HPAC December 2023

CIPHEX WEST REVIEW

HYDRONICS TROUBLESHOOTING

DECEMBER 2023

FOCUS ON PHYSICAL AND FINANCIAL HEALTH

HPACMAG.COM

MISSION INEVITABLE FINDING THE LEAKS

SIMPLIFYING SOLAR THERMAL Follow Us On

@hpacmag

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CONTENTS

DECEMBER 2023 / VOL. 97 NO. 6

38 FEATURES 16

COVER PHOTO: EVGEN_PROZHYRKO/GETTY IMAGES

16

COVER STORY HVAC MISSION INEVITABLE Part of every HVAC/R tech’s list of skills includes finding and repairing leaks of all kinds.

By Ian McTeer

24 DUCT-FREE ZONE WORK LIFE A career in the trades has its rewards, but your health and financial security should always be the priority.

By Gerry Wagner

36

28 HYDRONICS AVOIDING HYDRONIC HEADACHES Based on over four decades of experience, the installation and troubleshooting details I’m always on the lookout for.

By John Siegenthaler

36 SOLAR THERMAL HERE COMES THE SUN! The basics of solar thermal and why it’s a viable solution.

By Curtis Bennett

CONTINUED ON P6

CONTENTS 38

62

EVENT REPORT BUILDING COMMUNITY IN B.C. The first Modern Hydronics Summit event held in Western Canada is a sold out success at the Hard Rock Casino in Coquitlam.

By HPAC STAFF

AHR EXPO WINDY CITY RETURN AHR Expo trade show and conference sets up in Chicago for the first time since 2018.

46 EVENT REVIEW CIPHEX WEST 2023 Hydronics, heat pumps and working with hybrid fuel options was a hot topic among the many sessions at this year’s CIPHEX West, the largest industry trade show in Western Canada held at the BMO Centre in downtown Calgary.

By Doug Picklyk

54 COMPANY PROFILE CUSTOMER COMMITMENT Arpi's Industries of Calgary celebrates 60 years of client focused success.

By Doug Picklyk

DECEMBER 2023 / VOL. 97 NO. 6

54

57 REFRIGERATION TAKING OUT THE TRASH Overcoming the obstacles to delivering a trouble-free refrigeration system start up.

By Dave Demma

46 DEPARTMENTS 8 UPFRONT 10 NEWS FEATURE Carmichael Engineering opens operational net zero branch office.

11 INDUSTRY NEWS 42 MECHANICAL SUPPLY NEWS 45 PEOPLE 61 THE SOURCE 62 CALENDAR

38 6

HPAC | DECEMBER 2023

HPACMAG.COM

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< UPFRONT WHO ARE YOUR COMPETITORS? OUR SOCIETY HAS AN INTERESTING RELATIONSHIP WITH FOSSIL FUELS, AND THE HVAC AND PLUMBING INDUSTRY IN CANADA definitely has an intimate relationship with carbon burning energy.

Most any building in Canada occupied by people requires heating, and for most buildings that’s a connection to a natural gas line, or perhaps a propane tank or another source of fuel. Of course, there are many communities in Canada where electricity is the best, or preferred, option, but the reality is that the electrification transition, the zero carbon emissions solution, is a slow moving work in progress across the country.

Yet, it’s hard to argue with the fact that the pendulum is swinging towards a more emissions-free world. Yes, government incentives are driving heat pump adoption by homeowners, but businesses are also looking at the numbers and discovering that heat pump systems for their buildings are a viable solution. The economics are changing, and although it won’t be in one or two years, we are heading towards a future with less demand for those gas lines.

So, how is your relationship with your local gas utility?

In Ontario, there is concern brewing among contractor members of the Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada (HRAI) with respect to recent moves by the largest gas distributor in the province.

A new company has emerged called Enbridge Sustain, a services company providing “turnkey energy solutions to help builders, homeowners and businesses fight climate change and support net-zero emissions.”

The company’s solutions include geothermal, hybrid heating, solar panels, and electric vehicle charging. For each of these ‘solutions’, they will consult, design, install and provide support and maintenance. Best of all, no upfront cost. Everything is included with one monthly fee. A utility being a utility.

Well, not exactly. Although the branding is identical to the utility, its website states: As an unregulated business distinct from the gas utility, Enbridge Sustain is able to provide customers with a range of sustainable energy solutions they can implement today.

So, it’s not regulated. And the business model of selling energy-as-a-service contracts isn’t new. There are companies today offering these solutions to building owners and developers—selling to homeowners, not so much.

So, is residential and commercial HVAC installation, service and maintenance the new business for Enbridge when gas lines are no longer required?

Is a large monopoly entering a market dominated today by a large number of small independent operators?

HRAI and its contractor members would like more transparency about what exactly is going on here. The association is raising awareness among its members and rallying the industry to draw greater attention to this topic.

Today, this is a regional issue in Ontario, and nobody argues that competition isn't good for consumers. But fair and equal competition is best.

On that note, everyone here at the HPAC team wishes all of our readers the very best over the holiday season, and a Happy New Year! <> – Doug Picklyk, Editor 8

HPAC | DECEMBER 2023

Reader Service Print and digital subscription inquires or changes, please contact Angelita Potal, Customer Service Administrator Tel: (416) 510-5113 Fax: (416) 510-6875 Email: apotal@annexbusinessmedia.com Mail: 111 Gordon Baker Rd., Suite 400, Toronto, ON M2H 3R1 EDITOR Doug Picklyk (416) 510-5218 dpicklyk@hpacmag.com ASSOCIATE David Skene (416) 510-6884 PUBLISHER dskene@hpacmag.com NATIONAL Amanda McCracken (647) 628-3610 ACCOUNTS amccracken@hpacmag.com ACCOUNT Kim Rossiter (416) 510-6794 COORDINATOR krossiter@hpacmag.com AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT Urszula Grzyb (416) 510-5180 MANAGER ugrzyb@annexbusinessmedia.com MEDIA DESIGNER Emily Sun esun@annexbusinessmedia.com PUBLISHER Peter Leonard (416) 510-6847 pleonard@hpacmag.com PRESIDENT/COO Scott Jamieson sjamieson@annexbusinessmedia.com

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by Annex Publishing & Printing Inc. HPAC Magazine is the leading Canadian business publication for the owner/manager of mechanical contracting businesses and their supply partners.

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INDUSTRY NEWS SEE THE LATEST NEWS @ HPACMAG.COM

CARMICHAEL OPENS NEW OPERATIONAL NET ZERO BRANCH OFFICE IN BELLEVILLE On the heels of celebrating the company’s 100th anniversary last year, Carmichael Engineering, the nationwide commercial HVAC service, maintenance, design and installation organization with locations in 22 metropolitan areas across the country, has opened its first ‘operational Net Zero’ branch office in Belleville, Ont. The company hosted a grand opening ceremony Tuesday, November 21 with clients, city officials, friends, and Carmichael employees past and present.

Built from the ground up, the new onelevel commercial building features a combined 10,000 sq. ft. of office and warehouse space for Carmichael, along with two additional smaller units for lease.

“When we started out, our ultimate goal was to create a comfortable and functional space for our growing team in Belleville, and something they could be proud of,” said Eric Rockarts, branch technical support and the person who launched the original Belleville office 25 years ago (Oct. 1998).

Rockarts was instrumental in the development of the new facility and highlighted the efforts of the entire Carmichael design team and technicians along with the subtrades that worked on the construction.

“The building is a testament to Carmichael’s commitment to sustainability, to embrace new technologies, and to find better and smarter ways of doing things,” added Rockarts.

Designed to generate as much, or more, energy as it consumes over a calendar year, the building features 125 kW of rooftop solar panels, and it was constructed with energy efficient building envelope materials, LED lighting and its HVAC system uses two 20-ton LG reversible inverter scroll chillers (air-to water heat pumps) for heating and cooling (the 10

HPAC | DECEMBER 2023

Ribbon cutting at Carmichael Engineering’s new ‘operational Net Zero’ branch office in Belleville, Ont. featuring Belleville Mayor, Neil Ellis (centre left) and Maddie Carmichael, fourth generation involved in the family-owned business (centre-right).

LG inverter scroll chillers on Carmichael’s Belleville branch rooftop.

Maddie Carmichael cuts the ceremonial vanshaped cake at the grand opening.

first install of this technology in Canada).

The building uses low-temperature infloor heating in both the office and warehouse spaces, complemented with tempered fan coil air handling for heating and cooling.

The smart building uses building automation system controls designed by Carmichael’s BAS team, and the system is monitored by the company’s secure cloudbased Performance Advisor platform.

Involved with the grand opening ribbon cutting was Maddie Carmichael, who serves as Vancouver branch manager and is the fourth generation of the

Carmichael family involved with the familyowned business.

“As part of the new generation of Carmichael, we’re aiming to pioneer solutions that not only elevate the operation, efficiency and comfort of indoor spaces, but to pave the future for a greener world for generations to come,” said Carmichael, adding, “This building, in itself, represents the importance of, and our commitment to, sustainability.”

Look out for more details on this new building in the Spring 2024 edition of HPAC magazine’s Modern Hydronics. carmichael-eng.ca HPACMAG.COM

NEW REPORT AND RESOURCES FOCUS ON SUBSTANCE USE IN THE SKILLED TRADES Existing workplace culture may be the most important perceived stigma preventing access to substance use supports among those in Canada working in the skilled trades.

That finding comes from a new report, Understanding Substance Use Among Apprentices in the Skilled Trades, a study conducted to gain better insights into the real lived experiences of apprentices and tradespeople along with the supports required in relation to substance use and abuse in skilled trades occupations.

Commissioned by the Canadian Apprenticeship Forum (CAF) with funding from Health Canada, the study included research projects undertaken between August 2022 to April 2023, including a Canada-wide survey of apprentices and journeypersons, complemented with interviews with apprentices, tradespeople, employers, union trainers and representatives from national substance use treatment organizations.

Overall, 1,194 participants completed the survey and 46 people were interviewed. Of the survey respondents: 77% were men; 56% were from construction trades; 50% were journeypersons and 50% were apprentices; and 56% were non-union and 44% union.

Some of the national report’s key findings include: • 59% of respondents reported binge drinking/alcohol use (more than five drinks on one occasion in the past 12 months) .

• Apprentices and pre-apprentices are more likely to use cannabis than journeypersons; whereas journeypersons are more likely to use opioids and sedatives.

• There is evidence of possible misuse of prescribed opioids, as well as use of non-prescription opioids. Women use more opioids, sedatives, and psychedelics than men.

• There is a higher use of cannabis and HPACMAG.COM

Free resources available from the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety.

stimulants in the trades than in the general population.

• Socializing and partying are the primary reasons for using alcohol, psychedelics, and stimulants.

• Most respondents did not report harms from using substances. For those who did experience harm, the most cited consequence of substance use was mental harm.

• Among survey respondents, 84% indicated their employer had clear rules about workplace on-site drug use, and they were very aware of their company’s rules around drug use and the consequences for using substances on-site (91%).

• There is a lack of awareness regarding available services and treatments.

However, tradespeople working for employers/unions that provided information to their workers/membership regularly were more likely to be aware of available services, or, at a minimum, where to access them.

• Survey participants identified counselling, mentoring, and peer support groups as the types of supports most needed.

• Promising practices included use of peer support programs, reducing stigma in the workplace, and integrating substance use approaches and strategies into existing supports.

The report notes that experts in substance use and treatment in the trades revealed that large organizations are more likely to have workplace drug policies, while smaller companies, which includes the majority of employers in the construction sector, often lack the ca-

pacity to develop their own drug policies.

The experts also note that current work conditions in the construction sector can be attributed to decades of policies aimed at increasing productivity while keeping expenses low, adding that these conditions have contributed to the mental health crisis in the building trades and the increased use of substances in the industry.

To address substance use, the industry needs to address the contributing factors, including improving working conditions and actively changing workplace culture that minimizes mental health struggles.

Free Resources In response to the research report, a new suite of free resources have been made available to help employers and workers address the issue of substance abuse among the trades.

The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS), in partnership with CAF, has launched a series of three brief (15-minute) online courses along with three two-page info sheets to educate and assist employers, managers and workers on the topics of how to handle substance use and reducing stigma in the workplace.

The online courses: Being Aware, Harm Reduction and Supporting Your Wellbeing, aim to help raise awareness about the impacts of stigma, and the importance of a safe and supportive workplace.

The courses explore how workplaces can take a harm reduction approach to substance use, what to do if there are concerns about substance use at work, and strategies to improve everyone’s overall well-being.

The info sheets provide an overview of substance use in the trades, from addressing stigma, to the responsibilities of employers in challenging stigma and reducing impairment, to strategies for supporting tradespeople. ccohs.ca caf-fca.org Continued on p12 DECEMBER 2023 | HPAC

11

< INDUSTRY NEWS Continued from p11

U.S. SPENDING $169M TO RAMP UP DOMESTIC HEAT PUMP MANUFACTURING The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced a funding envelope of US$169 million available for nine projects with a focus on accelerating domestic heat pump manufacturing at 15 sites across the country.

The nine manufacturing projects selected have entered into award negotiations. Before funding is issued, DOE and the applicants will undergo a negotiation process, and DOE may cancel negotiations and rescind the selection for any reason during that time.

The nine companies and projects selected to receive funding include: Armstrong International in Michigan ($5M) the addition of 29,000 sq. ft. to an existing facility for production of industrial heat pumps; Bard Manufacturing in Georgia ($9M) to expand facility to produce wall-mounted single package vertical unit heat pumps; Copeland in Ohio, Missouri and Wisconsin ($11.5M) to expand facilities for production of residential, commercial, and industrial heat pump compressors and systems; Honeywell in Louisiana ($14.8M) to increase the production capacity of its HFO-1234yf product, a low global warming potential component used to produce R-454B; Hydro Temp Corp. in Arkansas and New York ($10.8M) for theexpansion of facilities; Ice Air in South Carolina ($17.6M) to establish a new commercial-scale manufacturing facility; Mitsubishi Electric U.S. in Kentucky ($50M) to establish a factory to domestically manufacture variable capacity compressors; Gradient Comfort in Michigan ($17.5M) to establish a high-volume, vertically integrated manufacturing facility; and York International (Johnson Controls) in Kansas, Pennsylvania and Texas ($33M) to retrofit three plants energy.gov 12

HPAC | DECEMBER 2023

CANADA GREENER HOMES INITIATIVE UPDATES The Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada (HRAI) alerted its members on Wednesday, Nov. 15th that the federal Greener Homes Grant program will stop accepting new application as of March 2024. With the program exceeding some of its forecast targets, it appears the government may be preparing to replace the existing grant program with something new in the coming weeks or months.

