HVAC School - For Techs, By Techs

Camron Conlee joins the podcast to give us an introduction to ammonia chillers. He also explains what it's like to work with a poisonous refrigerant. The California division of TDI Refrigeration, where Camron works, primarily works on ammonia systems. We often see ammonia refrigeration in cold storage and food processing; ammonia refrigeration is usually in industrial applications away from the public.

Ammonia is more hazardous than CO2 and other refrigerants because it is toxic. When working on ammonia chillers, the most important thing is to keep the ammonia inside the pipes. You may even need to wear full-face respirators and personal monitors when working on potentially leaky ammonia systems.

Ammonia chiller oil systems are a bit different from R-22 systems. Oil separation is important in both ammonia and R-22 refrigeration, as ammonia systems typically use coalescing separation methods to isolate oil from the refrigerant. However, the oil generally doesn't mix with ammonia as readily in the first place. Some systems rely on pressure differentials to move liquid, and others use pumps to move liquid ammonia into the evaporator.

Preventive maintenance on ammonia systems is quite similar to PMs on other types of refrigeration systems. Compressors are also important components that require occasional maintenance. Like many other commercial refrigeration systems, several ammonia chillers have hot gas defrost.

The ammonia refrigeration world has a few different types of job opportunities. Some companies require in-house operators, but there are also external service companies, which may have a few smaller customers. In almost all cases, these jobs require technicians who can stay calm in crisis situations, as there is a lot at stake.

Camron and Bryan also discuss:

• Recirculated vs. gravity-fed systems
• High vs. low-pressure receivers
• Dry vs. wet suction
• Screw compressors
• Copper and brass leaks
• Finding ammonia refrigeration companies and trade schools

Find out more about TDI at tdirefrigeration.com.

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Adolfo Wurts from Arbiter Incorporated, designer of the UEI WRS line of Bluetooth scales, comes on the podcast. We talk all about scales and how to use them.

You'll want to pull a scale off your truck every time you add refrigerant to a system. Many technicians choose to estimate how much refrigerant they have to put in, and they sometimes put in more refrigerant than they estimated in their quote. Consequently, the business loses money. You'll also want to weigh your tanks during EVERY recovery to ensure that you do not overfill your recovery tanks and risk hydrostatic pressure buildup. Weighing the charge also helps keep track of amounts of increasingly uncommon and expensive refrigerants, such as R-22. Also, make sure your scales have good batteries at all times!

Weighing the charge also shows you where previous technicians may have overcharged or undercharged the system to rectify a different issue. For example, someone may have starved their unit to reduce head pressure (maybe the condenser coil caused the high head pressure all along).

To get the most accurate measurements possible, you must assess the quality of your scale and how you use the scale. For example, your scale must be on hard, level ground. (Do not use scales on grass; opt for concrete instead.) You should also center the tank you are weighing. However, the UEI series typically shows little variation under undesirable circumstances. (That is still not a reason to be careless with your scale.)

UEI WRS scales are rugged and excellent for brutal fieldwork and inclement weather conditions. The scales also connect to smartphones via Bluetooth so that you can view the measurements remotely. The WRS series also has a wide range of design features for ease of use.

You can find these scales for sale at TruTech Tools by going HERE.

And don't forget to use the coupon code "getschooled" for a discount at Trutechtools.com.

Find out more about the WRS line by visiting the UEI website.

In this quick announcement I talk about the launch of the revolutionary diagnostic and data management tool MeasureQuick

Todd Liles of Service Excellence Training joins the podcast. He talks about techs who shouldn't be on commission, how to make the most of your career, and facial hair profiling.

Todd's skillset was mixed; he had some technical knowledge, sales experience, and communication skills. He took those skills into training, and he started his own business based on his skills; his first business didn't pan out, but he founded Service Excellence Training and has grown quite a bit. Todd develops technicians by teaching them best practices, which also boosts sales.

In the past, some technicians have judged Todd because of his sales background; technicians and salespeople may have negative views of each other due to bad experiences with them. If we want technicians and salespeople to improve their lives, we need to be able to listen to each other and set aside our biases.

Some technicians may resent performance-based pay and argue that it gives sales techs a motive to take advantage of others. The truth is that most of us are simply hardworking people who want to do the right thing for customers. Working for performance-based pay doesn't suddenly make them unethical. In any case, techs can maximize their value by doing best practices and benchmarking the system; collecting data will make a technician more effective and more invested in the client's system and overall best interest.

When it comes to sales, facial hair profiling is very common. The clean-shaven look is a staple of sales technicians, but the training is much more important for sales success.

Todd and Bryan also discuss:

• Service Excellence Training core truths of service
• Having a rough childhood and making good vs. bad choices
• Flat-rate vs. performance-based pay
• Disorganized technicians and where they might shine
• Dealing with paperwork
• Uneducated technicians vs. shysters
• Facial hair policies

Learn more about Todd's work at servextra.com.

