Refrigerant Recovery

EPA 608 required: connect a recovery machine to a DOT-rated recovery cylinder (never filled past 80%), recover liquid then vapor down to the required recovery vacuum level before opening the system, weigh the recovered refrigerant, never vent, and label the cylinder.

Approx. 90 min

Before you start

•Technician is EPA Section 608 certified for the equipment type — recovering refrigerant requires certification by law.
•Refrigerant type identified and a recovery cylinder dedicated to that refrigerant (or properly mixed-/labeled) available, plus a recovery machine rated for it.
•Recovery cylinder is DOT-rated, within its hydrostatic test date, and has enough empty capacity (will not exceed 80% full after this job).

Tools & materials

Recovery machine rated for the refrigerant · DOT-rated recovery cylinder (in test date) on a refrigerant scale · Recovery-rated hoses + core removal tools, manifold/gauges · Refrigerant scale · Cylinder labels/tags

View

0% complete

EPA 608 & cylinder check

Confirm certification and that venting is prohibited
Recovering refrigerant requires EPA Section 608 certification. Venting refrigerant to the atmosphere is illegal — all of it must go into recovery. Confirm you're recovering into a cylinder for the correct refrigerant (never cross-contaminate types).
⚠ Venting refrigerant to atmosphere is illegal and carries heavy penalties. Recover everything.
Use a DOT-rated cylinder and never fill past 80%
Use a DOT-rated recovery cylinder within its hydrostatic test date. Set it on a scale and never fill it past 80% of its capacity — liquid refrigerant expands with temperature, and a cylinder filled liquid-full can hydrostatically rupture. Know the cylinder tare and water capacity.
Tools: DOT-rated recovery cylinder, Refrigerant scale
Target: DOT-rated cylinder, in test date; STOP at ≤ 80% of rated capacity by weight (allowance for liquid expansion)
⚠ Overfilling a recovery cylinder past 80% can cause it to rupture from liquid expansion — fatal hazard. Watch the scale.

Hook up the recovery machine

Connect the recovery machine and cylinder
Connect the recovery machine between the system service ports and the recovery cylinder per the machine's diagram (in from the system, out to the cylinder), using recovery-rated hoses and removing the cores for speed. Open the cylinder's vapor/liquid valves as the method requires.
Tools: Recovery-rated hoses, Core removal tools
Target: Machine plumbed system→machine→cylinder per its diagram; cores removed for flow; cylinder valves set for the method

Recover liquid then vapor

Pull liquid first, then vapor, to the required vacuum
On a charged system, recover the liquid first (faster) then switch to vapor to clear the rest. Continue until the system reaches the required recovery vacuum level for the situation (recovery-into-disposal vs into the appliance), so the system is empty before you open it for service.
Target: Recover to the required EPA recovery vacuum for the appliance size/type before opening the system (e.g. into a deeper vacuum for larger high-pressure appliances)
⚠ Do not open or unbraze a system still under refrigerant pressure — recover it down first.

Weigh & label

Weigh the recovered refrigerant and label the cylinder
Note the weight recovered (off the scale) for the records/reclaim, confirm the cylinder is still ≤ 80% full, close the cylinder valves, and label/tag the cylinder with the refrigerant type and recovered/contaminated status. Do not mix refrigerant types in one cylinder.
Tools: Refrigerant scale, Cylinder labels/tags
Target: Recovered weight recorded; cylinder ≤ 80%, valves closed, labeled with refrigerant type & status