Controls and Switches Archives - Page 2 of 2 - American Heating and Cooling

Carrier Commercial Rooftop HVAC Unit Controller

Written by Rm Harrington on . Posted in Carrier Air Conditioning Arizona, Commercial Controllers, Commercial HVAC.

RTU-MP™ Carrier Commercial Rooftop Unit Controller

RTU-MP Inputs!

· Indoor and outdoor CO2 relative humidity controls

· Integrated fire shutdown protection and compressor safety management

· Humidistat

· Temperature readings for space and supply air temperatures

· Status display on fan and filter

· AND more.

Every Carrier commercial product configures to one or more specific heating and cooling functions. Thus the RTU-MP™ Carrier Commercial Rooftop Unit Controller provides industry with low cost access to intelligent rooftop HVAC monitoring and regulation – while also making use of four distinctive communication protocols. This dipswitch configurable rooftop HVAC unit controller offers the kind of flexibility that attracts building owners as well as professional commercial HVAC control contractors and quality commercial HVAC installation contractors. The RTU-MP™ may indeed be one of the best available systems for enabling quick adjustment to building automation management – without requiring an installed or re-configured unit mounted rooftop system.

Designed for continuous precision management, the RTU-MP ensures reliable system performance, maximum occupant comfort, and factory programmed system-communication that endures the test of time and usage. Primary benefits associated with the RTU-MP™ Carrier Commercial Rooftop Unit Controller include:

Consumer benefits associated with the RTU-MP Carrier commercial rooftop controller include:

Carrier configured and crafted for installation at the factory
Integrated support for primary protocols, include support for BACnet MS/TP, Modbus (RTU), N2. Also supports LonWorks (Field installed LON-OC required)
Functional as a stand-alone space temperature/humidity sensor driven control system or as an integrated communication link to the BAS (Building Automation System)
Integrated support for local software upgrade downloads
Pre-configured and enabled to support the handheld Carrier service tool
DIP-switch enabled for rapid on-board modification of baud rate and protocol settings
Integrated circuitry surge protection
AND More.

American Cooling and Heating For Professional Installation of Carrier Commercial Building Products

RTU-MP Outputs!

· Economizer and power exhaust management controls

· Cooling and heating stages

· Fan management — indoor

· De-humidification management

· AND more.

The full line of Carrier Commercial products includes Air Handlers, Split-Systems, Water-Cooled Chillers, Carrier Commercial Rooftop Units and more. The

technicians at ACH have the skill, the training, and the practical experience to ensure rapid response and solutions for all of your heating and cooling requirements – be your need related to rooftop HVAC services, emergency repair, or installation of any other Carrier commercial services or products.

Air Conditioning Capacitor – Detect and Repair AC Capacitor

Written by Rm Harrington on . Posted in Air Conditioning, Air Conditioning Capacitor.

Common A/C Repair – Replacing Your Air Conditioning Capacitor

Air conditioning capacitor problems are easy to detect, test and repair. However, replacing your Heat Pump or AC capacitor is also a risky task. Capacitors store power, and even though the breakers to the heating and cooling unit are tripped and the flow of electric current through the system is disabled, a capacitor retains the power to light up your world. Two rules for dealing with A/C capacitors or any other electric motor starting capacitor:

Disconnect the unit power source
Discharge the capacitor.

Working with electricity can be detrimental to your health. Before touching anything inside the cover of your heating and cooling equipment, know exactly what you are doing.

TIP! Get your HVAC unit serviced yearly. During service the technician will check the motor and refill the system fluids.

Coming into simultaneous contact with two of the terminals on an air conditioning capacitor makes for dangerous discharge of electricity. Furthermore: trashing a capacitor that has not been properly discharged creates a fire hazard. Likewise, avoid placing a charged capacitor on dry grass, paper or any other combustible materials. To discharge the stored current from within an A/C or heat pump capacitor, disengage the power source and then use an insulated screwdriver to short across the terminals of the capacitor (figure 1).

Hot Day In Arizona – What To Do When The Air Conditioning Capacitor Quits

When your A/C stops working, even summer fun becomes a drag. It’s hot, sweaty and nasty inside and out. Furthermore, HVAC repairs can get rather expensive. This article may help you get cool while also saving a few dollars on the repair costs. But remember: Messing with electric components is risky. Take care that you fully understand this guide and the associated warnings.

Checking The A/C or Heat Pump Capacitor Multimeter Style

Capacitors store electric charge and are used to maintain voltage supply and/or boost torque during device startup. HVAC systems use capacitors for both purposes. By sight and sound alone, you can make several good guesses concerning the condition of your air conditioning capacitor. However, for the final test, technicians use a multimeter (image 2). If you do know how to use a multimeter or a voltmeter, give up now and call your Arizona Air Conditioning service center. You are likely already in over your head.