If you have an iPhone, subscribe to the podcast HERE, and if you have an Android phone, subscribe HERE.

Jim Bergmann returns to the HVAC School podcast to cover some advanced topics in evacuation, including rig setups and triple evacuation.

To increase the speed of evacuation, you need two large-diameter vacuum hoses to overcome the limitations of pressure. Core removal is also critical, as Schrader cores are a significant restriction. It's also unwise to use a manifold for evacuation; a manifold will double your hose length, provide a restriction, and serve as a leak point.

The vacuum pump is full of opportunities to expand your advanced evacuation knowledge. The pump oil needs to stay clean, and Jim recommends changing the oil after every use. When it comes to pulling the vacuum, it's worth noting that the vacuum is deeper at the pump than at the system itself. The vacuum at the pump does NOT reflect the vacuum at the system; core tools can isolate the vacuum pump from the system so that you can measure the true vacuum at the system.

When we "break" with nitrogen, we're referring to nitrogen sweeps at different stages of evacuation (especially in the case of a triple evacuation). Triple evacuations are rarely necessary nowadays, but you may need to break with nitrogen from time to time. Nitrogen moves through the system so quickly that breaking with nitrogen often has a minimal impact on the vacuum.

The length of evacuation doesn't really affect dehydration until you get below about 300 microns. Dehydration has more to do with the strength of the vacuum than its length.

Jim and Bryan also discuss:

• Locking refrigerant caps
• Assembly lubricants
• Outgassing odors and gas permeability
• Hygroscopic vs. hydrophobic vacuum pump oil
• Vacuum pump oil management
• Average air conditioning decay rate
• Thermistor vacuum gauges
• Nitrogen regulators
• Metering devices
• Gas ballast on vacuum pumps

If you have an iPhone, subscribe to the podcast HERE, and if you have an Android phone, subscribe HERE.

In this episode, Brent Ridley talks about the flame-free ZoomLock fittings and why he is using them for almost everything to replace brazing. These are tools from Parker, and they can give you leak-free fittings within seconds.

ZoomLock works in residential and commercial applications. The fittings come in a wide range of sizes for the large piping of VRF systems and the smaller copper tubing of residential A/C suction lines. Brent measures the tubing to make sure there's enough room. Then, he cuts the bell end off, deburrs the copper, sands the copper down, and applies the fitting. You do NOT have to apply a lubricant or anything before you add the fitting. The fittings have two grooves to match the grooves on the jaw; that is how the fitting can crimp properly.

Brent likes ZoomLock for its time-saving potential. You don't have to get your oxyacetylene (or air-acetylene) rig prepared and spend time brazing. There is also the potential to save money on the fuel and nitrogen you would use while brazing. As technology improves and the price goes down with increased production, it's possible that we can see ZoomLock-type fittings in more applications.

Brazing is a key skill, but it also comes with a lot of risk to our bodies and customer property, so ZoomLock is a promising replacement for brazing. Will ZoomLock replace brazing altogether? Probably not; it would be quite difficult to use those fittings on a reversing valve, for example. But is ZoomLock a nice tool to consider for some applications? I think so.

Brent and Bryan also discuss:

• How Brent was introduced to ZoomLock
• Stub lengths
• Oil compatibility (POE vs. mineral oil vs. refrigerant)
• Lateral strain on fittings
• Filter-driers

If you have an iPhone, subscribe to the podcast HERE, and if you have an Android phone, subscribe HERE.

Jeff Neiman returns to the HVAC School podcast to explain how we can perform leak detection on a low-pressure chiller. Jeff works on systems with glycol loops or other forms of secondary fluids, which may have leaks from time to time. When the chilled water pump on the suction side runs into a vacuum, air can get into the system via the shaft seal. Then, more leaks can occur in the glycol loop as more air goes into the system.

High-pressure chiller leak detection is pretty much the same as on a package unit. However, your typical low-pressure chiller will sit in a vacuum and require us to spend more time on leak detection. These low-pressure systems often have massive amounts of refrigerant below atmospheric pressure. These may have purge units that keep non-condensibles out, but some trace amounts of refrigerant can be vented out with the non-condensibles. Leaks on the low side of the system can cause even more refrigerant venting.

Leak detection on the condenser side of a low-pressure chiller is pretty straightforward; like high-pressure chillers, you can use the same leak detection methods you'd usually use on a package unit or split residential system. When you know you have a leak on the low side, you can turn the chiller off; it will still be below atmospheric pressure, so you'll need to bring up the pressure to find a leak. Otherwise, you can weigh out the charge and flow nitrogen with trace amounts of refrigerant through the system.

Overall, leak detection can take a LONG time on low-pressure chillers.

