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Locating a Low Voltage Short in Residential A/C Systems
Skills in the Toolbag
A Future We Can All Hope For
Ventilation, Filtration, and Humidity Control: The Holy Trinity of IAQ
How I Failed to Re-diagnose: The Lesson I Learned
Oxyacetylene Torches: Tips and Operation
Liquid Line Solenoid Valves: Long Line Applications
Trades and the Skills Gap – A Manifesto
Using Power Factor to Check Capacitors Under Load
Soft Start & Solar – Short #202
Make Summer Work for You w/ Matt Bruner
How Do Inverter Air Conditioners Work? – Short #201
How to Size Dehums w/ Tim De Stasio
Teaching Communication Confidence – Short #200
Using Refrigerant Troubleshooting Charts w/ Joey Henderson
Wiring in Condenser Fan Motors – Short #199
Committing to HVACR Education w/ Copeland
The Chemistry of Combustion w/ Rachel Kaiser
#hvac
Tech Tips:
Newer technicians often get hung up and frustrated when searching for low voltage shorts. This is understandable due to the broad spectrum of possibilities for the location of the short. However, this doesn’t mean that the process needs to be complex. The time it takes to find a low voltage short may vary greatly depending […]
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The old adage goes: “When all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.” For some techs I know, even having a hammer can be challenging. I was pretty new in business, and my first real “employee” hire in the HVAC part of Kalos was my brother, Nathan. Many of you know him, […]
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We can all agree that the future we all would have expected for 2020 when we rang in the new year isn't the one we got. We are all worried and looking to hedge our bets or cut our losses in one way or another, which makes sense. Given what we now know, let's look […]
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At the time of the publication of this article, COVID-19 (coronavirus) is spreading across the world at an alarming rate, and many people have self-quarantined to help slow or stop the spread of the virus. These precautionary measures are prudent and responsible. However, with the increased amount of time people spend inside their homes, there […]
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This is the tale of how I found myself stuck on a service call for over 12 hours on a weekend due to my failure to re-diagnose an issue. I was working for a service company that had many accounts with local gas stations. These were large customers, and we did everything we could to […]
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Everyone in the HVAC/R trade uses some type of torch to braze or solder alloys together. So, what is the proper way to handle an oxyacetylene torch? It turns out that there’s more than one right answer. Depending on which torch rig you use, the manufacturer’s manuals for operation may vary. Everyone (hopefully) knows […]
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Pump down solenoid valves are commonplace for any refrigeration technician. They are energized with the compressor still running, shutting off flow in the liquid line so that the refrigerant is pumped into the condenser and receiver. The compressor will then shut off once a low-pressure switch opens the circuit when the pressure falls below a […]
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This article is a year old, and I'm recycling it because it's on my mind today. I had a fun conversation with Richard Trethewey on the podcast that has me thinking along these lines today. The link is HERE if the player isn't showing up. I have a confession to make. I'm a bit of […]
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Capacitors are traditionally tested with a capacitance meter (commonly found as a function within a multimeter), with the component taken entirely out of the circuit. “Bench testing,” as this method is referred to, is hands-down the safest method of checking capacitance in microfarads. All other methods require the capacitor to be wired into the circuit […]
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Videos:
Podcasts:
In this short podcast episode, Bryan dives into soft start & solar technology, which often work together. He also talks about how we can install ductless systems in homes that rely on solar power. Soft starts are NOT hard starts. Hard starts add more current to the start (auxiliary) winding, which creates a stronger […]
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In this episode of the HVAC School podcast, host Bryan Orr welcomes Matt Bruner to discuss the concept of a “summer survival guide” for HVAC professionals. They explore strategies for maintaining work-life balance during the busy summer season and share personal experiences on prioritizing family and personal well-being while managing the demands of […]
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In this short podcast episode, Bryan answers a listener-submitted question: How do inverter air conditioners work? Inverter-driven systems have variable capacity to match loads. We can provide cooling or heating BTUs to match the needs of the space without overcompensating or undercompensating and causing temperature swings. Load matching also helps us get better efficiency […]
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In this episode of the HVAC School podcast, host Bryan Orr interviews Tim De Stasio, an experienced HVAC practitioner and consultant. Tim shares his journey in the HVAC industry, from his early days in vocational school to running his own contracting business for 12 years. He now focuses on consulting, design, and contractor training, […]
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In this short podcast episode, Bryan shares some strategies for teaching communication confidence, which may come in handy if you have newer techs who feel nervous or struggle to communicate with other people. The main way to build confidence is to get them to talk in the first place. Scripts and roleplay scenarios during […]
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This episode focuses on understanding and effectively utilizing various refrigeration system charts and measurements for troubleshooting and diagnostics. Joey Henderson, an HVAC veteran and trainer, shares his wealth of knowledge and experience on this topic. Joey starts by discussing the challenges he faced early in his career when trying to make sense of the […]
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In this short episode, Bryan talks about wiring in condenser fan motors, including aftermarket motor considerations and the different wire configurations. When condensing fan motors fail, we need to know what to use to replace them. We often use PSC motors, though in cases when we replace a motor with an ECM, we still […]
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This podcast episode focuses on the critical shortage of HVACR technicians and installers across the industry. The hosts discuss the massive gap that exists, with estimates of nearly 200,000 open roles expected in the next few years. They are joined by Lenny Diaddario from Copeland's contractor services department and Chris Harris from the educational […]
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In this episode of the HVAC School Podcast, Bryan interviews Rachel Kaiser, a chemist with a passion for making science more accessible and understandable, especially when it comes to the topic of combustion. Rachel shares her background of how her family's restaurant business sparked her early interest in chemistry and the science behind mixing […]
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