EPA 608 Type I, Type II and Type III Explained

Section 608 splits equipment into three classes, and each has its own exam section. Core is required for all of them; the type you sit depends on what you work on.

The three types

Type	Equipment	Typical examples
Type I	Small appliances holding five pounds of refrigerant or less	Domestic fridges and freezers, window units, vending machines, drinking fountains
Type II	High-pressure systems	Residential and commercial split systems, heat pumps, supermarket refrigeration
Type III	Low-pressure systems	Centrifugal chillers

Pass Core plus one type and you hold that type. Pass Core plus all three and you hold Universal.

Type I: small appliances

Defined by charge size, not by what the appliance does. Five pounds or less, factory-sealed and factory-charged.

The recovery requirements are the thing to know, and they hinge on the recovery equipment's manufacture date — not the appliance's:

• Recovery equipment made before 15 November 1993: recover 80% of the charge, whether or not the compressor runs
• Equipment made on or after that date, compressor working: recover 90%
• Equipment made on or after that date, compressor not working: recover 80%

Alternatively, evacuate to four inches of mercury vacuum.

Type II: high-pressure

The largest section by working population — most residential and commercial air conditioning sits here.

Evacuation levels vary by charge size and, again, by when the recovery machine was built. A high-pressure appliance holding 200 pounds or more requires 10 inches of mercury with equipment made on or after 15 November 1993, against four inches for older equipment.

Type II also carries the leak repair thresholds and the recordkeeping duties that come with larger systems.

Type III: low-pressure

Chillers, principally. Smaller in numbers, distinct in technique.

The headline figure is 25 mm Hg absolute — the required evacuation level for low-pressure appliances. That is roughly 29 inches of mercury below standard atmospheric pressure, and it cannot be verified with a compound gauge. It needs an electronic micron gauge, because a compound gauge simply pins near the bottom of its scale.

Type III also covers purge unit operation and the standing vacuum test, neither of which appears in the other sections.

Where candidates lose marks

Type II and Type III test the same operations with different numbers, and under exam pressure the two tables merge. The reliable fix is to practice them side by side rather than sequentially, so the differences are what you memorize rather than the similarities.

The other recurring trap is the 15 November 1993 date. It is a cut-off applied to the recovery machine's manufacture date, never the appliance's — a distinction the exam tests directly.

What this means on the job

The type you hold decides which jobs you can accept, but the numbers decide whether the job is done legally once you accept it. Those numbers hinge on two variables people routinely conflate: the class of appliance, and the age of your recovery machine.

Carrying an older recovery machine is not a compliance problem in itself, since pre-1993 equipment is grandfathered. It does mean the figures you must hit differ from the ones on the sticker of a machine bought last year, and that is worth knowing before an inspection rather than during one.

Frequently asked questions

Which EPA 608 type do most technicians need?

Type II, because it covers high-pressure systems, which is most residential and commercial air conditioning. Many technicians sit Universal anyway, since the marginal cost at a single proctored appointment is small.

Do I need Core as well as a type?

Yes. Core is required for every certification and certifies you for nothing on its own. You must pass Core plus at least one type section.

What counts as a small appliance for Type I?

Equipment holding five pounds of refrigerant or less that was factory-sealed and factory-charged. The definition turns on charge size, not on what the appliance does.

Why does the 15 November 1993 date keep appearing?

It is a cut-off applied to the manufacture date of the recovery equipment, not the appliance being serviced. Machines built before it are held to easier grandfathered figures; machines built on or after it must meet the stricter certified standard.

Can I work on a chiller with Type II?

No. Chillers are low-pressure appliances and require Type III, or Universal. Type II covers high-pressure systems only.

Sources

• EPA, Section 608 Technician Certification
• EPA, Stationary Refrigeration and Air Conditioning
• 40 CFR Part 82, Subpart F