NATE INDUSTRY COMPETENCY EXAM
COMMERCIAL REFRIGERATION LATEST EXAM
2025-2026 ACTUAL EXAM 100 QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT (VERIFIED ANSWERS) |ALREADY GRADED
A+
Overview:
The exam consists of 100 high-quality questions aligned with the latest NATE certification
standards. It evaluates knowledge in areas such as system installation, diagnostics, repair, and
preventive maintenance. Verified answers are included to help candidates understand not only
the correct responses but also the reasoning behind them, ensuring readiness for the real-world
application of skills.
Key Features:
100 carefully designed exam questions with verified correct answers.
Focus on commercial refrigeration systems, components, and troubleshooting.
Covers installation, service, diagnostics, safety, and maintenance practices.
Updated to reflect 2025–2026 industry standards and technologies.
Provides detailed explanations to strengthen technical understanding.
Purpose:
To prepare HVACR professionals for the NATE Commercial Refrigeration
certification exam.
To reinforce essential knowledge and improve exam performance.
To support technicians in building confidence for both testing and on-the-job tasks.
Recommended For:
HVACR technicians specializing in commercial refrigeration.
Candidates preparing for the NATE certification exam.
Apprentices and professionals seeking to advance their technical careers.
Employers wanting to ensure their staff meet industry competency standards.
An oil separator should be installed in a warm location so that refrigerant vapors in the separator will be
less likely to: a. Flash.
b. Fractionate.
c. Freeze.
d. Condense.
D
,To check the operating superheat of a thermostatic expansion valve, the technician needs suction
pressure and:
a. Return air temperature entering the evaporator.
b. Liquid line temperature at the thermostatic expansion valve.
c. Suction gas temperature at the thermostatic expansion valve bulb.
d. Discharge air temperature leaving an evaporator.
C
To obtain a definite indication of whether or not an evaporator is fully utilized, the technician should
check:
a. Superheat.
b. Subcooling.
c. Suction pressure.
d. The evaporator delta T.
A
What is likely to cause liquid refrigerant to enter the compressor in a thermostatic expansion valve (TEV)
system?
a. TEV bulb lost charge.
b. High superheat.
c. No superheat.
d. Refrigerant undercharge.
C
The correct location of the thermostatic expansion valve bulb on a 1 1/8" OD horizontal suction line out
of an evaporator is on the:
a. Bottom of the suction header.
b. Bottom of the suction line after the suction header.
c. Side of the suction header.
d. Side of the suction line after the suction header.
D
When charging a R-400 series refrigerant into a system with an operating compressor, the technician
should charge:
a. Liquid through the compressor suction service valve.
b. Liquid through a metering valve into the suction service valve.
c. Vapor through the compressor suction service valve.
d. Vapor through the suction and discharge service valves at the same time.
B
What is the ideal leaving water temperature of a water cooled condenser for an ice machine? a.
80°F.
b. 110°F.
, c. 140°F.
d. 160°F. B
Inadequate airflow across the evaporator of a walk-in cooler may damage the compressor due to: a.
High discharge pressure.
b. High suction temperature.
c. Liquid floodback.
d. Increased system superheat. C
When the temperature at the sensing bulb of a thermostatic expansion valve increases, the valve: a.
Opens to maintain superheat.
b. Opens and superheat decreases.
c. Closes and superheat decreases.
d. Closes to maintain superheat.
B
When a thermostatic expansion valve is used, as the load on the evaporator increases, the refrigerant
flow:
a. Increases and suction pressure increases.
b. Increases and suction pressure decreases.
c. Decreases and suction pressure decreases.
d. Decreases and suction pressure increases.
A
When checking a start relay with the ammeter jaws around one of the wires connected to the starting
capacitor, a continuous current draw is indicated. This means that the: a. Relay points did not open.
b. Run winding is open.
c. Relay points are open.
d. Start capacitor is open.
A
After a dirty air cooled condenser is cleaned, how will the system respond?
a. The supply of flash gas to the thermostatic expansion valve will become adequate.
b. Compressor amperage draw will be decreased.
c. Subcooling will be decreased.
d. Condenser discharge air temperature will be increased.
D
What is the most effective for removing scale from the evaporator of an ice machine? a.
An industrial strength sanitizer.
b. Hot water only.
c. Liquid dish soap and warm water.
d. An acid-based cleaner.