Although no official word has been delivered from the government on this new emerging development as of this publication date, a recent November update was released that covers the overall Canada Greener Homes Initiative, which includes the Canada Greener Homes Grant, Canada Greener Homes Loan, and the newer Oil to Heap Pump Affordability Program (OHPA), and in the update the feds announced enhancements to the OHPA and shared progress on the entire initiative.

On September 27, 2023, the Greener Homes Grant program made its 100,000th grant payment, and as of the end of September 2023, the average number of total payments completed per day under the program was 343. The average grant was $3,364 and the top retrofits were heat pumps (47,260), followed by windows and doors (38,473) Under CMHC’s Canada Greener Homes Loan program, 17,814 loans have been issued, of which 7,909 (45%) included funding for a heat pump.

The OHPA program, first announced in November 2022 and launched in March 2023, has been providing an upfront advance payment of up to $10,000 to lowto median-income Canadian households that use home heating oil to help cover the cost of purchasing and installing a cold-climate air-source heat pump.

The OHPA program specifically covers: • the purchase and installation of an eligible heat pump; • electrical upgrades required for the new heat pump; • installation of a backup electric heating system (as required); • switching over other oil-using household systems, such as a water heater (where necessary); and • safe removal of an oil tank.

As of mid-October 2023, approximately 9,000 homeowners have been approved for and/or received OHPA funding nationally, two-thirds in Atlantic Canada.

Of the 9,000 nearly 90% received the full $10,000 payment.

Enhancements to the OHPA program announced on October 26 included increasing from $10,000 to $15,000 the amount of federal funding with the goal of making the average heat pump free for eligible households.

The increased funding is only available where the federal government has codelivery arrangements in place, currently that includes only Nova Scotia, P.E.I. and Newfoundland and Labrador.

The federal government will also be providing a one-time payment to low-tomedian income households of $250 in these co-delivery jurisdictions when they commit to transitioning to a heat pump to help defray the cost of heating oil while waiting for the installation. nrcan.gc.ca HPACMAG.COM

ENERCARE ANNOUNCES PARTNERSHIP WITH HABITAT FOR HUMANITY CANADA Enercare, one of Canada’s largest home and commercial HVAC and plumbing services organizations operating under many brands inNick Perreten, cluding, HydroSolution, Enercare president/CEO, Pioneer Plumbing & Heating, Syles Mechanical Services, Service Experts, and Enercare, has announced a new Sustainable Homes Partnership with Habitat for Humanity Canada.

The partnership, a three-year commitment, will support 17 sustainability grants and numerous new builds by 2026.

Habitat Canada’s Sustainability Grants program supports the upfront investment required to build more affordable and energy efficient homes in communities across Canada.

“We are on a sustainability journey to enable more equitable access to solutions that help lower emissions in the places people live, work and play,” says Enercare’s president/CEO, Nick Perreten.

“Partnering with Habitat for Humanity Canada will allow us to do just that.” enercare.ca

than 600 square metres, and take effect as of October 1, 2024.

A second measure will apply to larger buildings, and it will take effect beginning April 1, 2025.

Following moves by other large cities including Vancouver and New York, Montreal is adopting regulations which will prohibit devices responsible for greenhouse gas emissions linked to heating for new small buildings, and which will require that new large buildings are decarbonized.

“The measure aims at buildings in the residential, commercial and institutional sectors; the industrial sector being excluded, especially because it is already under the carbon market rules,” said Marie-Andrée Mauger, City of Montréal green transition manager.

Gas appliances exempt include: temporary heating for construction, emergency generators, and commercial stoves. montreal.ca

MONTREAL LATEST CITY TO BAN GAS APPLIANCES IN NEW BUILDINGS As part of its 2020-2030 Climate Plan and following consultations on its Roadmap towards zero-emission buildings by 2040, the City of Montreal announced on October 25 the introduction of by-laws that will ban the installation of gas-powered appliances – such as water and heating systems, stoves and BBQs connected to a gas network, indoor gas fireplaces and water heaters for swimming pools and spas.

The first regulation will apply to buildings of three storeys or less, and smaller

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MECHCAN COMPLETES SIXTH ACQUISITION IN ONTARIO MechCan Inc., a Toronto-based acquiror of mechanical services businesses, recently completed its sixth transaction in Ontario since launching in January of 2022.

The most recent investment adds G.C. Lounsbury of Tillsonburg, Ont. in Southern Ontario joining: Hy-Mark Mechanical, Guelph/Owen Sound (acquired in Feb. 2022); BR’s Plumbing and Heating, Tillsonburg (May, 2022); Comfort Zone Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing, Cobourg (August, 2022); Total Home Energy Systems, St. Jacobs (March 2023).

The other company in the MechCan family of brands is JD Swallow Heating and Cooling, serving the Ottawa area. mechcan.ca Continued on p14

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Requiring up to 50% less effort from you to do the job, ProLiftTM helps reduce back and shoulder injuries. With Adrian Steel, ladders stay put and you stay safe, it’s as simple as that. Learn more about ProLiftTM and our ProfileTM rack system at adriansteel.com

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DECEMBER 2023 | HPAC

13

2023-09-18 8:58 AM

< INDUSTRY NEWS Continued from p13

CLIMATE INSTITUTE: HEAT PUMPS ARE LOWEST-COST OPTION FOR MOST HOUSEHOLDS According to new research released by the Canadian Climate Institute, heat pumps are already the lowest-cost way for most households across Canada to heat and cool their homes.

The report, Heat pumps pay off: Unlocking lower cost heating and cooling in Canada, examines the cost of heating and cooling options across building types in Vancouver, Edmonton, Toronto, Montréal, and Halifax.

It compares the costs of different heat pump configurations against gas furnaces and air conditioning.

The research finds that heat pumps beat gas furnaces and air conditioners on cost in most cases.

On average, the lifetime cost of a standard heat pump with electric backup is

13% less than a gas furnace with air conditioning.

This is in part driven by the high energy-efficiency of heat pumps, which are up to five times as efficient as gas furnaces.

In addition, those in the market for new heating or cooling appliances can use a new online calculator developed by the Institute to find out the lowest-cost option for their situation.

The calculator provides information that shows how heat pumps stack up against alternatives in each of the five cities modelled—both in terms of costs and emissions impact.

Martin Luymes, vice president of government and stakeholder relations with the Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada (HRAI)

is quoted in a media release for the new research: “This new report and online calculator provide a detailed and very useful picture of how heat pumps compare to other heating and cooling systems across Canada.

Installers and manufacturers are well-placed to accelerate uptake so that more households benefit from lowcost heating and cooling that reduces emissions and protects against extreme heat.”

The report includes policy recommendations targeting barriers that are holding households back from installing a heat pump, and requirements for highefficiency heating and cooling technologies in new buildings in regions where they are already cost-competitive. climateinstitute.ca

WE’RE GROWING AND SO CAN YOU!

We have multiple job openings at Refrigerative Supply Limited (RSL) throughout our Branches, Distribution Centers and Head Office.

With more than 18 Branches and 4 Distribution Centers throughout Western Canada, RSL has been in the industry since 1945 and has earned the ‘Great Place to Work’ certification.

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Inspire Excellence and Trust 14

HPAC | DECEMBER 2023

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To ensure our employees perform the best, we offer • • • • • • • •

Sick days Vacation days Personal obligation days Extended health, dental and vision care Wellness account Registered pension plan Annual $3,500 tuition reimbursement 24/7 employee assistance program

Send your resume to peopleandculture@rsl.ca for countless opportunities at a company that is collaborative, community-focused and innovative!

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MISSION INEVITABLE Part of every HVAC/R tech’s list of skills includes finding and repairing leaks. BY IAN McTEER

PHOTOS BY IAN MCTEER

Figure 1. The effects of leaking acidic condensate to gas furnaces.

I

n the grand global comedy of life, there exists a peculiar quest that’s as elusive as a unicorn at a magic show: the hunt for leaks.

Whether it’s water gushing from a pipe, refrigerant making a surreptitious escape, gas slipping through uneven threads, or steam staging its own great vanishing act, finding and repairing these elusive culprits is an everyday activity for HVAC/R technicians—the job is literally about playing hide-and-seek with invisible actors who are masters of 16

HPAC | DECEMBER 2023

the art of ‘fix me if you can.’

It’s a task that leaves us wondering if we’re actually chasing leaks or just training for the world’s most bizarre detective agency.

So, grab your soap, leak detector, nitrogen bottle, bright flashlight and prepare to embark on a journey into the leaky labyrinth that tests the wit and patience of those who dare to tread in the realm of the watery, chilly, gaseous, and steamy unknown.

INEVITABLE Let’s face it right off the bat, leaks are inevitable for a variety of reasons.

Liquid or gaseous commodities, especially those contained in pressure vessels, will eventually leak out mainly because no known metals or plastics will last forever. If it weren’t for leaks of water/condensate, steam, gases, and even heat—or stretch the concept to electricity leaking from energized components to ground—an HVAC/R techniContinued on p18 HPACMAG.COM

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Figure 2. An infrared camera detects water damage caused by condensate water.

Figure 3. Small leaks can become larger leaks.

cian’s life would be all peaches and cream every day; well, maybe that’s taking it a bit too far!

And the trouble is, not only do leaks of these commodities cause equipment breakdowns and poor performance; leaks can too often be life-threatening at worst, and/or at least cause significant property damage. Thus, our job is clear, we must design and manufacture products less likely to leak, and we need to install them in such a way that leaks are nearly impossible during the equipment’s lifespan.

the years. Of course, gas or fuel leak complaints must be detected by the best means available and repaired without delay.

WATER AND CONDENSATE The images in Figure 1 (page 16) show examples of ruinous damage to gas furnaces from acidic condensate leaking from defective heat exchangers, draft inducer connections and overflowing cooling drain pans.

The value of yearly servicing cannot be overemphasized as many of these leaks can be detected and repaired before an expensive repair or equipment changeout is necessary.

The images in Figure 2 (above) illustrate the type of property damage overflowing condensate can do. In this case, condensate from a gas furnace was pumped to a small wash basin near the furnace. The basin drain plug was inadvertently closed causing condensate to overflow the basin and run underneath the partition wall into a finished adjoining room.

18

HPAC | DECEMBER 2023

“Detection methods vary, however, soap bubbles worked well for me over the years.”

Interestingly, an infrared camera was used to detect the extent of the water damage. It should be noted that an infrared camera is not intended to detect water leaks, but it can be useful since the wet or water-damaged materials have a different emissivity rate causing a temperature difference that the camera can detect. Condensate soaked into the framing material, drywall, baseboard, and carpet.

The image in Figure 3 (above) is just a reminder that small leaks can become larger, more worrisome, leaks.

And don’t forget leaks in piping systems and components related to fossil fuels such as natural gas, LP and even fuel oil. In most residential buildings, natural gas, piped in at 7-in. w.c. (just 0.25 psi) can still leak through a poorly made flare, an uneven pipe thread, or pin holes in fittings; I found the older lubricated gas cocks would often leak a bit after using it to isolate a gas fired appliance.

Detection methods vary, however, soap bubbles worked well for me over

HEAT LEAKS There are many ways a building can leak more heat than the designers or even building codes call for, often related to construction inefficiencies. Recently, I was amazed by a video I watched in which a passive house under construction, but replete with doors, windows, vapour barrier, taped joints and caulking everywhere (but not yet drywall boarded), failed a test in which white smoke pumped into the building leaked out with reckless abandon from dozens of small holes here and there.

And what about pipe insulation?

Figure 4 (page 20) shows a house with a recently completed mini split heat pump system installed with indoor heads connected by insulated copper tubing running outside of the building.

I snapped an infrared image of the cladding, and it seems the piping system is losing too much heat.

It would have been better to run the line set inside the house, obviously at greater cost and complication, or perhaps a second smaller unit could have been used to reduce the overall line length and resultant heat loss. Is this a source of heat loss we should be paying more attention to?

Continued on p20 HPACMAG.COM

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bundle of an evaporator or condenser coil typically requires replacement of the entire coil, although sometimes a repair is possible.

In the case of Figure 5, an electronic leak detector would likely be able to pinpoint the leak location in this coil should one exist. However, in the case of a system completely devoid of refrigerant, a nitrogen test may not produce easily detectable soap bubbles.

Should this coil be replaced, or would it be best to continue searching for leaks elsewhere?

The usual suspects when it comes to leak locations are just about any joint in the system, be it a brazed joint or a mechanical connection.

Figure 4. Heat loss along an exterior lineset.

FLARE FAULTS

Figure 5. What’s the source of the oil stains on this coil?

REFRIGERANT LEAKS I have written in the past, back in the day when “venting to atmosphere” was the accepted practice for removing refrigerants from a system, that too many HVAC service personnel would automatically add refrigerant to a system that demonstrated poor performance related to low suction pressure.

Connect the gauges first thing and, on an R-22 system for example, read a suction pressure of 58 psig. This condition was often a signal to the poorly trained servicer that the system needs more gas; the pressure should be higher!

Well, yes the pressure should be higher, but no, the first step in diagnosing poor performance is to inspect the air handling side (look for duct system air leaks too) using your senses: listen for odd sounds, view obvious symptoms, and feel for obstructions. A bright flashlight is very helpful too.

