Starting January 1, 2017, this section applies to recovery and/or recycling equipment for use during the maintenance, service, repair, or disposal of appliances containing any class I or class II refrigerant or any non-exempt substitute refrigerant.
Table 2-Levels of Evacuation Which Must Be Achieved by Recovery and/or Recycling Equipment
[Except for small appliances, MVACs, and MVAC-like appliances.]
Type of appliance with which recovery and/or recycling machine is intended to be used | Inches of Hg vacuum (relative to standard atmospheric pressure of 29.9 inches Hg) | |
Manufactured or imported before November 15, 1993 | Manufactured or imported on or after November 15, 1993 | |
HCFC-22 appliances, or isolated component of such appliances, with a full charge of less than 200 pounds of refrigerant | 0 | 0. |
HCFC-22 appliances, or isolated component of such appliances, with a full charge of 200 pounds or more of refrigerant | 4 | 10. |
Very high-pressure appliances | 0 | 0. |
Other high-pressure appliances, or isolated component of such appliances, with a full charge of less than 200 pounds of refrigerant | 4 | 10. |
Other high-pressure appliances, or isolated component of such appliances, with a full charge of 200 pounds or more of refrigerant | 4 | 15. |
Medium-pressure appliances, or isolated component of such appliances, with a full charge of less than 200 pounds of refrigerant | 4 | 10. |
Medium-pressure appliances, or isolated component of such appliances, with a full charge of 200 pounds or more of refrigerant | 4 | 15. |
Low-pressure appliances | 25 mm Hg absolute | 25 mm Hg absolute. |
THIS EQUIPMENT HAS BEEN CERTIFIED BY [APPROVED EQUIPMENT TESTING ORGANIZATION] TO MEET EPA's MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR RECYCLING OR RECOVERY EQUIPMENT INTENDED FOR USE WITH [APPROPRIATE CATEGORY OF APPLIANCE].
Maximum Levels of Contaminants Permissible in Refrigerant Processed Through Equipment Advertised as "Recycling" Equipment
Contaminants | Low-pressure (R-11, R-123, R-113) systems | R-12 systems | All other systems |
Acid Content (by wt.) | 1.0 PPM | 1.0 PPM | 1.0 PPM. |
Moisture (by wt.) | 20 PPM | 10 PPM | 20 PPM. |
Noncondensable Gas (by vol.) | N/A | 2.0% | 2.0%. |
High Boiling Residues (by vol.) | 1.0% | 0.02% | 0.02%. |
Chlorides by Silver Nitrate Test | No turbidity | No turbidity | No turbidity. |
Particulates | Visually clean | Visually clean | Visually clean. |
40 C.F.R. §82.158