Automatic Vent Damper System | Gas Heat Flue Economizer. The automatic vent damper adds efficiency to water heaters and furnaces. The automatic flue damper traps heat in the furnace, boiler, or water heater. It holds heat in and around the heat exchanger instead of allowing it to rise up the flue.
The control voltage from the appliance powers the automatic vent damper. The automatic vent damper has a little motor that powers it to the closed position. It leaves all the heat trapped inside the furnace, boiler, or hot water heater. Prior to the existence of automatic vent dampers, the heat escaped up the flue and vented to the atmosphere. (more…)
Gas Furnace Components 3 - Gas furnace ignition controls vary from furnace manufacturer to furnace manufacturer. Some are proprietary and some are from an engineering company that specializes in gas furnace ignition controls. Honeywell being a major manufacturer of controls for HVAC also makes several gas furnace ignition controls.
Gas furnace ignition controls have advanced by leaps and bounds over the last 20 years. The standard was standing pilot ignition. Solid-state ignition controls are safer and more efficient than ignition controls of yesteryear. (more…)
Air Management in Hydronic Piping Loops - This is a secondary chilled water pump in a large pump room designated for pumps and piping in a data center. After a few minor tweaks and corrections, these pumps all operated flawlessly. There were very few issues with the secondary pump start-ups.
Unlike the primary pumps where cavitation was encountered on the primary chilled water pumps and the condenser water pumps for the chiller. The diagnosis for the cavitation of the primary pumps and the condenser water pumps was that the loops were not properly purged. This caused those pumps to cavitate.
The secondary pumps, pictured here, did not have that problem. Kudos to the team that purged the loops on this side of the chilled water system.
That was an initial installation issue. It was also a lesson in priming the system to ensure all the air purged from the loop. After all, cavitation in the pumps can cause damage to the pumps. Even after the initial installation purge, it is important to ensure air does not build up in the water piping loop. To do this we need a few devices to help purge the air before it becomes a problem. This will prevent nuisance problems such as hydronic air block in branch circuits of the loop. It will also prevent any damage that may be caused by pump cavitation as a result of too much air in the system.
About Chilled Water Systems HVAC Hydronics - Chilled water systems are mainly used in large commercial HVAC air conditioning systems and industrial cooling applications although there are some residential and light commercial HVAC chilled water systems in use. Chilled water systems are popular because they use water as a refrigerant. Water is far less expensive than refrigerants. This makes them cost-effective, especially in commercial HVAC air conditioning applications. (more…)
What you will learn from this Building Automation Systems article:
The efficiency and conveniences Building Automation Systems add to the building control systems and HVAC systems
How Building Automation enhances building energy savings and troubleshooting problems
How allowing controllers to communicate with each other enhances HVAC and electrical systems
Many of the benefits of Building Automation Systems for Building Automation and Building Control Systems
Communication Protocols and Integration of HVAC Systems, Lighting, and other Building Control Systems
Building Control System User Interface for Remote Monitoring and Control
Monitoring Energy Consumption and Energy Efficiency
Lastly, resource and Related Links to help you learn more
Many people wonder what Building Automation Systems (BAS) can do. The primary use of BAS is commercial HVAC control systems and energy management system applications. Building Automation itself is an energy management system that saves management companies and building owners by efficiently controlling air conditioning and heating comfort and process systems.
Preventive Maintenance Air Handlers - These air handlers provide air conditioning for a zoned VAV system. The air handler is an integral part of an air conditioner system. The air handler contains a blower, air filters, some coils (DX or chilled water), hot water coils (not all air handlers have heating coils in them), and some controls. (more…)
What you will learn in the Thermostat Wiring Colors Code article:
First, what thermostat wire colors is likely to go to which terminal on the thermostat in your heating and cooling system
Secondly, the function of each wire terminal on the average thermostat highlighting some of the differences in those HVAC system functions from manufacturer to manufacturer as recommended for thermostat wire color
Always follow the thermostat manufacturer’s instructions whenever changing the thermostat. Always turn the power off at the air handler and the condenser and make sure there is no voltage at the transformer before proceeding.