Be sure the system has a leak! Look 20

HPAC | DECEMBER 2023

Figure 6. Improper flaring.

for a plugged air filter, dirty evaporator coil. What’s the condition of the blower wheel? Are the zone dampers working properly? Ductwork restrictions or blocked supply or return registers and grilles? Any one or several of these system deficiencies can cause low suction pressure, even low head pressure and low compressor amp draw.

Once put right, system pressures should return to advertised recommended values as determined by the equipment manufacturer.

THE USUAL SUSPECTS Sometimes, a refrigerant leak can be spotted easily, often by the presence of compressor oil at the leak site. However, leak locations can still be difficult to pin down: does the presence of multiple oil stains on the coil in Figure 5 (above) mean several refrigerant leaks, or did the coil get contaminated with oil from some other source?

A leak from somewhere in the tube

Field fabricated brazed joints or flare connections are highly susceptible to leaks, and too often the cause is improper preparation of the site. For example, the flare in Figure 6 (left) leaked because the flare is too large, and the tubing was not reamed, leaving a ridge that could not properly mate with its male connection point.

FACTORY FAULTS Sometimes refrigerant leaks can be found in brand new equipment at factory-made connections that somehow made it out of the factory.

The equipment might have been damaged in transit or may be suffering from excessive vibration making vulnerable joints more likely to leak.

The refrigerant leak in Figure 7 (page 22) was discovered during the commissioning of a new unit. This joint will be tricky to repair as it’s near a metering valve, too easily damaged by the misapplication of heat, especially when said repair is left to a poorly trained or novice service person.

Factory caused leaks are rare.

Continued on p22 HPACMAG.COM

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Continued from p20

PHOTO: GARY MCCREADIE

Figure 7. Leak from factory?.

However, manufacturers are responsible for their assembly line operators and must be sure to properly train them for the fabrication of any refrigerant bearing equipment.

SCHRADER VALVES System access ports, the classic Schrader Valve, are meant to seal themselves once the gauge is removed.

Sometimes the Schrader valve continues to pass gas, or liquid, even after the hose is disconnected.

In such cases, the valve must be replaced using a valve core tool. Schrader valves are somewhat flimsy and can blow out of the port (happened to me once) or they can start to leak for whatever reason.

Schrader access ports are protected by a valve cap, the brass acorn nut being the gold standard of leak protection, in my opinion.

It is important to understand that brass is ductile and can be easily distorted, so overtightening of the valve cap can ruin the mating surfaces.

Scratched or dented mating surfaces, or caps containing debris, will also not seal properly; perhaps a drop of modern-day sealant on the threads, like 22

HPAC | DECEMBER 2023

Figure 8. Be careful with caps on Schrader valves.

“In the end, any system will leak some or all of its gaseous contents regardless of your best efforts ... but our industry still needs your best efforts every day.”

Nylog Blue, might help, otherwise, the entire valve assembly will have to be replaced to ensure a proper seal.

Brass caps with rubber gaskets are more likely to leak and should be avoided simply because the rubber will disintegrate over time. Figure 8.

SOAP AND WATER VERIFICATION Techs are still using soap bubbles for leak detection, most often to verify a leak location that was already determined by various electronic devices commonly used today.

It is important to know the limitations of electronic detectors like ultrasonic, heated diode, or infrared devices.

False positive leak indications caused by the presence of other chemicals might lead to unnecessary, expensive repairs. After one’s best efforts, a system leak will often defy soap or electronic detection methods.

In such a case, the tech must double down; for example, with a spilt system, one technique is to isolate the indoor unit from the outdoor unit by cutting the line set outside.

If any charge remains, be sure to weigh it out. By installing an access port into the liquid line of the tubing running indoors and brazing the suction tube closed, the line set, and indoor coil can be pressurized with nitrogen independently of the outdoor unit.

After an hour or so, one side will likely demonstrate a loss of nitrogen pressure allowing the servicer to confine leak search activities to the appropriate area of the system.

DEEP VACUUM Finally, air or other contaminants can leak into a system. Once a refrigeration system passes the crucial nitrogen pressure test, a deep vacuum must be performed ensuring non-condensable gases and moisture are removed to levels that meet industry standards and manufacturer’s instructions.

For example, a manufacturer might require the system to be evacuated to 300 microns, then with the pump isolated, the vacuum must not decay above 500 microns within five minutes.

If 300 microns cannot be achieved, HPACMAG.COM

PHOTO: EVGEN_PROZHYRKO/GETTY IMAGES

fects, allowing tiny gas molecules to pass through the gaps in the crystal structure of the metal or through any defects such as cracks, holes, or grain boundaries.

However, the rate of leakage can be extremely slow in most cases and won’t be noticed over the entire life cycle of a properly installed and maintained heating or cooling system.

Our industry still needs your best efforts every day even though the invisible actors directing the grand global comedy of life would rather set those molecules free. <> or the vacuum decays quickly beyond 500 microns, this typically means the system is not yet dehydrated, or an undetected leak exists.

Remember, hoses and fittings can also leak. Be sure to use a vacuum rated manifold and hoses; standard test and charge manifolds and hoses

are not good enough for deep vacuum.

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Ian McTeer is an HVAC consultant with over 35 years of experience in the industry. He was most recently a field rep for Trane Canada DSO. McTeer is a refrigeration mechanic and Class 1 Gas technician. He can be reached at imcteer@outlook.com.

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< DUCT FREE ZONE

WORK LIFE

A career in the trades has its rewards, but your health and financial security should be the priority.

BY GERRY WAGNER

PHOTO: MILJAN ZIVKOVIC/ADOBE STOCK

A

s tradespeople, we need to take better care of ourselves, both physically and financially.

I’m at an age where I find myself saying, “I’m too old for this X+*#” quite a bit.

I learned the hard way the wear and tear the HVAC trade can have on your body.

No one told us as young apprentices and journeymen to be careful, to take care of ourselves and to think about the future. And if they did, I’m not sure I would have listened.

I started having very serious joint and muscle pain when I hit my forties, and when I say serious, I mean SERIOUS! 24

HPAC | DECEMBER 2023

I won’t bore you with all the nasty details, but the condition was putting my day-to-day movement in jeopardy, as well as my ability to make a living. I was in constant pain.

My cousin, who is in public relations for hospitals, got me an appointment with a world-renowned doctor who had actually been involved in keeping SARS out of the U.S. in 2003.

This doctor’s modus operandi was to take a patient’s blood and dissect its content in a way the average blood test never does. He felt the answers were always in the blood work.

Well, as it turned out, I had a very high level of lead in my blood.

Lead? Where the heck was that coming from?

I was living in New York state at the time, and we got our water from a private well on our property. The New York Department of Health had our water tested with concerns that the lead was coming from our drinking water; a potential hazard not only for me but for our entire surrounding community. Nope, the water tested fine.

My doctor started asking me questions Continued on p26 HPACMAG.COM

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avoided or at the very least lessened.

Now, is that the result of using my hands for years as if they were Craftsman tools, or just a typical 62-year-old with arthritis? Admittedly, probably both.

HAND TOOLS

HEART SMART

A more permanent adverse health issue resulting from my time in the trade is the limited mobility of my hands as a result of using them as a hammer, a wedge and a forklift for decades.

As I worked, I never thought of the potential damage I was doing to my hands, but now I wish I had taken better care of these most precious tools.

I took up guitar playing later in life, much later. I needed something that was strictly for “my head” that wasn’t at all work related. I always wanted to learn to play guitar, so in my forties I gave it a shot.

Like most things I get into, obsessed with some might say, I jumped into the deep end big time! There was a point when I owned over 70 instruments and took lessons for about seven years. Well, now at the ripe old age of 62, my fingers have limited mobility, and when I wake up in the morning my left hand is in pain for hours until I can work through it.

Look, I was never Jimi Hendrix or Eddie Van Halen so to the greater music community this is no great loss, but to me it is a hardship, one I think I could have

My most recent health crisis came just this past June 3rd. I had a MASSIVE heart attack that came within a minute of taking my life.

My family has no history of heart issues. We die of cancer, not heart attacks. Doctors and nurses have always complimented me on my blood pressure numbers, so heart attack was not on my radar.

That said, I had a couple clues days before that I ignored, but in retrospect were clear clues as to what was to come.

The day before, I was in Kelowna, B.C. filming with Todd Talbot, the former host of the popular HGTV show Love It or List It. Todd was building a vacation home and my company had provided the HVAC equipment for the project. I was there to film an interview where I would speak about the equipment and why we chose it for this particular application.

Well, if you know anything about TV and movie filming, it’s a lot of waiting around for a few minutes of actual filming. I had decided to take a walk during some down time and when I got back to the house I was gassed!

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HPAC | DECEMBER 2023

I couldn’t catch my breath, and I felt like I might pass out. In the moment, I chalked it up to me being a 62-year-old fat guy, and it finally caught up to me. In a few minutes it passed, and I moved on.

That night, I woke up in the middle of the night with incredible discomfort, like a weight on my chest, and I was having difficulty breathing. I was moments away from calling for help when it passed as quickly as it had come on. Once again, I just figured it was indigestion. I ate too much sushi the night before.

Well, all this was a precursor to 7 a.m., Saturday, June 3, 2023, when my life almost ended due to a 99% blockage in the left side of my heart—what is commonly known as the “widow-maker.”

OK, here is the point.

As tradespeople, and especially those of us who are men in the trades, we tend to ignore our own body’s clues that something may be wrong. The common, “it will pass” and “I’ll work through it” scenario might just kill us if we don’t stop and address our own needs.

MENTAL HEALTH Everything I have addressed here relates to physical health, but our mental health is often the most commonly ignored concern.

I’m 32 years CLEAN & SOBER. I will save this subject for another article because it deserves specific attention and HPACMAG.COM

PHOTO: AL8ER/ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES

about my job, what I did and how I did it.

I told him that I was in the HVAC industry and specialized in hydronic heating systems.

He asked if I used leaded solder when joining copper pipes together, and I did.

I was primarily a boilerman back then, and lead-free solder was only required in plumbing, not HVAC. I could see the proverbial light bulb go off over the doctor’s head. He found the source of the lead in my blood. It was from inhaling the fumes of the leaded solder!

No one ever told me to wear a mask as I soldered…no one! You can bet that almost 20 years prior to COVID, after learning of this hazard, I was wearing a mask when I would work with leaded solder.

requires more space than this article will afford, but let me tell you from personal experience, our mental health is as important as our physical health and requires our attention and vigilance, because the consequences of ignoring signs of addiction and other mental health issues can end our life as quickly as a heart attack but in a less merciful manner.

What caused my heart attack? It’s hard for doctors to say for sure, but it could be the result of my behavior with drugs and alcohol as a young person that came back to take its toll.

ness owners guidance in keeping one’s good physical health and achieving financial goals. They realize that, much like an athlete, tradespeople often have a limited time to achieve financial goals before their health becomes jeopardized.

DOLLARS AND SENSE

I think that is a brilliant observation that most of us don’t realize until it’s too late. Another advocate for tradespeople’s financial well-being is Ellen Rohr, president at Zoom Drain, as well as an author and motivational speaker. The first time I met Ellen was in the early 1990s at a national convention for a radiant floor product manufacturer.

Whether we want to admit it or not, our financial health is also as important as our physical health. I have a couple buddies who are involved with what was originally called Contractor 2000 and is now known as Nexstar.

As I understand it, Nexstar is a trade mentoring group that offers trade busi-

“Our mental health is often the most commonly ignored concern.”

Ellen had just published a book about the importance of having a proper “business plan,” and when she said that HVAC business owners should be expecting to earn six figures, well, I heard an audible gasp come over the room.

The fellow I was with, a second-generation plumber and HVAC business owner, practically fell off his chair. My reaction was to immediately go out and buy Ellen’s book!

Hey, here’s the deal. In this crazy, unpredictable, volatile world, now more than ever we need to take care of our physical and financial well-being. You don’t want to be the guy who wakes up to this when it’s too late. <> Gerry Wagner is vice president, business development, for Bathica. He has 43 years in the HVAC/R industry contracting and training. gerrywagner@bathica.com

23_009152_HPAC_DEC_CN Mod: November 3, 2023 4:26 PM Print: 11/10/23 page 1 v2.5

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2023-11-13 11:58 AM

< HYDRONICS

AVOIDING HYDRONIC HEADACHES Based on over four decades of experience, John Siegenthaler shares the installation and troubleshooting details he’s always on the lookout for.

BY JOHN SIEGENTHALER

I

’ve had lots of opportunities to review plans for pending hydronic heating systems, and I’ve also been on “forensic” visits to sites with improperly performing systems. Of the two, I much prefer plan review over forensics.

It’s a lot easier to identify and correct issues when they only exist as CAD files or drawings compared to installed hardware in the basement of a disgruntled owner’s home.

Following is a broad summary of some of the issues that I find show up on a regular basis.

COMBINING A PRIMARY LOOP WITH HEADERS

28

HPAC | DECEMBER 2023

PUMPING “TOWARD” THE EXPANSION TANK The proper relationship between the location of an expansion tank and the system circulator(s) has been discussed in many of my previous HPAC articles. In case you’ve missed them, here’s the basic concept one more time: “The expansion tank needs to be connected close to the inlet of the system circulator.”

When this is done, the differential pressure developed by the circulator adds to the static pressure in the system. This helps drive air from the system rather than allowing air to be inadvertently sucked into the system.

It also helps prevent circulator cavitation by elevating the system pressure, and thus maintaining the water farther away from its vapour pressure. It’s one

of the first details I look for when reviewing a hydronic piping schematic.

SWING CHECK VALVES IN VERTICAL PIPING Swing check valves rely on gravity to swing their internal “flapper” disk downward against its seat. If installed vertically, the flapper can get “hung up” in the open position. If sufficient reverse flow occurs, the flapper disc can suddenly get pulled back into the flow stream, and then it will instantly slam shut against its seat.

The resulting water hammer will surely get the attention of building occupants. The shock wave that’s generated could also fracture delicate components such as flow meters or pressure gauges.

Continued on p30 HPACMAG.COM

IMAGES AND PHOTOS: JOHN SIEGENTHALER

Please, don’t morph the concept of a primary loop with that of a common header type distribution system, as shown in Figure 1 above.

