HVAC School - For Techs, By Techs

Eric Kaiser and Ty Branaman return to the podcast to talk about the progression from technician to service manager and if a good tech always makes a good service manager. They discuss career paths, differing skills between technicians and service managers, and how HVAC/R companies can support techs who wish to remain techs. In many cases, top technicians are pulled into service manager positions to keep them with the company. Sometimes, older technicians who have lost some mobility and strength over the years end up going to managerial positions to stay in the industry. Some people genuinely want to acquire managerial positions. Not everybody is motivated by promotions, and HVAC business managers would benefit from knowing what their employees value and want for their professional lives. Just as we have to teach technicians hard skills to be good at their jobs, we have to teach soft skills to service managers. We can't expect skilled technicians to enjoy or feel comfortable in leadership positions without knowledge of the expectations and required skills. When people genuinely want to go into service manager positions, they can benefit from having a clear path supported by goals and frequent performance reviews to keep them on the right track. However, some people may want to stay technicians; we can do right by them to keep their bodies in good shape so that they can get the most out of their careers and be able to enjoy all types of activities after they retire. Ty, Eric, and Bryan also discuss: Leadership training Setting expectations for positions Keeping technicians happy Residential vs. Commercial HVAC soft skills Taking care of employees over customers Making room for different personalities and providing opportunities for them   If you have an iPhone, subscribe to the podcast HERE, and if you have an Android phone, subscribe HERE. Check out our handy calculators HERE.

Kimberly Llewellyn from METUS joins the podcast to talk about the value system around the trades and why the trades aren’t more respected. In many cases, the people who are involved in engineering and design miss the practical details that the tradespeople would be able to pick up on. In many cases, tradespeople aren’t consulted early enough in the design process, and their input deserves to be brought to the table. Often, not everyone on a project team is on board with the project's goal, and the trades need to be on board from the beginning to work towards the same goal as the architects and engineers. However, the trades aren’t as respected because of the current American dream’s emphasis on 4-year college, even despite the student loan debt problem many college graduates have. Despite that, building and troubleshooting systems that are necessary for survival is a fundamental skill for society. The trades can be especially hard on people and leave them feeling beaten down. To reengage the tradespeople and affirm their value, we need to give them credit for their contributions and expertise. It would also benefit younger generations if we could map out a trades career path and make the career progression opportunities clearer. Kimberly and Bryan also discuss: Kimberly’s experiences with the trades Theory vs. practice 4-year college, the trades, and our current value system in education Professionalism and being treated as professionals Revising contracts and liability concerns (for contractors/subcontractors) Having mutual respect Consultation and what it means in the trades Working for manufacturers and other career opportunities Contracting as a “race to the bottom” Funding training programs vs. investing in people Mentorship in the trades Underpriced bids and pricing methods   If you have an iPhone, subscribe to the podcast HERE, and if you have an Android phone, subscribe HERE. Check out our handy calculators HERE.

Eric Kaiser and Ty Branaman return to the podcast to talk about getting more people into the trade. They focus on how the HVAC/R industry could be better at attracting and training skilled workers, not just getting more bodies to fill HVAC/R tech and installer positions.  People are starting to see more value in skilled trades careers, but it's difficult to find people who share your company's values and want to grow as HVAC/R professionals. Skilled tradespeople need time, education, and money invested in them, so it can be difficult for HVAC/R business owners to make those investments when other jobs pay close to the same without the same degree of investment from the company and the employee.  To attract more people to the trade, HVAC/R business owners ought to focus on how to give their employees a means of giving a good life. That means making incremental changes to employee pay, benefits, and training to make the trades a competitive option for people who want to improve their skills and grow. We could consider increasing entry-level pay to attract skilled people, allowing us to be more selective in our hiring. Performance reviews can also be more goal-focused to help HVAC/R talent grow within a company. Companies also ought to focus on training their tradespeople to use the many tools at their disposal nowadays; providing these tools and acknowledging the needs of employees will make the industry much more appealing and competitive. Eric, Ty, and Bryan also discuss: Labor organizations Making gradual changes to the industry Competing with other similar industries Changing landscape of job ads and applications "Back in my day..." Ways of providing tools   If you have an iPhone, subscribe to the podcast HERE, and if you have an Android phone, subscribe HERE. Check out our handy calculators HERE.

