Technical Reference Category Index
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How to Wire a Run Capacitor to a Motor | Blowers & Condensers
How to Wire a Run Capacitor to a Motor | Blowers & Condensers - Sometimes, when a blower or condenser fan motor goes bad, a technician or even a DIYer has issues wiring the new motor and capacitor. Most motors come with clear instructions or a wiring diagram on...
Blowing Low Voltage Fuse Breaker Trip | Control Wiring Troubleshooting
Blowing Low Voltage Fuse Breaker Trip | Control Wiring Troubleshooting - I've got a 5 amp fuse that keeps popping on a circuit board. The voltage out of the transformer reads 26.3 volts. I am still popping fuses and reading over 24 volts. Can you help? Okay, I can...
What Happens When My HVAC System is Flooded?
What Happens When My HVAC System is Flooded? A Flooded HVAC System. It happens from time to time. A bad storm moves in and everything is flooded as in recent times with the spate of hurricanes like Harvey and Irma. Whether you evacuated or stayed the flooding did its...
International Fuel Gas Code Overview
International Fuel Gas Code Overview: Codes are used by contractors and inspectors as a guideline for the safe installation of appliances and piping. The International Fuel Gas Codebook is the basis of many installation practices, again, for safe installations. The...
Before Calling Heating Cooling Repair Service – Checklist
Before Calling Heating Cooling Repair Service - Checklist - The following is a list of things you need to check before calling for heating and cooling service. Many people simply pick up the phone and call for service. When the technician arrives and finds something...
Loose Electrical Connections in HVAC Equipment
Loose electrical connections in HVAC Equipment can cause big problems and safety issues with HVAC equipment. A good maintenance check of any HVAC system will include checking for loose electrical connections or wires that are corroded or frayed in some way. Loose...
How Does Start Capacitor Help Start Motor
How Does Start Capacitor Help Start Motor - Permanent Split Capacitor Motors or PSC Motors use run capacitors to help the motor be more efficient while running. The start capacitor gives the motor a boost on startup. The run capacitor helps the motor run more...
Control Circuits for HVAC Systems
What you will learn from Control Circuits for HVAC Systems article: step-down transformers and their function in a control circuit. the importance of electrical ratings how to protect the step-down transformer typical relay in a control circuit....
Troubleshooting HVAC Capacitors | Electrical Systems
Troubleshooting HVAC Capacitors - As a technician, it is not uncommon to find bad capacitors. Sometimes it is the primary reason for a trouble call from a customer. The capacitor in the air conditioner or heating system is bad. A good technician can usually figure out...
Humidifiers and Comfort – HVAC Healthy Living
Humidifiers and Comfort - It's wintertime, and your skin and sinuses are dry. Did you know that this condition not only extends to yourself and your health but also to your home? The furniture, doors, and other wood products in your home are all affected by the level...
Ohms Law and HVAC | Heating and Cooling Technical
Ohms Law and HVAC - Ohms Law is used by HVAC Technicians, electricians, electronics technicians, engineers, and others who deal with electrical circuits every day. It is a necessary fundamental that anyone dealing with electricity or electronics should learn. Ohms law...
Air Conditioning and Heating Sizing | HVAC Technical
Air Conditioning and Heating Sizing - It is not uncommon for HVAC estimators or HVAC contractors to use various rudimentary techniques, which are generally referred to as rules of thumb. Some will say on the low end you need 1 ton of cooling for every 500 square feet....
The NEC and HVAC Chapter Two
The NEC and HVAC Chapter Two - Chapter Two of the National Electrical Code (NEC) covers Wiring and Protection and starts at Branch Circuits, Feeder circuits, GFCI requirements and protection. An HVAC installer may want to pay attention to branch circuit requirements....
Home Inspector HVAC Training | Heating and Cooling
Home Inspector HVAC Training - Thank you!! I am training to become a home inspector, and the info contained on this site helps identify issues that require an HVAC professional to resolve. Home Inspector HVAC TrainingYou're welcome! I understand that everything at...
Start Capacitors for HVAC Compressors | Motor Start Assist
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...
Basic Electric Circuits for HVAC
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...
Motor Controls for HVAC – Residential Air Conditioning and Heating
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...
HVAC Definitions Terms Acronyms | Heating Cooling
HVAC Definitions Terms & Acronyms | Heating Cooling - This is a comprehensive list of HVAC Definitions Terms & Acronyms. High Performance HVAC is certain there are more terms and acronyms. If you know of something we missed please email us. Thanks! HVAC...