Piping a system this way will guarantee heat migration into circuits that are supposed to be off due to the pressure differential developed by the loop circulator on the system.

It’s also wasteful of electrical energy.

The designer needs to decide -up front will it be a true primary/secondary system, or a header system. Either is possible, and either can work fine, just don’t try to blend the two together.

Figure 1. Don’t confuse a primary loop with a common header type distribution system.

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Continued from p28

Always install swing check valves in horizontal piping, bonnet up, and with a minimum of 12 pipe diameters of straight pipe upstream of the valve.

The latter helps calm turbulence induced by other components, and thus reduces the chance of metallic “clinking sounds” from the swing check.

Spring loaded check valves can be installed in any orientation, but still need a minimum 12 pipe diameters of straight pipe upstream of their inlet.

VERTICAL FLOW JETS IN THERMAL STORAGE TANKS Many hydronic systems, especially those involving renewable energy heat sources, require substantial thermal storage tanks.

It’s not enough to just select a tank with the required volume and pressure rating. To preserve beneficial stratification within the tank it’s very important to introduce incoming flows in ways that prevent vertical flow jets within the bulk volume of the tank.

Horizontal inlet pipes placed near the top and bottom portions of the tank help. Another option is to use internal diffuser plates near the top and bottom tank inlet connections, as shown in Figure 2 (above).

LACK OF BOILER PROTECTION AGAINST FLUE GAS CONDENSATION “Any boiler can be a condensing boiler.”

That quotation is from Don Pratt, a nowretired trainer from Mestek, and it’s one of my favourites.

Given a suitably low inlet water temperature, any boiler burning a hydrocarbon fuel (gas, oil, wood) will operate with sustained flue gas condensation.

Boilers that are not designed to operate under such conditions will quickly succumb to corrosion and scaling, and so will their vent connector pipes.

Masonry chimneys can also be de30

HPAC | DECEMBER 2023

Figure 2. use internal diffuser plates near top and bottom of thermal tank inlet connections.

stroyed by the effects of sustained flue gas condensation.

The solution is to provide a proven means of boosting boiler inlet temperature above the likely dewpoint of the exhaust gases within the boiler.

This can be done using a three-way motorized valve, a three-way thermostatic valve, a four-way motorized mixing valve, or by controlling the speed of a variable speed circulator that is properly piped as a “thermal clutch” between the load and the boiler.

In every possible case, the means of protecting the boiler MUST be able to sense the boiler inlet temperature and react to it.

Any type of mixing hardware that doesn’t have the “smarts” to sense boiler inlet temperature is not going to protect the boiler under all circumstances. A simple boiler bypass pipe, with or without a circulator, but lacking the ability to sense and react to boiler inlet temperature, cannot protect a boiler against sustained flue gas condensation under all conditions.

LACK OF HYDRAULIC SEPARATION BETWEEN SIMULTANEOUSLY OPERATING CIRCULATORS Almost every modern hydronic system contains circulators that, at times, operate simultaneously. The ideal scenario is when any circulator that happens to be operating at the same time as another circulators cannot “feel” the presence of that other circulator. That’s called hydraulic separation, and there are several ways to achieve this desirable condition.

Several of my past HPAC columns have discussed the options. Still, systems continue to be designed and constructed that don’t respect the need for hydraulic separation.

The results will vary from one system to another, but they often manifest themselves as either a lack of adequate heat delivery when and where it’s needed, or too much heat being delivered when and where it’s NOT needed.

If you design hydronic systems you need to fully understand hydraulic separation and use it in systems where there HPACMAG.COM

will be two or more simultaneously operating circulators.

Learn it, savour it, and apply it.

FLOW BOTTLENECKS One of the most common “generic” issues with underperforming hydronic systems is what I call a “flow bottleneck.” Some component in the flow path is inadvertently creating high flow resistance, and severely limiting the flow rate, and thus the heat delivery rate of the circuit.

A common example is a three-way thermostatic mixing valve with a flow coefficient (Cv) of perhaps 2.5 to 3 installed as a mixer to a radiant panel manifold station with several circuits that requires a total flow rate of 8 to 12 gallons per minute (gpm).

A mixing valve that creates 1 psi pressure drop with a flow of 2.5 gpm (e.g., a valve with a Cv of 2.5) would create over 10 psi pressure drop if there was 8 gpm passing through it.

Considering the circulators often used on such a manifold can only produce about 4 to 5 psi differential at zero flow, the actual flow rate to the manifold is going to be a fraction of what’s anticipated, and the heat delivery is going to suffer big time.

The likely evidence of this would be an abnormally high temperature drop across the downstream floor heating circuits. The takeaway: don’t size mixing valves based on pipe size. Size them based on Cv. A valve with a Cv that’s approximately equal to the flow rate required in the manifold at design load is usually appropriate.

HEAT TRANSFER BOTTLENECKS The other “bottlenecks” that can occur are based on heat transfer. If device ‘A’ puts out 50,000 Btu/h, and device ‘B’ can only absorb 25,000 Btu/h while operating at some nominal expected water temperature, there’s going to be a problem.

Simply put, device A will “gain” on deHPACMAG.COM

vice B until some safety device ultimately turns off device A. The “on” time might only be a minute or two. Then the same cycle is likely to repeat itself.

An example is a heat pump trying to push heat at a rate of 48,000 Btu/h through a heat exchanger, that, at an incoming water temperature of 120F on the hot side, and 110F on the “cooler” side, can only transfer 20,000 Btu/h.

The water temperature going through the heat pump’s condenser quickly climbs, and the compressor turns off on either a high refrigerant pressure switch, or some internal temperature protection controller.

“Any boiler can be a condensing boiler ... given a suitably low inlet water temperature any boiler will condense flue gas.”

Given a small amount of fluid between the heat pump and the heat exchanger, the cycle quickly repeats, and the result will be thousands of short cycles over the course of a typical heating season. A result which will likely cause premature component failure within the heat pump.

Always generously size your heat exchangers. If you don’t have documentation that defines the heat exchanger’s performance at the conditions at which you intend to operate it, contact the manufacturer and get their educated recommendation.

It’s better to hear, “Our product can’t meet your performance requirement,” upfront, before thousands of dollars worth of hardware gets installed only to be crippled by a heat transfer bottleneck.

LACK OF PURGING PROVISIONS Every branch circuit in a hydronic system should have a means of expediently getting air out and water in.

A float type air vent at the high point of the circuit might help, but it’s no substitute for the air entrainment capability of forced water purging.

There are many combination purging valves currently available for residential and light commercial systems. In larger systems, the functional equivalent of a combination purging valve can be produced using an inline full port ball valve in combination with an upstream tee and another ball valve that can handle to purging flow rate.

As a guideline, purging flow velocities through piping should be at least two feet per second. Even higher flow velocities are preferred for fast purging.

TURBULENCE INDUCING COMPONENT NEAR CIRCULATOR INLET Any component that creates turbulence near the inlet of a circulator can increase the noise level of that circulator, or even cause cavitation within the circulator. Common offenders include circulators that are mounted just above a tee in a header, or just downstream of an elbow in the system.

Clogged basket strainers or balancing valves installed just upstream of circulators can also cause problems. As a rule, install at least 12 pipe diameters of straight pipe upstream of any circulator inlet. Show this on all of your schematics, and write it into your specifications.

IMPROPERLY LOCATED OR INSTALLED TEMPERATURE SENSORS Controls can only react to what they “feel,” and in heating systems, temperature sensors are their most common “fingertips.”

A $15 sensor in the wrong location Continued on p34 DECEMBER 2023 | HPAC

31

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< HYDRONICS

Continued from p31

can bring a $30,000 system to a standstill. Installation drawings should always show the exact location and mounting instructions for all temperature sensors used in the system.

“All heat exchangers work best when the two fluids exchanging heat flow in opposite directions.”

Common sensor installation errors I’ve encountered include: • Mounting one or more sensors in the wrong location.

• Fastening sensors to piping where high surface temperatures are possible using common nylon pull ties that will eventually harden and fracture.

• Not insulating around the sensor, as well as insulation several inches upstream and downstream of the sensor when it’s mounted to a pipe.

• Allowing air to pass between the sensor and surrounding insulation.

• Not using thermal grease with sensors mounted in wells.

• Using a well with a diameter much larger than the sensor diameter.

• Not inserting the sensor to the end of the well.

• Poor connections between sensor leads and wiring back to controller.

• Undersized sensor wiring that adds significant resistance to circuits using thermistor sensors.

• Routing non-shielded sensor cable within tight enclosures containing line voltage AC wiring.

Figure 3 (above) shows two temperature sensors fastened to copper tubing above a thermal storage tank. The sen34

HPAC | DECEMBER 2023

Figure 3. Temperature sensors fastened to copper tubing, which is supposed to report the water temperature in a tank below this tubing.

sor on the horizontal pipe was intended to report the water temperature in the upper portion of the storage tank. Not only is it not measuring the temperature inside the tank, it is not insulated from surrounding air, and it’s fastened to the pipe using aluminum foil tape. As installed, it’s going to report a temperature that’s likely to be significantly different from the temperature in the upper portion of the tank.

LACK OF COUNTERFLOW WITHIN HEAT EXCHANGERS All heat exchangers work best when the two fluids exchanging heat flow in opposite directions. This is called “counterflow,” and it’s one of the first things to check out when looking over a schematic for a hydronic system involving a heat exchanger.

Counterflow increases something called the “log mean temperature difference” across the heat exchanger. Think

of this as the “effective Delta-T” that drives heat from the hot side to the cooler side.

The higher the effective Delta-T, the higher the rate of heat transfer, all other conditions being the same.

The previous dozen issues I've described are not an exhaustive list of possible problems in hydronic systems.

Still, they go a long way in scrutinizing designs and identifying potential problems before they become expensive callbacks.

Use them as you review your own designs and those from other sources. <> John Siegenthaler, P.E., has over 40 years of experience designing modern hydronic heating systems and is the author of Modern Hydronic Heating (4th edition) and Heating with Renewable Energy (visit hydronicpros.com).

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< SOLAR THERMAL

HERE COMES THE SUN! The basics of solar thermal and why it’s a viable solution.

BY CURTIS BENNETT

I

36

HPAC | DECEMBER 2023

thermal panel. Basically, a 3-ft. x 6-ft. chunk of absorption material with tiny, like ¼-in., tubes welded to the back of it.

As the absorption material heats up it then transfers this heat to the tubes on the back. Those tubes have fluid running through them and voila, heated fluid.

The second style is tube type, my favourite. Why tubes you may ask? Well, the tubes are actually vacuum sealed so the ambient temperature around them does not affect the thermal transfer to the fluid inside the tube, so they are great for cold climates. [Again, this is my opinion based on data we collected over years, data was collected in cold climates.]

Tube type solar collectors can be broken down into two subcategories. First there is an indirect version, where the solar absorption material is welded to a pipe that has fluid in it. As this fluid is heated it actually boils because it has a low boiling point. The boiling fluid heats a bulb at the top of the tube that sits in a header that has the distribution system fluid running past it. That system fluid heats up as it passes by and then goes to a storage tank.

The second type are direct tubes. In these the fluid from the system actually runs up and down inside the pipe that is welded to the absorption material. So, the fluid being heated has direct contact with the absorption material. Since we are missing one step in the heat transfer, there is a little less loss, so the

direct version of these becomes slightly more efficient.

Ok, as always, clear as mud? I hope so.

Next, we move on to the two configurations for a solar thermal system: drain back and closed loop. Let’s rewind slightly and start with the basics. At the heart of solar thermal system installations are four items: pump(s), pipes, tank(s) and controls. This does not differ between the two types of systems.

Each system takes fluid, pumps it through the solar panel where it heats up, that fluid then goes through the tank heat exchanger which heats up the water in the tank, and then the same process repeats.

The resulting hot tank of fluid can be used to heat a house, domestic hot water (DHW) or a few other applications.

The biggest difference between a drain back system and a closed loop is that one, the drain back, is not pressurized.

Ok, it’s a little more complex than that. Drain backs, or open systems, have some benefits over closed-loop systems. The biggest is there is no overheating or freezing.

At each end of the heat spectrum an HPACMAG.COM

PHOTO: CHINAFACE/GETTY IMAGES

don’t spend a lot of time on Facebook. I know, I know, everyone says that, but I really don’t. If I do, I mostly get caught in a spiral of mechanical videos, like CNC machines doing crazy applications and ingenious inventions.

One of my favourites is the SOLAR DEATH RAY! This guy took the front panel off of a reverse projection TV, and basically the panel is a crazy magnifying glass, like, a very crazy one!

He has the panel on a swivel because it takes absolutely no time for it to crack rocks, burn holes in metal and melt anything in its focus. I love it because it shows just how powerful the sun really is. Solar “power” is something I have told many people is my favourite renewable resource.

In this industry we hear about two types of solar power: photovoltaic, or PV, which takes the energy from the sun and converts that to usable electricity; and solar thermal, which takes energy from the sun and “converts” it to heat. I used quotes on the “converts” for a reason. We will talk about that later.

Solar thermal has been around for a long time. It has changed and morphed over the years, but primarily it’s found in two different forms. The first is the panel type solar thermal collection. [Okay, I need to say something here before I continue: some of what I am about to say is my opinion, which is based on testing results we have done in the past.]

Panel type solar is, as it says, a solar

PV is a way simpler installation. That, and you can put it in fields and all you hook up is wires. But to me, the difference in efficiency is too much to give up.

It really is.

The deck is slightly stacked against solar thermal because of its relative complexity, but installed correctly you have a more efficient system, and I do still believe it has a big place in our industry—I really do.

How do we push this? I’m not sure.

Well, I have some ideas.

Unfortunately, it’s subsidies that push alternative energy sources—look at the heat pump push right now. Return on investment is everything, and solar thermal has more parts to install to make sure it runs correctly, and that extra expense hits your ROI.

IN SUMMARY

“Solar thermal is about four to five times better than photovoltaic at producing energy.” open system can drain back the fluid from the panel into the tank by just stopping the fluid flow, leaving no fluid in the panels to over or under heat.

