recovery recycling

Recovery from Low-Pressure Appliances

Recover refrigerant from a low-pressure system to the Table 1 level.

11 steps5 criticalLimit 20 minAlways tested

Steps

1Critical stepConfirm the appliance is low-pressure (liquid saturation pressure below 45 psia at 104 F; the regulation lists R-11, R-123, R-113, R-245fa)
2Use a recovery machine certified under 40 CFR 82.158 for this job and follow its manufacturer's directions
3Put on safety glasses with side shields and gloves, work with ventilation, and avoid breathing refrigerant vapor
4Critical stepInspect the recovery cylinder: undamaged, rated for this refrigerant, labeled, and not holding any other refrigerant
5Check the cylinder's fill limit before you start: about 80 percent of capacity is the common industry and manufacturer figure (it is not set by Part 82), and your supplier or the cylinder markings may set a specific limit; watch its weight on a scale
6Critical stepConnect the recovery machine to the appliance and to the recovery cylinder as the machine's manufacturer directs
7Start the machine and recover the refrigerant, including all the liquid, until the appliance reaches 25 mm Hg absolute
8Critical stepIf leaks make that level unattainable, isolate leaking from non-leaking parts; take non-leaking parts to Table 1 and leaking parts as low as possible without contaminating the refrigerant, never above 0 psig
9Verify the level has been reached in the appliance (or the isolated part) before it is opened
10Close the valves and shut down the machine; do not let the recovered refrigerant escape to the air
11Record what you recovered and keep any records your employer or the rules require

Tips

Low-pressure is a class defined by liquid saturation pressure below 45 psia at 104 F, not by how a particular system happens to run
The low-pressure level is an absolute pressure: 25 mm Hg absolute for all charge sizes. The other Table 1 rows are inches Hg vacuum relative to atmospheric pressure
For a minor repair with no evacuation to atmosphere afterward, a low-pressure appliance is pressurized to no higher than 0 psig before it is opened, instead of being pulled down to Table 1

Mixing up units, such as reading inches Hg vacuum or psig where Table 1 says mm Hg absolute.
Applying the high-pressure numbers (0, 10 or 15 inches Hg) to a low-pressure system.
Opening the appliance because the machine has stopped, without verifying the level.
Using a machine not certified under 82.158, or one that cannot reach the low-pressure level.

Practice this skill

Practise the sequence in the app with critical-step highlighting and a rationale for each step.

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