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Technician certification programs can be divided into two categories. They are:
Small appliances
High and very high-pressure appliances
Low pressure appliances
Persons who successfully pass a core of questions on stratospheric ozone protection and
legislation and also pass one of the three certification types will be certified in that type.
If all three certification types are passed, a person will be universally certified. To this
date, the EPA is not requiring re-certification. However, it will be the technicians
responsibility to keep updated on new technologies and governmental rule changes. More
on mandatory technician certification is covered in Chapter 9 of Refrigeration and Air
Conditioning Technology, 4th edition.
The ICE exam is designed for students who have completed at least 75% of a training
program or degree program. These same students should have completed all of the core
HVACR courses prior to taking the ICE test. Once a student passes the ICE exam, they
should be encouraged to take other more advanced voluntary exams after at least one year
of field experience.
Each of the three ICE tests have 100 multiple-choice questions and the student taking the
test must score at least 60% to pass. Passing the ICE test simply shows that the person
has the basic knowledge to enter the industry as an entry-level technician. The test may
be taken again if the student fails the exam. At the time of writing, the cost for each test is
$30.00. Once a student passes an ICE exam, their name will be nationally published in a
trade magazine and in a national job bank. The student will also receive a score report,
wallet card, and a certificate of competency.
The ICE test allows students to compete nationally and to compare themselves with other
students across the nation. Once a student passes the ICE test, other more advanced and
comprehensive tests can be taken, usually after at least one year of practical experience.
Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Technology, 4th edition is a text students can study to
successfully pass all three of the ICE examinations. The authors of this text have
provided 15 practice study questions for each of the three sections of the ICE
examination to assist the student in getting acquainted with the type of questions they
may encounter on the exam. However, memorizing the answers for these 45 questions
will not help you pass the exam because it is knowledge based. The ICE exams cover
long-term knowledge of what is taught in training or degree program curriculums and
laboratories. Listed below are 45 sample questions, answers, and associated sections in
the Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Technology, 4th edition book, where the answers
to the questions can be found.
SAMPLE QUESTIONS
Residential Air Conditioning and Heating Exam
1. The recommended oil pressure from the pump to the nozzle in a residential oil
furnace is:
a. 50 psi
b. 75 psi
c. 100 psi
d. 150 psi
2. High efficiency gas furnaces (90% and higher) may:
a. have aluminum venting.
b. have an extra heat exchanger.
c. insure that flue gases are vented quickly.
d. have type B gas venting.
3. In an air conditioning unit with a TXV and no bleed port a compressor motor must be
used with:
a. a high starting torque.
b. a low starting torque.
c. a shaded pole.
d. three phases.
4. The normal air conditioning evaporator boiling temperature when operating at the
75F 50% humidity condition is:
a. 25F.
b. 32F.
c. 40F.
d. 58F.
5. The function of a heat anticipator is to cause the furnace to:
a. continue to operate in a normal manner.
b. shut down later than it would normally.
c. shut down earlier than it would normally.
d. operate in a highly efficient manner.
6. The following energy efficiency rating system of air conditioning equipment includes
the start-up and shut-down cycles:
a. PTC
b. SCR
c. EER
d. SEER
7. In an air conditioning system using R-22 the evaporator is operating under normal
conditions. The suction line pressure is 70 psig with 10F superheat. The suction line
temperature is:
a. 30F.
b. 35F.
c. 40F.
d. 50F.
8. A fully modulating gas furnace modulates the gas to the burner and:
a. varies the fan speed.
b. the amount of corrosion.
c. cycling of the limit switch.
d. flame at the thermocouple.
9. A horizontal vent pipe from a standard gas furnace should rise at least:
a. 1/8 per foot.
b. per foot.
c. per foot.
d. 1 per foot.
10. To determine whether or not an air conditioning compressor has a shorted winding,
the following instrument would be used:
a. ammeter
b. voltmeter
c. ohmmeter
d. vacuum gage
11. Three common automatic controls used in central forced air electric furnaces are a
thermostat, contactor (or relay), and:
a. thermocouple.
b. sequencer.
c. glow-coil.
d. cad cell.
