Educators love lockout relays, and we also love pretending you will still see them out in the field all the time. Sometimes, I have to look myself in the mirror in the morning and sadly repeat, “Lockout relays are dead.” I have to say it several times before the reality sinks in. Before I get […]

Now is the part where we get specific about start capacitors and inrush. If you haven't read the first three parts, please do so before reading this one, or it may not make sense. (You can find Part #1, Part #2, and Part #3 at these links.) I'm going to come out and say it […]

First off, if you've never heard the term “beer can cold,” you are either not in the trade, or you have been living a pretty sheltered existence. I started as a tech apprentice when I was 17 years old, and on my first day in the truck, my trainer grabbed the suction line of a […]