Now there are very specific piping rules to make sure of this, but they are not complex. In a closed system you need to have a plan if you begin to overheat. This could be a second tank to dump heat into, or some heat exchanger system to get rid of some heat.

We also need glycol in our cold climate, adding another element to the closed system. Fear not, there are packaged control systems out there that include valves, pumps and controls all in one, usually called solar stations. But this article is not really about controls; it’s about solar thermal basics.

HPACMAG.COM

THE REALITY Solar thermal is about four to five times better than PV at producing energy. Yes, it’s true, for every watt a PV system can create a solar thermal system can create four to five watts.

How can this be? Well, think about what the sun does, it produces light in different spectrums with some producing heat under normal circumstances.

In solar thermal there is no “conversion” to another property, we are taking “heat” from the sun and producing heat with it—directly.

With PV we have to convert the heat the sun makes to electricity. This electricity is also only DC power which has to be converted to usable AC power, further reducing its efficiency.

Ok, now on to the part that I love. If solar thermal is so much more efficient than PV, why don’t we use it more?

Great question.

Complexity is the answer. As you read above, the system side of solar thermal uses water, pumps, pipes, tanks and controls. These systems need to be installed properly or they are doomed to failure. I mean potentially catastrophic failure.

This has been a very compact explanation of solar thermal, and I’ll leave you with this image: the SOLAR DEATH RAY. The sun is very good at creating heat, just stand outside in an all-black outfit on a sunny summer day. You overheat, but do you produce any electricity? NO, just heat.

The goal in our industry should be using the most efficient products available. It may cost more up front, but if we want a greener planet we need to come up with innovative ways to use the most efficient solutions. I actually think the solar death ray is a valid start. Target the ray’s heat to produce electricity, and voila the best of both worlds. Just a thought! <> Curtis Bennett C.E.T is product development manager with HBX Control Systems Inc. in Calgary.

He formed HBX Control Systems with Tom Hermann in 2002.

Its control systems are designed, engineered and manufactured in Canada to accommodate a range of hydronic heating and cooling needs.

DECEMBER 2023 | HPAC

37

< EVENT REPORT

BUILDING COMMUNITY IN B.C. The first Modern Hydronics Summit event held in Western Canada is a sold out success. BY HPAC STAFF

Attendees packed the Hard Rock Casino theatre space for the first Modern Hydronics Summit held in Vancouver.

T

he sun was shining down on the Greater Vancouver Area on Thursday, September 21 as the doors opened for the first Modern Hydronics Summit event held in Western Canada at the Hard Rock Casino in Coquitlam, B.C. Started in 2013, the Modern Hydronics Summit, produced by HPAC Magazine, brings together expert speakers and product manufacturers and distributors to share the latest in technology and know-how with the mechanical contractors who design, install and service hydronic systems in Canada.

38

HPAC | DECEMBER 2023

The one-day conference and tabletop trade show has been growing larger with every edition in the Toronto area, and this year’s event was sold out thanks to the overwhelming industry support in Vancouver.

The keynote presentation to kick off the day was a tag team event by John Siegenthaler and Robert Bean (Siggy and The Bean), with the duo addressing the “Whys” and “Hows” for Electrifying Hydronics.

A panel discussion followed with a focus on the future of fuelling mechanical systems in B.C., moderated by Mark

Evans (now with Wolseley Canada), and panelists from the City of Burnaby, FortisBC and Wolseley.

HPAC contributor Curtis Bennett spoke about the economics of dual fuel systems, and Gary Milligan, president of the Thermal Environmental Comfort Association (TECA) addressed the current regulatory landscape in B.C. To wrap up the day, John Siegenthaler returned to the stage with a presentation focused on a recent project where an air-to-water heat pump driven hydronic system is providing heating, coolContinued on p40 HPACMAG.COM

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< EVENT REPORT Continued from p38

Return of Siggy and the The Bean. John Siegenthaler (left) and Robert Bean opened the conference speaking about the Whys and Hows for electrifying hydronics, and why this moment in time represents a great opportunity for this sector of the industry.

Curtis Bennett addressed the economics of dual fuel hydronic heating systems.

Gary Milligan, president TECA, spoke about pending regulations across B.C. 40

HPAC | DECEMBER 2023

A panel discussion on the transition to electrification and alternative fuels included James Lota, City of Burnaby (left) and Ben Nishi of FortisBC.

One of three live panel builds taking place in the lobby. (Photo courtesy Poonum Gill)

ing, domestic hot water and assisting in tempering ventilation.

In addition to the main stage, space in the lobby was provided to plumber/ social media star, Terence Chan, owner of Impetus Media in Vancouver for a hands-on experience dubbed the HPAC Educational Hydronic Build Event.

Spearheaded by Chan, and featuring platinum sponsor Navien, along with a long list of manufacturers and supplier supporters, the event included a crew of social media personalities including Michael Flynn (@flynnstone1), Jessica Bannister (@hvacjess), George De Jesus (@georgetheplumber), Ben Poole (@ hvactactical) and Adam Gordon (@gordbotplumbing) along with local mechani-

cal contractor talents to pitch in and provide guidance to an invited list of business owners, apprentices, wholesaler and manufacturer sales reps and more, for a day of hands-on experience and networking.

“We not only enabled attendees to collaboratively construct prefabricated boiler installations, but we also pioneered a fresh, redefining, approach to hands-on education and collaborative networking in our field” said Chan.

In total, three boards were made and all were donated to Vancouver plumbing and piping programs: British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT), Kwantlen Polytechnic University and Pacific Vocational College.

Part of the crew who led the HPAC Educational Hydronic Build Event: (l-r) Mike, Darryl, Adam, Terence, George and Colin.

HPACMAG.COM

Colin Sadler of John Sadler Plumbing & Heating (left) receives a thermal imaging camera from Kane Canada’s Mukhtar Malawiya.

Victor Selepina of Kentucky Plumbing (centre) won an infrared thermometer from Kane Canada. Malawiya , Kane Canada (left) and John Siegenthaler.

The sold out Modern Hydronics Summit received positive reviews from those in attendance and the HPAC team looks forward to hosting another Summit in Western Canada in the years to come.

And a special thank you to the over 40 exhibitors and the key sponsors who made the 2023 Modern Hydronics Summit possible: Resideo

Frank Hennessy congratulates Justin Szabo of McKim Mechanical, one of two winners of Canucks tickets, courtesy Lochinvar Canada (Aqua-Tech).

Malawiya of Kane Canada presents digital temperature logger to Ryan Kensely of Lambert Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning.

(platinum sponsor); Uponor (opening keynote); Caleffi (closing keynote); Kane Canada (tool prize sponsor); FortisBC (lunch sponsor); Roth (refreshment sponsor); and Lochinvar/AquaTech (ticket giveaway sponsor).

The next Modern Hydronics Summit will be taking place Thursday, September 12, 2024 in Toronto, more details to come. <>

Aqua-Tech Sales and Marketing’s Frank Hennessy (centre) hosted ticket prize winners from McKim Mechanical and Reid Brothers Plumbing & Heating on Saturday, November 18th. Sadly, the Canucks fell to the Kraken 4-3.

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DECEMBER 2023 | HPAC

41

2023-12-05 3:33 PM

MECHANICAL SUPPLY NEWS MANUFACTURERS • DISTRIBUTORS • WHOLESALERS

NOBLE CELEBRATES 30TH ANNIVERSARY Noble has been celebrating its 30th anniversary all year, and the wholesaler marked the occasion with bang at its annual Fall Trade Show event held at the Universal EventSpace in Vaughan, Ont. on Thursday, Sept. 28.

Contractor customers gathered from far and wide in record numbers for the show which included complimentary educational seminars along with plenty of food stations, raffles and free giveaways. noble.ca UPONOR ACQUIRED BY SWISS-BASED GEORG FISCHER LTD. (GF) Swiss-based Georg Fischer Ltd. (GF) has acquired Uponor Corp. of Finland and created a new division, GF Uponor, which

Carole St. Georges and Master CEO, Louis St. Laurent

Master Group recently celebrated the retirement of Carole St. Georges after 50 years of dedicated service. Following her long career as administrative assistant in the billing department, members of the Master team, including former colleagues, and a former Montreal Canadien, gathered to wish the Montreal Canadiens fanatic best wishes in the future.

will focus on building technology and be led by former Uponor president/CEO Michael Rauterkus.

The GF Uponor portfolio will focus on safe and clean water piping solutions, as well as energy efficient heating and cooling. The infrastructure and utility focused business units of Uponor will be integrated into GF Piping Systems, a division that will focus on industrial and utility markets.

In all, GF has four divisions: GF Piping Systems, GF Uponor, GF Casting Solutions, and GF Machining Solutions.

GF first made an offer to acquire Uponor in June following a rejected takeover attempt by Belgian-based Aliaxis.

GF closed its deal on November 13th. georgfischer.com

Next Supply raised over $500K for this year's Road Hockey to Conquer Cancer event.

NEXT SUPPLY SCORES AT ROAD HOCKEY FUNDRAISER Once again NEXT Supply, the plumbing and hydronics wholesaler serving the Greater Toronto Area and the Kitchener/ Waterloo area, elevated its game raising over $500,000 (the second largest Continued on p44

DISTRIBUTION >> A.O. Smith is moving to manufacturer’s rep agencies in Ontario in 2024, partnering with Centon Sales and Can-Aqua International. Centon will cover south-western Ontario, the GTA to Napanee and north to (just west) of Petawawa to Thunder Bay. Can-Aqua (the existing Quebec agency) will provide coverage in the Ottawa Region, up to and including Kingston. hotwatercanada.ca centonsales.com can-aqua.ca >> TML Supply Company, part of Marcone, was named Canadian Tempstar Distributor of the Year for the fourth time.

The award, given by ICP/Carrier, was also claimed by TML in 2013, 2016 and 2019. tmlsupply.com >> Navien Canada relocated its shipping warehouse from Surrey to nearby Langley. B.C. adding 20,000 sq. ft. for larger on-site inventory. navieninc.ca 42

HPAC | DECEMBER 2023

>> Wolseley Canada has opened two new 16,000-sq. ft. branches, one in Port Coquitlam, B.C. (2375 Fremont St., Unit 1110) and another in Toronto’s Yorkdale area (1177 Caledonia Rd.). Both sites offer a full range of plumbing and HVAC products. wolseleyexpress.com >> Manufacturer’s rep agency Savard & Associates of Edmonton will be representing Conforto HVAC products (part of Granby Industries) in the provinces of Alberta and British Columbia along with Yukon and the Northwest Territories. confortohvac.com >> SFA Saniflo Canada has signed Westpoint Sales to act as a representataive to plumbing wholesalers and their contractor customers in British Columbia. saniflo.ca westpoint.ca HPACMAG.COM

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< MSN

Continued from p42

amount by any organization this year) as part of the 2023 Road Hockey to Conquer Cancer event in support of the Princess Margaret Hospital in Toronto.

Held Saturday, September 30th, this year NEXT fielded 26 teams, and HPAC was pleased to participate. Overall, more that 1,800 people took part in the day of road hockey which raised $3.15 million, a new world record for the event. roadhockeytoconquercancer.ca nextsupply.ca

WILO CANADA ACQUIRES PLAD EQUIPMENT Wilo Canada has acquired the assets of Quebec-based Plad Equipment Ltd., a company specializing in pumps and packaged pump systems for HVAC, boosting, firefighting, and irrigation applications.

With locations in Montreal and Quebec City, PLAD employs 43 people and also offers pump repair and machining services. The company has been in operation since 1959 and has marketed pump models under the tradenames of PLAD, OMEGA and GPM. Stephane Miron (left), “With this acquisition, Plad is strengthening Wilo‘s president of Plad, and regional presence to meet local customer needs with Steffen Werner, managing locally manufactured products,” said Jeff Plaster, CEO director of Wilo Canada.

Wilo USA in a company release. “We also expand our customer base in the Canadian market to further serve their needs.” wilo.com

Expansion in Wisconsin marks Johnson Controls’ eleventh OpenBlue Innovation Center worldwide.

JOHNSON CONTROLS OPENS SMART BUILDINGS INNOVATION CENTER Johnson Controls recently celebrated the renovation of its 144,000 sq. ft. North American headquarters in Wisconsin, which features its new OpenBlue Innovation Center.

The headquarters includes a groundmounted solar photovoltaic array system, generating 250 kW of power, and on-site heat pumps expected to cut its winter heating costs by around 29%.

The new Innovation Center, a 12,000 sq. ft. interactive space featuring building control solutions all based around the company’s OpenBlue digital platform, a connected platform which leverages data and artificial intelligence to optimize building sustainability.

The Innovation Center provides product demonstrations, virtual reality technology, and other multimedia. The Glendale location is the eleventh to join Johnson Controls’ network of OpenBlue Innovation Centers around the globe. johnsoncontrols.com 44

HPAC | DECEMBER 2023

IPEX OPENS PLANT IN NORTH CAROLINA IPEX has opened a new U.S. flagship manufacturing facility in Pineville, N.C., a 200,000 sq. ft. injection molding plant featuring fully electric injection molding machines, proprietary automation, and cloud connectivity. Following an investment of $200M, the site will increase IPEX’s production capability to manufacture fittings for plumbing, electrical, industrial, and municipal applications.

The new plant layout is equipped to manufacture a range of plumbing related products and will provide IPEX space for testing and prototyping new products and ideas.

In addition to a ribbon cutting event, IPEX presented She Built This City, an organization dedicated to building pathways for youth, women and marginalized communities in the construction and manufacturing industry, with a donation of $25,000. ipexna.com

TWO CANADIAN STUDENTS RECEIVE GOULDS SCHOLARSHIPS Goulds Water Technology, a Xylem brand, recognized two Canadian students among this year’s recipients of the Goulds Professional Dealers Association (GPDA) scholarships.

The scholarship initiative serves as a resource for GPDA members, awarding $24,000 in scholarships to 16 students across North America every year.