Liquid to Vapor Propane Evaporators | HVAC Heating
These evaporators serve a large complex where natural gas is unavailable. The complex needed fuel for boilers for heating and domestic hot water so these evaporators were installed too along with two very large LP tanks to handle the heating needs of the complex. As...
Grounding and Bonding Electrical Systems | NEC Code
Grounding and Bonding Electrical Systems | NEC Code - National Electrical Code Article 250 is all about grounding and bonding as represented in this photo where electrical systems are grounded and bonded to the buildings steel structure. There are many different rules...
HVAC Inspections Commissioning – Building & Energy Codes
HVAC Inspections Commissioning - How often have you heard someone complain about inspectors or code officials whose job it is to inspect mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and other trades work for safety and quality workmanship? One could argue that workmanship or...
OSHA Safety Rules and HVAC | Job & Work Safety
As OSHA is concerned for the safety of workers on job sites this article will give you the basics for complying with OSHA rules on most job sites especially commercial and industrial construction sites. The requirements are different for compliance from management to...
HVAC Fire Safety | Health Job & Work Safety
HVAC Fire Safety - I'm not sure how many HVAC technicians have heard of on-the-job horror stories. Whether the job was commercial or residential. However, I am certain they have happened as I have heard of these horror stories happening to others. Whether you have...
Asbestos Mesothelioma HVAC Technicians Information
Asbestos & Mesothelioma HVAC Technicians Information - Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral known for its resistance to heat and fire, as well as its durability and inability to conduct electricity. All of these characteristics made asbestos an ideal material...
Bacharach Combustion Analyzer Furnace Testing
Bacharach Combustion Analyzer Furnace Testing - The combustion analyzer is used to test gas and oil furnaces to make sure the combustion process is as efficient as possible. This multi-function HVAC test instrument can also be used to test spaces for carbon monoxide,...
HVAC Heat Energy Values – HVAC Technical
Air Conditioning and Heating HVAC Heat Energy Values - Heat is energy and when we produce heat we need to use energy in its production. There are natural methods for producing heat without burning or using fuels but these methods are not practical or available to the...
HVAC Definitions | Heating & Cooling Terminology
HVAC Definitions - In air conditioning and heating the name HVAC is often used. HVAC stands for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning. Other acronyms are less used to describe air conditioning and heating applications is HVACR or heating, ventilation, air...
Hydronic Pump Cavitation | HVAC Water Problems
Hydronic Pump Cavitation - Pump cavitation can cause severe problems to a pump if not addressed and corrected. To understand the cause of cavitation you need to understand the pressure-temperature relationship of the liquid in the loop. Whether it is water or...
HVAC Piping Valves | Heating and Cooling Hydronics
HVAC Piping Valves | Heating and Cooling Hydronics - Triple Duty Valves are three valves in one as the name implies. Triple Duty Valves act as a check valve, balancing valve, and shut-off valve all in one valve. From the smallest hydronic loops to the largest hydronic...
HVAC Careers and Jobs | Heating and Cooling Employment
HVAC Careers - So you want to become an HVAC Technician and want to know how to find a successful career? It’s not easy but here’s some help for you. First of all, you need a good foundation of the basics and it would help if you understood the different types of jobs...
HVAC Green Technology | Heating and Cooling
HVAC Green Technology | Heating and Cooling - First of all, we need to define Green Technology before we compare it to HVAC and discuss how the HVAC industry is working to make the equipment and designs used in Green Technology, friendly to the environment. Green...
Minisplit Ductless Heat Pumps Air Conditioners
Minisplit Ductless Heat Pumps Air Conditioners - There are many people who can actually save money by installing a mini-split ductless air conditioner or heat pump over installing the conventional ducted split system air conditioner or heat pump. A few of the possible...
Common Sense Safety HVAC Codes
Common Sense Safety HVAC Codes - Some HVAC Installation technicians take pride in their work and make any installation job they perform look like a work of art. There are others who don’t care and want to install the unit as quickly as possible and move on down the...
HVAC Education NATE Certification | Technical Study
What is NATE? HVAC Education NATE Certification - NATE stands for North American Technician Excellence and NATE is a certification group that oversees the training, testing, and certification of HVACR technicians throughout North American. NATE is highly respected...
Chapter Three NEC and HVAC | Article 300 | Wiring Methods
Chapter Three NEC and HVAC - Chapter Three in the NEC covers Wiring Methods which includes how the wiring is supposed to run, the conduit for wiring, outlets, junctions, and switch points, and a host of other topics about the proper way to run wiring. HVAC Technicians...
