Air Conditioning, Heating & Refrigeration News articles from April 2003

Air Conditioning, Heating & Refrigeration News archives from April 2003

Excellence Alliance Inc. (EAI) (Hebron, Ky.) has signed a three-year strategic agreement with York International. (Contractors).(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... * Excellence Alliance Inc. (EAI) (Hebron, Ky.) has signed a three-year strategic agreement with York International. Through the agreement, EAI members will receive deals and discounts on York products.

Turbocor Inc. (Manufacturers).(James H. Schultz elected to board of directors)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... James H. Schultz has been elected to the board of directors for Turbocor Inc. (Dorval, Quebec). Schultz recently retired as president of the Commercial Systems of the Trane Company.

Rheem Manufacturing. (Manufacturers).(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... * Rheem Manufacturing (Fort Smith, Ark.) has enlisted Daryl "Moose" Johnston and Don Shula as celebrity spokesmen for the company's Rheem Classic golf tournament. Johnston and Shula will support the event through a series of radio and...

Wedge Products. (Manufacturers).(relocated to new facility)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... * Wedge Products has relocated to a new 100,000-square-foot facility in Twinsburg, Ohio. The address is 2181 Enterprise Parkway, Twinsburg, OH 44087.

Lindab Inc. (Manufacturers).(promoted Dave Shaeffer to vice president of its Chicago operations and Midwest business)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... * Lindab Inc. (Stamford, Conn.) has promoted Dave Shaeffer to vice president of its Chicago operations and its business in the Midwest.

Aprilaire. (Manufacturers).(launched a new contractor Web site)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... * Aprilaire (Madison, Wis.) launched its new contractor Web site. The site, wwww.aprilairecontractor.com, includes access to technical documents and specifications.

The essential tools for residential service.
April 7, 2003... PALM SPRINGS, Calif. -- John Garofalo believes that in today's fast-paced world, contractors need to focus their efforts on those areas that double-digit profits. He asserts that in order to run a profitable service business, selling service...

Reaping big profits from little expenses.
April 7, 2003... Marketing's true goal--whether through image, branding, all-purpose, or pure direct response--is to efficiently produce leads that result in paying, referring customers. Yet HVAC contractors continually do three things that almost ensure...

New overtime rules proposed. (industry News).(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... WASHINGTON -- The Washington Post has reported that the Bush administration has unveiled a plan proposing the overhaul of federal rules on overtime pay. Two basic changes would be made under the plan. First, workers earning up to $22,100 a...

ACCA seeks best contractor Web site. (industry News).(Air Conditioning Contractors of America)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... ARLINGTON, Va. -- The Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) is calling for entries in its first annual "Best Contractors on the Web" Internet marketing awards. The program will recognize contractors who have successfully used...

CorAccess integrates Honeywell controls. (industry News).(Honeywell's Enviracom environmental controls will be integrated into corAccess Systems' touchscreen panels)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... MINNEAPOLIS -- Honeywell has reported that its Enviracom [TM] HVAC environmental controls will be integrated into CorAccess Systems' touchscreen panels. According to the company, this will allow homeowners to manage their heating and cooling...

RSES Expo open to public. (industry News).
April 7, 2003... DES PLAINES, Ill. -- As part of the Refrigeration Service Engineers Society (RSES) 2003 Annual Conference, the HVAC/R Technology Expo is open to all individuals, free of charge. Those interested can register on-site the day of the expo in order...

ABC supports LMRDA revisions. (industry News).(Associated Builders and Contractors; Labor Management Reporting and Disclosure Act)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... WASHINGTON -- The Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) recently filed comments with the U.S. Department of Labor on a proposed rulemaking that will make revisions to the reporting requirements of labor organizations under the Labor...

PowerCold signs manufacturing agreement. (industry News).(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... LAVERNIA, Texas -- PowerCold Corporation announced that a multimillion dollar manufacturing agreement was signed with Industrias Polaris S.A., Monterrey, Mexico. According to PowerCold, Polaris will initially manufacture a specialty line...

