Condenser Fan Motor Repair | Air Conditioners & Heat Pumps

What you will learn from the Condenser Fan Motor Repair article:
1) Specific description of a motors job along with some technical details
2) Air Conditioner & heat pump fan motor operation
3) fan motor troubleshooting basics
4) Condensing unit fan motor repair warning and disclaimer - Turn the power off before working on the fan
5) Replacing or repairing the motor
6) Why you should replace the capacitor when you replace the motor
7) Conclusion along with lots of resources and related links so you can take a closer look and learn more. (more…)

Compressor Rebuild | HVAC Heating and Cooling Refrigeration

Compressor Rebuild

The compressor in an HVAC refrigeration system

Compressor Rebuild - This freshly rebuilt reciprocating compressor is destined for a large commercial chiller. Chillers chill water for air conditioning. Compressors compress refrigerant vapor and pump the compressed refrigerant to the condenser to be condensed into a liquid. It is an essential component of the refrigeration system.

The compressor provides compression which is an integral part of the refrigeration process. The old compressor was condemned for electrical burnout. The windings in the old one burned up and caused the circuit breaker to trip. (more…)

Air Handler Components 3 | HVAC Air Handling

Air Handler Components 3Air Handler Components 3 - Hot water coils inside of air handler units combine a boiler system or a special capacity hot water heater and forced air to provide forced-air heating. The concept is simple and used a lot in commercial and some in residential.

Commercial systems almost exclusively use a boiler to provide hot water to the hot water coil inside the air handler unit while the residential systems use mainly special capacity hot water heaters to provide hot water to the hot water coil inside the air handler unit.

On a call for heat, a pump is energized to begin the circulation of hot water from the heating source to the coil. The air handler unit blower motor energizes and the air begins to move across the coil. Heat is exchanged from the hot water coil to the air and the air is delivered to its appropriate destination through the ductwork.

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How Inverters Work Basics | Air Conditioning

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…)

Old Bell Gossett Circulator Pump Bearing Assembly

Old Bell Gossett Circulator Pump Bearing Assembly
Old Bell Gossett Circulator Pump Bearing Assembly - This very old Bell Gossett Circulator pump and bearing assembly was found still functioning even after being flooded out several times in a basement. The pump, probably on its last leg, is at least 20 years old and still functioning.

It is unusual for an electric motor to continue to operate after being subjected to flooding. A circulator pump is comprised of an electric motor and a bearing assembly which holds the impeller. (more…)

Air Handler Evaporator Condensation Drain Blower Compartment

Air Handler Blower Compartment and Evaporator Condensation Drain

Air Handler Evaporator Condensation Drain Blower Compartment

This air handler has the access panels removed during the installation process so the HVAC installation technician can make the final connections and adjustments. In clear view is the air handler blower compartment with the air handler blower. The air handler blower is comprised of an electric motor, a blower wheel, and a squirrel cage which holds it all together. Attached to the outside of the squirrel cage is a run capacitor which is a functioning part of the electric motor. All these air handler components combined blows air throughout the entire HVAC system including the evaporator coil. (more…)

Variable Speed Drives | HVAC Control

Variable Speed DrivesIn HVAC a variable speed drive is a speed control system for electric motors. The variable speed drive (VSD) or variable frequency drive (VFD), among other names (adjustable-frequency drives (AFD), AC drives, micro-drives, or inverter drives). The application of variable speed drives has brought about a new way of engineering buildings and control systems HVAC.

The flow of water and air can now be regulated precisely using VSD’s and state-of-the-art control systems. By combining VSD’s with state-of-the-art control systems, large savings in energy usage can see realization because the exact quantity of flow of water or air can be delivered to satisfy demand.

Demand-based control is energy efficient. VSD’s can be stand-alone or controlled by a building automation system.

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Oil Controls Burner

Oil Controls BurnerOil Controls Burner - The oil burner and oil controls provide the main source of heat for this oil furnace. The oil burner comprises an oil pump, an oil pump, a burner electric motor, a burner blower, a step-up transformer, an oil ignition control, an oil burner gun, and an oil nozzle (inside not viewable here).

The burner electric motor is directly linked to the blower and the oil pump and when the electric motor starts (controlled by the ignition control) the pump begins pumping oil while the blower provides primary air to the combustion chamber. (more…)

Run Start Capacitors HVAC Motors

What you will learn from Run Start Capacitors | Electrical Basics :

  1. Common uses for motor capacitors heating and air systems
  2. Capacitor Types for HVAC Motor Applications. The two different types of capacitors used for HVAC - Motor Run Capacitor and the Start Capacitor
  3. How capacitors are made
  4. Rules for replacing a motor capacitor
  5. Motor capacitor safety measures
  6. Lots of valuable related links to give you a closer look so you will learn more about HVAC
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