BACK
AHRI Ratings Are Not Design Conditions
Valve Core Removal Tools
“White Shirt Techs – Manifesto” in Practice
Solving Subcool
Contactor Alternatives and Upgrades
Using Heat & Nitrogen In Vacuum
The Chemistry of Combustion In the Wild
Why Discharge Line Temperature is a Useful Reading
Heat Pump Defrost Troubleshooting Tips
When 0V Isn’t Safe – Short #242
Compressor Ohm Mistakes w/ Bert
Motor Ambient Rating – Short #241
Superheat Talk w/ JD Kelly
How to Deal w/ Too Much – Short #240
Delta T Talk w/ JD Kelly
Fire Sprinklers – Short #239
The PATH to High Performance HVAC w/ David Richardson
Nylog, Oil? Where does it go? – Short #238
Women’s Panel
30 Minutes or Less and You Only Have…
#hvac
Tech Tips:
I’ve been designing a system for a home here in Dallas and noticed a couple of interesting (and disturbing!) things about the equipment’s advertised capacity vs. the actual capacity at design conditions. Equipment is rated at AHRI conditions (95 degrees outside and 80-degree dry bulb, 67-degree wet bulb inside). These conditions make equipment performance LOOK […]
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Valve core removal tools were originally developed to remove damaged valve cores without the need to pump the system down. This technology was a major leap forward in work efficiency, as pumping down a system can be a tedious and time-consuming task. Eventually, technicians discovered that removing valve cores led to faster evacuation, recovery, and […]
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I wanted to offer some practical advice from Bryan’s last podcast, “White Shirt Techs – Manifesto.” The link can be found HERE. In this episode, Bryan strongly (and rightfully) critiques sales tactics that are divorced from technical skills and meaningful benefits for homeowners. As a one-man HVAC company, I wanted to offer a suggestion for […]
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I teamed up with Ty Branaman to design an intuitive way for techs to solve some of the “what should it be?” questions in the HVAC field. The topic for this sheet is subcooling (or subcool). Subcooling is a measurement of the temperature DECREASE of a liquid below its saturation (mixed liquid/vapor) temperature at a […]
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Our HVAC equipment can’t run without the contactor coil, but contactors can develop problems with age and during high-voltage electrical events. Contact pitting is unmistakable, and it’s unfortunately all too common in areas where bugs can get into the coil and fry on the contacts. Factor in problems with the utility, such as brownouts and […]
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In these tips and on the podcast, we talk a lot about the importance of deep vacuum. Pulling a deep vacuum using proper processes and tools is really the ONLY way to ensure that a system is clean, dry, and tight. Just for review, that means: Nitrogen purge, flow, and pressurize > Cores removed > […]
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If you’ve been following my writing for the last couple of years, you know that I like to blather on and on about combustion analysis. Now, I am by no means an expert on the subject, as I live in North Texas (which is not known for its intense heating season), but I love using […]
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For this tech tip on discharge line temperature, I’d like to give special thanks to Roman Baugh for the section about compressor superheat. It’s not something we talk about very often outside of chiller and commercial refrigeration applications, but it definitely has value in the HVAC world as well. Thanks, Roman! Since I started in […]
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We’ve entered that season of service calls for “smoking heat pumps,” and I figured now is as good a time as any to share a few quick tips for troubleshooting defrost. Of course, the “smoking heat pump” calls can be solved over the phone with a quick explanation of normal defrost conditions—as can the service […]
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Videos:
Podcasts:
In this short podcast episode, Bryan covers some unique electrical cases: when 0v isn't safe. When you measure voltage, you're finding out the electrical potential between two points. Just because there is 0v between one point and another doesn't mean there will be 0v between those points and other points. Non-contact voltage detectors are […]
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In this episode, Bryan and Bert dive into the often misunderstood world of compressor testing, focusing on common mistakes technicians make when using ohmmeters, compressor testers, and megohm meters. The conversation highlights how diagnostic errors can lead to unnecessarily condemned compressors and wasted time and resources. The hosts begin by discussing fundamental concepts like […]
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In this short podcast episode, Bryan talks about what the ambient rating means on a motor. These ratings can be found on both condensing fan motors and blower motors. They have Cs in their rating, which represents the maximum ambient temperature the motor can handle in degrees Celsius (like 40C or 60C). Heat and […]
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In this episode of the HVAC School podcast, host Bryan discusses superheat with guest JD, who recently co-authored an article on the topic with Ty Branaman. The conversation explores the often misunderstood concept of superheat, its importance in HVAC diagnostics, and common misconceptions technicians have when measuring and interpreting it. Bryan begins by sharing […]
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In this short podcast, Bryan talks about how to deal with too much at work and in life. He gives some practical tips to help you when you feel overwhelmed. One of the best ways to get ahead is to wake up early, exercise, get sunlight, stay hydrated, eat healthy, and get enough sleep. […]
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Bryan from HVAC School interviews JD Kelly, known as “student of HVAC” on Instagram, about Delta T measurements in HVAC systems. This episode dives into the fundamentals of Delta T, common misconceptions, and proper measurement techniques. JD explains that Delta T is simply a temperature difference between two points of the same medium, which […]
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In this short podcast episode, Bryan talks about fire sprinklers and how to avoid setting them off on job sites. Fire sprinklers have an element in the center that expands when exposed to heat (like a TXV sensing bulb) and breaks the glass. When the glass breaks, the fire sprinkler starts pouring out water. […]
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In this engaging session, David Richardson breaks down the concept of high-performance HVAC, offering a clear roadmap for industry professionals looking to elevate their craft. Richardson argues that the HVAC industry has long been focused on equipment rather than complete systems, leading to widespread inefficiencies. The average system delivers only about 57% of its […]
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In this short podcast, Bryan answers a listener-submitted question about Nylog, oil, and where you put them when you're making flares. Nylog is a thickened refrigerant oil (which is either POE for Nylog Blue or mineral oil for Nylog Red), and it's miscible with the refrigerant and moves with it through the circuit. You […]
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Events:
NOTE: If you cannot view the recording, the video may still be processing. The maximum wait time is 24 hours. We apologize for the delay and appreciate your patience.
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NOTE: If you cannot view the recording, the video may still be processing. The maximum wait time is 24 hours. We apologize for the delay and appreciate your patience.
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