Boiler Piping Flow Pipe Sizing | HVAC Hydronics
Boiler Piping Flow Pipe Sizing - Copper and Steel Pipe Flow Rates and Characteristics of Piping in Hot Water Boiler Loops Hot water boiler pipe sizing is important and based on many factors including BTU and Delta (Δ) T Calculations. Boiler Piping Flow...
HVAC Technician Tools | Heating and Cooling
HVAC Technician Tools - I can remember when I first got out of HVAC school a few years back I wanted to know what kind of basic tools I needed to begin my work as an HVAC technician. Of course, I had lofty goals and wanted to rise to the top but my expectations at the...
HVAC Manufacturers | Heating and Cooling
HVAC Manufacturers | Heating and Cooling - Heating and Cooling Manufacturers are always improving the energy efficiency of their products using innovation and modern technology to help. HVAC manufacturers are required by the government to increase the efficiency...
The National Electrical Code (NEC) and HVAC: The Basics
The National Electrical Code and Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning have some shared roles for both electricians and HVAC Installers and technicians. There are some specific categories in the NEC that are applied to HVAC and making calculations for circuits...
Guides for Residential HVAC Technicians
Guides for Residential HVAC Technicians - There are many HVAC technical guides and manuals available to help HVAC technicians hone their skills on the job and become even better and more knowledgeable HVAC technicians. We can all use improvements in everything we do...
Understanding and Learning the Basics of HVAC
Learning the Basics of HVAC - To understand air conditioning and heat pump applications you will need to study refrigeration. Both air conditioners and heat pumps use refrigeration to move heat. Air conditioners move heat outside in the summertime using the process of...
HVACR Pipe Soldering Brazing – Refrigeration Systems
What You Will Learn in HVACR Pipe Soldering Brazing Safety with Brazing and Soldering Basic Soldering and Brazing The Bread Trick with Water Pipes Alternatives to the Bread Trick Brazing with Oxyacetylene Cleaning and Fluxing Brazing with Nitrogen...
Electric Motors Basics | HVAC Technical
Electric Motors Basics - The HVAC industry depends heavily on the electric motor. Furthermore, the electric motor is the primary component that powers blowers to move air. Additionally, electric motors drive compressors to compress refrigerants. Lastly, the electric...
Run Start Capacitors HVAC Motors
What you will learn from Run Start Capacitors | Electrical Basics : Common uses for motor capacitors heating and air systems Capacitor Types for HVAC Motor Applications. The two different types of capacitors used for HVAC - Motor Run Capacitor and the...
HVAC and Electrical Fundamentals | Heating, Cooling, and Electrical
HVAC and Electrical Fundamentals - Electricity is usually produced by a generator at a power station and delivered to sub-stations for distribution to homes and businesses. Electricity can also be produced using chemicals like the chemical processes produced in...
SEER Definition | Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio | Air Conditioning
SEER Definition: The Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio is a measure of the cooling efficiency of your air conditioner or heat pump. The higher the SEER number the better the system is at converting electricity into cooling your home. Simply put, manufacturers use it to...
Variable Speed GE ECM Motors | HVAC Control
Variable Speed GE ECM Motors - When you look at buying a new HVAC system it will surely arise when the HVAC salesman or HVAC contractor who comes to give you an estimate will show an HVAC system that has a variable speed motor or the GE ECM (Electronically Commutated...
HVAC School Education | Heating and Cooling
HVAC School Education | Heating and Cooling - A solid career in HVAC career begins with a good education in a good HVAC school. You can start at different levels and work your way up with a career. As you work your way up you will want to continue your education not...
HVAC Mechanical Code Overview | Heating and Cooling Codes
HVAC Mechanical Code Overview - Many people unfamiliar with air conditioning and heating do not know that the mechanical code regulates air conditioning and heating system installation in many municipalities. HVAC Mechanical Code Overview | Heating and Cooling Codes...
Wire Type and Sizing Considerations | HVAC Technical
Wire Type and Sizing Considerations - When a professional electrician looks at a job to wire a house or a new circuit in any structure the primary consideration in the wiring job is the size and type of wire to be used for the job per the NEC. The same for a plumber...
HVAC Professional Organizations | Heating and Cooling
HVAC Professional Organizations | Heating and Cooling - Many people ask the question(s) what is ASHRAE? Or what is ARI? Or what is SMACNA? These organizations are all involved in HVAC and set the standards for the HVAC industry that most professional HVAC...
HVAC Manufacturers Brands History
HVAC Manufacturers Brands History - the following list is a history of HVAC Manufacturers Brands and how they have changed over the years from one owner to the next. The page is a bit outdated however the information, while in need of updating, remains valid for a...
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