PHCC conducts Leadership Conference. (industry News).(Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors--National Association)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... FALLS CHURCH, Va. -- The Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors--National Association (PHCC) held its Leadership Conference on March 21-22 in McLean, Va. PHCC said that members and chapter executives were encouraged to be open to changing their...

Lynbrook leads Nassau County in energy savings. (Energy matters: a compendium of energy facts and information.).(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... According to Intellidyne, the Village of Lynbrook, N.Y., installed an energy-consumption-savings product at the Lynbrook public library. Intellicon[R] CAC, a commercial NC economizer, was installed on five of the library's central air...

ASHRAE studies supermarket technology. (Meeting Update / ASHRAE).(American Society of Heating, Refrigerating & Air Conditioning Engineers)
April 7, 2003... CHICAGO -- When concern arose six or seven years ago over the amount of refrigerant in supermarket systems, the industry looked for ways to create refrigeration other than the traditional direct expansion approach. Two approaches garnered...

Hermetic compressors. (what's New).
April 7, 2003... Additions have been made to the line of SC compressors for 115 V and 230 V at 60 Hz. This commercial refrigeration line of fractional-horsepower hermetic compressors can be used with R-134a, as well as R-404A/507. These compressors now cover...

Economizers. (what's New).
April 7, 2003... IntelliCon[R] economizers are designed to monitor and analyze the load on the heating or cooling system, in real time, and then modify the way that the burner or compressor would normally be controlled or cycled. According to the company, they...

Compressor. (what's New).
April 7, 2003... The company's Scroll UltraTech[TM] is a modulated scroll compressor for residential applications. It has the ability to switch between 100 percent and 67 percent part-load capacity to maintain temperature levels and lower relative humidity,...

Evaporator coil literature. (what's New).
April 7, 2003... A presentation and specification sheet featuring the Healthy Solutions evaporator coil with the HydroTec[TM] drain pan is available to contractors for use in sales consultation calls to homeowners. The brochure explains how coils work and the...

Custom-ground crankshafts. (what's New).
April 7, 2003... The company can custom grind crankshafts for most small engines. Crankshafts up to about 2 feet in length can be ground for a wide variety of applications. The twin-head machine that the company uses to custom grind the crankshafts grinds two...

Air purification program. (what's New).
April 7, 2003... A private-label program puts the contractor's name and telephone number where the customers can see it on the high-efficiency, inline central air purifier. This CAP-100-U system features two-stage MERV11 efficiency, which is upgradeable....

Make-up air unit. (what's New).
April 7, 2003... Model IGX-HV is an indirect gas-fired make-up air unit that provides heating and ventilating at airflows up to 15,000 cfm, the company says. Eight mixing box control options and five thermostat options offer ventilation and return-air...

Microcontroller. (what's New).
April 7, 2003... A line of microcontrollers is designed for use in hot water heaters for residential, hotel, or industrial applications. A microcontroller can be wired to a circuit "card" in a wall-mounted heating unit programmed to maintain a constant...

Management software. (what's New).
April 7, 2003... Version 11 of the Forefront[R] Construction Management provides a standardized process for managing workflow, the company states. The software enables project members to access an inbox that displays items the team needs to address for a...

Follow the `Yellow Brick Road to Profits'. (Meeting Update / AirTime 500).
April 7, 2003... TAMPA, Fla. -- At its March meeting for HVACR contractor members, AirTime 500 leaders introduced an array of new services designed to lead them to "OZ" (the "Opportunity Zone"). Terry Nicholson, the organization's president, said he would like...

`Know your numbers,' urges industry expert. (Meeting Update / AirTime 500).
April 7, 2003... TAMPA, Fla. -- Jim Abrams, co-founder of AirTime 500 and director of Planning and Strategic Development for parent company Contractor Services, had a message for AirTime 500 members at its recent Tampa meeting: "Know your numbers." He also...

