HVAC School - For Techs, By Techs
726 episodes - English - Latest episode: 9 days ago - ★★★★★ - 924 ratingsReal training for HVAC ( Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration) Technicians. Including recorded tech training, interviews, diagnostics and general conversations about the trade.
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Episodes
High Efficiency Furnace Basics & Maintenance
December 19, 2016 15:39 - 43 minutes - 59.9 MBBryan talks to Ben from Canada about gas furnace basics as well as high-efficiency furnace basics and maintenance.
Cutting Compressors, iManifold and Thermal Imaging w/ Ulises Palacios
December 16, 2016 15:34 - 21 minutes - 30 MBIn this episode I get Ulises Palacios on the phone and we talk about some of the things he has been up to. Specifically the iManifold / Bluvac integration, cutting compressors open and thermal imaging.
Cutting Compressors, iManifold, and Thermal Imaging w/ Ulises Palacios
December 16, 2016 15:34 - 21 minutes - 30 MBIn this episode of HVAC School, Bryan talks with Ulises Palacios about some cool technology. Ulises has become a technology expert through his many years of working with new tools. He has recently been involved in testing new technologies, and he has worked with Jim Bergmann. Cutting open a compressor is one of the most useful diagnostic tools you can use on a failed compressor. It is also an excellent way to learn more about your equipment. They help quite often with burnouts and mechan...
Heat Pumps, reversing Valves and Defrost
December 05, 2016 20:46 - 1 hour - 84 MBIn this episode Bryan talks about heat pumps, reversing valves, defrost, common issues, checking charge in heat mode and diagnosing the dreaded bypassing reversing valve.
Heat Pumps, Reversing Valves and Defrost
December 05, 2016 20:46 - 1 hour - 84 MBIn this episode of HVAC School, Bryan covers the basics of heat pumps. Heat pumps are common technologies in Florida. They reverse the sequence of the typical refrigerant circuit: the indoor coil can become the condenser, and the outdoor coil can become the evaporator. Heat pumps can achieve that transition via a reversing valve, which changes the directions of the suction and discharge lines. They also have two metering devices. Reversing valves contain a solenoid (typically 24v) that r...
Relays, Sequencers, Transformers and Questionable Metaphors
December 01, 2016 20:35 - 34 minutes - 47.7 MBIn this episode, Bryan and Nathan have a banter-filled conversation about electrical components that confuse techs. If you are looking for a serious educational episode, we suggest you look elsewhere. Low-voltage circuits may confuse the new technician because the "common" terminology is far too common in the circuit. (See how confusing it sounds in everyday use? We don't have to say "common this," "common that," but we do.) Single-phase power can also be confounding for technicians. One...
Some High Voltage Electrical Basics
November 29, 2016 19:46 - 1 hour - 90.8 MBThis podcast is a high voltage A/C electrical class that Bryan gave to some of the Kalos apprentices. The high voltage journey begins with basic electrical theory. Basically, a difference in charge is needed for electrons to move and generate power. Motors, which are inductive loads, are the greatest users of power that we will encounter in the field. Inductive loads generate magnetism and utilize alternating current (AC) power. AC power is generated by a rotating magnetic field, and the...
Some High Voltage Electrical Basics
November 29, 2016 19:46 - 1 hour - 90.8 MBIn this episode we talk through some electrical basics. Including potential difference, motor leads, capacitor basics and much more.
Gas Furnace Sequence of Operation w/ Justin Skinner
November 22, 2016 18:07 - 44 minutes - 61.1 MBIn this episode, Bryan talks to Justin Skinner about the standard gas furnace sequence of operation. Regardless of the furnace type, it all begins with a heat call on W... Then, the furnace checks the safeties to make sure ignition is possible and safe. If all systems are a go, the inducer motor comes on and clears a path for the exhaust. The furnace then proves that the path for the flue is clear, and a pressure switch closes upon sensing a pressure differential. The miracle of ignition...
Prepping Non-techs for Winter
November 21, 2016 17:50 - 39 minutes - 54.2 MBCentral Florida techs know the Southern winter all too well. Let's face it. It doesn't get super cold here regularly, but when it does, EVERYONE FREAKS. We get an abundance of service calls for unpleasant but not truly problematic conditions when people use their heaters. When people first turn on their heat, they can get a nasty surprise: a horrible dirty-sock smell and sometimes a shrieking smoke alarm. These are normal, albeit unpleasant, and do not require a service call. Another unple...
Some Refrigeration Thoughts for A/C Techs
November 17, 2016 18:27 - 28 minutes - 39.1 MBIn this episode of the HVAC School Podcast, Bryan talks with Jeremy Smith about refrigeration tips, terms and processes. They also cover the similarities and differences between A/C and refrigeration. Being on-call as an A/C tech is not all that different from being on-call as a refrigeration tech. Similarly, the principles of heat transfer don't change between the A/C and refrigeration trades. Both trades follow the same basic rules, but all of those valves, adjustments, and tuning on rac...
Flow Nitrogen Great Again
November 10, 2016 20:33 - 21 minutes - 29.2 MBIn this episode of the HVAC School Podcast, Bryan talks with Tim Bagnall about flowing nitrogen. Many techs don't flow nitrogen. Some may say that it is overkill, but it has been shown that flowing nitrogen displaces oxygen while brazing and prevents harmful scale from forming on the copper. Scale is very problematic, and it will likely ruin your copper lines if you keep those lines open to air. (The jury is still out as to whether climate/geography affect scale formation, though.) There...
There is More to Check
November 08, 2016 20:02 - 32 minutes - 44.3 MBIn this episode, Bryan goes back over the basics and stresses the importance of diagnosing the whole system. I'll cut to the chase: inspection is NOT overrated. Inspections help you become more familiar with HVAC systems and can help you catch on to minor issues before they spiral out of control. Check air filters, check the charge, check the evaporator coil... does the inspection checklist ever end? Whether you see crunchy brown contactors or oil on the lines, none of those issues are t...
