Category: Tips

Series: Pro Training – Troubleshooting An Inverter Driven Compressor

Pro Training Blog Series

Robert Frost once famously fretted over which two diverging roads in the woods to take. He presented the case of a traveler that has come to a crucial decision that must be made. The same theme often rings true in HVAC diagnosis. The technician finds themselves at a diagnostic crossroads, if you will, and a choice must be made: 

  • The variable-speed blower motor will not run. Is it the board or is it the motor/module? 
  • My inverter system is throwing an error code. The service manual says it could be the compressor or the board. 
  • My HVAC system will not communicate. Is it the indoor control board, the outdoor control board, or the wiring? 

Today I am going to review troubleshooting an inverter compressor and the control that drives it. Often in analyzing service manuals you find flow charts that look like this: 

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Tech Tip: Slime Time in Summertime

A common service call that arrives in the latter days of summer is a clogged drain line. It is par for the course in the Southeastern United States; we have warm temperatures combined with high humidity. Air conditioning systems work to address both the temperature of the home (sensible heat) as well as the humidity of the home (latent heat). As the HVAC system runs it absorbs both heat and humidity from the home into the evaporator section of the unit. The heat is transferred outside via the refrigerant lines and superheated refrigerant while the humidity is transferred outside the home via the HVAC system drain line.

Slime in a drain is a universal problem. It occurs in shower drains, sink drains, and even appliance drains.  There are many variables that can increase the likelihood and frequency in slime forming in the HVAC drain system. However, two key ingredients are always present: food and moisture. Food is provided by dust or dirt that manages to get into the HVAC system. This dust and/or dirt will contain some organic matter which will serve as a food source. This will combine with already present moisture from normal cooling operations and provide a moist environment with a food source. The result will be a slimy gunk that will easily clog the HVAC drain line. The drain lines in an HVAC system are not under any pressure, therefore it does not take a large amount of resistance to block the drainage of condensate.

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From ACHR NEWS: Dealing With Dirty Air Filters During the COVID-19 Pandemic

HVAC technicians follow best practices to ensure contamination is contained.

If face masks protect the air that humans breathe, air filters are certainly the face masks of the HVAC realm — clearing particles from the airstream that a building “breathes” and transmits to those within. While there may not be a run on air filters the way there is on face masks, contractors and manufacturers alike report increased interest from their clients in IAQ since the outbreak of COVID-19.

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How to minimize drain pan water damage – VIDEO: Receive float switch and flood alerts

30% of truck rolls are due to clogged condensate lines. Knowing that the float switch was tripped on the air handler helps to get the right tech onsite before you get an emergency call from your customer. 

Now you can get notified when the float switch trips or there is water in the drain pan. New smart water sensors send alerts to your phone for floods, leaks, and clogged condensate lines. 

Watch this short video to see the float switch alert system in action.

Book a demo with Alert Labs to learn more about this remote A/C monitoring and alert system. 

Series: Pro Training – Ductless Drain Safety Installation

Pro Training Blog Series

The United States market has come a long way on embracing ductless HVAC units. From 20 years ago when you would occasionally see a unit installed on a sunroom to present day when this technology is regularly used to combat discomfort in bonus rooms, additions, garages, and even whole home applications. Along the way code has had to change in order to adapt to the more widely used ductless technology. One of these areas of adaption is in the protection of a wall mounted indoor unit from condensation overflow. Unlike traditional installations where auxiliary drain pans are widely used, the standard wall mounted indoor unit only has the internal drain pan. This design leaves open the possibility of wall and/or flooring damage should the drain line become obstructed.

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Multi-Zone Systems: The Good, The Bad, and The Conflicted

Zoning. The concept makes perfect sense, different areas within a location usually have two different attributes:

1). The thermal gain or loss differs between areas inside the same building envelope.

2). The occupants of the space have different comfort levels.

Therefore, the ability to control heating and cooling independently is a very appealing concept. The devil however lies in the details. Traditional unitary systems are designed for generally larger areas. Zoning incorporates the ability to isolate areas of the duct system and control the flow of conditioned air to those areas. One main flaw with this is that while the areas requiring conditioned air may vary, the capacity of the system remains the same. This can become a major issue when you have a system producing 1000-cfm of conditioned air, and one zone requiring only 300-cfm of conditioned air is calling. What do we do?

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Are you a Smart Home Addict?

Hello, my name is Matt and I fear that I am an entry-level Smart Home Addict. I’m not full-blown mind you … more of recreational user that can see the eventual descent into hopeless addiction. Now, in full disclosure, none of the above is meant to make light of serious addictions or anyone who suffers from one. Rather, the point I am making is that smart home products start with just one often time and then can quickly lead to many. Now I am not what anyone would consider a “techie” person, despite being a millennial. I do not Facebook, Twitter, Tik-Tok, Instagram, or… Myspace. I know how to use computers and smartphones, but outside of using them professionally, I am not one to be found casually utilizing technology.

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Tech Tips: Dual Fuel in Dollar and Cents

Recently I received a phone call from a colleague who had a client proposing a dual fuel HVAC system to a homeowner. This homeowner was both technically capable and very inquisitive. He wanted to accurately quantify the cost difference between heating with a gas furnace versus a heat pump. The question was simple enough, but when I was asked for the answer… I stammered. I did not actually have a straightforward solution. This bothered me a lot, and my mind had two thoughts, which were equally bothersome:

  • “If I cannot explain something clearly, then I myself do not truly understand it.”
  • “In GOD I trust; everyone else must provide data.”

My curiosity had to be satisfied. So, I went digging on the internet… and nothing was clearly quantified. However, I did find the formulas needed to answer my question. So, let’s dive into the topic of gas versus a heat pump and look at some real math on the costs. To start, we have to look at all costs in the same format. I choose to compare everything to natural gas heat and look at this through the cost per BTUH. All utility costs are based on my specific area and are clearly identified so this math could be adjusted based on your utility costs.

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Tech Tips: Indoor Air Quality Technologies and Applications

Indoor Air Quality is a convoluted topic on the best of days. The IAQ segment of the HVAC industry has grown tremendously overall and sees spikes of urgency during certain health crises like the annual flu season.

There are many types of IAQ technology available, and each possesses its own advantages and disadvantages. It is important to have knowledge of these technologies and be able to discuss opportune applications for them.

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Tech Tips: Ductless Logic – What that Wall Mounted Unit is Really Thinking

Ductless units or mini splits – they are the bane of many HVAC technicians. The units themselves are quiet, super-efficient, and work very well. Often, technicians will say something like, “I install a lot of these units and they generally work great, but honestly I have no idea what’s really going on inside those things.” It’s a fair enough statement. Most technicians are accustomed to contactors, relays, capacitors, AC voltage motors, and simple I/O controls. There is nothing simple in appearance about the inner workings of a ductless unit.

For starters, we have the board which is located next to a 2nd board which is then located above a 3rd board. There are no contactors or relays. The only capacitors are built into the control boards. Controls? Yes, we have controls, but not the traditional I/O kind we usually think about. Nope, these things talk back and forth. What are they saying? Who knows!

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