12. One horsepower equals:
a. 392 W.
b. 647 W.
c. 746 W.
d. 932 W.
13. In the air source heat pump both the indoor and outdoor coil must have a:
a. metering device.
b. compressor unit.
c. glow-coil.
d. cad cell.
14. A thermostatic expansion valve(TXV) is a form of:
a. electronic control.
b. metering device.
c. check valve.
d. filter drier.
15. For greatest accuracy when measuring air movement for balancing, the velocity
should be averaged over the:
a. entire length of the duct.
b. upper width of the duct.
c. height of the duct.
d. entire cross section of the duct
Answers
c
b
a
c
c
d
d
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
30.27
30.28
41.11
29.8
2.14
43.11
43.12
37.27
a
b
c
b
c
a
b
d
5. When ice builds up on the outdoor coil of a heat pump, which of the
following is used to remove the frost?
a. electric heaters
b. warm water
c. gas heat
d. reverse cycle operation
6. The manager of a motel calls in a 'no cooling' call. The service man
arrives and finds it to be an R-22 water cooled system. The compressor
is cycling on and off from high head pressure and the liquid line is
very hot. The water from the cooling tower is 80 degs F with the water
returning to the tower being 85 degs F. The probable cause is:
a. dirty refrigerant drier
b. over charge of refrigerant
c. dirty condenser tubes
d. inefficient compressor
7. Superheat occurs in which of the two parts of the refrigerant cycle?
a. the liquid line and the thermostat
b. expansion device and the liquid line
c. liquid line and the condenser
d. evaporator and the condenser
8. When a compressor has a suction valve that is stuck open it causes:
a. high head pressure and high amperage
b. low suction pressure and high amperage
c. high suction pressure and low amperage
d. high suction pressure and high amperage
9. When a duct system is properly designed and there is a reduction in the trunk line size
as air is supplied to the system it will provide:
a. an increase in air volume
b. a decrease in static pressure
c. the correct system pressure for proper air delivery
d. too little air for the downstream outlets
10. The air that is mixed with the gas in the venturi of a gas burner is
called:
a. return air
b. primary air
c. dense air
d. dilution air
11.When taking the efficiency of an oil furnace, which of the following readings would
you take?
a. stack temperature and outlet air temperature
Answers
a
b
b
a
d
c
d
c
c
b
c
d
13. 8.5
14. 29.15
15. 23.4
d
c
a
d. mullion heaters
12. The crankcase heaters purpose is to:
a. keep refrigerant from migrating to the oil during an off cycle
b. give the oil a lower viscosity
c. keep the crankcase from falling below 32 degrees Fahrenheit
d. prevent compressor flooding
13. This device is used on multi-circuited evaporators and fastened to the outlet of
the expansion valve. Its main function is to distribute the refrigerant to each
individual evaporator circuit evenly. The device is:
a. evaporator pressure regulator
b. refrigerant distributor
c. crankcase pressure regulator
d. heat exchanger
14. The function of the crankcase pressure-regulating (CPR) valve is to:
a. prevent compressor overloads during pulldowns
b. keep a constant crankcase pressure
c. keep the oil in the crankcase pressurized
d. help the compressor start during high loads
15. Which symptoms are indications of an inefficient compressor from either
leaking valves or worn rings:
a. low suction pressure and low head pressure
b. high suction pressure and low head pressure
c. high suction pressure and high head pressure
d. low suction pressure and high head pressure
Answers
b
d
a
b
d
c
a
a
c
a
d
12.
13.
14.
15.
