HVAC School - For Techs, By Techs

In today’s short podcast, Bryan discusses electric heat, how we use it in our work, and what it does. Also called heat strips or heat elements, electric heat is a supplemental heat source that we usually see on heat pumps. We generally see them in fan coils within a cartridge or a kit at the top of an air handler. However, not all systems have backup heat. We want to avoid running electric heat as much as possible because it is inefficient. There is almost nothing we can do to make heat strips more efficient; they will usually yield around 3.41 BTUs per watt.  We usually only run heat elements when a heating system can’t keep up with the heat loss. However, the electric heat often runs more often than it should, which can cause inefficient conditions. You can avoid inefficient conditions by programming the thermostat properly. If you reduce the voltage on the heat strips, the less heat they will produce. Current ratings also differ between 208v or 240v applications. When you have more voltage, you’ll have more current as well.  In some municipalities, you may have to use a thermostat that keeps heat strips OFF unless the temperature is below a certain value, often 40 degrees. Your electric heat should also be the last resort for a system. Heat strips also help with heating when a heat pump is in defrost. The defrost board backfeeds the electric heat. These heat strips are also often designed with an interlock that forces the blower on whenever the electric heat is on (but not the other way around). Bryan also discusses: Kilowatts and electrical ratings Wiring and relays Wire sizing Furnace-to-heat-pump conversions Possible hazards   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.Check out information on the 2022 HVACR Training Symposium at https://hvacrschool.com/symposium/.

Trevor Matthews comes on the podcast to discuss his newest project, Refrigeration Mentor. Refrigeration Mentor uses Trevor’s experience as a trainer and field technician to guide others in their careers. Trevor’s goal is to help commercial refrigeration technicians grow and become more confident in their skills. He wants them to become the best technician they can be, and he believes that mentorship is one of the things that make our industry great. Mentorship can help people advance their careers, sharpen their skills, and ease their anxiety about work. When we share knowledge, we bring value to the technicians. That value extends to the customer when technicians are more confident in their work and do better jobs. A good mentor has a commitment to doing quality work within the trade but will make their mentees feel comfortable to admit what they don’t know. Mentors can also help their mentees develop a solid work-life balance that helps mentees be present to their jobs and their families. The mentor’s job is to help their mentees reach their goals, whether that’s learning a new skill, entering a leadership role, or even starting a business. Trevor also wants to help business owners or managers strengthen their teams. He believes that a dynamic culture and a strong emphasis on training will help a business (and the industry as a whole) grow. His mentorship approach comes from strengthening technicians, businesses, and the industry from the heart. Trevor and Bryan also discuss: Holistic training Hesitancy to admit what we don’t know Passionate teachers Mental health Starting and managing a business from the inside Investing in training and mentorship   Check out Trevor’s website at https://refrigerationmentor.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. Check out information on the 2022 HVACR Training Symposium at https://hvacrschool.com/sympos

In this podcast, Ben from HAVEN IAQ, Kaleb, and Bryan discuss how to control indoor air quality and take effective, meaningful, accurate measurements. HAVEN is a platform that offers hardware and software delivered to a homeowner through an HVAC professional. HAVEN’s goal is to give its customers a healthier, more comfortable home using IAQ solutions. The hardware (controls, etc.) works with the HAVEN software to give customers and contractors data about IAQ and the performance of the HVAC equipment. Right now, you may install up to two HAVEN controllers and one monitor per zone to help control equipment and monitor the air content. Air sampling occurs every hour, whether the HVAC system is running or not. Customers can learn to control their ventilation habits to address acute events (e.g., a spike in humidity from cooking), which only result in short-term IAQ problems. However, contractors can use the air sampling data to develop solutions for chronic events (e.g., constant high humidity). Solutions, even simple filtration ones, are best left to the contractors to figure out. The integration of most IAQ products requires some degree of design and planning. HAVEN products do NOT provide plug-and-play solutions. While “demand” solutions can introduce outdoor air to prevent a viral problem, you could introduce a moisture problem without proper planning. Ben, Kaleb, and Bryan also discuss: HAVEN central air controller Building relationships with customers Software integrations with other platforms Filtration caveats HAVEN Pro Portal and Personal Use Program Ease of connecting HAVEN controllers to equipment “Demand” ventilation, dehumidification, etc. Importance of airflow Making IAQ product sales and educating homeowners IAQ placebos In-duct monitoring Introducing HAVEN products to your market   Please visit pro.haveniaq.com to access HAVEN’s Pro Portal. 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. Check out information on the 2022 HVACR Training Symposium at https://hvacrschool.com/symposium/.

