Entries Flood Judges' Mailboxes

The job of judging this category of The News' second annual Dealer Design Awards required a little extra time on behalf of the contractor judges. As you might guess, there are hundreds of components and accessory items that are available for contractors to purchase in order to perform their jobs more easily. A lot of them made their way through the judges' hands. Here are the ones that came out on top: The C-Port rooftop support from Cooper B-Line (Highland, Ill.) was a strong selection for first place. Finishing second and third, respectively, in the category were ClimateMaster Inc. (Oklahoma City) with its ClimaDryâ„¢ Modulating Reheat Option, and EZ Trap (Edison, N.J.) for its Novent locking refrigerant cap.

GOLD: Cooper B-Line’s C-Port supports various HVAC rooftop applications.

Gold Winner

The C-Port rooftop supports from Cooper B-Line (www.cooperbline.com) were recognized in the competition as being a "great idea for a new product," according to one judge. The product is 100 percent recycled rubber (from car tires) molded into a curb shape that is available in several models to accommodate the support of various types of piping and rooftop equipment.

According to Bill Lampen, Cooper B-Line product manager, "The C-Port is versatile for many rooftop support applications from a simple support to an adjustable height support using 1-5/8-inch strut accessories. It replaces wood blocks that can cause roof damage over time."

C-Port provides an environmental benefit that the contractor judges found important. One judge said, "This is an excellent environmentally conscious, well-designed product that is time saving and easy to use." The C-Port lends itself to the attainment of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design's (LEED) credits for green buildings and provides a non-penetrating roof support system.

A standard, recycled automobile tire produces two and a half 10-inch C-Port bases. The bases can also be used for roof walkway supports, duct supports, conduit supports, and underfloor applications. One judge asked if the company had tested any applications for residential horizontal applications in attics to help isolate noise and vibration. Who knows? Perhaps another award awaits this company next year in yet another category.

SILVER: ClimateMaster introduced its new ClimaDry reheat option.

Silver Winner

According to ClimateMaster Inc. (www.climatemaster.com), the ClimaDry Modulating Reheat (Model GCV009BGC30ELTS) provides 100 percent reheat of the supply air for operation as a dehumidifier in applications with high humidity design conditions. The ClimaDry option may be applied with a ClimateMaster heat pump, giving it the capability to dehumidify as well as heat and cool.

A unique feature is that the ClimaDry components are internal to the unit. ClimaDry simply diverts condenser water through a water-to-air coil that is placed after the evaporator coil. The addition of a humidistat or dehumidistat activates the ClimaDry option. One judge commented, "This is an excellent option for cost-effective reheat, especially for high-humidity installations."

According to Karla Bradshaw, ClimateMaster public relations manager, "The ClimaDry modulating reheat option is the only water-source heat pump reheat option that provides neutral supply air temperatures regardless of entering water temperature (down to minimum entering water temperature). Because ClimaDry is a hydronic design, no refrigerant circuit changes are required, which greatly simplifies maintenance and service."

The contractor judges liked the installation and service benefits: No extra installation is required because all reheat components are internal to the unit. Service is simplified with diagnostic lights on the microprocessor control board. In addition, heat pumps with ClimaDry use a standard refrigeration coil, thereby minimizing troubleshooting time.

BRONZE: EZ Trap Inc. Novent Locking Refrigerant Caps can be quickly installed and removed in seconds by an authorized person with a special key.

Bronze Winner

EZ Trap Inc. captured the third place award with its Novent (Model NG-R22, NG-R410A) locking refrigerant cap (www.noventcaps.com). It was developed by industry professionals after witnessing countless cases of theft by teenagers for the purpose of inhaling refrigerants, also known as huffing, which can result in brain damage or even death. Novent helps to solve this problem. According to EZ Trap Inc. president Gerry Spanger, Novent provides a tamper-resistant lock for all refrigerant tanks and service ports, including recovery tanks and refrigerant cylinders. Spanger said, "The locks can only be removed with a special key that is only available through HVAC distributors for authorized personnel."

Novent caps are applied to refrigerant service valves after installation or servicing by simply screwing them on to the valve thread and tightening them with the key, providing a gas-tight secondary seal and preventing unauthorized access.

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One judge commented, "This is an outstanding product that protects people from huffing. It can also be used by contractors to keep other contractors from servicing units that are under service agreements. It is very easy to use, and the color-coded caps make it easy to distinguish between refrigerants being used on various systems."

Honorable Mention

Three products received honorable mention from the judges in this category: EnviroMaxâ„¢ from Air Purification of Houston (www.enviromaxfilter.com); the Clutcherâ„¢ Wire Rope Hanging System (Models CL10, CL20, CL30, CL40) from Ductmate Industries Inc. (www.ductmate.com); and the ToughGardÂ®2 Textile Duct Liner from CertainTeed Corp. (www.certainteed.com).

Publication date: 07/18/2005

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Mike Murphy has more than 30 years’ experience in HVACR manufacturing, product development, marketing, sales, and publishing. Murphy holds a bachelor's degree in Business Administration & Marketing.