The topic of static pressure comes up frequently in HVAC, and it’s sometimes presented as a test that can be all-knowing and insightful about what is happening with regard to airflow in a system. To use static pressure responsibly, we need to understand what it really is and what it means for an HVAC system. […]

  Flowing nitrogen while brazing and pressurizing with nitrogen are great practices. Putting nitrogen in with the refrigerant? Not so much. Nitrogen is a “non-condensable” gas because it cannot be condensed (under normal conditions). However, nitrogen is just one of the non-condensables. First, let's talk about what a non-condensable gas is. Any gas that does […]

The suction line accumulator is designed to keep liquid refrigerant from entering the compressor while still allowing for oil return. The trouble is that if the oil return port/screen clogs, the accumulator can fill with oil and actually cause the compressor to fail. In addition to that, it can hold contaminated oil in a burnout. […]