Ryan Gorman comes on the podcast to discuss the differences between a college education and early career opportunities in the skilled trades. Many parents feel pressured to send their children to college and encourage them to get a four-year degree. Despite what society may lead us to believe, there is no shame in thinking that college may not be suitable for you or your child; the skilled trades have many opportunities for people to learn throughout their lives and make a good living. In many cases, parents may see college as a ticket to the starting line. Unfortunately, college tuition has skyrocketed over the years, and a good ROI is not guaranteed. Instead, a career in the skilled trades can allow a person to develop hard skills and land a well-paying job at a young age. As the skills gap widens, young people who learn skills make themselves attractive to employers and increase their earning potential. Children and teenagers who want to become engineers may actually prefer a trades career where they get to work with their hands. The path to the trades is less expensive than getting a four-year degree and may prove more fulfilling in the long run. Internships, small businesses, and trades careers are viable paths for young people; we don’t present these possibilities at a young age, but they are worth considering for people who may not benefit from college. Ryan and Bryan also discuss: The arbitrary structure of college programs Parents wanting better for their children Overvaluing the 4-year degree Networking The skills gap Craftsperson vs. technician Feeling "stuck" Attending college at an older age Lifelong learning Universal skills vs. specialization Suggested resources for people who feel "stuck"   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. Check out information on the 2022 HVACR Training Symposium at https://hvacrschool.com/symposium/.

Jason Obrzut comes on the podcast to discuss A2L refrigerant facts. Jason is a member of AHRI’s Safe Refrigerant Transition Task Force and author of the RACT manual. ASHRAE designates refrigerants into categories based on toxicity (A or B) and flammability (traditionally 1, 2, and 3). So, the new A2L designation indicates that a refrigerant is relatively non-toxic but has a flammability value between 1 (low) and 2 (moderate). While propane (R-290) is a good refrigerant because it is natural and has low toxicity, it is very flammable (A3). Future refrigerants will likely fall under the A2L designation; the mild flammability will probably be the tradeoff for efficient, low-toxicity refrigerant with a low environmental impact. However, A2L refrigerants cannot be vented, even despite their low GWP. We also cannot use these refrigerants in retrofits. A2L refrigerants will likely become much more prevalent around 2023 as HFC refrigerants phase down. The phase-down period will be specified shortly, and it will begin with a 10% reduction; the specific parameters of the phase-down have yet to be set. When working with A2L refrigerants like R-32, you can expect little to no change in how you work on equipment if you’re already employing the best practices. Sizing and capacity will hardly change in the residential market. In the commercial sphere, these systems still look and operate quite similarly to current units. Jason and Bryan also discuss: Refrigerant detection systems (RDS) Flowing nitrogen and other best practices Non-A2L HFC alternatives Left-handed threads Non-standard safety practices R-32 properties Refrigerant glide   To learn more about A2L refrigerants, check out the AHRI Safe Refrigerant Transition Task Force’s webinars, newsletters, and fact sheets CLICK HERE. Check out information on the 2022 HVACR Training Symposium HERE. If you have an iPhone, subscribe to the podcast HERE, and if you have an Android phone, subscribe HERE.