Each student receives $1,500 in scholarship money, which is granted based on academic standing, volunteerism and leadership skills, and enables students to pursue higher education at the college or technical school level.

GPDA scholarship recipients are family members of GPDA members, and since its inception the annual GPDA scholarship program has awarded more than $420,000 to 352 recipients.

This year’s GPDA scholarship recipients list included two Canadian and 14 students from the U.S. The 2023 Canadian recipients selected this year are: Dalton Molnar from Weyburn, Saskatchewan, through Don’s Plumbing and Heatin; and Kayna Deschênes of St. Pascal, Quebec through Les Puits Artésiens Deschênes, Inc. xylem.com/goulds HPACMAG.COM

PEOPLE > NIBCO has appointed Steve Malm the new chairman and CEO. Malm has been with A. Martin R. Martin NIBCO since 1996 and Malm has served as president and COO from 2006 to 2018 and president and CEO since 2018. He will now oversee the overall vision, mission, strategy and performance of the company. In addition, Ashley Martin has been promoted to president and COO. She joined the company in 2012 and has been executive vice president since 2021. Martin represents the fifth generation of family leadership since 1904. Rex Martin will assume the title of chairman emeritus. Having served as chairman since 1995, Rex has been with the company for over 48 years and will continue to be an advisor.

Also, Dawn Bloch has been promoted from vice president, customer engagement, to chief people officer (CPO). Bloch is the first woman to be named to NIBCO’s executive leadership team who is a nonfamily member. She joined the business in Bloch 2000 as a customer service representative. dahl Valve Ltd. has appointed Jon Kronemeyer as president following the retirement of Don Watt. A seasoned executive with sales leadership and product development experience, Kronemeyer Kronemeyer was most recently COO with Biyork Floors.

Bardon Supplies has named Mat Golden as the new branch manager for their Belleville location.

Golden first joined the company as a co-op student in the warehouse in 2002. Over the past 20 years he has expanded his industry knowledge and held Golden many roles including inside sales, estimating and purchasing.

Richard Kutzner has joined COOL ESTATE as technical director, training and education. Kutzner brings over 35 years of industry expertise in residential and commercial HVAC, ductless systems, cold climate heat pumps, as well as controls. He’ll Kutzner be tasked with in-person training and education as well as national field service assistance.

Caleffi North America has hired Tina Gullickson as Chief Operating Officer to take on a leadership role as Mark Olson, company CEO, has announced he will be stepping down. Bringing 20 years of experience in the plumbing and hydronic industries, Gullickson Gullickson began in sales but moved to business development and leadership positions within Weil-McLain, then BroanNuTone, most recently as general manager of the OEM division for North America.

Wolseley Canada has named Mark Evans as director of sales, plumbing/HVAC in Western Canada.

Most recently Evans was senior director of corporate development at Viega. Prior to Viega, Evans worked in the wholesale, agency and manufactur- Evans ing sectors for companies including Danfoss and Wilo.

Smith Energy has announced Matthew Reid has joined the team as outside sales representative, based at the company’s Richmond Hill, Ont. office.

Most recently Reid was technical sales specialist Reid for Equipco covering all of Ontario.

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HPACMAG.COM HPAC_HRAI_Dec23.indd 1

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2023-10-11 2:07 PM

< EVENT REVIEW

CIPHEX WEST 2023 Heat pumps and fuel options were hot topics in Calgary. BY HPAC STAFF

The official ribbon cutting: ceremony opening the CIPHEX West 2023 trade show in Calgary: (l-r) Satinder Chera (CIPH CEO), Joe Howdle (CIPHEX West Chair/CanPlas); and David Hammond (CIPH Board Chair/A.O. Smith).

T

he CIPHEX West trade show opened its doors on Wednesday, October 18, at the BMO Centre in Calgary, marking the show’s first return to Cowtown since 2018.

The two-day event, the largest plumbing and HVAC gathering in Western Canada held every two years, was unable to keep the show floor consistently crowded for the duration, but exhibitors were happy to be back in Western Canada and displaying their latest in products and services.

Produced by the Canadian Institute of Plumbing and Heating (CIPH), the show represented the first major event for the 46

HPAC | DECEMBER 2023

association’s new CEO, Satinder Chera, and it also presented an opportunity for outgoing leader Ralph Suppa to share personal farewell messages with colleagues in the West. Suppa will be retiring at the end December after 35 years with CIPH.

SEMINAR SCHEDULE The trade show included a full schedule of 14 free sessions in total over the two days. The seminars covered a broad range of topics including heat pump water heaters, radon mitigation, backflow testing, air-to-water heat pumps and more.

The session attracting the largest audience was a panel discussion hosted by the Canadian Hydronics Council (CHC) on the topic of incorporating hydronic heat pumps into hybrid designs.

Moderated by CHC chair, Jerry Leyte (Viessmann), the panelists addressed the federal carbon emissions reduction plan and the role air-to-water and waterto-water heat pumps will play in the future of hydronics in Canada.

A recurring message was the importance of contractors gaining knowledge and understanding the design differences required for incorporating heat pumps into hydronic systems.

HPACMAG.COM

Activity on the show floor arrived in waves, and the exhibitors were happy to be back having conversations in Calgary.

Among the hundreds of products on the show floor, Viessmann revealed a new air-to-water heat pump system that will become available in March 2024.

The CIPHEX Theatre seminar sessions kicked off with Dave Hughes of CIPH talking about the State of Net Zero in Canada.

The well-attended Canadian Hydronics Council panel discussion addressed the topic of incorporating hydronic heat pumps into hybrid designs. Moderated by Jerry Leyte (CHC Chair/Viessmann), panelists pictured above (l-r): John Goshulak (Weil-McLain Canada); Roger Lebeuf (Nortec Plumbing & Heating); Mike Miller (TACO); Dave Hughes (CIPH); Michael Ridler (Eden Energy Equipment); and John Wiehler (Wiehler Mechanical).

HPACMAG.COM

Addressing technical challenges facing the installation of hybrid systems, panelist Mike Miller (Taco) noted, “We need to understand that we can’t plumb a heat pump system the same as we used to pipe boilers, because we’re dealing with low fluid temperature that’s available from the sources. Every 1-degree Fahrenheit that you lose in the distribution of that energy has a significant impact on the overall efficiency of the system.”

And with respect to setting up dual heat sources, Miller added: “Whenever we need to deploy a secondary [energy] source for our system, it’s very critical where we integrate that source into the hydronic system. We always want to maximize whatever energy we get out of the heat pump and let it do as much of the lifting that it can do, and then only supplement it by just the right amount of secondart heat.”

He also emphasized the need for having controls working together as one unit. He’s seen manufacturers out of Europe embracing a complete system approach, so the packages have piping and controls set up so every system installed can be easily duplicated and deliver the same performance.

All panelists agreed that the Canadian industry will require the proper upskilling to make sure that installations are designed, installed and commissioned properly.

Aside from Miller, panelists for this well-attended session included: John Goshulak (Weil-McLain Canada); Roger Lebeuf (Nortec Plumbing & Heating); Dave Hughes (CIPH); Michael Ridler (Eden Energy Equipment); and John Wiehler (Weihler Mechanical).

NEW PRODUCTS Also, the CIPHEX West show organized a New Product Showcase and Competition featuring 40 new product entries.

During the show a panel of three industry experts (Tyler Majcher, Mechanical Contractors Association; Garry Milligan, Thermal Environmental Comfort Association; and Joe Cheung, American Society Plumbing Engineers – BC), selected winning products from nine categories.

The winning products, by category: • Air Conditioning & Refrigeration: Crowcon Detection Instruments’ refrigerant leak probe with arm.

• Heating & Ventilation: Master Group’s Moovair CentralMoov add-on.

• Hydronic Heating: the SpacePak Solstice R32 air-to-water heat pump.

• Kitchen & Bath: Toto’s Neorest LS dual flush toilet.

• Plumbing & Piping: the Ipex System XFR water line guide.

• Smart Home Tech: Moen’s smart sump pump monitor.

• Software & Electronics: Arbiter’s Mako Assist.

• Tools & Equipment: Ridgid’s RP 115 mini press tool.

• Water Treatment: Canature WaterGroup’s AQUV ultraviolet systems.

The next edition of CIPHEX West returns in 2025, and it will be taking place November 5 & 6 in Vancouver. <> DECEMBER 2023 | HPAC

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< AHR EXPO

WINDY CITY RETURN AHR Expo trade show and conference sets up in Chicago for the first time since 2018. BY HPAC STAFF

A

fter a six year absence the AirConditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Exposition (AHR Expo), the largest annual North American gathering of HVAC/R industry professionals, returns to the McCormick Center in Chicago for three-days, January 22 to 24, 2024. Like every edition of the Expo since 1930, manufacturers and suppliers from around the world will be on hand to showcase their new product line-ups, feature innovations and provide technical support for attendees.

The AHR Expo is co-sponsored by ASHRAE (the global society of heating, refrigeration and air conditioning engineers) and the Air Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute of America (AHRI).

EDUCATION PROGRAM This is the show’s first time in the Windy City since 2018, after the planned 2021 edition was cancelled due to the pandemic. A lot has changed, and this year the AHR Expo will feature over 110 free seminars for attendees, including a special series of panel discussions.

“The education program has grown into a true complementary asset to the show floor experience,” said show manager, Mark Stevens in a pre-show release.

“Inside exhibitor booths, manufacturers are displaying real solutions to improve the health of the industry, the professional work experience and to address the shifts in our wider society. As a bridge to the robust activity on

DATES AND TIMES Monday, January 22, 2024 Hours: 10 am – 6 pm Tuesday, January 23, 2024 Hours: 10 am – 6 pm Wednesday, January 24, 2024 Hours: 10 am – 4 pm McCormick Place, Chicago AHREXPO.COM

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PHOTOS: AHR EXPO

With over 110 free educational sessions there is something for everyone.

the floor and attendee understanding, the education program will offer real discussions about real problems that are shared across the industry.”

The vast free industry sessions can be searched online and filtered by day,

Gain industry insights at the Podcast Pavilion

topic and session category. Some seminars targeting contractor businesses include: Marketing Do’s and Don’ts; A2Ls are Here; The Disruption of AI in the Trades; Price Increases, Inflation, the Economy and What Your Customer HPACMAG.COM

Experience Can Do About It. The AHR Expo Panel Series includes four one-hour sessions, all taking place on Tuesday, January 23, that should be of interest to Canadian attendees. Yes, there are regional, code and legislative

differences between the U.S. and Canada, but a lot of the everyday concerns of the HVAC/R profession are very cross border.

The show organized its first State of the Industry panel discussion in 2022, immediately post-pandemic. A group of association leaders addressed economic uncertainty and supply chain struggles and offered insights on a path forward. The session attracted a very engaged and standing room only crowd.

This year, another State of the Industry panel (10 am) will include leaders from ASHRAE, AHRI, HARDI, NCI, ASHB, talking about current challenges, opportunities, green initiatives, and forecasts for the year ahead.

Another panel of interest, that will be taking place at 1 pm, is ‘Heat Pumps, Electrification, and the Grid’, addressing how best to deploy heat pumps in Continued on p50 DECEMBER 2023 | HPAC

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< AHR EXPO

Continued from p49

retrofit projects. AI, Controls and the Future of Technology in HVAC’ (happening at 3 pm) will discuss the current and future roles of controls technology and artificial intelligence as they relate to HVAC and buildings management.

And finally, ‘Addressing the Workforce Talent Gap through Educational Partnerships’ (11:30 am) will share strategies to establish partnerships between education and industry that make an impact on improving HVAC/R, as well as hiring challenges, financial performance, and new hire retention.

In addition to the free seminars, attendees are encouraged to sit in on free exhibitor presentations in the New Product Theater located directly on the trade show floor.

More than 145 presentations, each lasting about 20 minutes, will provide expert-led overviews of product announcements and technologies. No fee or registration is required.

PODCAST PAVILION Industry podcasters and social media regulars are headed to AHR Expo once again for the fourth edition of the Podcast Pavilion. Witness in-person interviews with movers and shakers from across the industry. You'll have a chance to network and ask questions in realtime, hang with the crew and maybe even score some swag.

Canada’s own Trevor Matthews, the Refrigeration Mentor, will be among the personalities speaking and sharing knowledge.

INDUSTRY SHOWCASE Chicago’s McCormick place will be hosting 520,000 sq. ft. of HVAC exhibits, that’s 10 football fields of trade show floor in the building that’s just down the road from Soldier Field, the home of the Bears.

In total there are expected to be over 1,600 exhibitors, from the largest 50

HPAC | DECEMBER 2023

2024 AHR Innovation Awards The category winners in the 2024 AHR Expo Innovation Awards were announced in mid-October, a list of products across 10 industry categories representing all sectors of the HVAC/R and plumbing industry.

The category winners are selected by a panel of third-party ASHRAE judges who evaluate entries based on innovative design, creativity, application, value, and future market impact.

The innovation awards program helps serve as a metric to see the yearto-year growth across the industry and showcases good examples of how manufacturers are affecting the industry in unique ways.

From the 10 category award winners one product will be selected as the Product of the Year, an honour which is announced during the AHR Expo, being held January 22-24, in Chicago.

BUILDING AUTOMATION

The 75F HyperStat Split is a control that enables contractors to easily upgrade roof top units (RTUs) using only two existing wires from the RTU to the thermostat. The HyperStat Split provides dual enthalpy economizer, demand-control ventilation and VFD control. The stat tracks occupancy, temperature, VOC, CO2, humidity, light, sound, and optional particulate matter measurements every 60 seconds for integration into a built-in analytics package. Its eight onboard sensors and native cloud connectivity for real-time analytics show how demand for IAQ management can be met in a modern and user-centric manner. 75f.io

COOLING

The DSG compressor from Danfoss is designed for low pressure refrigerants with low global warming potential (GWP). These refrigerants would usually require a larger compressor size to have the same capacity as high pressure (R410A) refrigerants.