D
COMMERCIAL REFRIGERATION LATEST EXAM
2025-2026 ACTUAL EXAM 100 QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT (VERIFIED ANSWERS) |ALREADY GRADED
A+
Overview:
The exam consists of 100 high-quality questions aligned with the latest NATE certification
standards. It evaluates knowledge in areas such as system installation, diagnostics, repair, and
preventive maintenance. Verified answers are included to help candidates understand not only
the correct responses but also the reasoning behind them, ensuring readiness for the real-world
application of skills.
Key Features:
100 carefully designed exam questions with verified correct answers.
Focus on commercial refrigeration systems, components, and troubleshooting.
Covers installation, service, diagnostics, safety, and maintenance practices.
Updated to reflect 2025–2026 industry standards and technologies.
Provides detailed explanations to strengthen technical understanding.
Purpose:
To prepare HVACR professionals for the NATE Commercial Refrigeration
certification exam.
To reinforce essential knowledge and improve exam performance.
To support technicians in building confidence for both testing and on-the-job tasks.
Recommended For:
HVACR technicians specializing in commercial refrigeration.
Candidates preparing for the NATE certification exam.
Apprentices and professionals seeking to advance their technical careers.
Employers wanting to ensure their staff meet industry competency standards.
An oil separator should be installed in a warm location so that refrigerant vapors in the separator will be
less likely to: a. Flash.
b. Fractionate.
c. Freeze.
d. Condense.
D
,To check the operating superheat of a thermostatic expansion valve, the technician needs suction
pressure and:
a. Return air temperature entering the evaporator.
b. Liquid line temperature at the thermostatic expansion valve.
c. Suction gas temperature at the thermostatic expansion valve bulb.
d. Discharge air temperature leaving an evaporator.
C
To obtain a definite indication of whether or not an evaporator is fully utilized, the technician should
check:
a. Superheat.
b. Subcooling.
c. Suction pressure.
d. The evaporator delta T.
A
What is likely to cause liquid refrigerant to enter the compressor in a thermostatic expansion valve (TEV)
system?
a. TEV bulb lost charge.
b. High superheat.
c. No superheat.
d. Refrigerant undercharge.
C
The correct location of the thermostatic expansion valve bulb on a 1 1/8" OD horizontal suction line out
of an evaporator is on the:
a. Bottom of the suction header.
b. Bottom of the suction line after the suction header.
c. Side of the suction header.
d. Side of the suction line after the suction header.
D
When charging a R-400 series refrigerant into a system with an operating compressor, the technician
should charge:
a. Liquid through the compressor suction service valve.
b. Liquid through a metering valve into the suction service valve.
c. Vapor through the compressor suction service valve.
d. Vapor through the suction and discharge service valves at the same time.
B
What is the ideal leaving water temperature of a water cooled condenser for an ice machine? a.
80°F.
b. 110°F.
, c. 140°F.
d. 160°F. B
Inadequate airflow across the evaporator of a walk-in cooler may damage the compressor due to: a.
High discharge pressure.
b. High suction temperature.
c. Liquid floodback.
d. Increased system superheat. C
When the temperature at the sensing bulb of a thermostatic expansion valve increases, the valve: a.
Opens to maintain superheat.
b. Opens and superheat decreases.
c. Closes and superheat decreases.
d. Closes to maintain superheat.
B
When a thermostatic expansion valve is used, as the load on the evaporator increases, the refrigerant
flow:
a. Increases and suction pressure increases.
b. Increases and suction pressure decreases.
c. Decreases and suction pressure decreases.
d. Decreases and suction pressure increases.
A
When checking a start relay with the ammeter jaws around one of the wires connected to the starting
capacitor, a continuous current draw is indicated. This means that the: a. Relay points did not open.
b. Run winding is open.
c. Relay points are open.
d. Start capacitor is open.
A
After a dirty air cooled condenser is cleaned, how will the system respond?
a. The supply of flash gas to the thermostatic expansion valve will become adequate.
b. Compressor amperage draw will be decreased.
c. Subcooling will be decreased.
d. Condenser discharge air temperature will be increased.
D
What is the most effective for removing scale from the evaporator of an ice machine? a.
An industrial strength sanitizer.
b. Hot water only.
c. Liquid dish soap and warm water.
d. An acid-based cleaner.
D