In today’s podcast, Bryan and some Kalos employees discuss how to deal with difficult bosses and coworkers in HVAC/R work. Whether your coworkers have anger issues, are careless, or are miserable people, you don’t want that negativity to affect your job satisfaction. Addressing the behavior may likely help, but you don’t want to attack the other person. The key to dealing with difficult coworkers is to communicate boundaries respectfully with the goal of improving the work environment. Boundaries are also important when dealing with sarcastic people or those who make inappropriate remarks. Any work environment with lots of people is bound to have cliques and tribes. You’re best off not getting involved in any of that drama; the best thing you can do is be kind whenever you have the opportunity. Nepotism may also fall under tribal behaviors, and it may cause you to rethink your future with a company. On the leadership side, micromanagers can be frustrating—doubly so if your boss also happens to be condescending. If you have micromanager tendencies, try setting clear objectives and give your technicians room to develop. (If you’re on the receiving end, talk to your boss about bigger-picture objectives to cut down on micromanagement.) Learning is all part of working in the HVAC/R field, but you may encounter friction with bosses who won’t invest in learning or coworkers who refuse to learn new things. Try to have productive conversations with these people. If you’re talking to a boss who doesn’t invest in training, try to communicate your professional and educational needs. If you have a stubborn coworker or helper who doesn’t want to learn, try to help them understand the new material by using similes and metaphors. We also discuss: Distractions Sarcasm and rudeness Egomaniacs Inappropriate exaggeration Dishonesty Overreaction   Check out information on the 2022 HVACR Training Symposium HERE. If you have an iPhone, subscribe to the podcast HERE, and if you have an Android phone, subscribe HERE.

In today’s podcast, Ed Janowiak comes onto the podcast to talk about the Air Conditioning Contractors of America manuals. Ed started off in the field and has recently become the new Manager of Design Education at ACCA. You can follow him on Snapchat (skinnyed). ACCA (Air Conditioning Contractors of America) is responsible for publishing and setting the standards in all of the books we use for residential and light commercial HVAC work. (Residential work typically encompasses Manuals J, S, D, and T). The manuals can be very math-heavy. Many software programs have come on the scene to help automate the math to some degree, but the manuals will still remain relevant for years to come. The ACCA manuals offer guidelines for predictable results, and much of a technician’s success will come down to how well they understand the order of operations. In our trade, we have developed rules of thumb that help us with sizing and load calculations. However, those won’t work all the time, and the predictability element is lost. The ACCA manuals exist so that you can complete your calculations, sizing, and equipment selections with some degree of rhyme and reason. ACCA updates the manuals on 5-year cycles; the manuals require periodic updates to keep up with new climate trends and new equipment as it hits the market. The information in the manuals is not 100% accurate and is variable, but that is just a product of our ever-evolving industry and world. Ed and Bryan also discuss: Leadership responsibilities in ACCA Why HVAC business owners should be aware of the ACCA manuals 400 CFM per ton Mediocre designs Moisture problems and design conditions Basements, elevation, and insulation Constructive criticism ACCA training   Sign up for ACCA training classes. Check out information on the 2022 HVACR Training Symposium HERE. If you have an iPhone, subscribe to the podcast HERE, and if you have an Android phone, subscribe HERE.

