Tips for Universal EPA Certification exam

[acwatkins]

Ive registered for the class at my community college, we received a take home cd with a study guide and book. I get to study for as long as I want and register for the test whenever I am ready. I was wondering if you guys had any tips on what to focus on and study since the booklet is 166 pages Thanks for any info and tips!

[CircusEnvy]

Mine was 14 pages. Who's proctoring the exam? What in the world could they possibly fit in 166 pages?

- Knowledge of the refrigeration cycle is a must.
- Make sure you know the dates of when CFCs and HCFCs were/are supposed to be phased-out.
- Knowledge of policies that mandate phase-out dates (i.e. Montreal Protocol)
- Knowledge of recovery techniques and procedures.
- Requirements for repairing leaks on commercial/industrial equipment.
- Knowledge of refrigerant properties and handling procedures.
- Units of measurement and conversions (inches of Hg, microns, psi, psig, psia, inches of WC, etc.)
- How low-pressure refrigeration works.
- Differences between low, medium, and high temperature refrigeration.

[acwatkins]

The director of our hvac program is the proctor. And as far as whats in the 166 it's an insane amount of rambling from what I've read. But the packet that came with it is only 14 pages and states it covers the essentials

[CircusEnvy]

Is the test graded through the ESCO Institute or Mainstream Engineering?

You only need the packet, from what I understand. My instructor never got that 166 page book because it's more of a reference for concepts that you might not understand in the packet. And for that, we already had a textbook for refrigeration and air conditioning.

Every sentence in the packet is liable to be on the exam, FYI.

[acwatkins]

The test is through mainstream. I was also informed that I can take the test as many times as needed and not have to pay each time so that's a little relief

[jackrussell]

Just wrote my EPA a few weeks ago. As Circusenvy stated above and be familiar with fines and penalties levied, records,logs,reports . Good luck on your exam ( I'm sure you will do just great)

[John Culpepper]

Remember dates.

[John Culpepper]

After you finish the 608 exam there are are other tests that are available on their website.

[fozziee2]

I've been studying for my exam, and will take the test this week or next. I have the Quick products study guide. The big book has some more detailed decriptions of refrigeration cycle, recovery, etc...and other tips and points of emphasis The small guide just has the bare facts. I found that reading through the large book once was helpful just to get a better handle on all the information. Then used the practice tests and small guide to focus on stuff that I needed more review on.

[lytning]

Geez, when I took the test we went to a 3 hour seminar and took the test at the end of it. Had to wait 2 week to see if we passed.

[TEKIII]

Uae this app, good practice, i used this one and one more searchbyour app store for 608practice test. Check out "EPA 608 Practice (ads)"
https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...eris.EPA608ads

[acwatkins]

Thanks everyone! Ill most likely register for the test next week or the following. Ill let ya know how I do!

[earlburnermann]

The director of our hvac program is the proctor. And as far as whats in the 166 it's an insane amount of rambling from what I've read. But the packet that came with it is only 14 pages and states it covers the essentials

When I took my test the school used Ferris University. They put out the 160+ page book which stateed that it contained what you needed to pass the exam and more. Sounded like a good deal until I realized I just wanted what I needed to pass the test and the extra just got in the way.

I'll be proctoring the EPA test for the school I teach at this January. We are using ESCO for the exam. Their book is around 16 pages. If all the answers can be found in those 16 pages then that would be the book I'd like to read.

[danielthechskid]

Having just tried and passed for my 608 Universal I will say that the app mentioned by TEKIII helped, as well as other free practice exams online, and the Esco booklet. I did the practices and read the booklet several times, including in the car on the way to the seminar/exam. What really cemented it for me though was my proctor/instructor and the mentioned several hour long seminar.

Now I'm just waiting for my card in the mail. It's too bad that the Esco site tells me that I passed but doesn't show my number.

[BBeerme]

Having just tried and passed for my 608 Universal I will say that the app mentioned by TEKIII helped, as well as other free practice exams online, and the Esco booklet. I did the practices and read the booklet several times, including in the car on the way to the seminar/exam. What really cemented it for me though was my proctor/instructor and the mentioned several hour long seminar.

Now I'm just waiting for my card in the mail. It's too bad that the Esco site tells me that I passed but doesn't show my number.

Back in the day when I took the test, the proctor graded them right there. In fact, now that I'm thinking back, we had the proctor come to our company office. We each gave him $50 and proceeded to take the test. Actually, I think we had to give him the fifty bucks before we got the printed materials. I missed one, and if memory serves everyone missed less than four or five. But that would've been the very first test that came out, don't have a clue what it looks like today. And I know we did not have a 166 page book!

[rjk_cmh]

The app is pretty cool - I just downloaded it and tried it out. The hardest part I have is remembering dates and specific pressures/temperatures/vacuum levels when it comes to systems that I probably won't be working on (low pressure chillers). Is the "real" test only multiple choice like this, or are there any written answers?

And for those of you with an MVAC 609 ticket, how much different is that test than the 608? I'm considering taking it just to see if I can pass it.

[John Culpepper]

After you finish the 608 exam there are are other tests that are available on their website.

I think that the 410a cert and pm tech cert are also available through Mainstream.

[danielthechskid]

The current test per section is 25 multiple choice questions each with 4 possible answers for a total of 100 questions. Mine was done on one of those fill in the bubble sheets that is later scanned.

Supposedly not everybody gets the same set of questions, probably to discourage cheating so we had to fill in a test code number on the answer sheet. Mine was a bit easier as the test I got was the same one that we verbally went through during the seminar itself.

[referteacher]

[QUOTE=danielthechskid;19552281]The current test per section is 25 multiple choice questions each with 4 possible answers for a total of 100 questions. Mine was done on one of those fill in the bubble sheets that is later scanned.

I don't know if there is any truth to this ---But, I was told by an examiner, that when those exams go through the scanner, it will stop at the first bubble that looks "darker" and will skip the rest of the bubbles for that question.

SO ----If you are one of those test-talkers that can not make up his mind and goes back erasing, you're not going to pass because you'll NEVER get the shade back to neutral.

One student I had, could never pass the exam, until I told him that. The next time he "aced" it.

Maybe he just finally studied enough, to get it right. L.O.L.

[esare22]

I took mine about a year ago and it wasn't bad at all, I did a lot of practice exams and would recommend you try them out. They will definitely help.