Metasys connects with Microsoft. (Manufacturer Update).(Johnson Controls)
April 7, 2003... MILWAUKEE -- Johnson Controls' familiar Metasys[R] building automation system (BAS) is getting a new twist with the addition of Microsoft[R].NET-connected software. In a press briefing here, company officials said this "makes possible easier...

Replacing an unknown compressor. (refrigeration zone).
April 7, 2003... Does this sound familiar? You are called out to service a walk-in cooler. It is loaded with product and the box temperature is at 60[degrees]F. The customer is concerned about the product and needs the cooler repaired as soon as possible. You...

The C[O.sub.2] compressor evolves. (refrigeration zone).(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... The use of carbon dioxide as a refrigerant continues to draw attention. Every few months, the list of places where the refrigerant is being talked about and tried grows. The ways the refrigerant can work with various compressors is also being...

UV unit alleviates hospital's mold concerns. (refrigeration zone).(Brief Article)
April 7, 2003... When Charter Springs Hospital in Ocala, Fla., experienced a compressor failure in the 30-ton A/C unit cooling one wing of the hospital, a decision was made to postpone replacing the compressor since that part of the building was empty. That was...

The `Wye' or `star' service transformer. (refrigeration zone).
April 7, 2003... Wye or "star" service transformers are one and the same. The names come from the secondary winding configuration, which looks like a "Y" or three-sided star (Figure 1). For the remainder of this article, the term "Wye" will be used to describe...

Cap tube charging. (the Hotline).(Letter to the Editor)
April 7, 2003... QUESTION: By John West Chesterfield, Va. My question involves the proper way to charge a cap tube or fixed orifice metering device. I know that weighing in is the best option. But what if that is not available? What would be a...

Evacuation level of 410A. (the Hotline).(Letter to the Editor)
April 7, 2003... QUESTION: By Bill Smith Sealed Unit Parts Allenwood, N.J. I have a question about the evacuation levels for R-410A/POE oil systems. American Standard points out, "Proper evacuation to 500 microns will remove moisture from an...

Pulling a vacuum. (the Hotline).(Letter to the Editor)
April 7, 2003... QUESTION: By John West Chesterfield, Va. My question involves pulling vacuum on air conditioning units. Would a large vacuum pump--say a 35 to 50 cfm unit that you use on a large chiller--be as effective on a small 3-ton system?...

Missing filter-driers. (the Hotline).(Letter to the Editor)
April 7, 2003... QUESTION: By Robert Hunter Via E-mail I'm a homeowner that had a new central NC unit installed five years ago. I had to have the outside unit replaced due to compressor failure. The company informed me that there were no driers...

Protection with magnetic technology. (Focus: compressors & condensers).(Samuel Sami, Ph.D., director of Advanced Thermodynamics and Energy Conversion for Magnetizer Group, Inc.)
April 7, 2003... Protecting the life span of a compressor now includes the use of magnetic technology. Samuel Sami, Ph.D., director of Advanced Thermodynamics and Energy Conversion for Magnetizer Group, Inc., Fountainville, Pa., has announced that a...

Company satisfies compressor aftermarket. (Focus: compressors & condensers).
April 7, 2003... The newest compressor technology usually gets the most attention. But remember this: Once a compressor is installed in a system, any further contact with the equipment becomes part of the retrofit or aftermarket sector of the industry. ...

Something new under the sun: solar-powered compressor developed for humanitarian aid. (Focus: compressors & condensers).
April 7, 2003... The nuts and bolts of compressor technology can take on a humanitarian form. Consider the efforts to use state-of-the-art refrigeration expertise to deal with the issue of immunization. Nearly 30 million children around the world have no...