To run a multimeter test on your HVAC capacitor: Multimeter- Testing A/C Capacitor

Disconnect the unit power source
Discharge the capacitor
Mark for location and then disconnect the wires from the capacitor’s terminals
Place the leads from the multimeter on the terminals, one to each terminal
The reading should be within six percent of the rating for that make and model of capacitor.

Checking The HP or A/C Capacitor Using Sight And Sound

TIP! If there’s a clicking in your HVAC unit, check for any sort of obstructions immediately. This may be because debris is restricting the movement of the fan blades.

Ok. Perhaps you aren’t ready to actually repair capacitor on your HVAC equipment, but you still want to get an idea of the problem. That’s good. It helps you make an informed price comparison. To check your unit via sight and sound, just stand near the condensing unit and listen for a humming sound while noticing if the fan is spinning or not spinning. Hum without spin likely means air conditioning capacitor problems.

A Capacitor Test That Does Not Require Use of a Multimeter

Since the A/C capacitor is designed to boost power during the system startup, it makes sense that you can provide the necessary assistance. The process is simple. If the outside A/C condensing unit is humming but the fan is not responding, you need to give the fan a kick-start. Find a long stick that will slip through the fan guard. Use something that will bend or break should the fan start turning before you get it out of the way. Now, slide the tool through the fan guard and then gently nudge one of the fan blades. It things crank up and keep going, place bets on the problem being a bad A/C start capacitor.

Bad Capacitor Sight Test Two

If you have already removed the service panel from your condensing unit, do a visual inspection of the capacitor. If the top of the component is swollen out, the capacitor is likely blown.

Choosing The Correct Replacement Component

TIP! Consider an annual service agreement for technicians to regularly inspect your AC unit. Schedule brief inspections for the winter to make sure nothing is obviously wrong.

Two points: Record both the voltage rating and the micro-farads (μF) of your current capacitor. Brand name doesn’t matter and neither (within reasonable limits) does shape and size. The existing A/C capacitor mounting brackets are typically flexible enough to accommodate various sizes and shapes. Even the component voltage voltage rating has some room for upward adjustment. However, the micro-farads (μF) must be an exact match from old to new.

As to pricing, Arizona residential HVAC units are reasonably sized and the capacitor is typically fairly cheap. For example: Pricing for the average Amana, Goodman, Rheem or Trane residential air conditioning capacitor will come in at $35.00 or less. But if all this seems a mite confusing or if messing with electrical components goes against your grain, Arizona-based American Cooling and Heating is ready, 24/7, to service your home or office HVAC equipment. And ACH prices are more than reasonable.

Central Air Conditioning Set It And Forget It With Trane Programmable Thermostats

Written by Rm Harrington on . Posted in Air Conditioning, Thermostats and Controllers.

Central Air Conditioning Efficiency: Use A Programmable Thermostat And Avoid Manual Fan On Settings

Knowing what a central air conditioning system should do and knowing how to efficiently operate your programmable thermostat are not identical points of wisdom. For example: It may seem that the fan on your A/C or Heat Pump unit performs the same function as a standard room fan. Not So. HVAC system fans are designed to produce an entirely different manner of air circulation and air management.

Central A/C, Heat Pump Systems And Window Units

In core function, air conditioning removes hot air from within your home or office, and then returns to you the cooler air. Central A/C units circulate the chilled air throughout your office, home, or even a huge industrial plant. Window air conditioners, although sometimes used to cool an entire home, are most often used for single rooms and other forms of limited space cooling. Window fans, attic fans and other stationary fan units merely churn the existing air, creating turbulence that generates a sense of wind chill.

TIP! In order to cheaply cool your home, turn the temperature up. If you take a few showers a day or just drink a cold ice water, you’ll find that you’re saving a lot of money on your utility bills by keeping the thermostat a little higher than usual in your home.

Central cooling and heat pump systems work in conjunction with a structure’s overall HVAC components, which include air conditioning processes, heating equipment and even ventilation management. Room or window units function as stand-alone cooling, heating or cooling and heating appliances. Freestanding fans, although seeming to cool your home, in actuality increase the heat of the nearby air. Electricity generates heat. Thereby an electric fan when set to fan on releases additional heat into a room and provides no supplemental removal of hot air from the room. Now wind chill refers to the process wherein wind increases convective heat loss. By moving air throughout a room, a fan enables quicker and easier evaporation of sweat from your skin. Thus you are cooled by your body’s natural means of eliminating heat. The greater the wind chill, the more evaporation and the cooler you feel. But remember, fans do not remove hot air from the environment; they add hot air. Thus even as the wind chill effect reduces your discomfort, the fan actually increases the cause of that discomfort.