Applications include chiller systems, with a wide range of compressor capacities available to support unit design requirements. The transition to lower GWP refrigerants means medium and lowdensity refrigerants, and the DSG will enable the transition without a significant increase in physical compressor size. It is qualified for R1234ze, a replacement for R134a and can also be used with other similar refrigerants. danfoss.com

HPACMAG.COM

INDOOR AIR QUALITY

WellStat is an indoor air quality and energy management software platform for building owners to assure healthy air quality, lower operating costs, and increased operating revenue. It also provides data beneficial for achieving sustainability certifications (LEED, WELL). WellStat is integrated and provides a single unified hardware, software and mobile platform experience, and it uses high caliber sensors and maintains accuracy through over-the-air calibration. The range of sensors monitor temperature, RH, particulate matter, CO2, ozone, VOCs, formaldehyde, dew point, wet bulb, light level, CO, occupancy, pressure, sound DB, and duct flow. wellstat.io

HEATING

Ephoca‘s Nextac introduces a new generation of packaged terminal air conditioner (PTAC) units. The unit’s features include: R32 refrigerant, twin rotary inverter compressor, heat pump performance to -10F (-23C), integrated ERV, MERV13, zero air leakage, selfcleaning coils, 27 dB(A) operation, and all in a paintable metal cabinet. No drain is required for cooling or heating.

Installers have favoured PTACs for affordability and ease of installation, leaving users with poor performance and no upgrade option. Nextac aims to disrupt the industry with high-efficiency and quality, making the units more efficient, aesthetically pleasing and quieter. ephoca.com

REFRIGERATION

The AirGreen-BMIL brine-based DX refrigerant system creates a low dewpoint “heat pump” for cold room/storage applications – providing <26F (-3C) dewpoint supply air in a single process step. The packaged unit provides up to 50% energy savings.

Solid desiccant products can achieve supply air at 55F(12.8C) with a 40-45F (4-7C) dew point, and to lower the dry bulb temperature requires multiple pieces of equipment. This technology’s low temperature brine solution simultaneously cools and dehumidifies and eliminates downtime related to multiple defrost cycles. It also needs low regeneration temperatures (110F/43C), compared to solid desiccants. airgreeninc.com

SOFTWARE PLUMBING

Rheem‘s Triton Light Duty (50- and 75-gallon) water heater is an intelligent high efficiency commercial gas water heater with built-in smart monitoring and leak detection, preventing downtime and managing water heater issues. A patented combustion system and helical coil heat exchanger ensure efficiency and durability. The latest Triton offers up to 97% thermal efficiency. Its LeakGuard feature limits water leakage outside the tank, and with porcelain/glass-coated steel, corrosion is minimized, extending tank life while its minimum weld joint construction increases durability. It also has a built-in condensate neutralizer. rheem.ca

SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS

Midea’s packaged window heat pump is a window-mounted cold climate air source heat pump. Developed to support multi-family buildings’ transitioning towards electrification, the Midea PWHP provides a cost-effective solution. Unit performance is 9,000 Btu/h heating and cooling, with a CEER of 16, a 2.35 COP at 17F (-8C), up to SEER2 21.8 and HSPF2 11.6. It operates on a 120V/15A circuit, and its saddle design allows window view and functionality while reducing indoor noise levels.

A telescoping centre section adjusts to various wall depths, and a hinged outdoor section allows for rotation during installation. mideaevox.com

The SAM (Skill Advisor and Mentor) from Interplay Learning is an AIpowered advisor for the skilled trades.

SAM gives teams instant, personalized, guidance to gain skills faster.

Technicians can ask SAM questions and get immediate assistance. The system guides learners towards “aha” moments and helps develop problemsolving skills. Allowing SAM to assist/ mentor newer techs can free up senior techs and managers and give them more time to grow the business. interplaylearning.com

Continued on p52 HPACMAG.COM

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< AHR EXPO

Continued from p51

manufacturers around the world to niche players and start-ups, and of course over 50,000 HVAC/R professionals in attendance hungry to learn, network and take their business to the next level.

Attendees who pre-register for AHR Expo can skip the on-site registration lines, and by downloading the 2024 AHR Expo App, for iOS and Android, and using the MyShow Planner at the show's website, visitors are able to preplan, map out and manage their show floor visits and education schedule in advance.

Information loaded into the MyShow Planner account on the website online will automatically sync with the AHR Expo App on your mobile device.

Instructions for show registration and downloading the AHR Expo App is all available at ahrexpo.com. <>

TOOLS & INSTRUMENTS

The Inficon FLUE-Mate combustion analyzer has an integrated manometer, thermometer, CO test, cracked heat exchanger test and provides draft analysis. It can generate a QR code to scan with a smart device for a quick analysis report. It also has a visible water trap and filter, automatic pump shut-off, and ambient CO monitoring. A mobile app allows users to save and share reports. It also can display efficiency, O2, CO2, CO and flue gas temperature all on one screen. Its automatic pump shut-off stops flow when a high level of CO is detected, protecting the sensor. inficon.com

VENTILATION

The SAV-Smart Air Valve from HVAC Manufacturing and Technology is an economical self-commissioning air control solution. Featuring a 100-1 turndown and airflow accuracy to within a few CFM operating as low as .03-in. WG, it matches the ventilation rate to the risk of hazard using advanced demand control ventilation and low EUI. The SAV’s variable orifice plate technology solves a complex fluid dynamic problem of measuring a fluid accurately over a wide dynamic range allowing controls companies/system integrators to supply and warranty the zone level devices. hvacmfg.com

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There’s a reason we’ve been the go-to pump for HVAC, Plumbing, Pool, and Hydroponics professionals for generations: experience. For 80+ years, Little Giant® products have stood the test of time, pumping a steady flow of proven reliability in the most demanding applications. littlegiant.com

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< PROFILE

CUSTOMER COMMITMENT Arpi’s Industries of Calgary celebrates 60 years of client-focused success. BY DOUG PICKLYK

T

PHOTOS COURTESY OF ARPI’S

he HVAC and plumbing business is personal for Julie Berdin, and although she doesn’t ply the trade with pliers and wrenches, she’s attached to every service call and installation carried out by Arpi’s Industries in Calgary.

As president of the company her father founded 60 years ago, Julie takes pride in how the business has evolved and where it’s at today. Operating a large fleet of vehicles covering the greater Calgary area, she sees a bright future for a company like Arpi’s.

THE LEGACY Arpi Berdin came from humble beginnings. Escaping his communist homeland in the middle of the night, he arrived in Canada in 1954 at the age of 19 with hopes for a better life. “He’s one of those stories,” says Julie Berdin.

After spending some years in Alberta’s oil patch, Arpi moved to Calgary and earned his sheet metal ticket, which led to him to eventually starting up his one-man business, Arpi’s Heating, in 1963.

He began on residential installations and working with new home builders.

“Back in the day, work was done on a handshake, and he grew the business one small project after another,” says Julie. The operation grew, and he added a plumbing component and then expanded into commercial work. That led to changing the company name to Arpi’s Industries.

SOLD AND BOUGHT In 1999, the furnace manufacturer Lennox Corp. was acquiring HVAC service companies in both Canada and the U.S. 54

HPAC | DECEMBER 2023

Company president Julie Berdin with members of the residential management team at the company’s 60 anniversary celebration: (left to right) Damien McCusker, service manager; Julie Berdin; Phil Laprairie, former residential manager-retired 2017; Jeff Johnson, replacement manager. (missing, Bob Doerksen, current residential manager).

Arpi’s had been a long-time Lennox dealer, and as he was approaching his mid-60’s Arpi decided to sell the company.

Julie Berdin grew up in the company, working summers in various office positions, and at the time of the Lennox acquisition was involved in management and finishing her MBA at the University of Calgary.

Under the new ownership she was promoted to president. “They wanted continuity, and dad was ready to head to his house in Kelowna and tend to his fruit trees,” recalls Berdin.

“My father said, you don’t have to be a chef to own a restaurant, but it helps.

I don’t have a trade ticket, but once I started here my father had built the company to a point where other business skills were required. All of our top managers are tradesmen, and what I

brought to the to the company was that business acumen.”

The Lennox ownership lasted a few years, but ultimately, they wanted to divest the commercial segment of Arpi’s business. So, in 2004, at the age of 70, Arpi asked for the opportunity to buy back the entire business, and that’s what he did.

Julie has continued to run the operation ever since. Arpi passed away in 2015. He was 80.

SLOW AND STEADY It’s been over 20 years now that Julie has been at the helm—a third of the company’s existence.

At one point, while under her father’s leadership, Arpi’s operated in multiple cities in Western Canada and had over 500 people.

Continued on p56 HPACMAG.COM

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

SEPT 12, 2024 WE’RE BACK AT UNIVERSAL EVENTSPACE IN VAUGHAN!

As always, the Summit will include our full slate of excellent speakers, 50+ exhibitors demonstrating the latest technologies, and unparalleled networking with hydronics professionals from all sectors of the trade.

Summit 2024 will also feature our Hydronics 101 sessions for newer technicians with “hands-on training” added this year! The food will be top-notch and lots of prizes, including Blue Jays tickets, will be won!

Supported by

REGISTRATION COMING SOON!

< PROFILE

Continued from p54

“We’ve contracted now. Calgary is big enough,” says Julie. “I don’t believe in this myth about growth—that you have to grow more and more. We’re a much smaller company now, and that’s just fine.”

Today Arpi’s Industries is split about half and half between residential and commercial. “We’re unique in the sense that people will ask, ‘Who are your competitors?’ Well, where do you want to start?” says Berdin.

Arpi’s operates in the competitive residential service market, commercial service and maintenance space, and on new construction—from residential developments to mega projects like the Calgary Public Library or the current BMO Event Centre expansion.

Keeping the business evenly split is how Arpi designed it— built-in resiliency. If one segment of the economy is slowing, new construction for example, then the repair and replacement side can compensate. “But we have to be careful,” she says, “We don’t want to go too far in any new direction. We know what we know, and we stick to that.”

IN-HOUSE EXPERTISE With a large facility on a few acres of land in southeast Calgary, Arpi’s Industries operates its own sheet metal fabrication shop with a coil duct line machine, metal cutting, welding and five-ton cranes to deal with large skid packages and pipe assemblies. Their in-house expertise allows the company to maintain quality control and manage its timelines.

Arpi’s technicians are trained, certified and licenced, and the company continues to add specialists to improve its offering. Within the last two years they brought in a residential hydronics design specialist for their growing hydronics business.

“Parts of our industry are so fragmented, and it can be a challenge to ensure the industry is adhering to the proper way things should be installed and maintained,” says Berdin.

“Residential hydronics is an area that we wanted to dedicate a specific team to because those projects are unique. They are true craftsman that need the right skill set to walk into a home and understand what’s going on.”

MARKETING AND COMMUNITY With its broad service offering, Arpi’s markets to its audiences differently. On the commercial side the outreach is very network based. “We’re talking to architects, engineers, general contractors and always learning about what’s coming next,” explains Berdin.

Residential marketing is multi-pronged, including online with search engine optimization, radio, and of course its large fleet of vehicles on the road.

Community outreach is also important, as they engage with 56

HPAC | DECEMBER 2023

Celebrating 60 years, earlier this year Arpi’s Industries hosted a family friendly celebration at the shop including employee recognition awards and photos along with kids’ activities and food trucks.

the city, apprenticeship programs, curriculum development initiatives, industry associations and more.

A long-time Lennox dealer, Arpi’s is often the only Canadian company to win the top Dave Lennox Award that recognizes customer service and technical competence, an honour given annually to only 25 companies across North America. Arpi’s has won it 16 years running.

The company also participates in the Lennox Feel The Love program, where a local community hero is rewarded with a free furnace and install.

“We have some equity in the marketplace, but like many Canadian cities now there are a lot of new folks to our city, new to the country,” says Berdin. “They don’t care about 60 years of tradition; they want you to be on time and get the job done.”

THE FUTURE Reflecting on the 60-year legacy, Berdin acknowledges they weren’t all easy, and some years were more successful than others. “It’s been a challenge, and you never take anything for granted,” she says.

For her, the business revolves around the customer, and she recalls one time when everything they were doing for one customer seemed to be going wrong.

“One of my colleagues said, ‘Julie don’t take it so personally.’

And I said, ‘What do you mean, don’t take it so personally? This is the work we do. It’s a reflection of who we are. It is personal.’”

As for the future, and the key to Arpi’s continued success, Berdin looks at the challenges of the last few years—COVID, rising interest rates, inflation, supply chain issues—and she sees no other option than to just get back to business.

“Let’s continue to raise the bar of our industry, embrace new technologies and all of the wonderful things happening. I still think—and my father believed greatly—that Canada is a great place to be, but there is no silver bullet to success. It’s hard work.

“Surround yourself with great people, do a good job, and charge a fair price. Do it honestly, and then do it again and again and again.” <> HPACMAG.COM

REFRIGERATION >

SOURCE: DAVE DEMMA

TAKING OUT THE TRASH

Figure 1. TEVs with contamination issues which were returned for warranty credit.

Overcoming the obstacles to delivering a trouble-free refrigeration system start up.

BY DAVE DEMMA

T

he long-term health of your air conditioning or refrigeration system is dependent on four things: proper design, quality installation, equipment commissioning, and ongoing preventative maintenance. Assuming the system design engineer has done his job correctly, the burden of delivering a trouble-free system falls upon the installing contractor. Forever has this been the case.

So, with a quality installation contractor on the job, there is one maxim that should be emblazoned in every technician’s mind: system cleanliness is vital to the health of the system. I went over the steps to cleanliness a decade ago on these pages, but it’s now time for a refresher.

This process of system cleanliness starts with taking care to ensure that no HPACMAG.COM

foreign particulate matter enters the system piping during the installation.

The presence of particulate matter, ‘trash’, in the system can have any of the following three negative impacts: 1. Control valve failure: trash can restrict refrigerant flow by plugging up valve ports, orifices, small passageways in pilot assemblies on pilot operated valves, and valve piston bores. This will respectively restrict refrigerant flow, restrict the ability of a pilot assembly to pressurize and/or vent the piston chamber (necessary in pilot operated valves for piston modulation), and cause piston stickage due to the buildup of contaminant between the piston and piston bore. Many “alleged” valve failures are nothing more than flow restrictions due to trash; restricted pilot ports in pilot operated EPR valves, solenoid valves, and discharge bypass valves preventing proper piston movement, or restricted main piston/port in TEVs preventing refrigerant flow (see Figure 1).