Furthermore, the thermostat wire colors below are the most likely colors used for most installations; however, your thermostat wire colors may be different than what the indication is here. There is no official standard for thermostat wire colors. Additionally, thermostat wiring colors are not standardized. However, these are the most wiring methods used based on my years of experience in the HVAC field, where I successfully wired a lot of thermostats and as recommended by manufacturers and common sense for thermostat wiring colors code.
For instructions on how to wire a thermostat, please see how to wire a thermostat page. Refer back to this page for thermostat wire colors.
Hot Water Boiler Expansion Tanks - There are two types of expansion tanks used on hot water boiler systems. The steel expansion tank and the bladder-type expansion tank. These expansion tanks are used to provide a cushion for the expansion of water when it is heated.
Without this cushion of air, the pressure in the boiler system would exceed the setting on the pressure relief valve. Finally, this will cause the pressure relief valve to open and discharge water to relieve the pressure. (more…)
Generators Serving Small Data Center | Critical Facilities - These generators serve a small data center giving the data center backup emergency power in the event of a loss of utility. Most data centers have redundant power from the utility and backup generators. In other words, the utility will provide two sources of utility power from two different power stations or sub-stations so if one source station loses power for whatever reason the system automatically transfers to the backup source of power or the other power or substation. (more…)
HVAC Temperature Measurement Conversion - In air conditioning and heating applications it is necessary to accurately measure temperature to offer control of the temperatures relative to the application for which the HVACR equipment is serving. There are four separate temperature scales used to measure temperature and it becomes necessary at times to have the ability to convert between the different scales.
Aside from the temperature measurement scales and their use in HVAC, there are also methods for using specific tools to make those measurements. For example, in many cases, a technician needs to know the dry-bulb temperature and the wet-bulb temperature. In the old days, a technician would use a sling psychrometer to get the wet-bulb temperature.
Today, there are digital instruments that will measure the wet-bulb temperature for the technician. Here we begin with temperature conversion: (more…)
HVAC Tip - Carbon monoxide detectors are important to own for those people who burn fossil fuels for heat. Carbon monoxide is a flammable, colorless, odorless, tasteless toxic gas produced during incomplete combustion of fuel - Natural Gas, Oil, Coal, Wood, Kerosene, etc. Someone suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning generally has severe headaches, nausea, and sinus problems. These symptoms generally begin with mild effects and people usually remain unaware of what the exact problems are until, sometimes, it is too late. How many cracked heat exchangers or faulty furnaces are out there that no one knows anything about except a slight headache and nausea? Don't take any chances, get your carbon monoxide detector and call your local heating and air conditioning company for a heater inspection today. Read more on this subject on the Furnace Page.
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Gas Furnace Components 3 - Gas furnace ignition controls vary from furnace manufacturer to furnace manufacturer. Some are proprietary and some are from an engineering company that specializes in gas furnace ignition controls. Honeywell being a major manufacturer of controls for HVAC also makes several gas furnace ignition controls.
About Chilled Water Systems HVAC Hydronics - Chilled water systems are mainly used in large commercial HVAC air conditioning systems and industrial cooling applications although there are some residential and light commercial 
Preventive Maintenance Air Handlers - These air handlers provide air conditioning for a zoned VAV system. The air handler is an integral part of an air conditioner system. The air handler contains a blower, air filters, some coils (DX or chilled water), hot water coils (not all air handlers have heating coils in them), and some controls. 
Always follow the thermostat manufacturer’s instructions whenever changing the thermostat. Always turn the power off at the air handler and the condenser and make sure there is no voltage at the transformer before proceeding.
Generators Serving Small Data Center | Critical Facilities - These generators serve a small data center giving the data center backup emergency power in the event of a loss of utility. Most data centers have redundant power from the utility and backup generators. In other words, the utility will provide two sources of utility power from two different power stations or sub-stations so if one source station loses power for whatever reason the system automatically transfers to the backup source of power or the other power or substation. 
HVAC Temperature Measurement Conversion - In 