Genry Garcia returns to the HVAC School podcast to talk about what becoming a complete tech really means and entails. He talks about his professional journey and what we must do to address our deficiencies. Career progression looks a bit different for everyone, with some technicians going to trade school and others starting as helpers and working their way up. We get used to taking readings and start noticing patterns. Then, we start understanding why we see certain pressures. Our experiences are our most valuable tools for becoming better technicians, but they can be reinforced with other learning materials, including books and podcasts. There comes a point when we acknowledge that we are solid technician but may want to specialize in a certain aspect of the trade. For Genry, that was building performance and humidity control; along the way, he listened to people who knew more than him and took on many jobs that he’d learn from and would keep him humble. Everything goes back to the basics; we have to be able to solve all the basic problems and understand the fundamentals. Then and only then can we start thinking about building performance and focus on becoming experts at it. However, we also have to assess our ecosystem and see if it would allow us to grow or if it’s more suited for stability. We also have to be willing to be wrong and grow from those mistakes. Genry and Bryan also discuss: The pros and cons of trade school Egos and admitting wrongdoing Mental models Humidity control Looking back on previous work with shame Building envelopes, pressures, and leakage Where and how to learn more about building science and performance Self-auditing and the Dunning-Kruger effect   Get in touch with Genry on Facebook by joining his Facebook Group HERE. If you have an iPhone, subscribe to the podcast HERE, and if you have an Android phone, subscribe HERE. Check out our handy calculators HERE.

In this short podcast in our electrical myths series, Bryan talks about some inductive current myths. There is a common myth surrounding voltage drop in inductive loads. When you decrease the voltage in a circuit with a resistive load, you'll see a relatively proportional drop in resistance (ohms) and current in accordance with Ohm's law. So, we'll see a decrease in current, but we have to keep in mind that load temperatures also affect the resistance (and the current, by extension). Some people will claim that reducing the voltage in an inductive load (like a motor or compressor) will increase the current. That is actually generally a myth; many people believe this myth because the current drop is NOT proportional, unlike in resistive loads. The resistance that shows up in a motor is called inductive reactance, which is an opposing magnetic field that creates back electromotive force (back EMF) and impedes the circuit. Back EMF and inductive reactance contribute to the impedance or total resistance of the circuit. Decreasing the voltage may cause the resistance to increase, as some of the work will start contributing to heat instead of mechanical motion; the motor derates, becomes less efficient, and draws more current than it needs, but it doesn't actually draw more total current. However, some variable-speed motors on VFDs may draw more current because the motor module speeds up the motor to make up for the voltage deficiency, static pressure, etc. ECMs also fall into this category and may draw more current if the motor module or VFD calls for it. However, in terms of simple electrical math without VFD logic, the current won't typically increase if the voltage drops, even in inductive loads.   If you have an iPhone, subscribe to the podcast HERE, and if you have an Android phone, subscribe HERE. Check out our handy calculators HERE.

Alex Meaney returns to the podcast to explain why it REALLY gets hot upstairs and what we can do about it. He also talks a bit about his new business. Heat technically doesn’t rise; warm air is less dense than cooler air, so cooler air sinks as warmer air rises. In many cases, people blame stratification and the stack effect for warm upstairs areas, but there may actually be other issues at play, especially if the issue only seems to happen in the summer.  Many apparent convective problems are actually due to building science errors, especially poor insulation when walls are exposed to attic space. When air moves via convection, it brings the heat it contains with it, which can contribute to comfort problems. To help figure out what is going on, try to see what the floor temperature is; a cold floor usually indicates a building design mistake, particularly a joist bag problem.  Some of the solutions that may sound good aren’t actually that effective, including placing return ducts higher. In many cases, we have to think about fixing the actual building, not the HVAC system. Some attics that are poorly ventilated and insulated will need to be reinforced. Alex and Bryan also discuss: Mean HVAC Consulting & Design Wind washing and exposure within the insulation R-value Pressurization and how it relates to hot air “rising” Manual J and its shortcomings with significant heat gains/losses Duct design and using a Ductulator Soffit vents, ridge vents, blown-in insulation, and infiltration Why building science skills are important for HVAC technicians Poorly conceived home designs Diagnostic tips and tricks Vapor-permeable air barriers Sizing, capacity, and power consumption   Learn more about what Alex is doing at meanhvac.com.  If you have an iPhone, subscribe to the podcast HERE, and if you have an Android phone, subscribe HERE. Check out our handy calculators HERE.

In this short podcast, Bryan busts the common electrical myth that single-phase 240v power is really two-phase power. When power goes into a structure that runs 240v appliances, we may understand that two 120v sine waves are 180 degrees out of phase with each other, but that isn’t 100% accurate. If we were to use an oscilloscope to watch the electrical sine waves, we would see two sine waves 180 degrees out of phase because the transformers are center-tapped. Center-tapping creates a neutral center point that becomes our reference. The transformer has two sides: a primary and a secondary. The number of wraps on each side is proportional to the other, and the number of wraps also dictates whether a transformer steps the voltage up or down. However, when you use the center tap as a reference, that also makes the voltage appear to be halved.  In many residential structures, a single phase of power goes into the transformer from the power company. If you were to use the center tap as your reference on each side of that transformer, you would read 120v; the two 120v readings add up to 240v. However, if you were to use the other side as the reference (as in a corner-tapped transformer), you would read 240v.  On an oscilloscope, you would see the same thing; using the center tap as the reference, you would see two 120v sine waves completely opposite each other. If you were to measure completely across the transformer, however, you would see a single 240v wave, which is larger.  Remember: only one phase comes from the power company. We only appear to get two separate waves because of our available point of reference.   If you have an iPhone, subscribe to the podcast HERE, and if you have an Android phone, subscribe HERE. Check out our handy calculators HERE.

