery equipment plus a functioning compressor requires 90 percent recovery. If the compressor were not functioning, the percentage would be 80 percent.
Inoperative compressor
Why are both high- and low-side access points useful when using system-dependent recovery on a small appliance with an inoperative compressor?
They let trapped refrigerant be removed from both sides of the system
They permanently convert the appliance to a split system
They allow oxygen to push refrigerant into the cylinder
They eliminate the need for a recovery container
Answer and explanation
A is correct. A failed compressor cannot help move refrigerant through the system, so access to both sides helps prevent refrigerant from remaining trapped.
Temporary access fittings
What should normally happen to a solderless access fitting after service is complete?
Leave it permanently as the primary service port
Remove it because it can become a leak point
Fill it with oil
Vent the remaining refrigerant through it
Answer and explanation
B is correct. EPA's Type I topic outline calls out removing solderless access fittings after service; leaving a temporary piercing fitting can create a future leak point.
Common Type I Mistakes
Calling every compact unit a small appliance
Use the complete factory-sealed, factory-charged, five-pound definition.
Remembering 80 and 90 without the conditions
Check equipment date first, then compressor condition.
Expecting a failed compressor to move refrigerant
Without compressor circulation, plan access to both sides and use appropriate recovery techniques.
Treating a piercing valve as permanent
A temporary solderless fitting should not become a long-term leak risk.
Practice the condition, not just the number
Work through 25 Type I questions, then repeat missed compressor and recovery decisions until the rule is automatic.
Independent study material; not affiliated with or endorsed by the EPA. This site does not reproduce protected certification-exam questions, issue credentials, or guarantee a passing result.