Latest scroll offers humidity control. (Focus: compressors & condensers).
April 7, 2003... As homeowners become more educated on HVAC solutions and capabilities, and more concerned about indoor air comfort, they are actively looking for heating and cooling technologies that meet their needs and perform to higher standards. While...

Is your refrigerator running? (our Insights).
April 7, 2003... I was having not too bad of a day last Thursday until I came home from work and discovered that my refrigerator wasn't running. It reminded me of juvenile jokes: Is your refrigerator running? Well, you'd better catch it. The light came on...

The Dwyer Group (Waco, Texas) has received the "Export Achievement Certificate" from the Texas Camino Real Export Council (TCREC). (Contractors).(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... * The Dwyer Group (Waco, Texas) has received the "Export Achievement Certificate" from the Texas Camino Real Export Council (TCREC). The certificate recognizes the company's recent addition of master licensees in Saudi Arabi and Portugal by...

TSI Inc. (Manufacturers).(website enhancement )(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... * TSI Inc. (Shoreview, Minn.) has added an online return material authorization (RMA) system to its Internet Web site. To view the Web site, go to www.tsi.com.

Superior Refrigeration Products (Camp Hill, Pa.) has received European CE Compliance certification. (Manufacturers).(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... * Superior Refrigeration Products (Camp Hill, Pa.) has received European CE Compliance certification for its line of pressure relief valves.

Hansen Technologies. (Manufacturers).(company expansion )(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... * Hansen Technologies (Burr Ridge, Ill.) announced that it has expanded its international operations. To accommodate increased inventory, the company has moved its European distribution center from the United Kingdom to Germany.

The Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) Educational Institute. (Associations).(website information )(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... * The Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) Educational Institute (Arlington, Va.) has placed a special section devoted to thermal energy storage on the ACCA website. The information can be found at www.acca.org/tes.

Those dreaded callbacks: the reasons behind return service calls.(customer service )
April 14, 2003... Editor's Note: This is the first installment of a two-part series on callbacks. This article explores the reasons behind return service calls. Next week, industry experts will share their solutions for reducing callback rates. The message...

ICP introduces mobile training. (industry News).(International Comfort Products )(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... LEWISBURG, Tenn. -- According to International Comfort Products (ICP), its training department has launched a 44-foot mobile training center designed to offer HVAC dealers opportunities to learn about the most modern heating and cooling...

Economy affects CFC chiller phaseout. (industry News).(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... ARLINGTON, Va. -- According to the Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute (ARI), building owners in the United States last year replaced or converted 2,594 comfort cooling chillers that use CFCs, leaving an estimated 38,000 of the units...

Mold courses available online. (industry News).(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... TAMPA, Fla. -- RedVector.com recently unveiled an online course series focusing on toxic mold. According to RedVector.com, the curriculum covers detection, prevention, and guidelines, as well as remediation in schools and public buildings. ...

Work seekers: HVACR students and professionals seeking employment. (industry News).(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... Looking to obtain a position as an HVAC design engineer. I have the following experience: seven years of experience in HVAC systems, including design of domestic piping, hydronics, fire protection, and ducting for various buildings such as...

ASTM International drafts standard. (industry News).(Sealant standards )(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... WEST CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa. -- A task group of ASTM Subcommittee C24.20 on General Sealant Standards is drafting a test method to determine the mildew resistance of sealants. "Building sealants are the front line of defense against air...

RSES offers new automation seminar. (industry News).(Refrigeration Service Engineers Society)(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... DES PLAINES, Ill. -- The Refrigeration Service Engineers Society (RSES) has made available the seminar titled "Computerized Automation Systems for Residential and Commercial Applications" to its chapters, associations, and organizations that...

ACCA elects new officers. (industry News).(Air Conditioning Contractors of America )(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... ARLINGTON, Va. -- The board of directors of the Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) recently elected its officers for the 2003-2004 association year. Skip Snyder, president of Snyder Company Inc., located in Upper Darby, Pa.,...

