Tech Tips

We had a really great conversation on the HVAC School Facebook Group about some belt tension best practices. It turns out that even a lot of really smart and experienced techs are not aware of all the factors related to belt tensioning. Myth #1 is that amperage is used to set belt tension. Now, don't […]

There is so much to consider on any sort of design project, and HVAC system design is no exception. Unfortunately, the priorities of engineers, builders, customers, and HVAC contractors don’t always align when it comes to designing and installing the “ideal” HVAC system. On the one hand, the customers may prioritize aesthetics; they don’t want […]

Most techs and installers know that drains need to be pitched. I use the rule of thumb that drain lines should generally be pitched 1/4″ per foot of horizontal run. One thing that can easily be forgotten is pitching wall penetrations when drilling. It's as simple as drilling with a slight upward angle if drilling […]

Training is important for businesses of all industries, but it’s especially vital to the success of your HVAC business.  When new people join your team, you need to be able to teach them the basics of your team’s operations, such as how to report time and log their travel expenses. Then, they must get up […]

When mounting a TXV bulb or checking bulb placement, there are a few important considerations (listed in order of importance): Mount the bulb on the suction line. Flapping in the breeze is no good. Mount it TIGHTLY with a proper metallic strap (usually copper, brass, or stainless steel)—not with zip ties or tape. Position it on […]

As we often do in these tech tips, we will start with the common and more practical explanation of saturation and then move to the more technical and nerdy explanation later. When we say “at saturation” or “saturated” in the HVAC/R trade, we are generally referring to the refrigerant that is in the process of […]

How does a typical single phase motor know how fast to run? Typical induction motors are dependent of the electrical cycle rate of the entering power (measured in hertz) for their speed. Our power in the US makes one complete rotation from positive electrical peak to positive peak 60 times per second or 60hz (50hz […]

First, let's get something straight: BRAZING is when you use a filler rod that isn't the same material as the base metal but melts ABOVE 840°F. Soldering is the same but at temperatures BELOW 840°F. With HVAC rods melting at around 1200°F, it confuses me why we usually call it “silver solder” but also often call it […]

Did you know that electrical terminals have a torque value? Yeah, I didn’t either for a long time. “Tight” worked well enough, but I’ve seen a few connections overheat after a while, and now I wonder… Did you know that tightening electrical screw terminals to their torque specs is part of the NFPA 70/National Electrical […]