HVACR Fundamentals & EPA Section 608
This course introduces the refrigeration cycle, comfort and precision cooling fundamentals, and the federal refrigerant-handling requirements of EPA Section 608 that govern every technician who opens a refrigerant circuit in the United States. Students learn compression-cycle theory, refrigerant pressure-temperature relationships, manifold gauge set use, and the recovery, evacuation, and leak-rate recordkeeping practices required to hold an EPA Section 608 Universal certification. Hands-on work uses bench-mounted refrigeration trainers and manifold gauge/recovery stations. The course treats refrigerant recovery and leak-rate compliance as safety-critical and environmentally regulated competencies with zero tolerance for venting refrigerant to atmosphere, and it prepares students to sit the EPA Section 608 Universal certification exam through an approved third-party proctor. This course is the foundation for all subsequent MEC coursework, including chiller, cooling-tower, and liquid-cooling systems used in data-center thermal management.
What you'll be able to do
- Diagram the four-stage vapor-compression refrigeration cycle and identify the state of the refrigerant at each stage.
- Calculate superheat and subcooling from measured pressures and temperatures on an operating refrigeration trainer.
- Recover refrigerant from a bench trainer to the EPA-required evacuation level for the appliance type and refrigerant charge size. Safety-critical
- Calculate an appliance's annual refrigerant leak rate and determine whether it exceeds the EPA Section 608 trigger rate for its appliance category. Safety-critical
- Evacuate and pressure-test a refrigerant circuit with nitrogen before recharging, verifying no leaks are present.
- Charge a refrigeration circuit by weight and by superheat/subcooling method and verify the charge is within manufacturer specification.
- Identify refrigerant safety classifications (ASHRAE 34 A1/A2L/A3/B1 groups) and describe the handling precautions specific to mildly flammable (A2L) refrigerants. Safety-critical
- Document a recovery, recharge, or leak-rate event in a refrigerant tracking log per EPA Section 608 recordkeeping requirements.
- Escalate a refrigerant leak exceeding the trigger rate or a suspected A2L ignition hazard to the responsible supervisor. Safety-critical
- Complete the EPA Section 608 Universal certification exam through an approved third-party proctor.
Train the team that runs the factory.
The Institute travels with every SAVRN campus.