Central Air Conditioning Fan On Mode

The fan that functions with your installed AZ heat pump or central air conditioning system is also connected to your furnace system. Warm interior air returns to your outside air A/C condensing unit. The air passes through the condensing coils and is then re-circulated back to the inside furnace unit. The cool air is then disbursed via ducts and vents throughout your home. Although evaporation plays a role in the functions of a central A/C system, the core result is nothing like the results produced by a standard room fan, ceiling fan or even attic fan. The fan on your central HVAC unit is neither designed for or should be used as a regular home fan unit. Window air conditioners, however, are not like central A/C units. Setting the Fan On mode on a window unit merely circulate air just as a standard window fan functions. For cool air, you need to set the window unit to “air conditioning” mode.

TIP! When taking away-from-home vacations, set the thermostat on your HVAC system no more than five degrees apart from your standard setting. Differences of more than five degrees can damage the contents in your house – especially during the summer when the Arizona temperatures swell into the triple digits.

Under normal conditions, you should never set your central A/C fan mode to “Fan On” only mode. It causes problems for your thermostat and your overall heating and cooling system. Extended use of “Fan On” only mode increases room humidity while decreasing the efficiency of your HVAC system. For better HVAC equipment performance, the Arizona Energy Commission recommends that homeowners keep air conditioning system fans set to automatic.

Programmable Thermostats

In the Energy Star article “Heat and Cool Efficiently,” the editors suggest that an installed programmable thermostat can save homeowner’s as much as $180 per year in energy costs. During summer months, cooling an Arizona home accounts for as much as fifty-percent of home energy consumption. Several points help reduce this cost:

Review and understand the A/C or HP user manual Â· Install an Energy Star efficiency-rated cooling system
Ensure that your Arizona air conditioning system functions at or above minimum efficiency requirements
If your system lacks the benefits of a programmable thermostat, make the investment; it will save you money
Practice the “set it and forget it” A/C efficiency principal.
Live with 74-78 degrees F; It’s a comfortable and will keep your energy consumption on the low side.

TIP! Make sure things don’t get too hot or cold near the house thermostat. Nearby electronic devices and heat sources such as lamps and televisions can trick the thermostat into thinking the home is warmer than it actually is.

Trane Programmable Thermostats And Advanced Controls

Defined by quality components, every Trane Programmable Thermostat is crafted to help ensure that your family reaps the best in air conditioning comfort. Take a look at some of the options and features:

Trane XL800 Deluxe Programmable Thermostat
Interactive touch screen
Armchair programming options
Permanent memory for lasting storage of programming functions
Effective management for minimum compressor run-time
Auto changeover between cooling and heating with a 3 to 10 degrees “dead band”
AND So much more.

Trane Comfort Link II Smart Control

Crafted for intuitive touch-screen control, the Trane ComfortLinkâ�¢ II sets the scale for innovative management of HVAC equipment. Adaptable to most all brands of heat pumps and A/C units, as well as most all Trane products, the Trane ComfortLinkâ�¢ II is ripe for the picking. Furthermore, the unit is fully upgradeable and well supported for updates to remain compatible with future-released heating and cooling systems. Features include: Â· Custom control and scheduling Â· Live weather and dealer contact

Energy efficient monitoring system
Air quality management with Quick Clean and Allergy Clean cycles designed to provide a temporary boost in air filtration
Remote access from smartphone, tablet or home computer system
Digital picture frame
AND so much more.

For even more details on Trane Programmable Thermostat and Trane central air conditioning equipment, click here.

Air Conditioning and Heat Pump Thermostats and Advanced AC System Controls

Written by Rm Harrington on . Posted in Arizona Air Conditioning Installation, Thermostats and Controllers.

Thermostats: The Tools That Manage HVAC Performance

In basic definition, thermostats and advanaced A/C system controls in air conditioning and heat pump systems are on/off switches. The switch functions in relationship to a thermostat’s set point as compared to changes in the indoor air temperature of the associated structure. But there is so much more to HVAC performance than what meets the casual examination.

Herein, the Arizona-based HVAC installation and maintenance group at American Cooling and Heating presents a brief overview of air conditioning and heat pump thermostats & advanced A/C system controls.

Basic Thermostat and A/C System Control Processes

In 1883, Warren S. Johnson invented the first electric room thermostat. The Johnson Controls technology used mercury and electrodes inserted directly through the glass. The systems were accurate within one degree of temperature.

