When servicing an appliance having a receiver/storage tank, what should be done with the refrigerant?

• A. Vent the receiver to atmosphere
• B. Ignore the receiver and continue
• C. The refrigerant should be pumped down to and isolate the receiver
• D. Remove liquid refrigerant first

Answer: (C)

The key idea is to keep refrigerant contained during service. When an appliance has a receiver or storage tank, you pump the refrigerant down into that receiver and isolate it before continuing. Using a recovery machine to move refrigerant from the system into the receiver keeps it from escaping as you work on the rest of the system, and isolating the receiver prevents any backflow or venting while you perform maintenance. Venting to the atmosphere is illegal and unsafe, and simply ignoring the receiver or removing liquid refrigerant first wouldn’t provide the necessary containment. Pumping down to the receiver and isolating it is the proper approach to protect the refrigerant.