In HVAC systems, liquid and vapor will exist at the same time and place. We call that condition saturation, or we say that the refrigerant is “at saturation.” Phase changes occur in the evaporator and condenser, so these are spots where liquid and vapor coexist while the system is running. Saturated conditions occur whenever liquid […]

  I walked into a supply house the other day and looked at a “universal” expansion valve on the shelf. The friendly guy behind the counter saw me and walked over. After saying hello, he said: “That's a great valve; it's even balanced port.” Now, I am a bit of a troublemaker. I should have […]

This tech tip comes from our contributor, compressor decapitator, and super tech Ulises Palacios. Many ductless systems and some high-efficiency unitary systems have electronic expansion valves. If you find one that is stuck closed, you may be able to get it open temporarily by putting a strong magnet like the one shown above on the […]