In the warm summer season, cooling equipment operates at near peak capacity. If that equipment is used for critical building functions, any equipment downtime for whatever reason is unacceptable.

A preventive maintenance program at a leading New England Ivy League university demonstrates how the push for more sustainable building management has led to a growing awareness of a chronic, widespread problem for HVAC motors: electrical bearing damage.

Btu Buddy has met Bob for lunch to answer some questions that Bob had about yesterday’s service call. Bob asked, “Why did that motor have two contactors and so many wires going to it? It seemed very confusing. I am glad that I tagged those motor leads when I disconnected the motor. I never would have figured out how to reconnect the leads.”

We all create our own individual histories every day. At the same time, we become part of a larger history. With that in mind, we asked a few industry colleagues what the most significant changes were that they have witnessed in the HVACR industry.

Bob got a call to go to a convention center where the air conditioning system was not working. It was a 75-ton unit with one compressor. The system was many years old, but had been functioning fine, until now. After checking out the unit, an ohm check showed 0 resistance to ground.

How much do you know about synchronous and V-belt drives? Or, how much do you want to know about them? The thought may not have crossed your mind too often but belt drives have always played an important role in HVAC equipment operation. Understanding their nuances may better serve technicians and customers.

CityCenter, an $8.5 billion resort development on the Las Vegas Strip, may be billed as the largest and most elaborate commercial construction project in U.S. history, but the mechanical systems that manage the indoor environment were chosen based on consistency and simplicity.

Is online buying becoming just as important as one phone call and a pickup at the parts counter? Maybe the HVAC trade isn’t ready to concede that online buying will surpass local purchases or put a big hit on traditional relationships. Yet, online sellers are making themselves hard to ignore and are working to make the buying experience quick and convenient.

This product roundup highlights a variety of motors, drives, and variable-speed products.

One of the most common HVAC technologies - common to people inside the trade - is variable speed. Although most HVAC people know its definition and how it affects equipment performance, chances are that most customers have limited or no understanding of how it affects the equipment in their basement or attic.