Jeff and Bryan also discuss:

• High vs. low-pressure centrifugal chillers
• Raising the pressure on the low side
• Submerging leaky components in water
• Leaking in the tubes
• Pressure and its effects on gaskets
• Jeff's leak detection tools
• Open-drive motors

If you have an iPhone, subscribe to the podcast HERE, and if you have an Android phone, subscribe HERE.

In this episode of the podcast, Jim Bergmann talks about the launch date of the measureQuick (MQ) app, what it will do, why he made it, who it is for, and why it's different than anything else that came before.

MeasureQuick is a universal measurement platform that incorporates Bluetooth to display, store, and interpret measurements. The initial release focuses heavily on air conditioning, but its goal is to assist with combustion analysis and refrigeration readings. It is a troubleshooting assistant that saves time and helps technicians make sense of their readings. It combines the air side, refrigerant side, and electrical side in a single Bluetooth-connected technology.

MeasureQuick helps technicians understand if the conditions are ideal for testing or if the system performs optimally while testing. The app does not automate the diagnostic process, but it is a diagnostic aid to help reduce callbacks. MeasureQuick contains both free and paid components for users, and it is backed by Testo and other sponsors.

Jim Bergmann's app brings a technological appeal to the tech-savvy rising generation. MeasureQuick encourages curious technicians to understand their readings and diagnostic criteria. The goal is to modernize the HVAC industry while bringing the knowledge base of the older generation to the newer generation. Jim Bergmann's goal is to make the app TEACH its users the best practices and principles of the industry; he aims to make information accessible to technicians with varied learning preferences. This app is especially useful for those who are not avid readers.

Of course, hacks who don't care about learning the correct way will always exist. However, MeasureQuick will hopefully bring accountability to our industry through education.

You can find out more by going HERE.

If you have an iPhone, subscribe to the podcast HERE, and if you have an Android phone, subscribe HERE.

James Bowman of Rectorseal returns to the podcast to discuss condensate switch codes and some best practices to comply with the codes.

The humble condensate switch actually has installation standards; although there isn't a "law" about the codes, many areas follow and enforce the contents of the International Mechanical Code (IMC). Some states, including Florida, also adopt elements of the IMC and amend it to create a set of guidelines for the state.

The IMC has widely-enforced code 307.2.3.1, which states that water-level monitoring devices must be installed in the primary drain pan; the device shall shut off the equipment. This code applies to downflow units and all other coils that don't have a secondary drain pan or provisions to install an auxiliary drain pan. The code also states that devices installed in the drain line are not permitted. However, code 307 is actually NOT saying that you can't install a switch in the secondary port at all; there are four different ways to comply with the code without installing a condensate switch in the primary drain pan.

Switches must comply with UL 508. However, there are plenty of non-compliant switches on the market. These may even say that they "conform" to UL 508. Compliant switches will generally not short out when dropped in water, but it's up to us to make sure we're using code-compliant switches.

If you're installing a float switch, be sure to follow the instructions; that's usually the best way to comply with local codes and protect the equipment. As always, make sure you test the switch before you leave the job site.

James and Bryan also discuss:

• Mini-split drain considerations
• Float switches in the primary drain line
• Piping auxiliary floats
• Testing safety switches for heating equipment
• Drain pitch
• Rectorseal condensate switches
• Keeping redundancy in mind
• Condensate switches for RTU and ductless units

If you have an iPhone, subscribe to the podcast HERE, and if you have an Android phone, subscribe HERE.

Les Fork returns to the podcast to discuss on-call rotations. He explains why being on call is necessary and how you can make the most of it.

We are supposed to be on call for the sake of customer service; when a customer has an emergency, it's best for the customer (and the business) when someone is available to respond to the emergency. Of course, many of us dread being on call (although the paycheck might be quite nice).

You may only have one or a few techs on call, so it can be difficult to take on all of the customers each day. Although it's generally okay to speed up a bit and be less thorough, you should still be working to fix the issue at hand and tell the customer if the system needs further inspection in the future; it's also a great opportunity to propose a maintenance plan. The system should be working, the compressor should be running, and the capacitor should not be over-amping.

Some companies may offer 24-hour service, and others may not. If your company offers 24-hour service, you may indeed be on call at all hours of the day and night. It makes more sense to offer 24-hour service to commercial customers, though you can certainly offer it to a residential market. Overall, it might not be best to advertise 24-hour service because you may draw in price shoppers. (You're also at liberty NOT to offer service after hours.)

Les and Bryan also discuss:

• Managing anger and being professional
• Empathy
• Billable vs. non-billable hours
• Order of inspection
• Scheduling and prioritizing customers
• Walking customers through frozen coils
• Money talk: warranties and call-out fees
• Cleaning drains
• Tip ethics and etiquette
• Collecting payment

If you have an iPhone, subscribe to the podcast HERE, and if you have an Android phone, subscribe HERE.