Commercial HVAC & Refrigeration

This article was written by Austin Higgins, an experienced commercial service tech from Iowa. Thanks, Austin! Ice machines and limescale Any seasoned refrigeration technician knows that ice machines can be extremely finicky contraptions. Modern commercial ice makers have become a complex symphony of tubing, valves, pumps, and water directed by advanced microprocessor control boards. Newer […]

I get emails from time to time with questions that stem from the articles or the podcast. This was a great question, but I was not the best person to answer it. I reached out to Jeff Neiman, our resident HVAC School chiller tech, and he answered it. Here is the question: Hello Bryan, Thanks […]

This is a subject that even many commercial guys don’t have to consider. For the majority of equipment, even refrigeration equipment, all that is required for proper oil return is to size the suction line properly, trap the suction line as needed, and allow for proper slope towards the compressor. Then we get into larger […]

Let's take a walk through the startup and commissioning procedure of a conventional or “single” refrigeration condensing unit. We’re going to start with a unit that is fully piped in and has been pressurized for leak and strength testing. For brevity, we are going to assume a basic familiarity with industry standards, company and customer […]

Oil pressure controls, oil failure controls, oil safety controls… They’re a pain in the neck when they trip, and diagnosing those problems can really tax even the best of techs. As semi-hermetic compressors get larger, they can no longer rely on simple splash or “sling” type lubrication strategies where oil is just flung around inside […]

Tech Brandon Livingston posted about fire dampers and took some photos shown here. He gave me permission to share this here, and his original post inspired this tip. Thanks, Brandon. The picture on the left shows the situation before the damper was opened. The right image show what happened after it was opened and a […]

This article was written by Christopher Stephens. He is a commercial HVAC/R service manager in the greater Los Angeles area. Thanks, Chris. Let’s start by covering the three elements needed for a fire: fuel, air, and heat (spark). With those three elements in the right condition, you can start a fire. So, if we reduce […]

  This article is written by Christopher Stephens of JVS Refrigeration in California, with just a few additions by me (Bryan) in italics. Thanks, Chris! Reach-in refrigerators are an interesting side of our industry, often looked at as frustrating and troublesome. Since we usually see reach-ins in kitchens or convenience stores, the refrigerators are never […]

There are several types of ice machines, but in this article, we will focus on cuber style and flaker or nugget style. Both types produce ice, but the process of freezing and harvesting is a little different. The application in which the ice will be used will determine what style of machine is needed. I […]