In today’s podcast, Bryan and Jesse talk about how technicians can have conversations about finances and money in the HVAC business. The first step for any successful business is to provide customers/clients with a product or service of value. However, there must be a balance between providing something of value to customers and providing excellent customer service. When starting an HVAC business, one of the biggest mistakes is making money the top priority. Money can only become a factor after a business establishes the value of its services and communicates its value to its customers. There is no hard line for fair pricing, so the contractor and customer must have productive conversations to establish a price tag and the expectations for the work performed. That same mistake applies to employees who want raises or promotions. Employees may feel as though they are owed more for their work, but they must establish their value before they get a raise. Again, the goal is to avoid unmet expectations. Profitability and value are not just important to the managers and bookkeepers of an HVAC business. Technicians are the ones who bring those things to their organization. Labor is expensive, but it must be valuable if you want to turn a profit (either for the business or in the form of increased wages). Technicians can increase their value and profitability by mastering skills and learning niche practices. When a business becomes more profitable, it can invest in better training for its techs. It can also have more control over the customers it chooses to serve. Jesse and Bryan also discuss: Maintenance agreements Service repairs Misunderstandings about tax write-offs Bundling and flat-rate pricing Establishing value with commercial customers Technician skillsets Warranty challenges How to communicate price ranges Treating difficult clients with respect   Check out information on the 2022 HVACR Training Symposium HERE. If you have an iPhone, subscribe to the podcast HERE, and if you have an Android phone, subscribe HERE.

In today’s short podcast, Bryan explains the differences between sleeve and ball bearings. Techs often make some avoidable mistakes because they either don’t know the difference between the two or don’t notice the bearing type on their equipment. On a basic sensory level, ball bearings tend to be louder than sleeve bearings. So, if you replace a sleeve bearing motor with a ball bearing motor, then excess noise may not indicate any problems after all. Lubrication is usually more consistent with ball bearings; those bearings have a far smaller contact area than sleeve bearings. Sleeve bearings don’t usually have the best longevity; they have a larger contact area and can burn out quickly, so they are more common on smaller equipment where they will experience less intense axial forces. Those sleeve bearings also aren’t as effective as ball bearings in variable-speed equipment. When techs put in a motor speed control and don’t pay attention to the bearing type, they may end up burning up the motor if it has sleeve bearings. To determine which type of bearings your equipment should use, you can take note of a few different things. Ask yourself if there are motor speed controls or any sort of motor speed variability. When the answer is yes, you’ll be better off using ball bearings. If longevity is a concern, then ball bearings are almost always the ideal choice. If nuisance noise and inexpensiveness are greater issues than longevity, then you’ll be better off replacing a sleeve bearing motor with another sleeve bearing motor than a ball bearing motor.   Check out information on the 2022 HVACR Training Symposium HERE. If you have an iPhone, subscribe to the podcast HERE, and if you have an Android phone, subscribe HERE. You can also check out our handy calculators HERE.

In today’s podcast, Trevor Matthews from Emerson talks about horizontal scroll compressors. Throughout the podcast, we refer to Bulletin AE4-1338 (R3). You can find that bulletin HERE. Horizontal scroll compressors are common in mobile applications, like buses and trains. They’re shorter in height than other compressors, so they fit into tighter spaces and are ideal for transport refrigeration. Scroll compressors are particularly susceptible to overheating, and you need some controls to protect your compressor from damage. To prevent overheating, scroll compressors require pressure relief controls. You can typically use an OEM high-pressure control to protect the system. A low-pressure cutout installed in the suction line can help prevent TXV failure and a wide range of restrictions. Accumulators are especially important for horizontal scrolls in heat-pump applications. However, accumulators have a fine mesh screen that can become clogged easily. So, we highly recommend replacing your accumulator in the case of burnout, not reusing it. Refrigerant migration prevention is a little more complicated than in refrigeration systems with other compressors. You can use a crankcase heater, but you may also need a check valve in the discharge line and a liquid line solenoid valve. We don’t use pump down cycles for refrigerant migration; we use them to prevent the gas from moving backward and reversing the scroll. When commissioning a three-phase compressor, you need to put your gauges on before starting the system up. You may also consider using a phase rotation monitor to make sure the scroll compressor is rotating in the correct direction (usually clockwise but not always). Trevor and Bryan also discuss: Variable-speed horizontal scrolls (ZRH vs. ZBH models) Superheat requirements Floodback and slugging Starting and running Extreme discharge line temperatures Arcing fusite under vacuum Functional checks Pressure drop in the suction line Operation envelopes Pressure control set points   Check out Emerson for more information. 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.