Bob and Btu Buddy meet for lunch in a restaurant so they can discuss water-cooled systems. Btu Buddy tells him about the pros and cons of air-cooled and water-cooled equipment. Bob then asks how to start up a water-cooled system in the spring and be assured that it will provide good service all summer.

It’s the middle of July, and a customer calls to say that the unit that heats and cools their small office “isn’t cooling at all.” When you arrive, you find a 230-V, eight-year-old, rooftop package unit heat pump with three-phase compressor. After an evaluation of the system, you'll be asked a three-part troubleshooting question.

The day is scorching hot and Bob gets a call to go to an office building because the air conditioning system is off. It is a water-cooled chiller located in the basement with the water tower on the roof of the building. Btu Buddy assists Bob as he finds that the condenser tubes are dirty and require cleaning.

Most compressors fail due to system malfunctions, which must be corrected to prevent repeat failures. After a compressor fails, field examination of the failed compressor often will reveal symptoms of system problems. Corrections will help eliminate future failures.

Bob receives a call from the dispatcher that a system is not cooling properly. It is a small office with a 4-ton unit that uses a capillary tube metering device. Bob discovers that the system had been overcharged. With Btu Buddy's help, Bob then proceeds to properly charge the system.

When it comes to assuring that a motor provides consistent service for the longest time possible, it’s important to pay attention to the bearing system. Bearing system failures are one of the most common mechanical breakdowns in the field.

This article is a continuation of “Btu Buddy 62: An Overheated Boiler” from the May 19, 2008 issue. After Bob talks with Sid, the water treatment expert, Btu Buddy assists Bob in cleaning and filling the system.

Under no circumstances should you ever see water around the indoor unit. This is a sign that something is either dripping, leaking, or not draining. But indoor water problems don’t occur only during the summer cooling season. Here's a list of possible causes of water leaks and things to check.

The spring is beginning to bring warmer weather when Bob gets a call from the dispatcher that a small apartment building is overheating. The building is heated with an old boiler that is running really hot. Btu Buddy helps Bob track down the problem.

A leaking chiller forced an automotive manufacturing plant’s HVACR engineer to decide between a costly production shutdown or using a can of refrigeration system sealant to eliminate the leak. Deciding on the sealant quickly put a lid on the engine factory’s repair fees.