Skip ahead. In modern technology, most 2014 air conditioning and heat pump thermostats operate on low voltage control circuits that pull 24 volts AC from a control transformer installed within the home’s heating or cooling equipment. Low voltage control technology provides a safety advantage that enables the thermostat to operate multiple electromechanical contractors, relays and sequencers at inherently safe voltage. Modern systems also include an integrated “anticipation” function that activates the contacts in a manner that prevents room temperatures from overshooting the desired temperature settings. And all this excludes the growing range of features associated with modern programmable thermostats & controllers.

Pre-digital Heating and Air Conditioning Thermostats

In 1953, Honeywell introduced the T-86 “Round” thermostat technology (1). This bimetallic-spring regulated room thermostat still controls millions of home heating and cooling systems throughout the world.

Typically mounted on a central wall within the home, the traditional Honeywell thermostat uses a basic dial-type round-controller design that includes two temperature scales and two temperature pointers. The top scale and pointer provides the adjustable components of the system. The bottom scale shows the actual physical temperature in the chosen area of the home. Rotating the pointer in the top scale to the right increases the desired heating requirements. Rotating the pointer in the top scale to the left decreases the desired temperature setting.

In the early years, thermostats designed to control both cooling and heating included a manual setting switch at the base of the unit. This switch, also seen in rectangular units of the pre-digital era, can be moved from heat-to-off-to-cool or back again. The temperature sensor within the units compare the air temperature near the thermostat to the settings of the system and turn on or off the associated heating or cooling equipment as appropriate. The heat/cool/off control switch assures that only the selected equipment can activate at any one time.

Digital Era Thermostats and Controllers

By the year 2005, nearly 97% of U.S. households used installed heating systems (2). During the same time frame, only 75% of the U.S. households used air conditioning. But the world is changing and the changing climates associated with global warming continue to press upward the demand for installed home air conditioning. Modern programmable thermostat and controller technology bestows a dramatic increase in features and capabilities. From simple on/off heating and cooling to controlled ventilation systems and from manual settings to controllers that respond to electricity price signals the home air conditioning and heat pump management system engages in a whole new arena of thermal comfort and energy savings. And then along comes thermostats and advanced air conditioning controls that link directly into the home Internet networking system.

A Sampling of Thermostats and Controllers Available Via ACH

For homeowners and the HVAC industry, heating and cooling control is blazing a whole new world of opportunities. Here are some examples of thermostats and controllers offered to Arizona residents and installed by American Cooling and Heating:

Trane XL800 Digital Thermostat

Quality remains at the core of every Trane thermostat. Rely on the comfort. Trust the power of the Trane XL800 Deluxe Programmable to provide:

Bright back-lit display with interactive touch screen
Armchair programming with removable screen
Filter clean/replacement key
Programming functions stored in permanent memory
Manual or auto changeover
Minimum compressor runtime
3 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit “dead band” between heating and cooling set points in the “auto” changeover mode
Conventional or adaptive intelligent recovery
Min and max heating and cooling ranges
Daylight Savings Time key
Programmable fan can be programmed in the “on”, “auto” or “circulate” mode for each period
Vacation/leave program will hold vacation/leave temperature for up to 256 days
Five-minute time delay for compressor protection
Outdoor temperature display
Single-stage heat (gas or electric), single-stage cool
AND more.

Trane ComfortLink™ II SMART CONTROL

It’s innovative, fully upgradeable and the best that Trane offers. The ComfortLink™ II control features touch-screen configuration in a digital picture frame environment. Compatible with most brands of standard central heat pumps and air conditioning equipment as well as with Trane products, this controller enables Arizona homeowners with the power of the future. Features include:

Custom control and scheduling
Live weather and dealer contact via wireless networking
Energy efficient indoor/outdoor temperature monitoring
Air quality management designed to boost the efficiency of your air filter system
Remote access from within your home or from any Internet-enabled mobile device

But these two only touch the surface. American Cooling and Heating also installs:

Amana ComfortNet CTK03 Control
Amana ComfortNet CTK01 Control
Amana Digital Thermostats
Goodman Standard Touch Screen Thermostats
Goodman Communicating Thermostats
Rheem 100-Series Non-Programmable Thermostats
Rheem 200-Series Programmable Thermostats
Rheem 300-Series Deluxe Programmable Thermostats
Rheem 400-Series Special Applications and Programmable Thermostats
Rheem 500-Series Communicating and Programmable Thermostats
AND Other Equipment From Major Manufacturers.

American Cooling and Heating Offers Valley Wide Arizona Air Conditioning and Heating Sales, Installation and Services on residential, commercial and industrial equipment, including air conditioning condensers, air handlers, furnaces, heat pumps, refrigeration systems and other HVAC equipment.

Call now for more info:

Top Quality Workmanship, BBB A+ Rated, AZ ROC Complaint Free