Section 136.16. Repair and service practices.

 

(1)   Disclosure required. No person may repair or service a mobile air conditioner or trailer refrigeration equipment unless that person first discloses all of the following to the person requesting that repair or service:

(a) No refrigerant may be added to a leaking mobile air conditioner or leaking trailer refrigeration equipment.

(b) If a mobile air conditioner or trailer refrigeration equipment leaks refrigerant, that mobile air conditioner or trailer refrigeration equipment may not be recharged until the leak is repaired.

(2)   Refrigerant leaks; examination. No person may repair or service a mobile air conditioner or trailer refrigeration equipment unless that person first examines that air conditioner or equipment using competent and reliable methods, generally accepted in the industry, to determine whether that air conditioner or equipment is leaking refrigerant. A person who introduces refrigerant into a mobile air conditioner or trailer refrigeration equipment for the purpose of finding leaks in that air conditioner or equipment shall recover that refrigerant without leaking it into the atmosphere.

(3)   Recovering refrigerant. A person who removes refrigerant from a mobile air conditioner or trailer refrigeration equipment shall do both of the following using equipment approved by the department under s. ATCP 136.12 :

(a) Reduce the system to a vacuum.

(b) Pump the refrigerant into a container that meets United States department of transportation standards under 49 CFR 173.304 .

(4)   Substituting refrigerant. A person who charges a mobile air conditioner or trailer refrigeration equipment with a type of refrigerant not originally used in that mobile air conditioner or trailer refrigeration equipment shall do all the following:

(a) Affix to the air conditioner or equipment a prominent label that identifies all the following:

1. The date on which the air conditioner or equipment was charged with the substitute refrigerant.

2. The name of the substitute refrigerant.

3. The name of the technician who charged the mobile air conditioner or trailer refrigeration equipment with the substitute refrigerant.

(b) Install service fittings that are specifically designed by the refrigerant manufacturer to mechanically prevent the refrigerant from cross-charging with another refrigerant. The fittings shall be installed on all refrigerant containers, charging and recovery equipment, and on all mobile air conditioner service ports.

(c) Comply with other applicable regulations of the United States environmental protection agency under s. 40 CFR Part 82 Subpart G.

(5)   Repair or service records. A technician shall keep a record of each repair or service transaction. The record shall include the name and address of the owner of the mobile air conditioner or trailer refrigeration equipment. The record shall indicate all of the following:

(a) Whether the mobile air conditioner or trailer refrigeration equipment was leaking refrigerant when it was received for repair or servicing.

(b) Whether the person receiving the mobile air conditioner or trailer refrigeration equipment for repair or servicing did any of the following:

1. Performed any repairs on the mobile air conditioner or trailer refrigeration equipment.

2. Removed refrigerant from the mobile air conditioner or trailer refrigeration equipment. The record need not indicate how much refrigerant was recovered.

3. Added refrigerant to the mobile air conditioner or trailer refrigeration equipment. The record shall indicate the quantity added, if any.

(6)   Availability of records. A person required to keep a record under sub. (5) shall keep that record for at least 2 years, and shall make that record available for inspection and copying by the department upon request.

Cr. Register, February, 1996, No. 482 , eff. 3-1-96; am. (4) (intro.), r. and recr., (4) (a) to (c), Register, January, 2001, No. 541 , eff. 2-1-01; CR 15-015 : am. (4) (a) 3., (5) (intro.) Register January 2016 No. 721 , eff. 2-1-16.

Note

Under ch. ATCP 132 , Wis. Adm. Code, a motor vehicle repair shop may not diagnose a problem in a motor vehicle, or repair or service that motor vehicle, without the customer's prior authorization. This chapter does not change ch. ATCP 132 . Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1 A motor vehicle repair order or invoice prepared under ch. ATCP 132 , complies with sub. (5) if it contains all of the information required under sub. (5). Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1