EPA honors Lennox Industries. (industry News).(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... DALLAS -- The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has selected Lennox Industries, a subsidiary of Lennox International Inc., as its Energy Star Manufacturer of the Year for its contributions to making and promoting energy-efficient products....

Obituary. (Industry News).
April 14, 2003... Lee Martin NAPLES, Fla. -- Lee Martin, former president, CEO, and chairman of the board of NIBCO Inc., Elkhart, Ind., died March 26, 2003, at the age of 83. Mr. Martin worked nearly 60 years at the company, which was founded in...

Luxaire helps make wish come true. (Industry News).(Make-a-wish Foundation donation )(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... NORMAN, Okla. -- Luxaire[R] Heating and Air Conditioning and the Make-A-Wish Foundation[R] have partnered to help grant the wish of a 7-year-old girl in Tuttle, Okla. Amber, who has B-Cell Leukemia, came home from school recently to a...

Reclamation and the EPA. (reader Mail).
April 14, 2003... [Editor's note: This letter is in response to the article "The Fine Points of Reclamation," March 3.] As one component of the Clean Air Act, the U.S. government included the practice of refrigerant reclamation. Refrigerant reclamation...

Temperature measurement. (what's New).(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... The ComfortWave wireless temperature measurement system is designed specifically to enhance Johnson Controls' Metasys[R] systems, the company says. ComfortWave for N2 integrates wireless temperature sensors into new or existing Metasys systems....

Accounting software. (what's New).(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... Wintac Pro[TM] 2003 is the latest version of a program designed to handle scheduling, dispatching, equipment tracking, job costing, estimating, invoicing, purchasing, multitruck inventory checking, payroll, financial reporting, and marketing...

Filter CD-ROM. (what's New).(Purolator Air Filtration product information )(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... This CD contains the 2003 list price catalog, some product literature sheets, and the all-products bulletin for the FACET line of air filters. In the list price catalog are offered various types of filters, including basic efficiency disposable...

Customized DVDs. (what's New).(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... You can have your own customized HVAC service training and product promotion put on DVD. With product information available on DVD, you can make it available to your clients or customers. The company states that the ease of use, portability,...

K-Type thermocouples. (what's New).(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... ATA1 and ATWB1 thermocouples have an alligator clip on the end to keep them in place. The ATA1 measures dry bulb and the ATWB1 measures wet bulb. These thermocouples work with any instrument that accepts a standard K-type plug. The...

Refrigeration ball valves. (what's New).(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... The LW "Laser Weld" Series of brass refrigeration ball valves allows the service technician to isolate a portion of the refrigeration system for service, such as performing a manual pump down or to control a bypass line to change driers or...

Toxin test. (what's New).(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... A new test can quickly detect the trichothecene toxins produced by some molds, says the company. This is an antibody-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test that gives swifter mycotoxin testing at significantly lower costs than...

Charging scales. (what's New).(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... The Yellow Jacket[R] charging scales are designed to work with any refrigerant in any system. It eliminates the time and cost of charging cylinders and eliminates refrigerant transfer from tank to cylinder to systems; therefore, there's no...

Multi-split zoning system. (what's New).(Mitsubishi Electric product information )(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... The City Multi[R] R2 Series, a variable refrigerant flow zoning (VRFZ) system, features inverter technology, which includes a variable-speed compressor, and simultaneous cooling and heating. According to the manufacturer, the system is a fully...

Energy Star provides homeowners with advice. (Consumer Marketing).
April 14, 2003... This year, the Energy Star program is encouraging Americans to prepare their homes for summer and educating them about the benefits of servicing their cooling equipment. Energy Star, a government-sponsored program designed to help businesses...

The key statistics on the new units.(Air conditioning industry )
April 14, 2003... It's time again for the The News' annual Cooling Showcase. For those who are unfamiliar with the Cooling Showcase, it has traditionally introduced the latest air conditioning units available for the upcoming summer season. The intent is to help...

