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Heat Pump Defrost Troubleshooting Tips
Michael Faraday: Patron Saint of HVAC Technicians
Blower Fan Watt Draw Considerations for ECMs
Tool Selection: Electrical Meters
Tool Selection: Combustion Analyzers
Tool Selection: Manometers for the Right Job
Condenser Fan Blade Placement
Tool Selection: Analog vs. Digital vs. Probes
Two Ways to Prevent Freezing in 90%+ Furnace Condensate Lines
Growing your HVAC Business the Smart Way w/ Copeland
Oversized Evap Coils? – Short #237
ERVs – What You Need To Know w/ Dr. Bailes
Multiple Surge Protectors – Short #236
The Cornerstones of Inverter Equipment Commissioning
Roman SpeakPipe VRF – Short #235
10 Things I’ve Learned In the Last 10 Years
R290 as a Drop In? – Short #234
Preventing Slugging & Flooding w/ Copeland
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Tech Tips:
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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Who was Michael Faraday—besides the guy we named the capacitor after? Well, actually, we named the measure of capacitance after him (the farad), but let’s not get all caught up in semantics. Faraday was a scientist who lived from 1791 to 1867. He was an experimental scientist who had little to no formal education but […]
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I'd like to give special thanks to Steve Rogers from TEC for helping write this tech tip about ECM blower fan watt draw and sharing some helpful visuals. Thanks, Steve! ACCA Standard 310 introduced a grading protocol for HVAC systems. While HVAC practitioners won’t be the ones carrying out the tasks laid out in Standard […]
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I'd like to give a special thanks to Tony Gonzalez from Fieldpiece for providing technical guidance about the SC680's power measurement capabilities, as well as VAC and AAC measurements on ECMs. You can learn more about the SC680 and other electrical meters on Fieldpiece's website. We’ve talked through specifications, applications, and features for a few […]
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While gauge manifolds and manometers may only have one main function, some tools take several different measurements and will have more expansive specs. The combustion analyzer is one such example—combustion has so many elements, and we need something that can analyze the concentrations of several different substances as well as temperature. As such, a combustion […]
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Last week, we briefly looked at the spec sheet of a gauge manifold. All things considered, it was quite short; we only had to worry about the refrigerant types, pressure ranges, and hose diameters. However, manometers’ spec sheets are quite a bit longer than gauge manifolds’ because they have resolution and accuracy specs, among other […]
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In a previous article, I talked about wiring permanent split capacitor (PSC) condenser fan motors. While researching the topic, I realized that there isn’t as much information available on condenser motors as there is on their counterpart—the indoor blower motor. I had never really given it much thought, as I assumed that the condenser motor […]
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The original tools of the trade were all analog: electrical meters, gauges, and even manometers (Magnehelic, anyone?). However, digital tools have also become a staple of the skilled trades—where would most of us be without digital multimeters? And then probes also joined the fray with the rapid improvements to smartphone technology over the last 15–20 […]
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This tech tip came from an email sent by Adam Blunkall, a Tennessee-based HVAC technician. He shared some tips to help prevent the issue of freezing in 90%+ furnaces in his market, and we appreciate his insight. Thanks, Adam! If we’re draining our 90%+ furnaces (or any condensing heating system) outside the structure in a […]
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Videos:
Podcasts:
In this episode of the HVAC School podcast, Bryan and Jim discuss strategies for growing an HVAC business, focusing on the importance of maintenance contracts, consistent service, and effective branding. Drawing from Jim's 15 years of experience running a successful HVAC company in California, they explore how maintenance contracts not only provide consistent revenue […]
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In this short podcast episode, Bryan answers a listener-submitted question about oversized evaporator coils, particularly when they're half a ton or a full ton larger than the condenser. The expanded performance data contains the information that'll tell you whether the coil is right for the system. However, when it comes to the specific issue […]
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In this episode of the HVAC School podcast, host Bryan sits down with building science expert Allison Bailes to dive deep into the world of Energy Recovery Ventilators (ERVs). The conversation explores the critical role of ventilation in modern homes, highlighting how ERVs have become an essential component of maintaining indoor air quality and […]
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In this short podcast episode, Bryan answers a listener-submitted question asking whether you can use another surge protector at the disconnect panel with an ICM 493 already in place. Using multiple surge protectors in the configuration described does NOT count as daisy-chaining. Surge protectors with MOVs (metal oxide varistors) shunt current from high voltage […]
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In this podcast episode, HVAC professionals Chris Hughes and Adam Mufich discuss the intricate challenges technicians face when commissioning modern inverter-based heating and cooling systems. Unlike traditional single-stage or two-stage HVAC equipment, inverter systems introduce a new level of complexity that can leave even experienced technicians feeling uncertain about proper installation and startup procedures. […]
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In this short podcast episode, Roman Baugh takes over the HVAC School podcast to answer a listener-submitted question about VRF (or VRV) system evacuation. Evacuation is a critical step of making repairs on VRF systems, which are very diverse and versatile but require a high level of understanding. VRF systems have multiple indoor units […]
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This podcast episode is of Bryan's session from the HVAC School Symposium, “10 Things I've Learned in the Last 10 Years.” Delivered as HVAC School approaches its 10-year milestone and Kalos hits 20 years, Bryan blends technical know-how with personal stories, revealing how his “expertise” is a product of constant learning—often from the very […]
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In this short podcast episode, Bryan answers a listener-submitted question about using R-290 as a drop-in refrigerant for R-22 systems. It is NOT safe to use R-290 as a drop-in, but there are some similar properties between the two and some interesting thought experiments within this topic. R-290 is propane, a hydrocarbon that belongs […]
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In this episode of the HVAC School Podcast, host Bryan welcomes Jeff from Copeland to discuss the critical topic of flooding and slugging in compressors. Jeff, calling in from frigid Minnesota (at negative 19°F), explains the differences between these harmful conditions and how they can damage compressor systems. The conversation begins by differentiating between […]
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