2. Plugged filters-driers, filters,

and strainers: a plugged liquid line filter-drier will cause excessive pressure drop to the liquid refrigerant flowing through it. Where there is little or no liquid subcooling present, refrigerant vapourization (flashing) will occur, reducing the supply of liquid refrigerant to the TEVs. The result is a loss in TEV capacity, which in turn results in a loss of heat transfer capacity.

In extreme situations, particularly on systems without receivers, the plugged liquid filter-drier may result in increased head pressure.

A plugged suction filter will lower the pressure at the compressor inlet, increasing the compression ratio, and decreasing the compressor capacity.

In mild cases additional compressor run time will be required to achieve the design temperature in the refrigerated space. In extreme cases the compressor capacity reduction will prevent the design temperature from being met.

Additionally, excessive suction filter Continued on p58 DECEMBER 2023 | HPAC

57

< REFRIGERATION Continued from p57

The first step in eliminating installation related trash particles is to implement a practice of flowing nitrogen through the copper piping during the brazing process. This will prevent the formation of 58

HPAC | DECEMBER 2023

Figure 2. Compressor inlet strainer with installation trash (copper oxide, sil-phos, copper chips).

SOURCE: PARKER HANNIFAN CORP.

ELIMINATING THE TRASH

SOURCE: DAVE DEMMA

pressure drop will significantly reduce the suction vapour velocity, preventing the oil from returning with the refrigerant to the compressor.

Some larger model compressors may come equipped with an inlet strainer, however, the screen is typically course.

This is by design. Their purpose is simply to prevent larger particles from entering the compressor. Too fine of a strainer would plug up easily, resulting in an unusually high pressure drop between the compressor inlet and the cylinders.

A plugged compressor inlet strainer will yield the same set of problems as a plugged suction filter (see Figure 2).

Multi-compressor systems using an oil management system (oil separator and individual compressor oil level controls) will normally have an oil filter in the oil supply line to the oil level controls. If the oil filter becomes plugged, the oil level in each compressor crankcase will eventually drop to an unsafe level, causing the oil failure control to lock the compressor off.

3. Compressor damage/failure: smaller trash particles will travel through the compressor inlet strainer (if indeed the compressor has one) and enter the crankcase. Once there, the trash particles will travel through the compressor lubrication system with the oil, acting as an abrasive on bearings, bearing journals, piston rings, and piston cylinders.

In extreme cases the oil sump inlet strainer or the compressor’s oil passageways can become plugged, resulting in a complete loss of lubrication.

While it may take some time, this will lead to a failed compressor.

Figure 3. Secondary filter for replaceable shell liquid filter drier is preferred for start-up.

copper oxide on the interior surface of the piping at the braze joint locations.

Secondly, good practices and procedures should be used to prevent other forms of particulate matter from entering the piping (copper chips, brazing rod, sand, dirt, etc.). One often overlooked form of contamination comes from excessive amounts of flux being applied to dissimilar metal braze joints; this should be avoided.

Even with the best of intentions every system will have some residual trash particles remaining after the installation. This is why liquid line filter-driers are standard issue on all factory-built equipment.

As the name implies, part of the filter-

drier’s function is to filter out destructive trash particles from the refrigerant and oil in the system. It is important to remove these trash particles before they can pass through the compressor.

At startup, you have one shot to remove trash particles located between the compressor outlet and the liquid line filter-drier inlet before they can travel to the compressor.

Given the importance in removing these trash particles on a first pass basis, a lower micron rated filter would be preferred for start-up situations (see Figure 3).

Any trash particles located between the liquid line filter-drier outlet and the compressor inlet will have to pass HPACMAG.COM

One often overlooked form of contamination comes from excessive amounts of flux being applied to dissimilar metal braze joints; this should be avoided. through the compressor before the liquid filter-drier will have the opportunity to remove them. This is the “why” for using a suction line filter; it is undesirable to allow any trash particles to flow through the compressor before arriving at the inlet of the liquid filter-drier.

Smaller systems with close coupled piping runs, especially those built in the controlled environment of a manufacturing plant, may not require the use of a suction filter; the possibility of any measurable amount of trash between the liquid filter-drier outlet and the com-

pressor inlet will be minimal.

Larger systems with remote compressors and lengthy runs of field installed piping are a much different story; particularly supermarkets and warehouses where the total length of piping may be measured in miles instead of feet.

In applications such as this it is almost certain that significant amounts of trash will occupy the lengthy piping runs between the liquid filter-drier outlet and the compressor inlet. It is therefore essential to install a suction filter (or as required…suction filters) on these

systems. Figure 4 shows examples of typical suction filters.

Suction filters and liquid filter-driers are the final check and balance to ensure that any residual contaminants remaining from the installation process are removed. They should be installed immediately prior to system evacuation.

Suction filters and liquid filter-driers should not be viewed as a substitute for good installation practices, but rather as extra insurance.

SYSTEM EVACUATION It should also be noted that the presence of moisture and/or air in the system will have devastating effects on long term system health. After the piping and component installation is complete, the system should be pressurized with dry nitrogen, or a mixture of dry nitrogen and a trace amount of refrigerant (following environmental guidelines)

Continued on p60 23_006944_HPAC_OCT_CN Mod: September 6, 2023 1:57 PM Print: 09/13/23 page 1 v2.5

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< REFRIGERATION Continued from p59

so a complete leak check can be performed.

Any identified leaks should be repaired and the system re-pressurized. If no reduction in pressure is experienced over a 12-hour period, the system can be considered leak free. (Note: equipment and component manufacturer’s pressurization guidelines should be followed).

Once leak free status is obtained the system should be evacuated.

“Why is it necessary for a refrigeration system (new or existing) to be evacuated?” you ask.

Because the piping and components have been open and exposed to the atmosphere during the installation process. Our earth’s atmosphere consists of 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, an assortment of rare gasses and man-made pollutants, and some amount of water vapour. Here are the potential problems

in forgoing system evacuation: 1. Non-condensable gasses: The function of the condenser is to transfer enough heat from the superheated discharge vapour to yield a saturated/subcooled liquid at its outlet. Any reduction

“The rate of chemical breakdown increases when air (oxygen) is present in the refrigeration system.” in condenser capacity will have a negative impact on the condenser’s ability to perform this function.

Oxygen and nitrogen are both noncondensable at the temperatures normally experienced in the typical

refrigeration condenser. If not removed from the system, they will accumulate in the condenser, taking up valuable space that should be reserved for refrigerant vapour to go through the change of state process.

The subsequent reduction in condenser capacity will result in a higher condensing pressure (reduction in compressor capacity and higher electrical consumption) and a higher discharge temperature (the potential for the refrigerant and/or oil to suffer chemical breakdown at an accelerated rate.

2. Oxygen: Studies have shown that the rate of chemical breakdown increases when air (oxygen) is present in the refrigeration system. Its greatest threat is the potential to oxidize the compressor oil, which will occur at accelerated rates as the temperature increases (the rate of chemical reaction

WHERE CONNECTIONS HAPPEN. The MEET (Mechanical Electrical Electronic Technology) Show returns to Moncton...

This iconic biennial event draws exhibitors and visitors from throughout Canada and the US, showcasing the very latest products and services available to the mechanical and electrical industries in today’s market.

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Figure 4. Examples of sealed model and replaceable shell suction filters.

doubles for every 18F increase in temperature).

Oil that has suffered a chemical breakdown turns into a sludge and becomes acidic. Sludge may plug up control valves and affect proper lubrication of the compressor’s rings and bearings.

Acid formation puts the insulation on hermetic compressor motor windings at risk of deterioration. Once the acid has eroded the winding insulation, shorting can occur, resulting in a failed motor.

3. Moisture: Studies have proven that the rate of chemical breakdown

(the formation of acids and oil breakdown) is accelerated if moisture is present in the system. The hydrogen in the water molecule can combine with the chlorine and/or fluorine molecules in the refrigerant to form HCl (Hydrochloric acid) or HFl (Hydrofluoric acid).

Moisture can also cause corrosion, and this will accelerate the process of copper plating (where molecules of copper from the piping become displaced to heat bearing surfaces in the compressor, such as bearings and pistons).

In addition: every refrigerant has a

water solubility curve, which will show the maximum water content (in PPM) that the refrigerant can hold in solution at a given temperature.

As the temperature is reduced, the ability of the refrigerant to hold water in solution is also reduced, and when this happens the the excess water comes out of the solution and exists as free water. In an application where the refrigerant temperature is below 32F the free water will freeze, rendering the TEV inoperable, negatively affecting its ability to maintain its superheat set-point.

Thus, this is why evacuation is essential. Stay tuned, because in the next issue of HPAC I will walk us through the evacuation process. <> Dave Demma holds a degree in refrigeration engineering and worked as a journeyman refrigeration technician before moving into the manufacturing sector where he regularly trains contractor and engineering groups. He can be reached at ddemma@uri.com.

THE SOURCE ADVERTISERS IN THIS ISSUE

Adrian Steel.....................adriansteel.com.................................p.13

Keeprite...........................gokeeprite.com................................. p.23

Affiliated Distributors....adhq.com........................................... p.43

LAARS..............................laars.com/CommericalWallBoiler.... p.39

AHR Expo.........................ahrexpo.com.......................................p.17

MEET Show.....................meetshow.ca..................................... p.60

AquaTech.........................Lochinvar.com....................................p.41

Navien...............................Navieninc.com......................................p.7

Chemfax...........................chemfax.com................................... p.2, 3 CMPX...............................cmpxshow.com.................................. p.63 Dettson............................dettson.com.......................................p.15 Flocor...............................flocor.ca................................................p.4

PHOTO CREDIT

Franklin Electric.............littlegiant.com................................... p.52

Next Supply.....................nextsupply.ca..................................... p.53 Olimpia Splendid.............olimpiasplendidusa.com...................p.19 Patterson-Kelley.............pattersonkelley.com.......................... p.35 Refrigerative Supply.......rsl.ca/careers.....................................p.14

GLP Canada.....................glpcanada.com...................................p.21

TRP...................................hrai.ca/trp......................................... p.45

Google Nest.....................g.co/nestpro...................................... p.64

Uline.................................uline.ca........................................ p.27, 59

Gree Canada....................gree.ca............................................... p.25

Viessmann.......................viessmann.ca.................................... p.29

IBC....................................IBCBoiler.ca.................................p.32, 33

Wavin................................wavin.us................................................p.9

HPACMAG.COM

DECEMBER 2023 | HPAC

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CALENDAR

FOR THE LATEST EVENT NEWS, SEE HPAC'S NEWSLETTER @ HPACMAG.COM

Visit event websites for the most current updates and registration details.

AHR Expo January 22 – 24

KBIS February 27-29

This year’s conference, as in year’s past, will coincide with the AHR Expo being held in Chicago with the conference programming taking place at the Marriott Marquis McCormick Place. Virtual live streaming is also available.

The Air conditioning, Heating, Refrigeration (AHR) Expo heads to Chicago’s McCormick Place Convention Center to showcase the latest in technology advancements for the industry.

Co-sponsored by ASHRAE and AHRI, the expo/ conference is the largest event of its kind in North America.

The Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS), North America’s largest trade show dedicated to all aspects of kitchen and bath design with displays from the industry’s largest names in faucets and fixtures, returns to Las Vegas.

Hot Air & Hot Water Forums March 12-14

CMPX March 20 – 22

MEET Show May 1-2

The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) presents its second Hot Air Forum, focusing on decarbonizing space heating in buildings, and the Hot Water Forum, a technical conference dedicated to producing, distributing, using, and reusing hot water. Both are being held at the Hilton Atlanta in Georgia.

The Canadian Mechanical & Plumbing Expo is moving to the south building at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre in downtown Toronto. CMPX is Canada’s largest event for the plumbing and HVAC/R industry with over 500 exhibitors along with educational seminars and workshops.

The Mechanical Electrical Electronic Technology (MEET) show is returning to Moncton, taking place at the Moncton Coliseum Complex. This will be the 25th edition of the biennial event that features the latest equipment, products, and technology all on display for contractors in Atlantic Canada and beyond.

CIPH Annual Business Conference June 16-18

ASHRAE Annual Conference June 22-26

Modern Hydronics Summit September 12

The 2024 CIPH Annual Business Conference will take place in Kelowna, B.C. This marks the 91st anniversary of the national association for manufacturers and distributors of products and services for Canada’s plumbing and heating industry.

The global Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers will be holding its five-day annual conference in Indianapolis.

The program will cover how legislation, electrification, AI and other factors are affecting the industry.

HPAC magazine’s annual Modern Hydronics Summit returns to the Universal EventSpace just north of Toronto with a day filled with learning opportunities and displays of the latest in products and technologies that are pushing the hydronics industry forward.

HRAI Annual Conference September 22 – 24

Canadian Hydronics Conference September 25-26

MCAC Annual National Conference November 27-30

The Heating Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada 2024 Annual Conference will take place in Vancouver. As always, the yearly gathering will include a variety of social and networking events along with a series of informative and thought provoking sessions on topics of interest for this evolving industry.

The Canadian Hydronics Council hosts its now annual conference this year at the River Cree Resort and Casino in Edmonton. This will be a two-day conference with sessions including keynote presentations and a series of technical sessions and workshops. There will also be a hydronics tabletop trade show.

The Mechanical Contractors Association of Canada takes its annual national conference to the capital city of Texas, Austin, which is well known for its live-music scene centered around country, blues and rock.

2024

ASHRAE Winter Conference January 20-24

ashrae.org

kbis.com

ahrexpo.com

aceee.org/events

ciph.com

hrai.ca

cmpxshow.com

ashrae.org

meetshow.ca

modernhydronicssummit.com

mcac.ca

www.ciph.com/page/hydronics_council

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