Let's start with the basics. Water freezes at 32° Fahrenheit (0° Celsius) at sea level and at atmospheric pressure. When any surface is below that temperature, and the air around it contains moisture, ice/frost will form. In some situations, ice is to be expected, such as in refrigeration evaporators and exposed portions of the refrigeration […]

I have spent most of my career being afraid of hard start kits; I heard too many horror stories of start caps exploding and sales technicians telling every customer they need one. It dawned on me recently that it may be time for me to take a more mature look at start capacitors, potential relays, […]

Every HVAC/R tech needs an electronic leak detector nowadays, and with low-GWP HFC and HFO refrigerants getting more and more commonplace, every HVAC/R tech needs a VERY sensitive electronic leak detector. (Yes, electronic leak detection does work.) We often see three types, but let's toss out the corona discharge leak detector right off the top. […]