Moe Hirsch joins the podcast to discuss the hydronics side of the industry, particularly focusing on Dan Holohan’s Pumping Away and exciting developments in the hydronics market, especially regarding electrification. Pumping Away is many people’s entry point to hydronics. It contains some good basic information about boilers, especially when it comes to learning about the pressures involved in pumping and how the components manipulate pressure throughout the system.  Boilers use many of the same fundamentals as compression-refrigeration HVAC systems; pressure drops are similar, as are phase changes in steam boilers. Boilers also employ pumps instead of compressors, but the processes are similar.  The pump or circulator makes a pressure differential within the boiler, which adds pressure to the circulator outlet and results in negative pressure on the suction side. However, problems like air bubbles and magnetite buildup can negatively impact performance. The electrification side of the boiler industry is exciting, especially because of the relative safety of electricity compared to combustible fossil fuels. However, electrification comes with its own set of concerns, especially when natural gas prices are low. In some markets, electrical grids also haven’t caught up with the demand for electricity yet. Moe and Bryan also discuss: Moe’s recent work in the industry Changes in boiler infrastructure over the years Pumping away from the boiler vs. pumping at the boiler Pressure’s role in boiler systems Similarities between parallel racks and boilers Challenges with ECM circulators Evolution of boiler motors and controls Magnetic and hydraulic circulation Low-temperature heat pumps with radiant heated systems Moe’s ideal HVAC system Natural gas health and safety risks (carbon monoxide)   To learn more about what Moe is doing, check out turnupthecomfort.com or contact Moe directly at info@turnupthecomfort.com.  If you have an iPhone, subscribe to the podcast HERE, and if you have an Android phone, subscribe HERE. Check out our handy calculators HERE.

In this short podcast, Bryan busts the myth that hard starts reduce the start current on the run winding of a compressor. A single-phase motor’s main winding is the run winding; it has a lower resistance and a higher current than the auxiliary winding, also known as the start winding.  Hard start kits are often used on HVAC systems with single-phase compressors (which usually have PSC motors). These kits usually consist of a start capacitor and a potential relay, which takes the start capacitor out of the circuit. We don’t typically use hard starts on three-phase motors or ECMs. Single-phase compressors often have to start under a big load, especially in long-line applications (at the manufacturer’s recommendation) or if the compressor simply has a hard time starting. In cases where you have a voltage drop or low voltage, particularly due to long branch circuits, you may also use a hard start kit. However, they do NOT reduce the starting current or “save” compressors. Hard starts reduce the time-averaged starting current because they get the compressor to start up more quickly (therefore, the starting current is higher for a shorter time). However, hard starts do NOT reduce the spike of current upon startup. Like run capacitors, hard start kits allow current to flow on the start winding, but the run winding current stays the same. Hard start kits boost the start winding current faster, not at a lower current, reducing how long the system is in locked rotor. If they stay in the circuit too long, they could overheat the start winding and need to be taken out. Therefore, we don’t want to use hard start kits without careful consideration. Soft starts are different entirely; they CAN reduce starting current.   If you have an iPhone, subscribe to the podcast HERE, and if you have an Android phone, subscribe HERE. Check out our handy calculators HERE.

Andy Holt joins the podcast to talk about what it means to be a 24-Hour Technician. We talk about what it means to be HVAC/R technicians AND deal with the human aspects of our lives at the same time. Service technicians differ from installers in that they do much of their work solitarily. They spend a lot of time by themselves. They’re also on their feet very often and may do emotionally exhausting work, but they can earn a respectable living and accumulate savings for the future. To make our work and the emotional burdens that come with it more manageable, we can try to control how we react—take out head trash. Most people—but especially technicians—experience anxiety, and worrying about things takes a major toll on us. We also may need to apologize to people who we simply can’t access. Andy goes over some of his best tips for dealing with those sources of worry. The goal is to eliminate negativity—clearing up negative aspects of your life and not being weighed down by individuals who negatively affect your life. As technicians, we do a lot of work to help other people, and the opportunities are endless for us. Customers may not always understand the value of the work we do, but we can bring positive experiences to them. We can find a lot of fulfillment in our work that way and bring positivity to our own lives. Andy and Bryan also discuss: Replacing negative thoughts with more positive ones The power of handshakes and eye contact Carrying burdens and being kind Apologies and forgiveness How to apologize to inaccessible people Being a “24-Hour person” Using overtime to avoid our lives outside of work How to manage anxiety Casting a future Andy Holt’s Outdoor University   To get in touch with Andy, visit https://toprate.com/ or call (706)-888-2332. You can also email Andy at andy@toprate.com.  If you have an iPhone, subscribe to the podcast HERE, and if you have an Android phone, subscribe HERE. Check out our handy calculators HERE.