Replacing a Compressor from Start to Finish
November 03, 2016 21:25 - 53 minutes - 73.2 MBIn this podcast episode, Bryan goes over best practices for diagnosing and replacing an A/C or refrigeration compressor. When testing for a shorted compressor, make sure the compressor is isolated from all of its circuitry. You would see low ohms to ground in a shorted compressor. Do NOT measure from winding to winding or terminal to terminal to diagnose a short. You may also come across an open winding failure. In the case of an open compressor, the power is going to the compressor, bu...
The 5 Readings Every Tech Must Know Well
October 28, 2016 21:06 - 45 minutes - 63.1 MBIn this episode of HVAC School, Bryan covers the "5 pillars of refrigerant circuit diagnosis" and why they matter. They are: Superheat Subcool Suction pressure Head pressure Air temp split (delta T) These 5 readings give you a holistic idea of the A/C system. Instead of getting hooked on checking only superheat and subcool all the time and dismissing potential diagnoses, you can use these five readings to get an idea of the health of several parts of the system. Making it a priorit...
Basic Electrical Theory
October 12, 2016 23:17 - 1 hour - 85.3 MBIn this episode of HVAC School, Bryan talks to his sons about basic electrical theory. Electrical theory normally requires trigonometry, calculus, and all of those fun maths. However, the basics are so easy that a 12 and 14-year old can figure it out. Electrical theory follows many of the same principles as thermodynamics—however, electrical theory concerns charges rather than heat. Conductors and insulators behave similarly with electrical charges as they do with heat. Ohm's and Watt's ...
Basic electrical Theory
October 12, 2016 23:17 - 1 hour - 85.3 MBIn this episode of HVAC School, we talk BASIC electrical theory. Ohm's law, Watt's law, inductive vs. resistive loads, inductive reactance, loads, switches and circuits and more...
Diagnosis, Reconfirmation, Parts Changers and You
October 10, 2016 21:27 - 31 minutes - 43.9 MBThis Episode of HVAC School is a meeting I had highlighting a mistake we made in our business and going over how to be both a good and profitable technician even in the slow season.
Diagnosis, Reconfirmation, Parts Changers, and You
October 10, 2016 21:27 - 31 minutes - 43.9 MBThis episode of HVAC School is a Kalos meeting where Bryan talks to his team about an incident where a leak was erroneously detected on the evaporator coil. The system was three months old, and one of our junior techs diagnosed a leak on the evaporator coil. (What?? That never happens!) So, the customer was quoted for a new evaporator coil. One week later, the charge was low again. The junior technician quoted the customer for more refrigerant charge and leak detection. The customer freake...
The Basic Refrigeration Circuit
October 05, 2016 22:08 - 1 hour - 104 MBIn this episode of the HVAC School Podcast we talk about the basic refrigerant circuit, the compressor, Condenser, metering device, evaporator and lines.
The Basic Refrigeration Circuit
October 05, 2016 22:08 - 1 hour - 104 MBIn this episode of HVAC School, we discuss the entire basic refrigerant/compression refrigeration circuit. We are in the business of moving heat. Heat refers to motion in the molecules. Temperature is the average velocity of those molecules. Heat needs a temperature differential to move. So, HVAC systems absorb heat when the refrigerant is colder than the ambient temperature. They reject heat when the refrigerant is hotter than the ambient temperature. Remember the components and their f...
Solder Rings, Thermal Imaging and My Grouchy Brother
September 29, 2016 21:30 - 44 minutes - 61.1 MBThis episode of HVAC School is a conversation on the merits and faults of embracing new products. We talk about Brazing with Solder Rings, Thermal Imaging, Micron Gauges, Flowing Nitrogen and why you shouldn't hire techs named Todd.
Solder Rings, Thermal Imaging and My Grouchy Brother
September 29, 2016 21:30 - 44 minutes - 61.1 MBIn this episode of HVAC School, I talk with my brother Nathan... and he whines a lot about cool tools I like. As you might have guessed, Nathan is in the camp of people who believe that proper training promotes good practices; fancy tools won't make an outstanding tech. Even though I respectfully disagree with him on some things, he has a point. Tools will only be useful if a tech knows how to use them. They should make your life easier, but they shouldn't have much bearing on performance....
The Basics of Moving Heat
September 22, 2016 20:00 - 44 minutes - 60.8 MBThis episode is to help those techs new to the trade who never had a good grasp on thermodynamics as well as more seasoned techs who want a quick refresher.
The Basics of Moving Heat
September 22, 2016 20:00 - 44 minutes - 60.8 MBIn this episode of HVAC School, Bryan talks to some apprentices about basic thermodynamics. That is the fancy scientific way of saying that we're moving heat. The way we think of "hot" and "cold" is relative to our comfort. However, the scientific concepts of "hot" and "cold" are very different from our relative understandings of those qualities. For instance, there is only ONE value of "cold" in the universe: absolute zero (0 kelvins, -460°F). Any temperature above that contains heat. H...
Why a TXV instead of a TEV?.. or a CSV?
September 16, 2016 20:13 - 45 minutes - 36.3 MBIn this episode of HVAC School, Bryan talks to Leslie about the deceptive TXV. Thermostatic expansion valves, also known as TXVs or TEVs, are metering devices that maintain superheat. They contain an external equalizer. External equalizers give the pressure reading that you would normally take with a suction gauge at the end of the evaporator coil. They supply the closing force to the TXV. TXVs also contain a sensing bulb. The sensing bulb picks up the superheat on the suction line. When...