PTEN_0321 - 27

TOOLS USED:
* HVAC TRAINING
* SPECIFIC VEHICLE
INFORMATION
* REFRIGERANT SEALANT
DETECTION SYSTEM
* REFRIGERANT IDENTIFIER
* RECOVERY/RECYCLE/
RECHARGE (RRR) MACHINE
* SCAN TOOL

came out in 2015. The latest version of
the certification provides updates on the
proper handling of most new refrigerants
including R-1234yf.
Holding a 609 certification does
not really mean you are knowledgeable
enough to diagnose and repair current,
or even legacy, HVAC systems. The
EPA 609 course, test, and certification
revolves around the environmental and
legal requirements of working on mobile
air conditioning systems and their refrigerants, not the mechanical or electronic
operation of the system.
Fines for not complying with certification requirements are just under $40,000
per technician per day. The fine for venting refrigerant into the atmosphere is
$25,000. Estimates of non-certified technicians working on A/C systems range
from 18 to 60 percent, meaning there is
a likelihood that you have non-certified
technicians working in your shop and
could be facing heavy fines.
Another often-missed part of the EPA
Clean Air Act requires that shops servicing air conditioning systems must certify
to their regional EPA office that they have
acquired and are properly using refrigerant handling equipment. This means that
even if you have been performing A/C
work for many years, if you have never
self-certified with the EPA, you are not
in compliance. Once you have certified,
you will not need to re-certify if you purchase new equipment. Information about

The Mantooth from Ritchie
Engineering Co. uses wireless
pressure transducers and
temperature sensors to evaluate the
system and provide a diagnosis to
your smartphone.

the Clean Air Act, and 609 certification
requirements can be found at epa.gov.
Now that I have provided you with a
reality check of the legal requirements
for working on mobile A/C systems, we
should discuss the technical aspects of
some of the advanced systems on today's
vehicles. Due to the electronics on these
systems, it is necessary to completely
understand how a system functions, along
with their operating characteristics and
capacities. The best way to accomplish
this is to attend some advanced training classes, many of which are available
through sources such as Motor Age
Training which provides online Pay
Per View webinars and free YouTube
channel videos.
If you work on hybrid or other electric vehicles, you must completely
understand the repair procedures and
safety protocols prior to working on
their HVAC systems. There are some
very good online (and prior to COVID-

www.VehicleServicePros.com

MARCH 2021

19, in-person) training materials available
specific to high voltage HVAC systems,
which require unique measures and tools
to safely work on these systems.
In order to explain some of the challenges when working on new innovations
in A/C systems, consider what is involved
in allowing either the air conditioner or
defroster/heater to still function when
either a hybrid electric, or even a vehicle
with start/stop technology is at a stoplight with the engine off for a lengthy
period of time.
How do you fully test a vehicle with
some of these technologies? You use specific vehicle information in order to determine how the system should function.
The first area to look at when obtaining
specific vehicle data is the specification
area. This will provide you with the type
of refrigerant, the type of oil, and the
capacities of both.
With today's systems, it is not OK to
assume that every vehicle is the same

PROFESSIONAL TOOL & EQUIPMENT NEWS

http://www.epa.gov http://www.VehicleServicePros.com

PTEN_0321

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