DDC Outside Air Economizer System - Outside louvers allow the DDC control system to open dampers and introduce fresh air into the building. Building automation system, or the energy management system as it is sometimes called, monitors outside air temperature and humidity and based on a calculation and opens the outside air dampers when this calculation determines a precise set point. (more…)
Condensing Units caution - Air Conditioning and Heating equipment uses high voltage. Caution is always advised when working around high voltage. When in doubt call a professional. Safety First!!
Air Conditioning & Heat Pump condensing unit is a simple yet technical piece of HVAC equipment. It sits out in the back (or side) of your house and kicks on and off almost by itself.
At least it seems that way to most people. This box made of sheet metal is the heart of your HVAC cooling system. Or for those with heat pumps, it is the heart of your HVAC heating and cooling.
(more…)
Basic Electric Circuits for HVAC - If you are new to electricity and want to learn you need to start with the fundamentals of electricity first. Included in the basics of electricity and the primary lesson in electricity is electrical safety. Electricity can be very dangerous and safety needs to be practiced. Electricity is invisible to the eye and can only be felt when touched. (more…)
Air Conditioner History - Air Conditioning has become a necessity in modern times as building designs have changed making it necessary to have some way to air-condition and cool buildings where windows cannot be opened. Throughout history, all the way up to the 70′s, many people just opened windows or turned on a fan to keep cool and air conditioning, what was once considered a luxury, has now practically become a requirement.
From the time people leave their homes in the morning to the time they return home many are in conditioned air most of the day and many people don’t even think about air conditioning unless the air conditioning is broken. Air Conditioning is definitely nice to have to remain comfortable throughout the day and is an expectation for most people working inside. (more…)
How Air Conditioning Works - Ever wonder how air conditioner works in a house? AC’s work by removing the heat from the space they service. An AC is simply a big refrigerator that uses the process of refrigeration to provide cooling for a building. AC’s work by using direct expansion coils or chilled water coils to absorb and move the heat from the air as air is blown across the coils.
Types of air conditioner systems that use direct expansion coils for cooling are window units, split system air conditioners, package unit air conditioners, packaged terminal air conditioners like the air conditioners used in hotels, and mini-split ductless AC’s. Essentially, an air conditioning system works by removing heat from the air. (more…)
Boiler Pipe Insulation - Energy Efficiency - Richard, I have lots of my boiler pipe under the house in a crawl space and some in the basement, and none of this pipe is insulated. I just bought the house last year and this past winter my gas bill was crazy high. Can I increase efficiency by insulating these pipes and what are some other ways to keep the gas bill lower by optimizing the boiler system?
Thanks and I look forward to your answer……….Bill – Pittsburgh, PA
(more…)
Data Center Commissioning - A load bank that gives a heat load for testing the cooling system in a data center. The load banks are also used to give the electrical system a load for testing the data centers electrical equipment and redundancy.
PDU’s or Power Distribution Units, switchgear, automatic transfer switches, static transfer switches, UPS, or universal power supplies along with banks of batteries, are all tested in conjunction with the load banks. (more…)
Heat Pump Sequence of Operation - Every electrical-mechanical piece of equipment has a sequence of operation. While some manufacturers of heat pumps vary slightly with their heat pump sequence of operation the overall sequence of operation for a heat pump is the same for most manufacturers. So unless you have a special type of heat pump (they are out there – the Acadia heat pump is designed for extreme cold weather temperatures up North like Canada) the sequence of operation for your heating equipment should be very similar to what is described here. This is the basic operation of a heat pump like you will find in conventional heat pumps.
(more…)
How Inverters Work Basics - The new way for ultra-efficient air conditioners and heat pumps have modulating compressors and motors. A few years ago it was rare that I got an email asking the question about how inverters work but now I have noticed the question coming more and more so I wanted to write an article to explain how inverters work.
Inverters are used in air conditioning to modulate compressors and fan motors from 100% down to a minimum of 20% although the minimum will vary from manufacturer to manufacturer according to part selection and engineering limitations. To truly understand how inverters work one has to have a basic understanding of electronics. (more…)
Motor Controls for HVAC - Motor controls are necessary to start and stop air conditioning and heating motors automatically or manually. The most common manual motor control for air conditioning and heating is the thermostat. The thermostat starts and stops the blower motor on their home air conditioning and heating system. It is the Fan – Off – Auto switch on the air conditioning and heating thermostat. This switch when placed in the on position turns the blower motor on. It circulates air continuously until the user turns the thermostat fan switch to either the off position or the automatic position. (more…)