Addison Products Co.(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... Model: Model DW packaged watersource or geothermal heat pump Footprint: Three basic cabinet sizes are available. Economizer availability: Yes; call factory for specific details. Serviceability features: Hinged access doors with...

American Standard.(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... Model: TSCO92A convertible packaged rooftop Footprint: 29.05 square feet Economizer availability: Yes; field or factory installed. Serviceability features: Built-in test mode, microcontrols, on-board diagnostics. Technical...

Arcoaire (ICP).
April 14, 2003... Model: CAE Series 10-ton split air conditioner Footprint (in inches): 59 1/2 (w) by 45 3/4 (d) by 34 1/4 (h) Economizer availability: Manufacturer did not specify. Serviceability features: Service ports designed for easy access;...

Bard Manufacturing Co.
April 14, 2003... Model: Q-Tec "Quiet Technology" Series heat pump Footprint (in inches): 20 (d) by 81 1/4 (h) by 42 to 48 (w) Economizer availability: Not available. Serviceability features: All service and maintenance performed inside the building...

Carrier.
April 14, 2003... Model: Centurion rooftop Models 48HG and 50HG Footprint (in inches): 169 by 86 Economizer availability: Available. Serviceability features: Slide-out fan deck, easy-clean coils, and easy-access slide-out filters are available, the...

ClimateMaster.(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... Model: Genesis Compact packaged heat pump Footprint (in inches): Manufacturer did not specify. Economizer availability: Manufacturer did not specify. Serviceability features: Manufacturer did not specify. Technical support:...

Coleman.(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... Model: Commercial split system (HL model) Footprint (in inches): 37 1/2 by 45 3/4 by 128 Economizer availability: Not available. Serviceability features: Permanently lubricated condenser and evaporator fan motor bearings need no...

Comfort-Aire (Heat Controller).(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... Model: RS181A split A/C condensing unit Footprint (in inches): 80 (w) by 31 (d) by 35 3/4 (h) Economizer availability: Not available. Serviceability features: Pull-off panel makes it easy to access components for service, the...

Comfortmaker (ICP).(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... Model: CAE Series 10-ton split air conditioner Footprint (in inches): 59 1/2 (w) by 45 3/4 (d) by 34 1/4 (h) Economizer availability: Manufacturer did not specify. Serviceability features: Service ports designed for easy access;...

Friedrich Air Conditioning Company.(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... Model: Wall-mount packaged air conditioners and heat pumps (OES/OHS Series) Footprint (in inches): 1 1/2 to 2 ton: 33 (w) 71.1 (h) by 22 (d); 2 1/2 to 3 ton: 40 (w) by 71.1 (h) by 22 (d); 3 1/2, 4, and 5 ton. 41.9 (w) by 85 (h) by 27 (d)...

Global Energy Group Inc.(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... Model: Inventor Series 1400 packaged units Footprint (in inches): 59 (w) by 50 (h) by 118 (d) Economizer availability: Available. Serviceability features: Hinged access doors; sight glass per refrigerant circuit. State-of-the-art...

Goodman Manufacturing Co.(Brief Article)
April 14, 2003... Model: CKL090 and CKL120 split systems Footprint (in inches): 35 1/2 by 35 1/2 Economizer availability: Not available. Serviceability features: Single-panel access to controls; brass sweat service valves with gauge ports. ...

Heil (ICP).
April 14, 2003... Model: CAE Series 7 1/2-ton split air conditioner Footprint (in inches): 33 (w) by 35 (d) Economizer availability: Manufacturer did not specify. Serviceability features: Externally mounted gauge ports designed to provide easy...

ICP Commercial.
April 14, 2003... Model: CAE Series 7 1/2-ton split air conditioner Footprint (in inches): 33 (w) by 35 (d) Economizer availability: Manufacturer did not specify. Serviceability features: Externally mounted gauge ports provide easy access for...