25.46
25.34
25.6
28.21
a
b
a
b
Air Conditioning
Soldering and brazing
Hard-drawn copper tubing
Accumulator
Capillary tube metering devices
Heat loads across evaporator
Checking resistance on compressor
motor windings
Superheat
Evaporator coil temperatures
Leak detection
Air velocity in ducts
Potential relay
Refrigerant recovery cylinders
Speed changes in PSC blower
motors
Vibration eliminators
Infiltration
Air conditioning system evacuation
Air conditioning refrigerant charge
7.11
7.2
25.36
41.7
40.3
20.7, 20.8, 20.9, 45.32, 12.20
10.6, 41.8
36.6, Unit 41 Diagnostic Chart
8.9
5.2, 37.5, 37.27
17.18
9.15
17.14
37.9
34.2
8.1, 8.5, 8.7
28.13
25.46
19.6, 19.7, 19.8, 19.10
37.4
39.9, Unit 41 Service Technician Calls
3.5, 3.9
12.22
4.7
37.2
41.3, Unit 41 Preventive Maintenance
36.6, Unit 41 Diagnostic Chart
25.37
37.5
Unit 41 Technician Service Call
13.6
25.9, 25.10, 25.11, 25.12, 25.13
25.38, 25.39
4.7
37.7
38.6
38.7
Heat Pumps
Heat pump balance point
Thermostatic expansion valves
Hermetic compressor motor
windings
Heat pump metering devices
Heat pump lines
Heat pump check valves
Heat pump defrost
Heat pump refrigerant charge
Heat pump thermostats
43.20
24.2, 24.16, 24.21, 28.22 Service Technician Calls
17.17, 20.8
43.11, 43.12, 43.14, 43.17
43.10
43.12
43.29
43.34, 43.37
43.28
14.3
30.35
30.35
30.5
30.24
systems
Two stage gas furnaces
Gas furnace piping
Gas furnace venting
Electronic air cleaner
Gas furnace high limit control
Flame rectification
Induced draft gas furnaces
Gas furnace limit switch
30.3
30.27
30.29
30.28
30.35
30.36, Unit 30 Preventive Maintenance
30.24
30.28
30.16
31.5
31.7, 31.8, 31.15
31.5
31.14, 31.15
kWs to Btus
Electric furnace sequencers
Electric furnace kW
2.14
29.10
12.14, 29.15
PARAGRAPH
25.37 & 25.38
22.10, 28.9, 28.10 & 44.40
38.13
8.5
28.5
28.15 & 49.11
38.13he
24.21
23.4
8.3
HEAT PUMPS
Line set identification
4-way valve operation
Defrost cycle
Heat pump operating pressures
Auxiliary heat
Check valve operation
Indoor & outdoor coil descriptions
Expansion devices
Checking the refrigerant charge
Water source heat pump operation
OIL HEAT
Liquid oil in the combustion chamber
Combustion analysis
GAS HEAT
Blowing burner flame
Draft proving circuit
Fan cycle adjustment
Flame rectification
Gas manifold pressure
Primary air adjustment
31.7
31.14
Page 608, Preventive maintenance
30.28
30.31
30.23 & 30.24
30.3
30.4
34.9
14.3
30.16
30.29
ELECTRIC HEAT
Power consumption
29.15
Preventative maintenance
Page 566
Checking electrical contacts with a volt meter 19.5
Important Topics
Refrigerant distributors
Series & Parallel circuits
Electrical Power
Transformers
Oil separators
Refrigerant cylinders
Refrigerants
Refrigerant blends
Refrigerant oils and their
applications
Recover, recycle, reclaim
Restricted thermostatic
expansion valves
Inefficient evaporators
Refrigerant safety group
classifications
Manual pump downs
Single phase motors and
motor windings
Thermistors and other
25.30
17.8, 17.9, 17.10, 17.12, 17.13,
17.14, 17.15
12.24, and 13.6
semiconductors
Troubleshooting and
typical operating
conditions for air cooled
equipment
Troubleshooting and
typical operating
conditions for water cooled
equipment
Automatic expansion
valves
Thermostatic expansion
valves
Thermostatic expansion
valve charges
24.14, 24.15
24.18
24.22
Pressure ratio or
compression ratio
23.1
3.5
24.21
Understanding superheat
and subcooling
3.11, 21.13
1.12
Evaporator Pressure
Regulators (EPRs)
25.4, 25.5,
Crankcase Pressure
Regulators (CPRs)
25.6, 25.7
14.12, 25.20
Crankcase heater
25.46
17.18, 17.19,
17.16, 17.23
17.24
14.16
25.35
Troubleshooting basic
controls
26.3