Under which condition can a system be opened and repaired without recovering the refrigerant to the required vacuum level?

• A. A system with minor leaks and internal pressure of 0 psig
• B. A system with a large leak and internal pressure of 0 psig
• C. A system with a small leak and internal pressure of 15 psig
• D. A system with no leaks and internal pressure of 5 psig

Answer: (B)

The correct condition for opening and repairing a system without needing to recover the refrigerant to the required vacuum level is when dealing with a system that has a large leak and an internal pressure of 0 psig.

In this scenario, since the system is already at 0 psig, it indicates that there is no refrigerant remaining in the system. Therefore, there is no need to recover refrigerant because it is effectively absent. The absence of refrigerant reduces any concerns about releasing it into the atmosphere during repairs, as there wouldn't be any refrigerant present that could escape.

This situation is different from the other conditions: a system with minor or small leaks would still have some refrigerant present, requiring recovery actions; a system with no leaks at a pressure above 0 psig might still contain refrigerant, necessitating recovery to prevent release into the environment. Thus, choosing the condition with a large leak and 0 psig allows for repairs to proceed without prior recovery.