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What is RS-485 Communication?
A2L Dissipation Boards and Leak Sensors
Oscilloscope Systems and Settings
Iโve Done It This Way for 20 Years โ And Thatโs the Problem
Oscilloscopes 101
Estimating Made Easy with Unity Build
Buck-Boost Transformers
Upgrading a Single-Pole Contactor with a SureSwitch: Using a Wiring Diagram
Refrigerant Recovery Cylinder Fill Calculations Simplified
TXV vs. EEV – Short #278
Electric Heat Talk w/ Bert
Gas & Combustion Safety w/ Bert
Why Square Footage โ Tonnage – Short #276
Combustion vs. Compression – Short #275
HVAC In the Northeast w/ Leo & Paul Sharkey
Superheat in Heat Mode: Why Heat Pumps Get Weird – Short #274
What We Learned From NCI Duct / Balancing Training
HVAC Systems for Architects: Making Sense of the Alphabet Soup – Short #273
#hvac
Tech Tips:
This tech tip about RS-485 communication is the third installment in a four-part series about oscilloscopes. It’s a primer for the final installment about using an oscilloscope for diagnosis. I owe a special thanks to Jeremy Smith for sharing the information on Danfoss and for sparking my curiosity surrounding this type of communication. Let’s talk […]
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The HVAC industry’s ongoing shift towards eco-friendly solutions continually introduces new challenges and learning opportunities. A2L refrigerants are at the forefront of this transformation, offering a lower global warming potential (GWP) than many of the refrigerants weโve been using. A2L refrigerants are also mildly flammable, meaning they require some enhanced safety measures; one of these […]
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This is part two of our four-part series on oscilloscope fundamentals. Special thanks to Andrew Holden for his contributions. In our last tech tip on oscilloscopes, we learned about some safety basics, waveforms, and measurements. Weโre going to dive a little deeper into systems and settings on the oscilloscope in this tech tip. Systems are […]
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Every trade has its favorite phrases. One of the most common in HVAC goes something like: “Iโve been doing it this way for 20 years and never had a problem.” When you hear thatโor when you catch yourself saying itโitโs worth stopping to think. Usually, what that sentence really means is: “Iโve been doing it […]
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This tech tip is the first in a four-part series on using oscilloscopes. I’d like to give a special thanks to Andrew Holden for his contributions to this particular tech tip. When we want to measure voltage between two points, we reach for a multimeter. A multimeter can tell us the average electrical potential between […]
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Many of you may already know that our HVAC company, Kalos Services, is also a GC. We do a lot of construction projects with HVAC, plumbing, and electrical scopes of work. Estimating is a crucial part of winning those projects, and those of you who work on HVAC for new construction probably already have an […]
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HVAC systems often fail early or don’t perform well due to inconsistent power. While technicians can’t control a home’s main power supply, they can stabilize it at the system using buck-boost transformers. These devices adjust voltage up or down to meet the equipmentโs needs. As HVAC systems become more advanced, understanding buck-boost transformers will be […]
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Along the path to becoming a great HVAC technician lies the dreaded wiring diagram. It’s meant to be a helpful map of the equipment’s electrical system, but with its crisscrossing lines and cryptic symbols, it often feels more like a barrier than a guide. If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. But what if you […]
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This tech tip about recovery cylinder fill calculations was written by Eric Kaiser from TruTech Tools. Thanks, Eric! Filling refrigerant recovery cylinders is a task HVACR technicians perform regularly, but figuring out how much refrigerant to safely put into a cylinder can still be confusing. The challenge almost always comes back to refrigerant density or […]
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Videos:
Podcasts:
๏ปฟ๏ปฟ In this short podcast episode, Bryan breaks down the differences between a thermostatic expansion valve (TXV) and an electronic expansion valve (EEV). He highlights their strengths and weaknesses. In the basic refrigerant circuit, the metering device drops the pressure. TXVs and EEVs are both metering devices that cause the liquid refrigerant to drop in […]
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๏ปฟ๏ปฟ In this informative episode, host Bryan welcomes guest Bert for an in-depth discussion on the often-overlooked but critically important topic of electric heat in HVAC systems. The conversation takes listeners through both the common and uncommon issues that arise with electric heat installations, offering practical insights drawn from years of field experience. Bryan and […]
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๏ปฟ๏ปฟ In this informative episode, Bryan and Bert dive deep into gas appliance safety and combustion analysis from the unique perspective of Florida HVAC technicians. While they humorously acknowledge that Florida’s mild winters mean they don’t work on gas furnaces daily, they make a compelling case that this actually makes their training even more critical. […]
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๏ปฟ๏ปฟ In this short podcast episode, Bryan dives a bit into equipment sizing rules of thumb and why square footage does NOT equal tonnage in today’s world. Many rules of thumb exist in the industry, and one is a load calculation rule stating that you can size the HVAC for a house at 500 square […]
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๏ปฟ๏ปฟ In this short podcast episode, Bryan covers the history of the great heating debate: furnaces vs. heat pumps or combustion vs. compression. He also gives a breakdown of each other’s strengths and gives his two cents on the winner of the debate. Fire kept humans warm for much of history, but engineers developed a […]
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๏ปฟ๏ปฟ In this engaging episode of the HVAC School podcast, host Bryan Orr sits down with Leo and Paul Sharkey, a father-son duo of mechanical engineers who made the leap into the HVAC business. Leo and Paul share their remarkable journey of purchasing an HVAC company in September 2020 and quadrupling its revenue within five […]
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๏ปฟ๏ปฟ In this short podcast, Bryan answers a listener-submitted question and explains why heat pumps get a bit weird: when it comes to superheat in heat mode. He also explains how we can move heat from outdoors to indoors, even in temperatures below freezing (cold temperatures just have less heat, not zero heat). In order […]
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๏ปฟ In this engaging and informative episode, Bryan sits down with Elliot to discuss his recent training experience with the National Comfort Institute (NCI), covering two intensive courses on duct system optimization and residential air balancing. The conversation offers valuable insights for HVAC professionals looking to improve their technical skills and provide better service to […]
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๏ปฟ๏ปฟ In this short podcast, Bryan answers a question submitted to HVAC School by an aspiring licensed architect who wanted to learn more about the many different types of HVAC systems. The three main buckets of HVAC systems are air-to-air, water-source, and air-to-water. Air-to-air systems move air around to remove heat from one space, and […]
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