by High Performance HVAC | Refrigeration |
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…)
by High Performance HVAC | Gas Furnaces |
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…)
by High Performance HVAC | Thermostats |
Thermostat Wiring Colors Code Page Navigation
-
- Essential Thermostat Wiring Color Guide Including Manufacturers Instructions
- Thermostat Terminal Designations Quick Guide - Detail Wiring Color Guide Below
- Red-Wire - connects to the R terminal with the red wire
- RC-Wire - connects to the RC terminal RC red
- RH-Wire - connects to RH terminal RH heat
- Y-Wire - connects to the Y terminal and is for cooling stage 1 with the yellow wire
- Y2-Wire - connects to Y2 terminal and is for cooling stage 2
- W-Wire - connects to W terminal and for heat stage 1 with the white wire
- W2-Wire - connects to W2 terminal and for heat stage 2
- G-Wire - connects to G terminal and for fan operation with the green wire
- C-Wire - connects to C terminal (common 24v power) with the C wire
- O or B-Wire - connects to O or B terminal and is for reversing valve operation
- E-Wire - connects to E terminal and is for Emergency heat
- X or Aux-Wire - connects to X terminal and is for auxiliary
- S1 and S2 Wires - connects to S1/S2 terminals and is for outdoor temperature sensor
- Thermostat Wire Color Code Chart
- Tracing the Wire to the Source
- Additional Resources
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
Thermostat Wiring Colors Code | HVAC Control
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.
(more…)
by High Performance HVAC | Technical Reference |
Start Capacitors for HVAC Compressors - HVAC single-phase compressors always come hooked up to a run capacitor. This helps the compressor when it is running, however, very few HVAC compressors come with a start capacitor. Most HVAC technicians know HVAC compressors pull a lot of amps on startup. This large amperage draws on startup is referred to technically as locked rotor amps or inrush current. It can be as much as 40,000 watts or more of pure power to get an HVAC compressor started. (more…)
by High Performance HVAC | Air Conditioning |
What you will learn from the
Frozen Air Conditioner article:
- the major two reasons why your air conditioner has ice on it somewhere (otherwise you likely wouldn’t be here)
- the difference between a heat pump and an air conditioner in winter and summer operation
- why airflow is essential to a central air conditioning system
- enough about HVAC refrigeration to help you determine the problem of a frozen air conditioner.
We have many other related articles. Use the search feature to the right to help you find other related articles. (more…)
by High Performance HVAC | Gas Furnaces |
Gas Furnace with Drain Pipes to Drain the Condensation.
Furnace Water Leak Condensate Problem - Richard, My furnace is leaking water. It is summertime, so I am not using it for heat except for the blower fan which is hooked up to the air conditioner and the heat. I know the pipes from the outside units run into a box on top of the furnace. I think that is a part of the air conditioner. What can I do to fix the problem if you know what the problem is by my explanation here? Dan
(more…)
by High Performance HVAC | Heat Pumps |
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…)
by High Performance HVAC | Air Conditioning |
Helping Your Air Conditioner - Beating the Heat - The new house you just bought is not so cool and the air conditioner seems to run all the time. You begin to worry that maybe something is wrong with the air conditioner. You tolerate it for a while until your spouse broaches the subject a few hours later. Both of you discuss the matter and come to the conclusion that something is wrong with the air conditioner. (more…)
by High Performance HVAC | Heat Pumps |
Heat Pump Problems | HVAC Heating & Cooling - Heat Pumps are very popular especially in the South where air source heat pumps are mostly favored over straight air conditioners with a gas furnace for heating. 
With a heat pump, one system can provide heating and cooling. Some people rely on a geothermal heat pump system or a water source heat pump. A geothermal heat pump extracts heat from the ground instead of the air like an air source heat pump works. (more…)
by High Performance HVAC | Air Conditioning |
Air Conditioner Problems - As an HVAC technician I am aware of all the problems air conditioners can develop. Therefore, you will get a unique perspective on air conditioner problems. And hopefully, how to avoid these problems. 
Air conditioners have become a norm in today’s society. Forty or fifty years ago air conditioners were considered a luxury. Now there are building designs where the occupants must rely on air conditioning to remain comfortable.
Additionally, with higher energy costs it is important that our air conditioners are maintained. Hence, a properly maintained system uses less energy and repair costs are lower and less frequent.
(more…)
