Kennedy added that “once an important concept is established, the e-book moves on to other important concepts rather than getting into greater and greater depth. Usually text accompanies graphics and animations, which are updated by the user clicking on buttons as the text proceeds. The result is a smoothly integrated presentation where the appropriate images are always in view of the text and are updated at the appropriate time by the participant.”

According to Kennedy, refrigeration is a “process.” Troubleshooting requires knowledge of specific parameters such as superheat, subcooling, head pressure, suction pressure, discharge temperature, and amperage draw. After learning how these factors are related to system operation, the student is given the opportunity to try troubleshooting in a safe environment, the virtual world. This reinforces newly learned concepts and demonstrates how the troubleshooting process works.

“The participant may select any test instrument and take readings in any order, just like the real world,” Kennedy said. “The net effect is an immediate sense of control and a grasp of the refrigeration process and what is involved when working in the HVACR field. Although the word basic is in the title, this training CD-ROM is much more than that. It takes the participant through things as complex as capacity control, once again by utilizing user updated graphics of things like cylinder unloading, suction cutoff, etc.”

The features of Version II (standard) and Version III (professional) Refrigeration Basics include: