Lehigh Valley HVAC Talk

December'09/ January '10 Educational Opportunites

2009-12-10T22:09:00.005-05:00

I was thinking that the December/January time would be a little on the slow side with educational opportunities, but I was wrong - not that unusual.

I just learned about a great seminar on Thursday December 17 at Bath Supply, Bath, Pa. "Commercial Condensing Boilers."

This is all the rage with the energy crunch so you see more and more choices for this technology. To boot-Bath Supply is serving dinner at 4:30PM with the seminar to start at 5:30PM. I'm going to try to attend. In fact we are going to move our officers meeting to that very location to take advantage of some training and get some chapter business accomplished.

Although not all the details are finalized, the upcoming EKA training day on January 9 ,2010promises to be an outstanding event. The Sullivan trail chapter is hosting this training and the topics will be "Commercial condensing boilers "and "Electrical fundamentals and beyond". I really think that this would be a nice weekend to take the family up to Corning, NY. They can tour the wonderful glass museum while you are getting some real training. There are other sight to see in Corning, also. You also get to hang out with some great pros in the field. I usually learn the most just by listening to them.

That brings us to the LVRSES monthly meeting on Thursday January 14, 6PM @Bethlehem Area Vo Tech. If you always wanted to know about VFD's but were afraid to ask here is your opportunity to get acquainted with this well established technology.Jeoff Bridges from Honeywell will be with us for the evening to speak about Variable Frequency Drives.

I don't want to forget to mention that the Heat Pump Training class is continuing. We are moving through the chapters on heat pumps. On Thursday January 28 we will review chapters 15 & 16 from volume one of the training manuals. If you want to join in with us you can contact Mike or Wayne and we will be happy get you started.

Please take some time to consider the importance of learning (and relearning). Our industry and you future depends upon it.

Why not start your 2010 off right and start to take advantage of ways to learn and improve your skills. You can't loose by investing some time and training in yourself

Beckett Rep for November meeting/ New Meeting Location

2009-10-17T19:08:00.005-04:00

With November and the Thanksgiving/Christmas and other holidays fast approaching our educational sessions continue at full tilt with a Beckett rep scheduled for the November meeting. Starting with our November meeting we will be meeting at a new location.

Bethlehem Area Vo Tech

3300 Chester Av

Bethlehem, Pa 18020

610-866-8013

We've been waiting to get all the insurance stuff straightened out, and now we will be able to use this location for our meetings. I think it will be a great opportunity for our chapter to offer quality educational programs for our members and for those students in the HVAC training programs. If you've never been to the Vo tech building, I have included directions at the bottom of the post.

The November meeting will present a season appropriate topic. It's getting colder outside and that means that heating systems will soon be operating and providing us with plenty of occasions to use our troubleshooting skills. A great topic will be offered with the Beckett rep coming to our meeting to explain all about the GeniSys oil burner control.

Many Thanks to APR , Corp for sponsoring our November meeting. Not only will APR arrange for the speaker but they will also supply refreshments for our weary bodies. Make plans now to be part of the great educational session and bring a friend along to introduce them to the Lehigh Valley RSES. See you all there!!

The Beckett GeniSys™ Advanced Burner Control is a 120 Vac primary safety control for residential and light commercial oil burners used in boiler, furnace, and water heater applications. The GeniSys™ is used with a suitable cad cell flame sensor to control the oil burner motor, igniter and optional solenoid valve. It has 24 Vac thermostat inputs compatible with both on/off and power stealing thermostats. It can provide interrupted or intermittent duty ignition, and has a 15-second lockout time.

Directions to Bethlehem Area Vo Tech:

From Route 22

Take the PA-191/Nazareth Pike exit

Turn left onto Nazareth Pike ( heading S. toward Bethlehem). Travel 0.7 mi

Take the 2nd left onto Oakland Rd. Travel 0.9 mi

Turn right at Hecktown Rd . Travel 0.4 mi

Take the 2nd right onto Chester Ave. Destination will be on the right. Travel 279 ft

Arc Flash Protection/ Compressor Teardown Seminar

2009-10-06T18:34:00.005-04:00

Saturday October 3 was the Fall region 2 training day for RSES Region 2. Region 2 is known as Empire Keystone Association or EKA and comprises those member chapters from New York and Pa. There were close to 30 attendees on Saturday at the compressor tear down seminar. These guys came from Pittsburgh and Buffalo and everywhere in between. It was a terrific event that was held at URI compressors http://www.uricompressors.com/ . Bruce Reich is the owner/operator and this gentleman knows his stuff. My only regret is that we didn't start an hour earlier as we certainly could have used the extra time. Bruce spent ample time explaining the "triangle" of possible causes for compressor failure. When a compressor fails, he explained, it's not just a matter of "it wore out". There is always a reason for the failure and unless you determine the cause of failure it will happen again- sometimes in a matter of hours. After the discussion about compressor failure it was time to dig in! There were six tear down stations so everybody got their hands a little dirty. At my station I was able to look at an oil problem that caused a valve failure that wound up destroying a piston and connecting rod. It all comes home when you can see it as well as hear about it. We are very appreciative to Bruce and Gobin for taking time to share your expertise with us.

In the afternoon the president of EKA, Mr. Tom Schaefer CMS, did a "pinch hit" by filling in for the scheduled speaker who had to cancel due to other obligations. Tom was able to spend time "reviewing" the basics of electrical theory, schematic reading, and meter usage. As Tom mentioned, there are veterans with 15 yrs experience that still benefit from this type of review. You can always learn something new or be reminded of something that you forgot. Thank you Tom!

All this leads me to the next and final squib. Thursday October 15 @ 6PM at the Moravian College "doghouse" we will host our October meeting which is a very scary topic appropriate to the Halloween season. The stark difference is that this topic really is scary for a really good reason. We will do a presentation about Arc Fault Safety. This important safety topic is relevant to all of us. We all work on systems and around motor controls that are susceptible to this event. Bring your Halloween mask if you must, but plan to attend this meeting. YOU NEED THIS TRAINING!!!! Or ELSE..............................................

September Meeting: Everybody gets looped!!!!

2009-09-17T22:14:00.006-04:00

Well not exactly. Our first meeting of the educational year was with Mike Fink, Water Furnace representative. Mike did a great job explaining the theory behind geothermal heating and cooling and spend a good amount of time fielding questions from those in attendance. It was a great time of getting more familiar with this emerging technology. I can only imagine that geothermal will become more and more in demand as energy prices rise. With rate caps coming off next year everyone will be looking for more efficient systems especially with the new tax incentives that have gone into place.

Our next educational event will be the compressor tear down and indoor air quality seminars on Saturday October 3. If you are interested in learning more about these sessions e-mail me at micdan1@enter.net and I will be happy to send you the registration.

IThanks to Meier Supply for supplying our refreshments for tonight's meeting. Their support of our local chapter has been unwavering and it is much appreciated.

WHAT IS A HEAT PUMP?

A heat pump, as the name suggests, is a device that "pumps" heat from one location to another. The most popular heat pump is the air-source type (air-to-air), which operates in two basic modes:
As an air-conditioner, a heat pump's indoor coil (heat exchanger) extracts heat from the interior of a structure and pumps it to the coil in the unit outside where it is discharged to the air outside (hence the term air-to-air heat pump) and
As a heating device the heat pump's out door coil (heat exchanger) extracts heat from the air outside and pumps it indoors where it is discharged to the air inside.
The problem in comprehending such technology is that it is difficult to understand how heat extracted from,say, ten degree air (or water) can heat anything. This is where the unit's compressor and the "phase-change" physical properties of the refrigerant come into play: the compressor boosts the extracted heat to a much higher temperature gas which gives up its heat as it condenses to a liquid in the condensing coil and is distributed to the structure by the fan or blower in the air-handler.

WHAT IS GEOTHERMAL HEAT PUMP HEATING AND COOLING?

Differences between air-source and geothermal heat pumps
As with air-to-air heat extraction technology, geothermal (ground water/ground source) technology utilizes a type of heat pump known as a geothermal heat pump. This type of geothermal heat pump device extracts its heat from water rather than from air. While the principles are fundamentally similar, the methodology varies in that water is pumped through a special type of heat exchanger and is either "chilled" by the evaporating refrigerant (in the heating mode) or heated by the condensing refrigerant (in the cooling mode).

WHY IS A GEOTHERMAL HEAT PUMP BETTER?

Water stores tremendous quantities of heat. In nature, few substances have a higher specific heat (one BTU per pound) than does water, making it an ideal heat storage medium for both natural and man-made phenomena.
Air, on the other hand has a very low specific heat (.018 BTU per cubic foot). There is 3472 times more heat stored in a cubic foot of water (62.5 BTU per degree F) as in a cubic foot of air . In other words it would be necessary to move 3472 cubic feet of air through a heat exchanger in an air-to-air heat pump in order to expose that heat exchanger to the same quantity of heat stored in a cubic foot of water (7 1/2 gallons) that is moved thru a geothermal heat pump.
This cube represents one cubic foot of water
This cube represents 3472 cubic feet of air
While these differences are significant, there is more: the heat transfer characteristics of water make it superior to air. Conduction is more rapid, more complete, and more efficient a heat transfer phenomenon than convection. A ground-water heat pump extracting heat from water at freezing is approximately equal in performance to that of an air-source heat pump extracting heat from 60 degree air.
What are Open Loops and Closed Loops?
Open Loops: An open loop is a loop established between a water source and a discharge area in which the water is collected and pumped to a GWHP then discharged to its original source or to another location. The piping for such configuration is open at both ends and the water is utilized only once.
Examples of such loops are: systems operating off wells wherein water is pumped from a supply well, through the unit and discharged to a return well; open systems operating from such surface water sources as ponds, lakes, streams, etc, where the source water is pumped to the unit and returned to the source.
Open loops have the advantage of higher equipment performance since the source water is used only once and then discharged, but have two significant disadvantages:
water quality needs to be carefully analyzed and treated if such corrosives as sulfur, iron, or manganese are present , if pH is low, or if there are abrasives in it
the costs of pumping water through an open loop are usually somewhat higher than those associated with circulating water through a closed loop
Closed Loops: A closed loop is one in which both ends of the loop's piping are closed. The water or other fluid is recirculated over and over and no new water is introduced to the loop. The heat is transferred thru the walls of the piping to or from the source, which could be ground, ground water, or surface water. As heat is extracted from the water in the loop the temperature of the loop falls and the heat from the source flows toward the loop.
In closed loop operation water quality is not an issue because corrosives become rapidly "spent" or used up and corrosion caused by poor water quality is quickly curtailed The wire-to-water efficiencies of circulators used in closed loop operation are very high and the costs of pumping the water are lower as compared to open loops. System efficiencies are somewhat lower in closed loop operation, but given the lower pumping costs associated with this method, economics sometimes, but not always favor this approach. Installed costs, however, are higher and need to be considered if the consumer already has a well or other water source.
Types of closed loops While there are several loop configurations used in closed loop operation, generally two types of closed loops are utilized by the industry - vertical and horizontal.
In vertical loop installation, deep holes are bored into the ground and pipes with U-bends are inserted into the holes, the holes are grouted, the piping loops are manifolded together, brought into the structure and closed. The argument for this type of ground-loop heat exchanger is that because the piping is in the deeper ground - unaffected by surface temperatures - performance will be higher. Generally, installed costs are higher than with a horizontal loop.
In horizontal loop installation, trenches are dug, usually by a backhoe or other trenching device, in some form of horizontal configuration. Various configurations of piping are installed in the trenches. A larger number of horizontal loop designs have been tried and utilized successfully by the industry. While installed costs have been lower, horizontal loops have been thought to be less efficient than vertical loops because of the effect of air temperatures near the surface of the ground.

LVRSES 2009-2010 Educational Year starts!!!!

2009-09-14T21:37:00.003-04:00

The Lehigh Valley RSES 2009-2010 educational year will start this Thursday September 17 in one of our old haunts --- the "doghouse" at Moravian College in Bethlehem.

We will enjoy seeing each other after our summer hiatus and begin our educational year with a great topic that is totally relevant to the times----- geothermal heat pumps, presented by Water Furnace. Make plans now to attend. It's sure to be a fun and informative session.

Our self study course in heat pumps will start in October. We'll meet on the second and fourth Thursday of each month (except for November and December). If you want to educate yourself about this important HVAC topic make plans to join us. Come to the meeting on September 17 to learn more details or email micdan1@enter.net.

And you won't want to miss the upcoming EKA training day to be held in Allentown on October 3. We will do a morning compressor tear down seminar and an afternoon Indoor Air Quality seminar. All chapter members were sent details about the training day. If someone out there in web land wants to learn more email micdan1@enter.net and I'll send you the relevant info about this or any of the above items.

New Energy Requirements and YOU!!!!

2009-05-31T21:40:00.006-04:00

After the excellent May meeting with Mr. Harold Myers from H.E.Myers and assoc. I thought it would be appropriate to post about these new requirements for walk ins. These changes are significant and are probably only the wind before the storm ( so to speak).

Also, our chapter will end its schedule for the educational year with a chapter picnic at the Iron Pigs stadium. We will have a chapter raffle with the drawing at the picnic. There are a lot of nice prizes that were donated. Thank you to Meier supply http://www.meiersupply.com/ for the generous donation of the digital manifold gauge. Also, thanks to Kelly's Ice Creamery for the generous gift certificate for "got to be delicious treats". Some of your chapter members have selflessly donated the other gifts. Be sure to purchase a ticket as all proceed benefit the programs of the local chapter.

There may not be many posts during the busy summer months, but plan to be part of the training schedule for the 2009-2010 educational year. Devote yourself to improving your knowledge and skills. Make it a priority and commitment to yourself to get out of the rut you're in and learn or relearn what will make you a better technician. Don't settle for mediocre.

Under Federal Law,

New Construction and Design Requirements

for walk-in coolers and freezers …
…
ENERGY INDEPENDENCE AND SECURITY ACT OF 2007 (EISA)
Signed into law December 19, 2007 includes requirements in SEC. 312. relating to walk-in coolers and walk-in freezers manufactured on or after January 1, 2009.

Walk-in coolers and freezers are defined as an enclosed storage space refrigerated to temperatures, respectively, above, and at or below 32 degrees Fahrenheit that can be walked into, and has a total chilled storage area of less than 3,000 square feet. These requirements do not include products designed and marketed exclusively for medical, scientific,or research purposes.

In Summary, the requirements are:
Have automatic door closers that firmly close all walk-in doors that have been closed
to within 1 inch of full closure, except for doors wider than 3 feet 9 inches or taller
than 7 feet. Have strip doors; spring hinged doors, or other method of minimizing infiltration when doors are open.

Contain wall, ceiling, and door insulation of at least R-25 for coolers and R-32 for
freezers, except that this subparagraph shall not apply to glazed portions of doors nor
to structural members.

Contain floor insulation of at least R-28 for freezers.

Evaporator fan motors of under 1 horsepower and less than 460 volts, use
electronically commutated motors or 3-phase motors.

Condenser fan motors of under 1 horsepower, use electronically commutated motors,
permanent split capacitor-type motors or 3-phase motors;

Interior lights, use light sources with an efficacy of 40 lumens per watt or more
Transparent reach-in doors for walk-in freezers and windows in walk-in freezer doors
shall be of triple-pane glass with either heat-reflective treated glass or gas fill.

Transparent reach-in doors for walk-in coolers and windows in walk-in cooler doors
shall be of double-pane glass with heat-reflective treated glass and gas fill; or triplepane
glass with either heat reflective treated glass or gas fill.

If the appliance has an antisweat heater without antisweat heat controls, the appliance
shall have a total door rail, glass, and frame heater power draw of not more than 7.1
watts per square foot of door opening (for freezers) and 3.0 watts per square foot of
door opening (for coolers).

If the appliance has an antisweat heater with antisweat heat controls, and the total door
rail, glass, and frame heater power draw is more than 7.1 watts per square foot of door opening (for freezers) and 3.0 watts per square foot of door opening (for coolers), the antisweat heat controls shall reduce the energy use of the antisweat heater in a quantity corresponding to the relative humidity in the air outside the door or to the condensation on the inner glass pane.

For more information and to review the entire law:
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgibin/
getdoc.cgi?dbname=110_cong_public_laws&docid=f:publ140.110

April Meeting: Burner Servie

2009-04-19T23:13:00.002-04:00

I haven't posted in a while, but I wanted to let you all know about our upcoming meeting on Thursday April 23 at the ABC training center in Allentown from 6-8PM.
Mr. Ed Brink, Meier Supply trainer, will be with us to present the topic of burner service. Many of you may be getting into cleanings and tune ups this time of year, so this promises to be an interesting and enjoyable topic. Ed was with us earlier in the educational year and I'm looking forward to his upcoming presentation. I'm particularly interested in combustion efficiencies as this really is the heart of the burner setup and is probably the least understood by the technician.
I just got back from the Philly area after attending the April EKA training. Mr.Garth Denison did a superb presentation on large tonnage equipment. Now I don't work on anything that large so I thought that it might be way over my head or totally irrelevant to me, nothing could be further from the truth.
Garth has a way of explaining things that brings it home to the ordinary guy that I am. Even though his topic was geared to the large tonnage stuff, it still had many facets that touched my everyday world. Everyone was able to glean something useful from the training. Also, the free CD he provided to all attendees has some very valuable information that you just can't find other places.
EKA training really has me "pumped up", but the thing that always impresses me even more that the excellent training is the excellent people that I meet. Let's face it, the "cream of the crop"( myself excluded) shows up for training events like this (especially on a beautiful Spring Saturday).
Anyway, our chapter has an opportunity to host the EKA training in October. It's gonna be fun!!!

March Meeting is HOT!

2009-03-03T21:43:00.001-05:00

Sorry about the shameless ploy to get you to read this blog, but if it works, you'll be interested to know that the March LVRSES meeting will be devoted to solar heat applications. We'll be meeting on Thursday March 26, 6PM at the ABC training center in Allentown. Solar heat and its various applications is an interesting and relevant topic, especially today. Next year as resource costs are expected to rise significantly, any technology that can help to dampen this increase will be in strong demand. Our country is moving toward green and learning and becoming involved in this growth industry can put a lot of green in your pocket - that is, if you are willing to invest in yourself with some knowledge and education. We owe if to ourselves to stay ahead of the curve on these issues. Here's an interesting article about some basics of solar hot water heating. We can all use more information and training on the upcoming technology. See you at the meeting!

Solar Water Heating

Nearly 300 homes in this San Diego development have solar water heating systems, and some have solar electric systems. The solar water heating collectors on the roof look like skylights.
One of the most cost-effective ways to include renewable technologies into a building is by incorporating solar hot water.
A typical residential solar water-heating system reduces the need for conventional water heating by about two-thirds. It minimizes the expense of electricity or fossil fuel to heat the water and reduces the associated environmental impacts.
Solar Water Heating for Buildings
Most solar water-heating systems for buildings have two main parts: (1) a solar collector and (2) a storage tank. The most common collector used in solar hot water systems is the flat-plate collector.
Solar water heaters use the sun to heat either water or a heat-transfer fluid in the collector. Heated water is then held in the storage tank ready for use, with a conventional system providing additional heating as necessary. The tank can be a modified standard water heater, but it is usually larger and very well insulated. Solar water heating systems can be either active or passive, but the most common are active systems.
Active solar water heaters
Active solar water heaters rely on electric pumps, and controllers to circulate water, or other heat-transfer fluids through the collectors. These are the three types of active solar water-heating systems:
Direct-circulation systems use pumps to circulate pressurized potable water directly through the collectors. These systems are appropriate in areas that do not freeze for long periods and do not have hard or acidic water. These systems are not approved by the Solar Rating & Certification Corporation (SRCC) if they use recirculation freeze protection (circulating warm tank water during freeze conditions) because that requires electrical power for the protection to be effective.
Indirect-circulation systems pump heat-transfer fluids through collectors. Heat exchangers transfer the heat from the fluid to the potable water. Some indirect systems have "overheat protection," which is a means to protect the collector and the glycol fluid from becoming super-heated when the load is low and the intensity of incoming solar radiation is high. The two most common indirect systems are:
Antifreeze. The heat transfer fluid is usually a glycol-water mixture with the glycol concentration depending on the expected minimum temperature. The glycol is usually food-grade propylene glycol because it is non-toxic.
Drainback systems, a type of indirect system, use pumps to circulate water through the collectors. The water in the collector loop drains into a reservoir tank when the pumps stop. This makes drainback systems a good choice in colder climates. Drainback systems must be carefully installed to assure that the piping always slopes downward, so that the water will completely drain from the piping. This can be difficult to achieve in some circumstances.
Passive solar water heaters
Passive solar water heaters rely on gravity and the tendency for water to naturally circulate as it is heated. Because they contain no electrical components, passive systems are generally more reliable, easier to maintain, and possibly have a longer work life than active systems. The two most popular types of passive systems are:
Integral-collector storage systems consist of one or more storage tanks placed in an insulated box with a glazed side facing the sun. These solar collectors are suited for areas where temperatures rarely go below freezing. They are also good in households with significant daytime and evening hot-water needs; but they do not work well in households with predominantly morning draws because they lose most of the collected energy overnight.
Thermosyphon systems are an economical and reliable choice, especially in new homes. These systems rely on the natural convection of warm water rising to circulate water through the collectors and to the tank (located above the collector). As water in the solar collector heats, it becomes lighter and rises naturally into the tank above. Meanwhile, the cooler water flows down the pipes to the bottom of the collector, enhancing the circulation. Some manufacturers place the storage tank in the house's attic, concealing it from view. Indirect thermosyphons (that use a glycol fluid in the collector loop) can be installed in freeze-prone climates if the piping in the unconditioned space is adequately protected. Learn more about freeze-protected piping and research being conducted at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.

February EKA sessions WOW!

2009-02-21T22:19:00.004-05:00

I would be remiss if I didn't report on the excellent seminars that were recently held at Spirac/Sarco in Allentown, Pa and in Trevose,Pa.

On Friday Feb. 6 and Saturday Feb.7 the Delaware Valley chapter of RSES hosted the Winter EKA training for region 2. What?

Well, the Refrigeration Service Engineer Society or RSES is comprised of about 13 regions. The Lehigh Valley chapter is in Region 2 which comprises all the chapters from Pa. and New York. The Empire Keystone Association or EKA is the region 2 association of all these chapters. Each chapter in region 2 has the opportunity to meet with other chapters from region 2 about three times a year for some expanded training opportunities.

The winter training was held on Feb.6&7 and it was a great occasion for training. The topics for the Friday and Saturday training were "Steam Fundamentals" presented by Spirax/Sarco at their training facility in Allentown and "Hydronics" presented by Crown boiler of Philadelphia.

If you ever have the opportunity to spend a day at the training facility for Spirax/Sarco, be sure that you don't miss it. The classroom was actually overbooked, but the instruction and lab time were invaluable for me. Being able to hear the theory and then see how it actually worked in the lab made it more real for me and something that will remain with me for a long time.

On Saturday I had the privilege of spending the day near Philadelphia learning about hydronics and boilers which was presented by the Crown Boiler trainer. I learned a lot about why we do things to make these hot water systems work correctly.

Both seminars complimented each other nicely. As usual, I was impressed by the quality of the speakers. It's also so enjoyable to meet and speak with so many HVAC pros from across the region.

On Sunday the EKA delegates met for breakfast and a business meeting. I will report that the Lehigh Valley RSES has been given the opportunity to host the Oct.'09 EKA training weekend. This will be a great opportunity to participate in a larger event as a chapter. I'm looking forward to working with the EKA officers and the Lehigh Valley officers to host this event. If anyone has any suggestions, feel free to comment or contact any one of the officers.

Finally, don't forget our monthly meeting on Thursday, Feb. 26 from 6-8PM at the ABC training center. Bob Thomas from Honeywell will be with us to do a presentation on linkless burner controls. See you all there.

Great February Meeting! Great March Meeting to come!

2009-02-04T17:22:00.005-05:00

The Feb. meeting of LVRSES was well attended and for those who attended there was a real cacophony of information about an often overlooked subject: the lowly gas pressure regulator. Mr. Tom Ganfield from Maxitrol http://www.maxitrol.com/ did a great job in presenting the operation, installation and code requirements for gas pressure regulators. There were a lot of good questions from those in attendance about all sorts of issues about these often overlooked but critical components of the gas train. I learned a lot from Mr. Ganfield, the speaker, but I think I learn as much from those in the audience when I listen to the interaction between these HVAC pros and the speaker. Thank you to Tom Ganfield from Maxitrol for including our chapter in you very busy schedule. We also appreciate the Maxitrol handbook that you gave to each of us who attended, as well as the ball caps and other hand outs. We look forward to hearing you again.

Also, congratulations to those who won the door prizes!

Our March meeting will feature Mr. Bob Thomas from Honeywell www.honeywell.com . This also promises to be an excellent presentation. Mr. Thomas will speak on the subject of linkless controls. You won't want to miss it. The meeting will be held on Thursday March 26, 6-8PM at the ABC training center in Allentown. We look forward to seeing you all there.

Meeting Date Change!

2009-01-14T18:16:00.002-05:00

Our monthly meeting will be held on Thursday January 29th from 6-8PM at the ABC training center. This is one week later that the original date. The topic will still be Maxitrol Gas Pressure Regulators.

This is NATE certified training so bring your NATE # to get credit for CEU's. I hope to see you all there.

January 2009 : Maxitrol Gas Pressure Regulators.

2008-12-14T21:41:00.006-05:00

Our January meeting will be on the fourth Thursday of the month. January 28, 2009 at 6PM at the ABC training site in Allentown. As you can see from the posting the topic will be Maxitrol Gas pressure regulators.(http://www.maxitrol.com/)
I'm sure that we will all be able to learn a lot about these important components of the gas train that will help us in our daily adventures. It's encouraging to see a lot of new folks who are interested in pursuing a greater knowledge of this important industry. HVAC/R is a never ending lesson- the more I learn the more I realize how little I know.
Our December meeting was well attended. Mr. Jim Knight from Ideal electric represented his company well and treated us to a great presentation about electrical safety. He generously donated some "Bullseye" hole cutting bits to Mr. Mike Mutarelli, the adult HVAC instructor at LCCC, for use in training of HVAC installs. We also sponsored a special December doorprize raffle with a gift certificate to Appelby's as well as a few containers of donated wire nuts. It was a great end to our 2008 meetings.
Why not make an early resolution for 2009? Make 2009 the year that you become NATE certified, pass the CM exam, study for the CMS certification or some other worthy educational goal. "If you aim at nothing, you'll be sure to hit the target every time." If you have a goal and fail to meet that goal, don't see that as a discouragement but rather an incentive to continue to try harder to accomplish the goal. Your RSES chapter is here to help you in any way we can to promote your continued education and learning in the HVAC/R field.

December Meeting Early/Different Day

2008-11-29T22:02:00.005-05:00

Well the LVRSES if nothing else is flexible. With the Christmas season upon us, we will move the December meeting to and earlier date and different day. Our December meeting will be held on Tuesday December 9 at 6PM at the ABC training center(http://www.abceastpa.com/) in Allentown. Actually the real reason we needed to move the day and date was more for the speaker's reasons than our own. We'll be fortunate to have a training representative from Ideal electric with us on that date to do some training on Lock Out/Tag Out as well as training on three phase motors. For those of you who can not make Thursday's due to other conflicts, here's an opportunity to make yourself available for some great training and information.

Our November meeting with Mr.Dave Lampart from IntegriTec, Inc. was exceptional! The topic was water treatment and Dave and his assistant, Mr.Ron Jacoby, did a wonderful job on a sometimes very confusing subject. One of the most interesting parts of the evening was his presentation about new aluminum boilers that are making their appearance in the marketplace.They present some unique challenges as far as water treatment. If you don't properly care for these boilers on the water side they are only going to survive for a couple of years, resulting in costly repairs or replacements. This kind of information you don't hear about - not even in the journals and magazines.

I hope to see you all at the December meeting and I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

November meeting topic: Water Treatment

2008-11-11T21:51:00.015-05:00

Our monthly meeting is scheduled for Thursday November 20 at the ABC center in Allentown. Note that this is one week earlier than usual due to the Thanksgiving Holiday. Our meetings begin at 6PM and conclude around 8PM. If you can't make it on time, feel free to arrive when your schedule allows.

Mr. Dave Lampart from InteriTec, Inc. will be our presenter and the topic for the evening will be "Water Treatment". This applies both to cooling towers and boilers. Dave is sure to hold our attention with a lot of good and useful information about what those chemical guys do when they're in ourboiler rooms.

Take time out of your busy schedules to join us for the evening and feel free to bring a co worker, friend, neighbor, wife, girlfriend, nephew, etc. to gain some valuable insights on this important topic.

The following is a great article form the the RSES journal about IAQ and how important it is to the safety and health of building occupants. Take some time to read it and enjoy some new information about this rapidly changing area in our inustry. By the way this is definitly an income producer for your business.

Brightening the Path To Cleaner Air
Low-voltage UV lights provide installation ease and flexibility
By Chris Willette
As the indoor air quality (IAQ) market matures, more HVAC contractors and IAQ professionals are embracing the benefits and use of ultraviolet (UV) light technology as a tool to control indoor air contamination. This increased interest also has boosted the marketâ€™s need for more flexible and easier-to-install UV products.
Traditional line-voltage UV systemsTraditional UV-light systems for residential applications are illuminated via a power-supply baseâ€”which the UV lamps are rigidly fixed toâ€”and the unit is mounted on the exterior of air-handling systems. Holes are then made to allow the lamps to protrude inside the air-conditioning system for surface sterilization or airborne disinfection. Unfortunately, locating a nearby power source to use for this type of installation may be difficult, if not impossible. Installers may also find it tedious and/or undesirable to cut large holes in the systemsâ€™ covers or ductwork.--->
Low-voltage alternativesTraditional line voltage systems typically use much larger power supplies that are mounted externally to the air handlers and the line voltage power is then tapped into the mains or plugged in, which often requires the aforementioned cutting into covers or ductwork. With a low-voltage power supply, however, the enclosure is small enough to mount in the control panel, which allows the installer to then mount the UV lamps internally inside the air handler.
A low-voltage 24 volts AC (VAC) control circuit in a typical air-handler installation exists for the thermostat and component contactors that control the system. These circuits usually contain a standard 24-VAC transformer with 40 volt-amps (VA) of power that, in most cases, has plenty of additional power available to supply other low-voltage accessories such as overflow drain float switches, humidifiers, zone dampers and electronic air cleaners.
In this case, a readily available accessory becomes an ideal power source for a UV-light system that provides many benefits. First and foremost, it provides a convenient and safe source of power for an inexperienced first-time installer who may find connecting to the line voltage somewhat intimidating.
Second, it provides a source of power the installer can use to locate the UV-light system remotely from the air handler or, in the absence of local power, by running a low-voltage wire to the desired installation location.
This accessory also provides a means to safely tuck the UV light inside an air handler, eliminating the need to drill holes to access the air space and prevent any tampering of the UV light. Lastly, it allows for the installation of a UV light in applications that previously could not accommodate this type of lighting, such as packaged through-wall A/C (PTAC) or fan coil units.
Investigating low-voltage circuitsPrior to installation, investigate the air handlerâ€™s control components to determine whether it is a simple or complex circuit. This is important because if the type of control circuit is overlooked, it can cause failure to some 24-VAC UV light products. A simple circuit contains single-speed blowers and motor/compressor contactors. These are often referred to as straight heat or cool systems. A more complex circuit contains variable-speed blower circuits and electronic control boards, which are becoming more common with the rise of the 13 SEER standards.
Straight heat/cool systems tend to have low power draw and typically can easily accommodate additional accessories such as the UV light with little concern. Variable-speed blower circuits, however, can cause problems with UV-light products or accessories that are not designed to work on these types of circuits. Such problems are due to inherent voltage spikes, referred to as â€œsignal noise," created by the variable-speed blowersâ€™ control board.
Signal noise occurs because the circuit typically converts the alternating sine wave of the 24-VAC circuit to pulse waves to drive the variable speed blower motor, and the spikes are due to voltage â€œbounce back" from the circuit.
To be more precise, the signal noise is in the line voltage and is created by the variable speed blowersâ€™ circuit. Signal noise is not a problem on single-speed systems, but the advent of variable speed blowersâ€”though great for conserving energyâ€”can cause havoc to line voltages in terms of the AC sine wave. The â€œbounce back" noise is essentially small voltages and frequency signals that can be added back into the 24 VAC line. So instead of having a peak voltage of 24 volts, a noisy signal may add an additional 2 to 6 volts on top of that, for a total peak voltage of up to 30 volts.

For typical AC components such as contactors, relays and float switches, this usually isnâ€™t of any consequence. However, on a UV light circuit where the service technician is actually multiplying both the frequency and the voltage of the incoming power, this can prove a compounding problem. Therefore, the noise needs to be filtered out to avoid this.
Otherwise, the spikes can cause failure to earlier generations of 24-VAC UV-light products because the power supplyâ€™s circuits cannot handle the circuitâ€™s â€œnoise." The noise can cause the power supply to handle higher voltage that is intended and run hot. This will blow electronic components internal to the UV power supply such as thermistors, which are designed to protect against overheating; and internal fuses or resistors, which can be sensitive components to overvoltage and excess heat. Therefore, installing earlier versions of 24-VAC UV-lights on an isolated, low-voltage power source via a second 24-VAC transformer is recommended.
Newer generations of low-voltage UV lights take this phenomenon into account and are designed with several fail safes in place, such as a wider operating voltage rangeâ€”extended operating rangeâ€”designed to operate at 18â€“32 VAC instead of just at 24 VAC. Another fail safe incorporates input power filters and conditioners intended to filter out the â€œnoise" of these circuits to prevent the failure problems.--->
Verifying power load availability As with any installation that uses power, whether it is a line- or low-voltage circuit, it is important to check the availability of additional power load before installing the UV light or other accessory. To perform this test, take a full-load voltage readingâ€”with the heat or A/C runningâ€”of the circuit by connecting the meterâ€™s probes across the transformerâ€™s output terminals. For variable-speed air handlers a true RMS meter is recommended for an accurate reading. Take a full-load current-draw reading using either an amp clamp on one of the output leads of the transformer or the probeâ€™s inline on one of the output leads.
After taking the readings, use the following formula to determine the VA load:
Full Load Volts x Full Load Amp Draw = VA (Volt-Amps)
Full Load Voltage = 25.61 VAC
Full Load Current Draw = 0.43 A
25.61 volts x 0.44 amps = 11.27 VA
This example leaves an additional 28.73 VA that a technician can use to install additional accessories on a 40-VA full-load transformer. Most of the low-voltage UV products currently found on the market only require 16â€“18 VA, making them easily installable and, in the above example, leaving 28.73 VA still available to use. However, if the load exceeds 40-VA full load (UV VA + FL VA), the technician should install a separate transformer.--->
As the interest in the use of UV-light products continues to grow in the HVAC market, the diversity of the installation opportunities and the experience of the installers will also increase. The use of low-voltage UV-light products can afford the opportunity for many new types of installations that were previously impossible. Developments with newer systems, such as evolving product designs and functions, means first-time installers can safely get involved with applying these types of products.
Chris Willette is president of Triatomic Environmental Inc., which specializes in providing advanced germicidal light solutions for the enhancement of indoor air quality.-->For more information, e-mail sales@freshaireuv.com</A>
From the February 2008 issue of RSES Journal.

October Monthly meeting was a semi-hermetic success

2008-10-25T10:58:00.005-04:00

If you have never been privileged to hear the excellent teaching of Mr. Hary Parker of ABC east (http://www.abceastpa.org/) your been missing something.

We had to opportunity this past Thursday to hear his excellent presentation on semi hermetic compressors. In addition to the presentation we were able to walk back into the lab area and actually tear one down and diagnose to cause of failure. You won't believe the results!. Actually as Mr. Parker so aptly pointed out, the primary cause of most compressor failures is the guy holding the wrench or screwdriver- in other words it's the HVAC technician!.That may be hard for some of us to accept, but facts are facts and all the manufacturers studies prove this very point.

All the more reason to take advantage of training offered by a lot of sources including your local RSES chapter. Theses kind of training programs only reinforce my conviction that if we are going to get and maintain that edge in service and installation we need to continually invest in ourselves with training. Even reviewing the basics is worth it!

One web site I would encourage all of you to investigate is offered by Copeland at http://www.emersonclimate.com/ . Here you will find a lot of excellent tools that can enhance your understanding and competence. Take time to investigate, be curious, don't be sastisfied with the status quo.

Our next monthly meeting will be on Thursday November 20, 6PM at the ABC training center (one week before Thanksgiving). Make plans now to be with us for more training and bring a friend.

Finally, a special thanks to Meier Supply (http://www.meiersupply.com/) for providing the refreshments for our monthly meeting. In my experience Meier Supply is the premier sponsor of RSES and its programs. They have consistently and faithfully supported our efforts at training and we really do appreciate their unwavering commitment to RSES and its goals. Thanks, so much! (Jerry we loved the Pizza.)

Basics of Gas-fired Infared Heat

2008-10-02T20:17:00.003-04:00

With heating season upon us, here's a good article from the RSES journal that discusses the basics of gas heat. Our first monthly meeting for the educational year was held this past Thursday. Our chapter attendance was abysmal! With only five chapter members in attendance I was reminded of the parable "go out into the highways and byways" so we invited the electrical class that was meeting next door and they truly enjoyed the excellent presentation by Mr. Ed Brink from Meier Supply(as well as the refreshments). Our next meeting will be at the ABC center on Thursday October 23 at 6PM. I hope you all can make plans to be there.

The Basics of Gas-Fired Infrared Heating
Understanding this technology, as well as advances such as two-stage controls, can give technicians and contractors a leg up on competitors when discussing heating options with customers.
By Michelle Kostusyk
When it comes to serving the heating needs for buildings, forced air—such as a large unit suspended from the ceiling blowing hot air—is often the first consideration for many owners. While that option might work well for some, independent reports reveal that gas-fired infrared heating can save 20%–50% in fuel consumption versus forced air heating.
Gas-fired infrared heating systems emulate the true efficiency of the sun by generating radiant heat energy. They consist of three main components: a burner control box; black-coated radiant emitter tubes; and a highly polished reflector assembly. Heaters are typically suspended from the ceiling by chains and controlled with a thermostat. They can be installed either vented or unvented, may use outside air for combustion if necessary and, depending on the heating requirements, can be installed in a variety of configurations.
The highs and lows
The two types of infrared heating are high intensity and low intensity. Available since the 1950s, high-intensity heaters require high mounting heights due to an open flame that covers a ceramic surface. High-intensity heaters have a reflector to help direct the heat where it needs to go, are used to spot heat areas with few workers and typically are unvented.
Conversely, low-intensity heaters have an enclosed flame. When heat is required, the burner control box ignites a gas/air mixture and hot gases are pushed through steel radiant tubing by an internal fan. As these gases pass through the assembly, the tubing is heated and emits infrared energy, which is then directed toward the floor by highly polished reflectors. This energy is absorbed by objects in its path, such as the floor, equipment and people. Objects in the infrared energy path in turn re-radiate this heat to create a comfort zone at the floor level. This allows the source of heat to begin at the floor level and not the ceiling. With infrared heat, the floor acts as a heat reservoir; when doors are opened, the floor slab looses very little of its heat, and when the doors close this mass acts as a huge heat sink to warm the surrounding air. This creates an efficient and effective heating method in most commercial and industrial applications.
Weighing both sides
Radiant heaters offer several operational and design benefits. For example:
Infrared heaters do not blow dust and debris while heating, creating a cleaner and quieter work environment;
Their zoned capability allows a group of units to function together or independently;
Units can be mounted at heights of up to 60 ft, depending on which heater is chosen for a given application;
They allow spot heating to certain areas where workers are few;
Units can provide directional heating, with the reflectors rotated to direct heat where it is most needed;
Outside air can be used for combustion;
Low-intensity heaters can be vented together to reduce the number of roof or wall penetrations; and
Design is flexible, allowing for heater placement in configurations that will supply heat where it is needed most.
There are, however, a few important things to take into consideration when installing an infrared radiant-heat system. Care needs to be taken when laying out the system to maintain clearances to combustibles. Infrared radiant heaters require higher clearances than forced air units. Therefore, a mounting height of 10 ft or higher is recommended depending on the application and the model.
Very little maintenance is required, especially when bringing in outside air for combustion. This setup is recommended when dust or contamination is present inside the building. Periodic dusting of the reflectors is beneficial both for safety and the overall efficiency of the heater.
Safety considerations
A critical safety factor to consider before installing an infrared heating system is clearances to combustibles. Clearance to combustibles is defined as the minimum distance that must be maintained between the radiant tube heater surface and the combustible item. Considerations also must be made for moving objects around the infrared heater and materials that have lower temperature ratings, such as plastics. Additional examples of combustibles include; lights, overhead doors, gas and electrical lines, parked vehicles, cranes, and any other obstructions or hazards. Shielding of these items may be necessary. Unless otherwise indicated, infrared heaters are not certified for residential use or where flammable gasses or vapors are present, such as spray booths.
It is important to provide warnings to alert individuals to potential hazards and safety actions. Signs must be posted to specify maximum stacking heights in order to maintain clearances to combustibles, especially in storage areas.
In addition, observing recommended mounting heights will optimize comfort conditions in the space. If infrared heaters are mounted too high or too low, the end result may be a lack of heat or discomfort. However, certain applications such as freeze protection, outdoor patio heating or spot heating may require the heaters to be mounted at other than the traditional recommended mounting heights.
New technology
An advanced feature of low-intensity infrared tube heaters is the use of two-stage controls. A two-stage infrared heater is characterized by its ability to operate in preset “high” and “low” fire modes. Since infrared heating systems are typically designed around “worst-case scenarios” (which only occur 10%–20% of the time), a single-stage system becomes oversized on milder days, creating more on/off cycles (heat/no heat). With two-stage technology, input (fuel usage) is reduced by 35% (100% input in high-fire and 65% input in low fire). Field reports, as well as independent studies by RDM Engineering in Canada, have proven a minimum fuel savings of 12% and a reduction of on/off cycles up to 30 % with the majority of heater operation in low fire. A two-stage heater allows application design flexibility based upon the possible worst-case changes in the environment.
In addition to fuel savings, reduced on/off cycles and design flexibility, additional benefits of two-stage heaters include faster heat recovery, higher downstream tube temperatures, longer flame and longer equipment life. More importantly, a two-stage heater will provide a softer and more comfortable heat source for occupants compared to a single-stage heater that is either operating at full output (sometimes too much heat) or cycles off (not enough heat).
Vacuum style of infrared heating
Multiple-burner, low-intensity, vacuum infrared heating systems have been a mainstream product offering for many years; the technology itself is more than 40 years old. As the infrared heating industry has evolved through the development of unitary heaters featuring equal or superior energy efficiency, multiple-burner low-intensity vacuum infrared heating systems have often been seen as old technology. The primary difference between a vacuum-style heater and a positive-pressure tube heater is that the burner box is under a negative pressure instead of a positive pressure. A pump, located at the end of the system, pulls the gases down the tube. This type of infrared heating system offers some application benefits not found with other types of infrared equipment.
Vacuum-style infrared heaters may have up to six burners common vented by a single vacuum pump. Fewer roof or sidewall penetrations are the resulting application benefit. The vacuum-style unit may be installed as either a condensing or non-condensing system. A condensing system allows for longer system lengths and higher system thermal efficiency. A non-condensing system more efficiently utilizes the highly emissive black coating on the radiant tubes at a more reasonable equipment cost over the condensing system.
The price of staying warm
While radiant heating does require a cost investment, it can be a good choice depending on the application. Gas-line connections must be considered and hanging the unit is at least a two-person job. The initial cost of a standard, 40-ft-long unitary tube heater is approximately $1,100. Therefore, upfront costs are higher than traditional heating methods. However, this investment will pay for itself over a short period of time due to the energy saving benefits of radiant heaters. And the installation of a system that incorporates two-stage technology can offer an additional 12% fuel savings over a standard single-stage radiant heater.
Although the installation may be fairly easy, system design and layout can be more difficult. It is critical that the equipment is installed properly to assure a safe and effective heating system. Most manufacturers sell product via local representatives. This allows a professional to review the desired needs and select the proper equipment for a specific application.
Gas-fired infrared heaters offer the option of placing heat where and when it is needed. This ability, coupled with excellent operating costs, gives a clear advantage to infrared heaters. And if you want to get the most for your money go with heaters equipped with two-stage technology. You can rest assured that providing a comfortable environment within your application will be well received by both you and other building occupants.
Michelle Kostusyk is part of the Product Support team at Detroit Radiant Products Co. For more information, e-mail
From the September 2008 issue of RSES Journal.

Sept 25 Meeting-to be a "Hands on" Experience

2008-08-31T22:03:00.003-04:00

If you've received the monthly newsletter for September, you'll notice that the Sept.25 meeting will be held at the ABC training site with an opportunity for some "hands on" training.

Thanks to the facilities at ABC http://www.abceastpa.com/ we will have the occasion to use the refrigeration trainer to learn and review some of the basics of refrigeration. There's something about doing with your hands and seeing with you eyes that helps you learn faster and more completely and we will have that experience on Sept. 25.

Our meeting will start at 6PM and end by 8PM. We will provide light refreshments. Our presenter is Mr. Pete Snyder who is an adult HVAC instructor at Lehigh County Community http://www.lccc.edu/ College as well as a sales associate at Meier Supply http://www.meiersupply.com/

in Allentown. There is no doubt that Pete will do a masterful job instructing all of us.

Right on the heels of our monthly meeting is the upcoming EKA(Empire Keystone Ass.) fall seminar to be held in Syracuse, N.Y. on Oct. 4-5. Sporlan, Honeywell and Copeland will all be there to present important seminars on Stepper valves, VFD's and Scroll Compressors. If you are able to attend you won't be disappointed. Plus the seminars count as CEU's for NATE re certification. Check out http://www.eka-rses.tripod.com/ for more details. I plan to attend so if anybody wants to share a ride and room costs with me, I'll be more than willing to discuss it with you.

Finally, our officers are interested in starting a new self-study program this educational year (2008-2009). The last self study has ended with three members passing their CM certification. A self study can be offered for any of the training programs that RSES offers. Do you have the material but lack the motivation to finish reading and studying it? The self study can help because we agree to meet(usually every other week) and review the questions and answers to a predetermined number of chapters from the material. This helps each of us be accountable and stay on target to complete the work. And guess what? It works! Right now our chapter don't have the resources to offer an instructor led class so the self study approach is what is working for us. At some point we will probably offer both self study and instructor led classes.

Make plans to meet with us on Thursday Sept. 25 at ABC in Allentown.

Lehigh Valley RSES helps Coplay Sports!

2008-08-14T21:04:00.005-04:00

Pictured above are two presidents. Mr. Dean Molitoris, president of Coplay sports association, and Mr. Ron Lobb, president of LVRSES.

A fire destroyed most of the Coplay Sports field house in September of 2007.The community rallied around the needs of its youth and came together with donations of time, material and expertise to help rebuild the structure, and replace lost equipment.

Mr. Ron Lobb (along with his helper) took time out of their busy schedules to troubleshoot and repair the HVAC system that supplies the meeting room and the kitchen areas.

LVRSES members also donated time to install donated refrigeration equipment that was lost to the fire.

"Education isn't just what you learn its also what you do with it."says Mr. Ron Lobb

Speaking about education the LVRSES officers are meeting next week to finalize the 2008-2009 educational calendar for our chapter. Each year it keeps getting better!. I won't go into details at this time, but I can say that we will have a lot of very good training opportunities this coming year. We will be meeting for most meetings at the ABC training center in Allentown.

In addition to our local training we are also part of a larger association in region 2 of RSES called EKA or Empire Keystone Association. As its name suggests it is comprised of chapters in New York and Pa and its purpose it to meet and offer its members educational opportunities. If you've never been to a regional seminar your missing something very special. For a very modest cost you can learn this October 4-5 about Sporlan stepper valves, Honeywell VFD's and experience a Copeland rep wax beautiful about its scroll compressors. This seminar will be held in Syracuse, N.Y.-beautiful at this time of year. Pay attention to more details to be released within a week or two.

If you noticed the August issue of RSES Journal you can some of the results of our involvement in the educational opportunities available through the RSES technical institute. Three of our local chapter members have passed the CM exam. A great accomplishment. It funny because each one of these guys is already talking about continuing on to the CMS level.

One of the things we really want to offer to our chapter members is the self study program. I'd like to see a year 1 start again this educational year. So if any one is interested contact one of your officers and express your interest.

Make plans now to get involved in your chapter. We usually meet on the fourth Thursday of each month from 6-8PM. We communicate as much as possible by e-mail with newsletters and I try to use this blog to fill in any blanks. Each one of us can benefit by investing some time in ourselves to improve our skills and learn about new technology. In this industry if you stand still you are going to eating the dust of the guy who is smart enough to be involve in education.

EKA and LVRSES

2008-07-24T21:46:00.003-04:00

So what do RSES and EKA have in common? First a definition of the terms! RSES stands for Refrigeration Service Engineer Society and EKA stands for Empire Keystone Association.

Hopefully most of you know that the Lehigh Valley has had its own chapter of the RSES for about 5years. Yes, its almost 5 years since the chapter has reformed and started to meet on a regular basis for training and education. During that time we've seen members take advantage of the training classes for the CM certification, also members have pursued the NATE certifications. We've had a lot of great training classes and been able to make some new friendships. For me it's been a great and challenging experience.

So what about EKA? Let me explain. The RSES is comprised of a lot of local chapters just like ours, each chapter is part of a region of the RSES. I think there are about 17 different regions for different parts of the USA and Canada. The Lehigh Valley chapter is part of region 2 which includes all of New York and Pa. There are currently about 24 active chapters in region 2. A lot of regions in RSES have a regional association. Our region 2 association is called EKA or Empire Keystone Association. The purpose of the regional association is a lot like the purpose of the local chapter but on a bigger scale. Once or twice a year the regional association meets for training and education. Because its a larger audience it can attract a lot of good speakers and programs that further your education and skills.

Our region 2 association or EKA will be meeting Syracuse on Oct. 4-5. Saturday will be devoted to training and will include a 4Hr. Copeland scroll compressor seminar followed by Sporlan stepper valve training and finishing with a Honeywell presentation on VSD's. After a good night's sleep the EKA business meeting will take place on Sunday morning. This is our chance to discuss our ideas and business with our region 2 director, Mr. Bill Parliapiano. Bill is the elected region 2 director and meets regularly with the entire international RSES board. So he is our eyes and ears about cutting edge developments in the HVAC world.

There will be another EKA seminar in April that is being held in Ben Salem, just a stone's throw away. This will be an even bigger event. The Delaware valley chapter is the sponsor for the seminar. The Lehigh Valley chapter will assist Delaware valley with this event.

So you can see that in addition to some fine local training you are also able to take advantage of even wider opportunities to enhance your knowledge and I didn't even mention the international seminar in September being held in Indianapolis, In.

On a closing note, our EKA president, Mr. Bruce Robertson has had to step down as president of EKA due to some serious medical problems. Bruce, our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family and we wish you a speedy recovery.

With the busy summer months quickly slipping away remember to take time out for recreation and make plans to participate with you local chapter of RSES in the coming educational year for training and educational opportunities.

Lehigh Valley RSES picnic: AAA Success

2008-06-30T20:59:00.008-04:00

A hot June 28 at the Coca Cola Stadium didn't deter your local chapter from enjoying a wonderful first annual picnic. Along with the great picnic food we got to enjoy a 2-1 Iron Pigs win over the Syracuse chiefs. It was great to meet the better halves of so many of you who were present for the picnic. Equally enjoyable was meeting all the great kids from baby to teens. A truly memorable experience and one I hope that we can repeat many times over. With a total attendance of 32 we expect that this event will continue to grow every year.

Along with all the great picnicking we had the privilege of having our Regional Director present with us, Mr. Bill Parlapiano III. He drove from the Albany, N.Y. area along with his family for the express purpose of attending our picnic and making the award presentations. Thank You, Bill, for being with us for this event and taking the time to show an interest in our chapter and its activities. That is leadership! We also enjoyed meeting your family and hope we can enjoy your company again at future events.

Speaking of awards. Congratulations to Mr. Brian Thomas CM,and Mr. Tom Donmoyer CM on their tremendous accomplishment at attaining the CM status in the Refrigeration Service Engineer Society (RSES). RSES was founded on 1933 as a non profit educational society with a mission to advance the HVACR industry by furthering the education and skills of its members. The CM certification is earned by an RSES member after passing a very difficult exam which tests 18 categories of knowledge required in the installation and servicing of refrigeration and air conditioning equipment. The current pass rate on the examination is about 18% and only 15% of the current RSES membership holds this prestigious title. No small accomplishment for these individuals. Yours truly was also able to achieve the certification.

(L-R) Tom Donnmoyer CM, Bill Parlapiano III,

Mike O'Hare CM, Brian Thomas CM

We held the $5 raffle. Wayne if you read this post the names of the first and third place winners. Mr. Terry Fitzpatrick was the winner of the Fluke 117 multimeter w/amp probe.

The other two gifts were a very nice Milwaukee 12V cordless drill and a 162 pc mechanics set. Again many thanks to Meier Supply and Johnstone Supply for donating the multimeter and the drill. One of our generous members donated the mechanics set.

The officers of the chapter will be meeting on Thursday July 17 to begin planning for the new educational year. Plan the join us starting on Thursday September 25 for the 2008-09 educational year with LVRSES. You won't be sorry if you spend some time investing in yourself

Rising Energy Costs make this programmable t'stat more attractive

2008-06-19T18:28:00.007-04:00

Lehigh Valley RSES picnic Sat. June 28, 6PM at Coca Cola stadium.We will enjoy a picnic, chapter awards presentations, $5.oo raffle, AAA baseball and good company.

Here's an article from the energy star web site about programmable thermostats that we all should be thinking about before winter.

Programmable Thermostats
Did you know that properly using a programmable thermostat in your home is one of the easiest ways you can save energy, money, and help fight global warming? An ENERGY STAR qualified programmable thermostat helps make it easy for you to save by offering four pre-programmed settings to regulate your home’s temperature in both summer and winter — when you are asleep or away.
The average household spends more than $2,000 a year on energy bills — nearly half of which goes to heating and cooling. Homeowners can save about $180 a year by properly setting their programmable thermostats and maintaining those settings. The pre-programmed settings that come with ENERGY STAR qualified programmable thermostats are intended to deliver savings without sacrificing comfort. Depending on your family’s schedule, you can see significant savings by sticking with those settings or adjust them as appropriate for your family. The key is to establish a program that automatically reduces heating and cooling in your home when you don’t need as much. Use the ENERGY STAR Programmable Thermostat Calculator to see what you can save with set-back temperatures that work for your family. The pre-programmed settings for an ENERGY STAR qualified programmable thermostat are:
Programmable Thermostat Setpoint Times & Temperatures
Setting
Time
Setpoint Temperature (Heat)
Setpoint Temperature (Cool)
Wake
6:00 a.m.
≤ 70° F
≥ 78° F
Day
8:00 a.m.
Setback at least 8° F
Setup at least 7° F
Evening
6:00 p.m.
≤ 70° F
≥ 78° F
Sleep
10:00 p.m.
Setback at least 8° F
Setup at least 4° F
Simple Steps to Energy Savings with Programmable Thermostats
Achieve significant energy and money savings that are possible through the proper use of your programmable thermostat. Learn how to:
Choose the right programmable thermostat — There are three types of programmable thermostats designed to best fit your daily schedule. Learn more about the energy saving features that each model offers.
Have your thermostat properly installed — Here’s what you need to know about proper and safe installation of your programmable thermostat, as well as when you should call a certified HVAC contractor to handle the installation for you.
Properly set and use your thermostat — Follow these guidelines to achieve savings.
Save with your manual thermostat — If you choose to keep your manual thermostat, here are recommendations to help you save, too.

Last Meeting before September

2008-05-20T18:16:00.004-04:00

That's right! Last Thursday's meeting was the final educational session before the summer break. On June 28 we will have our chapter picnic and awards along with the drawing for all three prizes. This will take place at the Coca Cola stadium at an Iron Pigs game. This promises to be a great time.

Many thanks to Mr. Kevin Wasieleski CM who again was able to share his expertise with our chapter about R-410A. As most of us are aware R-410A will be the refrigerant of the future.With the phase out of R-22 it makes sense to learn and acquire the necessary certifications for the use and handling of this next generation refrigerant. Operating at pressures of 40-70% higher than R-22 requires gauges, hoses, recovery cylinders, reclaimers, and accesories that are designed to handle these higher pressures. Pity the poor techie that tries to use the wrong equipment with this refrigerant.

With the advent of this new refrigerant proper installation is more important than ever. Keeping the system clean and dehydrated will be crucial to the continued good operation of the compressor. Since POE's are so hygroscopic the proper evacuation procedures, filter driers, brazing techniques are now a "no short cuts" approach to a system that will meet its design.

In addition to all this with the higher SEER ratings and higher cost of these units, the technician can ill afford to be lazy or sloppy in his/her work practices. It's not rocket science, but it is science. In the always changing HVAC industry you need to invest in yourself and your profession by keeping up with the latest knowledge that will keep you light years ahead of the "beer can cold" mentality.

Congratulations, Congratulations, Congratulations to the three new CM's in our chapter. Mr. Tom Donmoyer CM, Mr. Brian Thomas CM and yours truly have all passed the CM exam that was offered in April at the RSES/EKA session in Pittsburgh. For me it's been a four year journey.Tom and Brian have been working towards this goal over the last several years. Let me just say that the self study approach works! Each of us studies and reviews the material on our own and we meet every two weeks to discuss the material and review the questions. That way we stay accountable and we can measure our progress toward the certification. Hey, there's strength in numbers! All those involved in the self study program really have my respect and admiration for the time and effort that they spent in reading , studying, reviewing, etc. with all of us. I'd like to see a new group start in September with those who would like to pursue the CM certification. By the way, the exam is by far the most difficult of all the certs. offered. To pass it is an accomplishment of no small stature. Congrats to you all!

Personally, I'm looking at the CMS.

NEVER STOP LEARNING!!!!

Indoor Air Quality and PHI cells

2008-04-28T20:05:00.004-04:00

I never heard of PHI cells until last Thursday evening's presentation by Keith Roe of Air Care and Restoration. In addition to the excellent job that he did explaining all the particulars of good indoor air quality, he touched on some new technology that appears to be on the horizon of making indoor air quality attainable as well as affordable. A real opportunity for the HVAC contractor.

We all know that UV lights are good at killing mold, and bacteria if the light can shine on the surface of a coil. In other words UV light does not directly improve indoor air quality, but as it shines on the coil it will eventually kill the mold and bacteria and with good filtration that should indirectly improve indoor air quality.

PHI cells combine UV lights with chemical compounds that create an oxidation reaction. Its that oxidation that will eliminate molds, odors, bacteria and virus, and VOC's in the air itself.

Like I said its new to me, but the process has actually been around for awhile and it works. We heard lots of testimonials about its effectiveness.

Thanks to Mr. Roe for sharing your expertise with us and we look forward to hearing from you again in the future.

Someone is going to win one of these prizes when the drawing is held at the June picnic. Not pictured is the Husky mechanics set that one of our members donated. The Fluke meter was donated by Meier Supply and the 12V drill was donated by Johnstone Supply. Many thanks.Tickets are $5 each and we have some left if you want to participate.

Its time to get moving on 410a certs. So the chapter meeting for May will be devoted to 410a training. That's May 15, 6PM at ABC training center in Allentown. The meeting is one week earlier than usual so that we can take advantage of 410a certification that's being offered by CIT on Sat. May 17. So if you come to the meeting on Thursday that will help you learn and review most of the material that you'll need to pass the certification exam. The class on Thursday is free, but it will cost you to take the exam at CIT on Saturday. See the newsletter for more details. Let's face it, your gonna have to deal with these new refrigerants so we might as well avail ourselves with the training for the safe handling and use of them. Eventually most manufactures won't sell you a 410a system unless you have the right certification. See you at the meeting.

Monthly Meeting on April 24

2008-04-21T19:58:00.003-04:00

Don't forget to attend our monthly meeting this Thursday the 24th at ABC training center in Allentown. The center is located at 1036 Godfrey St. in Allentonwn right off of Union Blvd. The topic will be Indoor Air Quality and the presenter will be Mr. Keith Roe from Air Care and Restoration. He is an excellant speaker and you will come away will a lot of usefull information.

If you are planning on attending the chapter picnic in June make you reservations right away. We need a final headcount by April 25(Friday).

We still have tickets for the June raffle. There are three prizes to be given away: Fluke mutimeter, 12v cordless, 125pc mechanics set. Each is worth over $200. Buy your tickets now because we're only selling 200 tickets.

Take a read. Here's an interesting article on air quality

Better indoor air through filtration
Energy fact sheet 3
Many people mistakenly assume the term air conditioning
means strictly temperature control of the living space;
however conditioning also involves controlling the humidity,
distribution, and cleanliness of the air. Filtration is an excellent
way to accomplish air cleaning and provide enhanced levels of
comfort to the building occupants.
One of the hottest topics in today’s construction arena
concerns the issue of Indoor Air Quality or IAQ. Controlling
indoor air quality can be accomplished by three methods:
Source Control — eliminating or removing the cause of
pollutants, such as moisture which can result in mold
and mildew.
3. DOP-smoke penetration test — A test only used for very
high efficiency air filters–generally those that are rated
above 98% efficiency on the atmospheric-dust-spot test. A
special smoke-like gas is used to perform this test.
Kinds of Filtration
The most common HVAC or furnace-type panel filters are the
disposable spun glass or fiberglass type and the washable “hog’s
hair” products. Both are inexpensive (between $0.50 and $5) and
actually improve their filtering capability as they get dirty, but, this is
accomplished at the costly expense of restricting air flow. To avoid
restricting airflow, they should be changed every 1 to 3 months.
3
Indoor Air Quality Tests and Terms Types of Filters
Electrostatically enhanced panel filters are more effective.
These are typically 1-inch thick and have low airflow resistance
so they can easily be substituted for a standard panel filter.
These filters operate by employing pre-charged electrets - a
plastic material with a permanent static charge. As the moving
air flows past the filter material, the oppositely charged
particulates in the airstream cling to the filter’s fibers.
While electrostatic air filters are only fairly effective at
capturing very small particles (1 micron or less), they are better
than the standard panel, plus, they do a reasonably acceptable
job with larger particles (>10 microns) such as mold spores and
pollen. These filters typically cost around $9 to $50 but can last
from 3 months to an entire season of heating or cooling.
Medium efficiency filters offer improvement by forcing the air
to pass through smaller openings. However, this causes an
increase in air restriction which is only somewhat overcome by
creating more overall surface area by using accordion type
pleating. These extended surface filters offer a longer service life,
often up to a year, but are usually several inches thick and thus
Particle removal at various filter efficiencies
Atmospheric Dust- Particles removed
Spot Efficiency
10% Good for capturing lint. Somewhat helpful for ragweed pollen.
Not very good for smoke and staining particles.
20% Fairly good at capturing ragweed pollen. Not very good for
smoke and staining particles.
40% Good at capturing pollen and airborne dust, some smudging and
staining particles. Not very good for tobacco smoke particles.
60% Very good for all pollens and most particles that cause staining
and smudging. Partially helpful for tobacco smoke particles.
80% Very good at removing smudging and staining particles, coal
dust, oil smoke particles, and tobacco smoke particles.
90% Excellent protection for all particles.
Source: Understanding Ventilation, John Bower, 1995
Dilution — controlled ventilation of outdoor air
into the living space to dilute interior pollutants.
Extraction — filtration and cleaning of circulated
room air.
While source control is the most important
technique, extraction or filtration is perhaps the most
under utilized of the three.
A filter, removes particles that are not visible
to the human eye. Thus, the standard panel filters
installed in a furnace or HVAC system are really
“non-filters” from an IAQ standpoint because
they only remove lint and other larger, visible
particles (Simply pouring table salt through a
new filter will demonstrate this). Their purpose is
primarily to protect the air conditioning coils or
blower motor of the HVAC system and their
effectiveness at this task is marginal.
Filter Efficiency
The three commonly used methods to determine filter
efficiency are:
1. Weight-arrestance test — Measures (by weight) how much
dust has been removed by a filter. This test is misleading
because it only tells how well a filter will remove relatively
large and heavy particles, not the smaller particles found in
common household dust (which can easily be inhaled into
the lungs). A standard panel filter’s 80% efficient arrestance
rating sounds good but actually means very little.
2. Atmospheric dust-spot test — A highly useful test which
measures a filter’s ability to capture particles between 0.3 and
6 microns in size (a micron is one millionth of a meter; a
human hair can be 50 microns in diameter). If a filter’s
advertisement claims “80% efficient by ASHRAE Standard 52-
76,” be sure to look for the words “atmospheric-dust-spot”
and not “arrestance” to determine if it is a good filter or not.
The common panel filter will only measure 3-5% on the
atmospheric-dust-spot test.
cannot be used to simply replace a standard 1" panel filter. They
are supplied in a special housing that must be incorporated into
the ductwork. There are lower priced pleated filters that will fit
into the standard 1'' track, however these are not as effective as
the thicker (with greater surface area), medium efficiency ones
and must be changed more often.
High efficiency filters
Pleated filters are taken to the next level in the HEPA-type
filters. These state-of-the-art, High Efficiency Particulate Air filters
are often found in hospital clean rooms, but some residential
versions are available. For example, the minipleat high
performance HEPA-type filter employs patented minipleating
technology to create 193 square feet of media area in a 24”
square by 12” thick filter cartridge. The result is reasonable air
resistance and excellent filtration for up to several years of
service. The replacement cartridge is around $160. This technique
often employs some form of upstream pre-filtration to remove the
larger pollutants, thus the larger, easy-to-capture particles won’t
waste the high efficiency media. The higher filtration of HEPA
filters restricts air flow, so the HVAC blower must be designed
accordingly.
Electronic air cleaners
Finally, electronic air cleaners, with an $800 to $1000 price tag,
are available to achieve a premium level of high efficiency filtration.
These devices, properly known as electrostatic precipitators,
generate approximately 20,000 volts to give dust particles a staticelectric
charge. These particles are then attracted to oppositely
charged metal plates (which must be periodically cleaned after the
plates become full of particulates). Because the electrically charged
plates can short-out and cause an annoying popping and snapping
sound, pre-filtration is required. There are, however, no additional
costs in terms of maintenance.

Chapter Member recognised !!!!!

2008-04-14T20:48:00.004-04:00

Congratulations to Mr. Tom Donmoyer for his recognition at the recent Region 2 EKA/ RSES training. Tom was recognised as "Member of the Year" for region 2. And well deserved it is, too!. Tom has faithfully worked to promote and improve the Lehigh Valley Chapter of RSES. I met Tom a few years ago at one of the first meetings of the "born again" Lehigh Valley chapter. His love of learning is evident by his commitment to the monthly meeting, self study group, and involvement in regional and international seminars. He has also benefited us with his organizational skills as our chapter treasurer. Congratulations, Tom!

At the EKA/RSES seminar this past weekend, four of our chapter members took the CM exam. The Certified Member exam is a 150 question multiple choice examination that is anything but easy. Every one of us has been preparing for this exam for 3-4 years by reading and studying the RSES technical institute material. We would read 3 or 4 chapters and meet every other week to review the material and study questions. We call it the self study group and meeting with each other helps us to stay accountable for the reading and on target with our goal toward the CM. A lot of guys look at me like I have two heads when I tell them what we're doing. "What's it mean?" or " Do you get paid for this?" are common questions. Well, no I don't get paid and it means something to me and the others who are involved in the group. Actually it costs us in time and money to be involved in this effort. Is it worth it? Yes. If you don't continue to learn and improve your skills you are going backward- it's just that simple. The chapter may sponsor a new group next year. You should consider getting involved. If your not involved in education and training in our industry your hurting yourself, your employer and most importantly the customer. Saddle up!

2008-04-01T23:04:00.003-04:00

I love Indoor Air Quality. I mean I love to learn about this subject which happens to be the topic of our monthly meeting on Thursday April 24th, 6PM at ABC training center in Allentown. Mr. Keith Roe from Air Care and Restoration will be here to address the topics surrounding Indoor Air Quality. This is such a hot button issue that you won't want to miss this excellant and timely presentation. AND IT'S FREE!!!!!!! WITH REFRESHMENTS!!!!!!!!
Check this article out from the EPA website!

An Introduction to Indoor Air Quality
Pollutants and Sources of Indoor Air Pollution
Asbestos
Biological Pollutants
Carbon Monoxide
Formaldehyde/Pressed Wood Products
Household Cleaning and Maintenance, Personal Care, or Hobbies
Lead
Nitrogen Dioxide
Pesticides
Radon
Respirable Particles
Secondhand Smoke/Environmental Tobacco Smoke
Stoves, Heaters, Fireplaces, and ChimneysRead "The Inside Story: A Guide to Indoor Air Quality"
The Information provided here comes primarily from EPA's "The Inside Story: A Guide to Indoor Air Quality". The information provided here is based on current scientific and technical understanding of the issues presented and is reflective of the jurisdictional boundaries established by the statutes governing the co-authoring agencies. Following the advice given will not necessarily provide complete protection in all situations or against all health hazards that may be caused by indoor air pollution.
Improving Indoor Air Quality
There are three basic strategies to improve indoor air quality
Source Control
Improved Ventilation, and
Air cleaners Additional Resources
Source Control
For most indoor air quality problems in the home, source control is the most effective solution.
Usually the most effective way to improve indoor air quality is to eliminate individual sources of pollution or to reduce their emissions. Some sources, like those that contain asbestos, can be sealed or enclosed; others, like gas stoves, can be adjusted to decrease the amount of emissions. In many cases, source control is also a more cost-efficient approach to protecting indoor air quality than increasing ventilation because increasing ventilation can increase energy costs.
Ventilation Improvements
Another approach to lowering the concentrations of indoor air pollutants in your home is to increase the amount of outdoor air coming indoors. Most home heating and cooling systems, including forced air heating systems, do not mechanically bring fresh air into the house. Opening windows and doors, operating window or attic fans, when the weather permits, or running a window air conditioner with the vent control open increases the outdoor ventilation rate. Local bathroom or kitchen fans that exhaust outdoors remove contaminants directly from the room where the fan is located and also increase the outdoor air ventilation rate.
It is particularly important to take as many of these steps as possible while you are involved in short-term activities that can generate high levels of pollutants - for example, painting, paint stripping, heating with kerosene heaters, cooking, or engaging in maintenance and hobby activities such as welding, soldering, or sanding. You might also choose to do some of these activities outdoors, if you can and if weather permits.
Advanced designs of new homes are starting to feature mechanical systems that bring outdoor air into the home. Some of these designs include energy-efficient heat recovery ventilators (also known as air-to-air heat exchangers). For more information about air-to-air heat exchangers, contact the Conservation and Renewable Energy Inquiry and Referral Service (CAREIRS), P.0. Box 8900, Silver Spring, MD 20907 800-523-2929, 800-233-3071 (In Alaska & Hawaii)
Air Cleaners
Please Note:
EPA does not certify air cleaning devices. The Agency does not recommend air cleaning devices or manufacturers. If you need information on specific devices or manufacturers, one resource you can consult is the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM) 1111 19th Street, NW, Suite 402, Washington, DC 20036 (202) 872-5955. AHAM also provides information on air cleaners on their AHAM-certified Clean Air Delivery Rate site at http://www.cadr.org/ Also, the American Lung Association has an Air Cleaning Device fact sheet There are other resources provided in this fact sheet.
There are many types and sizes of air cleaners on the market, ranging from relatively inexpensive table-top models to sophisticated and expensive whole-house systems. Some air cleaners are highly effective at particle removal, while others, including most table-top models, are much less so. Air cleaners are generally not designed to remove gaseous pollutants.
The effectiveness of an air cleaner depends on how well it collects pollutants from indoor air (expressed as a percentage efficiency rate) and how much air it draws through the cleaning or filtering element (expressed in cubic feet per minute). A very efficient collector with a low air-circulation rate will not be effective, nor will a cleaner with a high air-circulation rate but a less efficient collector. The long-term performance of any air cleaner depends on maintaining it according to the manufacturer's directions.
Another important factor in determining the effectiveness of an air cleaner is the strength of the pollutant source. Table-top air cleaners, in particular, may not remove satisfactory amounts of pollutants from strong nearby sources. People with a sensitivity to particular sources may find that air cleaners are helpful only in conjunction with concerted efforts to remove the source.
Over the past few years, there has been some publicity suggesting that houseplants have been shown to reduce levels of some chemicals in laboratory experiments. There is currently no evidence, however, that a reasonable number of houseplants remove significant quantities of pollutants in homes and offices. Indoor houseplants should not be over-watered because overly damp soil may promote the growth of microorganisms which can affect allergic individuals.
At present, EPA does not recommend using air cleaners to reduce levels of radon and its decay products. The effectiveness of these devices is uncertain because they only partially remove the radon decay products and do not diminish the amount of radon entering the home. EPA plans to do additional research on whether air cleaners are, or could become, a reliable means of reducing the health risk from radon.

Monthly Meeting at CIT

2008-04-01T22:35:00.002-04:00

Well ,Mr. Kevin Wasieleski CM did his usual outstanding job at our March monthly meeting. His presentation on heat pumps included many of the things that he has noticed in his years of experience with installing and repairing heat pumps. As an instructor for CIT http://www.citvt.com I'm sure he can keep students on the edge of their seats with his engaging presentations. Many thanks to Kevin and CIT for hosting the Lehigh Valley RSES chapter.

If your a member and not attending our monthly meeting you are missing the greatest benefit of membership in the RSES chapter. If you had to pay for the presentations that we get for free you'd be out several hundred dollars over the course of the year. Our speakers are willing to come and share their knowledge and expertise at no cost to us other than an investment of time. Most of these generous individuals travel a good distance to spend the evening with us.

Just as beneficial as the excellent speakers are the members of the chapter with scores of years of experience in the HVAC industry. You can't help but learn something just by listening to these guys talk about their daily experiences. They are also some of the nicest people you can meet who are willing to share their knowledge as well as learn something new from you.

Our April meeting will be on Thursday the 24th with Mr. Keith Roe doing a presentation on Indoor Air Quality. Mr. Roe hails from Air Care and Restoration. You will not be disappointed if you come out to hear his presentation.

Don't forget the $5 raffle for some mighty good prizes. Rumor has it that the June picnic will be at an Iron Pigs Park . You won't want to miss this!

Heat Pumps

2008-03-21T13:01:00.003-04:00

Heat Pumps is the topic of our upcoming meeting on Thursday March 27 at CIT (see previous article). Just in case you need to brush up on the basic operating principals check out the Wikipedia article on heat pumps. I've enclosed some of it here for you all to read. See you all at the meeting.

Operation
Main article: Heat pump and refrigeration cycle
According to the second law of thermodynamics heat cannot spontaneously flow from a colder location to a hotter area; work is required to achieve this.[2] Heat pumps differ in how they apply this work to move heat, but they can essentially be thought of as heat engines operating in reverse. A heat engine allows energy to flow from a hot 'source' to a cold heat 'sink', extracting a fraction of it as work in the process. Conversely, a heat pump requires work to move thermal energy from a cold source to a warmer heat sink.
Since the heat pump uses a certain amount of work to move the heat, the amount of energy deposited at the hot side is greater than the energy taken from the cold side by an amount equal to the work required. Conversely, for a heat engine, the amount of energy taken from the hot side is greater than the amount of energy deposited in the cold heat sink since some of the heat has been converted to work.
One common type of heat pump works by exploiting the physical properties of an evaporating and condensing fluid known as a refrigerant.

A simple stylized diagram of a heat pump's vapor-compression refrigeration cycle: 1) condenser, 2) expansion valve, 3) evaporator, 4) compressor.
The working fluid, in its gaseous state, is pressurized and circulated through the system by a compressor. On the discharge side of the compressor, the now hot and highly pressurized gas is cooled in a heat exchanger called a condenser until it condenses into a high pressure, moderate temperature liquid. The condensed refrigerant then passes through a pressure-lowering device like an expansion valve, capillary tube, or possibly a work-extracting device such as a turbine. This device then passes the low pressure, barely liquid (saturated vapor) refrigerant to another heat exchanger, the evaporator where the refrigerant evaporates into a gas via heat absorption. The refrigerant then returns to the compressor and the cycle is repeated.
In such a system it is essential that the refrigerant reaches a sufficiently high temperature when compressed, since the second law of thermodynamics prevents heat from flowing from a cold fluid to a hot heat sink. Similarly, the fluid must reach a sufficiently low temperature when allowed to expand, or heat cannot flow from the cold region into the fluid. In particular, the pressure difference must be great enough for the fluid to condense at the hot side and still evaporate in the lower pressure region at the cold side. The greater the temperature difference, the greater the required pressure difference, and consequently more energy is needed to compress the fluid. Thus as with all heat pumps, the energy efficiency (amount of heat moved per unit of input work required) decreases with increasing temperature difference.
Due to the variations required in temperatures and pressures, many different refrigerants are available. Refrigerators, air conditioners, and some heating systems are common applications that use this technology.
In HVAC applications, a heat pump normally refers to a vapor-compression refrigeration device that includes a reversing valve and optimized heat exchangers so that the direction of heat flow may be reversed. The reversing valve switches the direction of refrigerant through the cycle and therefore the heat pump may deliver either heating or cooling to a building. In the cooler climates the default setting of the reversing valve is heating. The default setting in warmer climates is cooling. Because the two heat exchangers, the condenser and evaporator, must swap functions, they are optimized to perform adequately in both modes. As such, the efficiency of a reversible heat pump is typically slightly less than two separately-optimized machines.
In plumbing applications, a heat pump is sometimes used to heat or preheat water for swimming pools or domestic water heaters.
In somewhat rare applications, both the heat extraction and addition capabilities of a single heat pump can be useful, and typically results in very effective use of the input energy. For example, when an air cooling need can be matched to a water heating load, a single heat pump can serve two useful purposes. Unfortunately, these situations are rare because the demand profiles for heating and cooling are often significantly different.

Monthly Meeting

2008-03-11T17:47:00.005-04:00

The monthly meeting for LVRSES will be held on Thursday March 27, 6-8PM at CIT ( Career Institute of Technology) in Forks twsp. http://www.citvt.com/

Our speaker will be Mr. Kevin Wasieleski CM and the topic will be Heat Pumps. Kevin has recently completed a book on this subject and has agreed to share his expertise in this area. You don't want to miss this educational session. We will have a short business meeting after the educational session. Refreshments will be served.

Directions to CIT: From route 22 take route 33N to the Stockertown/191 exit. Turn right at the end of ramp and follow route 191 a short distance to Main St./Sullivan Trail in Stockertown. Turn right and follow for 1 1/2 miles to traffic light at Uhler Rd. Turn left onto Uhler Rd. and follow for 1 mile to traffic light at Kesslersville Rd. Turn left onto Kesslersville Rd.. CIT is 1 mile on the right. The meeting will be held in the Industrial Conference room. Look for RSES signs.

HVAC filters

2008-03-01T22:41:00.004-05:00

I came across an interesting article about HVAC filtration. In the interest of posting more articles on the blogsite, I thouht it would be good to share with all of you. Mike

HVAC FILTERS: Energy Savings 101: Cutting Energy Costs While Improving IAQ
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, our nation’s K-12 schools spend $6 billion on energy, while colleges and universities spend close to $2 billion each year. Healthcare facilities also spend a staggering amount on energy—$5.3 billion annually.
Switching to a lower pressure drop filter is one of the easiest changes for facility managers to make in an effort to reduce energy costs.
In many cases, older buildings, with their aging mechanical systems, are to blame for energy inefficiencies. In fact, a significant portion of energy costs for educational and healthcare facilities can be tied to space heating and cooling, thanks in part to HVAC systems that are not optimized for energy conservation.Improving an HVAC system’s energy efficiency does not have to be daunting or costly, however. For example, simply upgrading the HVAC air filtration system can help to reduce energy costs while also improving indoor air quality (IAQ)–an issue of increasing importance in terms of its effect on academic performance and patient comfort.Using Filters to Conserve EnergyHVAC filters play a key role in the HVAC system: they remove contaminants from the air that passes through the system, and they protect HVAC equipment from dust that can increase operating costs. Filters also play a role in the energy consumed to operate the system. The energy used is based on the resistance of the air passing through the filter: the lower the filter’s resistance, the lower the energy consumption will be. However, even though one speaks of filters, it is really the filter media that has the biggest effect on minimizing energy consumption, protecting HVAC equipment and providing clean air. Unfortunately, many filter suppliers consider the media used in the filters as a commodity, resulting in the filter’s price being the determining selection factor. It is important to understand though that the cost of energy used by filters far outweighs the initial price of the filter itself. In fact, energy costs can be 10 times the initial filter price for a standard pleated filter and 4-5 times the initial filter cost for higher efficiency final filters. The good news is that more energy-efficient filters do not necessarily need to cost more, so energy savings can often be achieved without any investment, thanks to recent advances in filtration media technology.Lifecycle CostsThe best way to use filters as an energy conservation tool is to consider the total life-cycle cost of the filter and the filter’s long-term effect on energy costs. The three major components of life-cycle cost for HVAC filters are: initial price and maintenance, energy consumption and disposal. On average, energy cost accounts for an astounding 81 percent of the total life-cycle cost of a filter system. The initial price and maintenance accounts for 18 percent and disposal accounts for 1 percent.How can life-cycle costs of filters be applied to energy efficiency? The key issue is the filter’s pressure drop, as measured by two filter test standards from the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE): ASHRAE 52.1-1992 and ASHRAE 52.2-1999. Development of new materials has given the filter industry a chance to produce lower pressure-drop media while maintaining high particle capture efficiencies, thereby providing the ability to reduce electricity costs and improve IAQ simultaneously. Electret technology and electrostatic filter media have been the key technologies enabling this seemingly contradictory concept to become a reality. In fact, today, there are 95 percent efficiency synthetic media filters that have the same pressure drop as 65 percent efficiency glass media filters, providing the ability to increase filtration efficiency in commercial/institutional HVAC systems by 30 percent without increasing energy costs at all. Switching to a lower pressure drop filter is one of the easiest changes for facility managers to make in an effort to reduce energy costs. That is because, with a lower pressure drop filter, the HVAC system motor needs to overcome less resistance to deliver the required air flow, thus reducing the motor’s energy consumption.
The following figures illustrate the impact of a filter’s pressure drop on annual energy costs. Note that the two commercially available filters are identical except for the initial pressure drop. In a typical scenario, one might use initial price as the primary criteria in choosing one of these filters over the other. However, as the example shows, this might not result in the correct filter choice for maximizing long-term cost savings. In this example, initial price is the same to illustrate the effect of pressure drop on operating costs.Filter A provides a lower initial and average pressure drop and therefore saves approximately $29 in energy costs annually. While an energy

Filter A
Filter B
Efficiency
MERV 14
MERV 14
Filter Style
12” Deep Rigid
12” Deep Rigid
Media Area
120 sq. ft.
120 sq. ft.
Cost
$70
$70
Initial ΔP
0.45” WG
0.65” WG
Final ΔP
1.50” WG
1.50” WG
DHC
300 g
300 g
Filter Life
12 months
12 months
Energy Cost
$276/year
$305/year

Calculation:Energy Consumption = Q*dP*t/n/1000Assumes 24/7/365 operation, energy cost of$0.08/kWh, fan, motor, drive efficiency (n) of 58%WG = Water Gauge
savings of $29 per year may not sound like a lot, keep in mind that those cost savings are per filter, not for an entire HVAC system. Another way to look at the information is to consider that $29 saved with Filter A offsets 41 percent of the initial filter price. That is equivalent to nearly getting half of your filters free each year.
Installation and Maintenance IssuesOnce you have decided to upgrade your HVAC filter media to a lower pressure drop filter in an effort to reduce energy costs, it is time to swap out the old filters for new ones. The goal of proper filter installation is to avoid bypass air, which causes contamination in housings, coils, fans and ducts, and thus increases HVAC system operating costs. Do this by making sure all the air in the system goes through the filter. To avoid problems later on, consider these installation recommendations:• Make sure the replacement filters are of the correct size and compatible with your housing.• Check for filter media damage such as rips or holes, and discard damaged filters.• Make sure media is sealed in the frame to avoid bypass air.• Install the filter according to the air flow direction indicated on the frame. (Some filter manufacturers use a two-color filter media construction to help see which side faces upstream and which faces downstream.)• Ensure that the filter fasteners are in place and correctly installed, especially if filters are serviced from the down-streamside.• Check to ensure that the bank of filter frames is rigid and well reinforced to avoid collapse.• Caulk any cracks between filter frames or between the bank of frames and the duct wall to prevent leaking of unfiltered air.• Pay special attention to filter holding frame seals, gaskets and filters that do not match the filter holding frame size–all of which can cause bypass air.• Install a differential pressure measurement device across the filter bank to identify the appropriate change-out times. • Place labels on the housing units with information such as the number and type of filters, date installed and pressure drop to make changing filters easier.When inspecting filters, do not rely on a visual inspection for determining when to change filters. A dirty filter does not necessarily signify the end of a filter’s useful life. In addition, normal eyesight can only see particles of about 40 microns in size. Therefore, a filter rated at 10 microns can look dirty, yet still have an extensive useful service life. To extend the life-cycle of the filter, and reduce life-cycle costs, rely on the manufacturer’s suggested change-out frequency, or monitor the pressure drop of the filter and change the filter when it achieves its recommended final pressure drop.It is important to remember that better filtration does not always result in higher total costs. That is why facility managers considering the energy cost implications of a filter upgrade should ask their filter suppliers the following questions:• What pressure drop reduction offsets the difference in filter price?• At what pressure drop would a filter upgrade pay for itself?• At a given performance level, how much money could be saved by using a lower pressure drop filter?• How much of my filter costs does that cost savings offset?For an energy cost calculator to help determine the economic impact of various equally performing filters, visit http://www.kcfiltration.com/.Dave Matela, CAFSKimberly-Clark Filtration Products
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Monthly Meeting

2008-02-27T22:00:00.005-05:00

Although the meeting day and date were changed our chapter remained in step with quality programing for the month of February. Mr. Bob Thomas from Honeywell http://www.honeywell.com/ spent the evening at our chapter meeting reviewing the 7800 series Honeywell burner control. He explained the Honeywell terminology that is used to identify the steps of the control. He also reviewed the sequence of operation for the control. I've seen a lot of these controls on campus, but really learned a lot about their operation. I appreciated his explanations of the various types of flame detectors that can be used along with their strengths and weaknesses.

It was nice to see some new folks at the meeting tonight, I hope that you all will return and become an active part of our RSES chapter.

Our self study group is nearing completion. Each week in March we will be reviewing the material from the RSES technical institute years 1,2,3. There are five members who anticipate taking the CM exam in April at the EKA convention in Pittsburgh. For first time takers of the exam the failure rate is 70%. We want to see if we can beat this percentage, but it doesn't happen with wishful thinking. It takes consistency and hard work. We've been working on this project for 3 or 4 years and it hasn't been easy. Even if I flunk the exam the first time, it's still been worth the effort to learn and train and improve. There is no doubt that I'm a better HVAC technician because of the excellent material in the training institute. Don't misunderstood me, a lot of the material is dated and could use an upgrade, but overall the information presented has been very useful and practical.

Our chapter has started the $5 raffle. For $5 you can buy a ticket that could win you a Fluke 117/322, a Milwaukee 12V cordless drill, or a Husky 160 pc. mechanics set. We are only going to sell 200 tickets, so your chances are reasonably good. Thanks to MEIER SUPPLY and JOHNSTONE SUPPLY for donating two of these items. One of our members donated the Husky set. Thank you also.

Set aside the fourth Thursday in March. We are planning a session about Heat Pumps with the author of a book about Heat Pumps. More later

PATIENCE is a VIRTUE

2008-02-07T21:47:00.000-05:00

I can't wait any longer. At the recent EKA training sessions in NYC one of the speakers was Mr. Joe Marchese, CMS. He made a comment about PATIENCE being the greatest asset of the HVAC technition. That really made an impression on me. After the session I complimented him on the talk and he gave me permission to publish his article on Patience. Here it is:

Mr. Joe Marchese, CMS

Patience is a Virtue

One attribute all RHVAC technicians must possess is patience. Patience is vital for all aspects of a technician’s job. It is required while maintaining, repairing and installing equipment, and even while troubleshooting systems.
Having patience is definitely a plus while troubleshooting systems. It is easy for a technician to rush to early conclusions, leading him to incorrectly diagnose a system problem. Many times a system must be thoroughly inspected before determining the root cause of the system problem. This may include measuring the system’s suction and discharge pressures, evaporator and system superheat values, the amount of subcooling at the outlet of the condenser and perhaps some other system conditions. At times measuring these values takes time and it should not be skipped or, even worse, their values must not be assumed. When measuring a system’s pressures and temperatures, a technician may need to let the system run for a period of time to allow the pressures and temperatures to stabilize. It is generally recommended to let the system run at least 10 to 15 minutes after a shut down or after any adjustments are made before relying on the measured values.
Patience is also required while maintaining systems. For example, a typical maintenance inspection on a system with an air-cooled condenser may require cleaning the condenser coil. Properly cleaning the condenser coil takes time and patience. It is important that a technician cleans both the outer and inner surfaces of the coil. Only cleaning the outer surface of the coil is not completing the task. Also, while cleaning the coil a technician must take care not to damage the fins of the condenser. This can easily happen if too much water pressure is used while rinsing the coil.
There are many times when patience is required while repairing systems. A typical example of this is the simple process of working with flare nuts. It is quite easy to cross thread a flare nut if care is not taken while assembling a flared connection. If the threads are not properly mated and a technician applies pressure with a wrench to tighten the flare nut, it is easy for the threads to cross and become damaged. It is generally a good practice to always hand tighten a flare nut a few turns before applying pressure with a wrench. If the flare nut cannot be tightened by hand, find out why before taking a wrench to it.
Patience is always required during system installations. Technicians need to take time their time while laying out piping to ensure the system is properly piped together. Once the piping is installed the system needs to be properly evacuated. Most systems should be evacuated to a 500 micron level to ensure it is completely degassed and dehydrated. Sometimes this process is time-consuming and requires a technician to be patient and not shortcut the process.Patience is definitely a virtue when it comes to troubleshooting, maintaining, repairing and installing refrigeration systems. It is a must for all technicians. Without it a technician’s job can become quite frustrating.

Mr. Joe Marchese,CMS

Change in Monthly Meeting Date

2008-01-31T18:22:00.000-05:00

The Monthly Meeting for LVRSES have been changed to Wed. Feb.27,6-8PM at the ABC training center in Allentown. It was scheduled for Thurday the 28th, but our speaker is unable to make that date. We are looking forward to a great presentation from Honeywell on burner controls. Our speaker will be Mr. Bob Thomas. Please make plans to attend as I'm sure you'll come away with a ton of new info.

My Head is about to explode

2008-01-27T20:23:00.000-05:00

The RSES/EKA seminar on Jan. 19 was just great, but the following week with the AHR expo and then our chapter meeting gave me enough information to cause my head to explode (Not that I need that much help). Attending the RSES/EKA seminar was just what I was looking forward to-lots of great training and excellent speakers.

That following week some from our chapter were able to attend the AHR expo, also at the Javits Center in NYC. With over 1800 exhibitors you could barely make it through even with the two days that we were there. Ron Lobb, Mike Fabian and myself were there on Tues. and Wed. and I know that Tom Donnmoyer and Erik Kurtz were there on Wed. The place was packed with everything and anything involving the HVAC industry. From the informal comments that I heard it was by far the largest expo-ever!

The highlight for me was meeting the international president, Mr. Allan Smith, CMS. One of the first questions that he asked me was, "So, what training is your chapter involved in?". This only reaffirmed to me the cardinal purpose of our society which is to further the training and knowledge of the HVAC professional. It was also a pleasure to meet Mr.Mark Lowry, executive vice president and Ms. Kim Heselbarth, marketing manager. I read Mark's articles and hear about the folks that work at international headquarters, it's always great to meet them in person.

You would think that was enough for the week. But on Thursday we had an excellent chapter meeting with our guest speaker Mr. David Lampart from InetriTec, Inc. His topic was about water treatment for both open and closed systems. Actually he opened it up for questions and answers (always dangerous for a speaker) and we all learned as much from the questions as we did from the answers. He had a lot to offer and we look forward to hearing from him again in the future.

Our next chapter meeting will be on Thursday Feb.28 from 6-8PM at the ABC training center. We will have a rep from Honeywell speaking about commercial burner controls and other control topics.

We are going to start a $5 raffle at the Feb. meeting with the drawing to be held at the June picnic. The prizes will be a 12V Milwaukee drill donated by Johnstone Supply and Fluke 117/322 combination electrician's kit donated by Meier Supply. These very generous donations are worth almost $300 each. We will use the proceeds to help build up our meager treasury, so we can offer valuable programs for our members and friends. Please plan to support it. The raffle is open to anyone.

HVAC Training Day in NEW YORK,NEW YORK!

2008-01-20T21:34:00.000-05:00

January 19 in New York City was an outstanding day of education in the HVAC industry. For me it was also a long day. Getting up at 4:30AM to catch the bus into the Port Authority isn't my first choice, but the exceptional programs provided by the EKA and hosted by the New York chapter made it more than worthwhile.

Classes were held in the Javits convention center,just a short walk from the Port Authority. In just two days the convention center will be awash with the AHR expo. So as we made our way into the center, it was being fully inundated with over 1800 exhibitors. As Arnold said,"I'll be back." Meaning that I'm planning on spending a full two days at the expo to soak up as much as possible of the expo during the coming week.

Our educational sessions began at 8AM with Mr. Joe Marchese, CMS doing an outstanding presentation on "Refrigeration for the HVAC technician". Joe teaches at Allegheny Community College in the Pittsburgh area, so he does an excellent presentation. Probably the best quote all day was when he mentioned that "patience is the greatest asset an HVAC technician can have." I asked Joe if I could quote him and he said "sure" and he also directed me to a website where he has also written an article about PATIENCE. More about that in a later post.

Mr. Jim Bergman of Testo was the second presenter with the topic Condi"Commissioning Air Conditioning Systems". How important is it to verify that the system that you sold and installed does what you say it does. The smart HVAC contractor will verify that the system is installed correctly and that it preforms the way it should. By the way, you do all this with test instruments that can measure accurately and with repeatability.

" The Practical side of Measuring Airflow" addressed by Mr. Art Miller, CMS was just what the title advertised. Some very practical ways to predict and measure airflow in a system .

One common theme throughout the day was the importance of setting up and then measuring systems for the correct airflow. Once you have the correct airflow in an HVAC system all the other measurements and troubleshooting can begin. If you don't have the correct airflow, don't bother going any further until you resolve that problem.

As I was looking around the room on Saturday I would estimate that there were about 75 participants. But what really impressed me was that everyone came with a notebook and pen. They came ready to learn and improve their skills. It's also great to see that RSES is really a multicultural society. The desire to learn, improve, advance, is something which has no barriers. It crosses all boundaries and it sure showed on Saturday.

Tom Donnmoyer and I were able to take a quick walk to Time Square before we boarded the bus to head back to the Lehigh Valley. It was getting bitter cold outside and the streets were packed with people moving about with their lives. We joked a little about how many BTU's it took to power all the lights on Time Square. As I settled into my seat for the ride home I felt satisfaction that I invested a day in something that will provide a lot of dividends.

Lehigh Valley Chapter members are reminded that our monthly meeting is scheduled for Thursday January 24, 6PM at ABC training center in Allentown. The topic will be "Water Treatment Essentials" taught by Mr. David Lampart of IntegriTech, inc.

EKA RSES meetings set for Jan.19-20, 2008

2007-12-31T12:11:00.000-05:00

EKARSES HVAC/R Training & Testing at the AHR Expo in NYC
AHR Expo

Happy Holidays RSES Members & HVAC/R Industry Colleagues,

Are you coming to the AHR Expo in NYC, NY? Why not join us on Saturday, January 19th 2008 at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in New York City, NY for some outstanding educational programs and testing opportunities. You do not need to be an RSES member for the training programs and for NATE testing. Chapter Delegates, their guests and RSES members are also invited to to join us Sunday morning at the regional delegates business meeting. Please note that our events are planned for the weekend just prior to the AHR Expo starting so you will not miss any of the exhibitors and other programs.
Happy New Year,William J. Parlapiano III, CIAQ
Region 2 Director
RSES

TRAINING
Refrigeration for the HVAC Technician (9:00 AM to 11:00 AM)
Presented by Joe Marchese, CMS, of www.RHVACTools.com. Joe will be discussing the various system differences between a standard air conditioning system and a commercial refrigeration system. This presentation will include an overview of the different refrigerants, system components and designs used on commercial refrigeration systems.

Commissioning Air Conditioning Systems (12:30 PM to 2:30 PM)
Presented by Jim Bergmann of Testo, Inc. Jim will be discussing the basic methods to verify that an air conditioning system is operating at peak performance. A properly operating air conditioning system will not only cost less to operate, but also will have fewer breakdowns and an extended service life. Learn how to be a better AC technician.

The Practical Side of Measuring Airflow (3:00 PM to 5:00 PM)
Presented by Art Miller, CMS, of Community College of Allegheny County. Art will be presenting the various ways to measure airflow in a duct, across a coil, and at the outlet of a register. Learn how to use the various tools needed to measure airflow such as manometer, pitot tube, balometer, and anemometer. Take the mystery out of measuring airflow.

All 3 Training Programs for only $35.00
Date/Time/Location: Saturday, January 19, 2008 (times listed next to each session)
Jacob K. Javits Convention Center
655 West 34th Street, New York, NY 10001
Room to be posted at convention center location.
Follow signs for EKARSES Training Program.

NATE/RSES CM/RSES CMS TESTING (see registration form below)

Date/Time/Location: Saturday, January 19, 2008 from 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Jacob K. Javits Convention Center
655 West 34th Street, New York, NY 10001
Room: To be announced, follow signs at convention center

Jacob K. Javits Convention Center
655 West 34th Street, New York, NY 10001

Room: To be announced, follow signs at convention center

HOTEL
With the AHR EXPO in town the week after our meeting, no additional group hotel rates are available. Please visit AHR EXPO's website for discount hotel rates and to make reservations.
http://www.ahrexpo.com/travel

EKA RSES

141 Oak St.
Ballston Spa, NY 12020518-527-2699eka-rses@nycap.rr.com
REGISTRATION-EKA Events forJanuary 19th & 20th, 2008
NAME: ___________________________________________

COMPANY: _______________________________________

ADDRESS:_________________________________________

CITY_______________ STATE: ___ ZIP CODE: ___________

PHONE: ________________EMAIL: _____________________
RSES member number: _______________________
I want to take the following industry tests:
___ Training program ($35.00) Do not have to be an RSES member
__ Delegates Meeting

___ CM (Free if taken for the first time) ___ CM ($35.00 if not the first attempt)___ CMS ($35.00) ___ NATE ($110.00 RSES Member) ___ NATE ($120.00 Non-RSES Member)
Which test(s) and/or specialty test would be prefer? __________________________________________________
Send Your Registration & Payment to:
EKA, 1837 61st Street, Brooklyn, NY 11204
For more information call Stan Hollander, CMS

718-232-6679

Forward email

AHR expo set for January 22,23,24 2008 in NYC

2007-12-13T21:52:00.000-05:00

Just a note to all members of the Lehigh Valley RSES chapter. CIT(Career Institute of Technology) http://www.citvt.com/ has a shuttle going to the AHR expo on Wed. Jan. 23, 2008 for a cost of $40 round trip. For more information and to sign up call 610-258-2857 and ask for Jackie. This shuttle will take you right to the convention center and return you to CIT at the end of the day. Of course, you can drive into the city at your own peril, but I'm planning to take advantage of CIT transportation for Wed. and catch a Beiber bus to the Port Authority on Tuesday. It's a short walk to the convention center from the Port Authority.To register for the convention follow the link http://www.ahrexpo.com/ and register free of charge. They will send the information and entry pass right to your home address, so it couldn't be easier. I think that sometime during the week there will be some EKA meetings but I'm not really sure. Any help with that one?

Our monthly meeting will still be held on Thursday January 24, 2008 at the ABC training center http://www.abceastpa.org/ in Allentown at the normal time of 6-8PM. I'll have more to post about that at a later date, but the tentative schedule of refrigeration trainer has been changed and the topic will be water treatment

Field Controls Seminar held at CIT

2007-12-02T18:04:00.000-05:00

Mr. Tim Begoske of Field Controls

For those who were able to attend,the Field Controls Seminar http://www.fieldcontrols.com/ offered at CIT(Career Institute of Technology) was an outstanding evening of education.

The seminar was hosted by CIT and organized by Mr. Kevin Wasielewski CM who is an adult HVAC instructor at CIT http://www.citvt.com/.

Mr. Tim Begoske, the national sales manager, from Field Controls was the presenter. He did a very capable job in the areas of Draft, Combustion and Ventilation controls. Even though his title involves sales, his focus was on explaining the theory and code requirements for each of these controls. I went home with a lot of literature which also reinforced the concepts that he was presenting.

The last hour long seminar of the evening focused on UV technology that addresses Indoor Air Quality (IAQ). I learned a lot of the why's of UV technology. Mr. Begoske didn't try to make UV technology "magical", but rather presented it in a comprehensive manner that includes UV as one of many things we can do to improve IAQ.

Many thanks to those who took the time to put together this excellent seminar. I would also like the thank Johnstone Supply http://www.johnstonesupply.com/ for providing the refreshments. They were much appreciated for those of us who came directly from work to the seminar.

Ron Lobb and Ken Taylor enjoy some refreshments.

Note that there will be no December meeting. We wish you and your families a joyous Holiday season and look forward to seeing you all at the January, 2008 meeting. Thursday, January 24 at 6PM at the ABC training center in Allentown. We are planning to use their refrigeration trainer to do some instruction. If you have any refrigeration questions or problems come out to the meeting and we will try to use the trainer to learn a little bit more about our industry. Learning, improving, education, training, never stops. If you stop you are going to get run over by those who take the time to invest in themselves and their future. Make it your commitment for 2008 to be on the front edge of training. You won't be sorry.

Also, in January during that same week there is an opportunity to attend the AHR expo in NYC http://www.ahrexpo.com/. This is probably the largest HVAC expo in the world and this year it's practically in our back yard. I'm already registered and plan to attend at least two days of the expo. I'm going to try to post more info later on about it. But if you log onto the web site listed above that will give you more than enough information about the three day seminar. It's free to attend and register. It will cost you some transportation. I'm going to take a bus to the Port Authority and either walk or catch a subway to the Javits Convention center and then come back home for the night.

Turkey Day and Lehigh Valley RSES

2007-11-07T22:19:00.001-05:00

Well after I sent most of you the monthly newsletter, I realized that the monthly meeting was actually scheduled for Thanksgiving Day. As much as I love RSES and our monthly meetings I don't think any of you would show up on this very special Holiday(By the way, don't we all have much to be thankful for).

As it turns out we were having a problem getting a speaker for the meeting and I got this e-mail from our own Mr. Kevin Wasielewski CM who is an instructor at CIT in Forks township right outside of Easton, Pa.

He has invited us to a Field Controls seminar on November 27 from 4PM to 9PM at CIT.

There are four sessions. The first session starts at 4PM and the last session ends at 9PM. Each session is one hour long followed by a 20 min. break with refreshments included.

The sessions are on Draft, Venting, Combustion Air and UV IAQ equipment. I'm not sure of the order of the sessions, but I think they are in order as listed. Probably most of you can't attend all of the sessions due to work schedules , but you are welcome to come after work and stay as long as you are able.

Now here is the real special deal for all chapter members. The cost for each session is $7 or $20 for all four. If you are a LVRSES chapter member we will offer a scholarship up to one half the cost of the sessions. You can't beat it!

We really need to hear from you as far as registration is concerned. Contact an officer to make your reservations.

Plan to show up for some or all of the sessions. Another added bonus is that these sessions are NATE and NORA approved and can be used for recertification requirements. A lot of you have been asking for such seminars. Well, here it is!

Directions to Career Institute of Technology (CIT):

Follow Route 22 to Route 33 North to the Stockertown exit(Rt. 191). At the end of the ramp turn right onto Rt.191 for approx. 150 yds. to the traffic light. Turn right onto Sullivan Trail (Main St.) South for 1 and1/2 miles to traffic light. Turn left onto Uhler Rd. and follow for approx. 1 mile to traffic light. Turn left onto Kesslersville Rd. CIT is located approx. 1 mile North on Kesslersville Rd. on the right side. Ask at office for classroom location.

November Meeting scheduled at ABC

2007-11-05T20:57:00.000-05:00

Lehigh Valley Chapter 02314

Before I talk about the November meeting, let me recap a little bit about the October meeting down at Dynatherm Headquarters right outside of Coopersburg.

It was a very educational and enjoyable evening. This is the third time that I've attended a Carlin burner seminar and I always come away with something new that I missed or forgot. Bruce Graham is an excellent presenter who uses humor very effectively to keep your attention and drive home some important points. Just getting all the free material and Carlin gauges is more than enough to make my day, but a clear and memorable presentation is bonus for all who were able to attend.

We also want to thank Kerry Moyer for hosting the seminar at his company headquarters: Dynatherm Boilers. I asked Kerry if he was going to give us a talk about Dynatherm, but he very graciously said that he wanted Bruce to have the evening. Kerry also provided and cooked the refreshments for the evening.

It was nice to see a good attendance at the meeting. Our chapter members were well represented and we were able to meet some new folks and talk to them about the RSES opportunity in our area.

That leads me to the meeting for this month: Thursday November 22, 6-9PM at ABC training center.

We will have an educational presentation followed by a short business meeting. Unfortunately Harold Myers will be unable to come for the session on defrost controls. We have some other possibilities for speakers, so plan to attend. Hey, we can always head out to the lab area and try to stump each other on the refrigeration trainer or some of the other assorted HVAC equipment.

There will be no meeting in December. The month is busy enough for all of us, but mark you calendar for January's meeting: Thursday January 24 for Honeywell Burner controls.

Just in case you need it, here are the directions to ABC training center:

From route 22 in Bethlehem, follow Airport Rd. South to Union Blvd.

Turn right onto Union Blvd. (heading West) and follow to Godfrey St.

turn right onto Godfrey St. and ABC is on your left.

1036 N. Godfrey St. ,Allentown , Pa., 18109

Hope to see you all there!

Dynatherm and Carlin Seminar set for October Meeting

2007-10-08T21:50:00.000-04:00

Directions to Dynatherm:

Take Route 309 South through Coopersburg. Go approx. 1mile past Coopersburg and make a left hand turn at CK garden center onto Cherry Rd. Go across RR tracks and Dynatherm is on the left. Address is 43 E. Cherry Rd. Quakertown. Phone: 215-536-4078.

Our October meeting will be held of Thursday Oct. 25 from 6-8PM at the Dynatherm Boiler headquarters right outside of Coopersburg.

Once again, this is an opportunity that you won't want to miss.! This boiler has been made in the Lehigh Valley area for over 100 yrs. If my memory serves me right, it was originally designed as a ship's boiler and was eventually converted into residential and commercial use.

I used to have one in my house. I can remember that it was over six feet long and that I bent a refrigerator truck in half when I removed it from the basement. The newer ones are a lot smaller and a lot more efficient.

The Carlin seminar is always outstanding. You will come away from the meeting with a lot of useful information as well as good literature.

A gentleman who is new to the area contacted me right after our last meeting and in interested in joining our chapter. I told him we could ride down together for the meeting as he is not familiar with the area. If any one else is reluctant to go because of the distance or location all I can say is that it's very easy to find and only about 20 min. south of Bethlehem. Well worth the trip.
Hope to see a good turnout for this fun and informative meeting.

September Meeting

2007-10-08T21:19:00.000-04:00

Well to start off the year like we did was very encouraging. The accommodations at the ABC training center are ideal for our purpose and the topic and attendance at the meeting were great.

Many thanks to Mr. Lou Abruzzese(pictured on right) from Sporlan for taking the time to give us an excellent presentation on TEV valves. With SEER 13 at full tilt theTEV becomes critical to the efficiency of the system. Without a good understanding of the purpose, operation and troubleshooting of this important component the technician is at a serious disadvantage. Spending a couple of hours listening to an expert like Mr. Abruzzese can save you many hours of aggravation and embarrassment.

Any feedback out there? Let us know what you think.

Starting off a new season with a bang

2007-09-27T22:18:00.000-04:00

Well starting off tonight in our new digs was very encouraging. The house was packed and our speaker was superb.As the president of this chapter I was honored to be with officers as hard working as you guys are.It was great to see so many new faces as well as the reliable members that have stuck with the program from its dismal beginning. Keep up all the good work members and officers spread the word, because we definitely have the potential to become a great force in our industry. thanks again to all who participated.

Lehigh Valley RSES September meeting

2007-09-11T21:07:00.000-04:00

At the start of the new post, we all need to take a moment to remember in our own way the tragic loss this day six years ago. Take a moment now.

I hope that everyone who stumbles across this blog had a great summer! Were you able to get some vacation time in? Hopefully you all were able to spend some quality and quantity time with your families and loved ones.

Now that the season is almost officially over, we can turn our attention to some activities of our local chapter. I am hoping that all of you members are looking forward to some great offerings that we have planned for our local meetings!

On Thursday September 27 at 6PM we are going to have an excellent presentation from Mr. Lou Abruzzese from Sporlan valve on TEV valves. Come out and learn something. Even if you learn one new thing, it's worth the investment of a couple of hours.

Since the Moravain "doghouse" seems to be unavailable to us, we have been able to secure meeting space at the ABC training center in Allentown. That's Associated Building Contractors and the address is

ABC

1036 N. Godfrey St.

Allentown, Pa. 18109

We appreciate that this organization has graciously offered us the use of their building and meetings rooms. There are even labs that include a lot of HVAC equipment that will be available for our use from time to time.

From Rt. 22 in Bethlehem take Airport Rd. South to Union Blvd. Turn right onto Union Blvd. and follow to Godfrey St. ( Watch for the Wendy's on the corner). Turn right onto Godfrey and look for ABC a short distance on the right.

Since RSES is non political organization we won't get involved in taking sides on any issue other than our common goals of furthering the education and knowledge of the HVAC professional

Is anybody planning on attending the EKA training in Pittsburgh the weekend of October 6? I'm going to try to leave immediately after work and take in some excellent offerings on Saturday.

IAQ/UV, Gas pressure regulators, Power venting, Combustion testing, Motor sheaves and drives are the offerings for the day followed by testing for the CM and CMS. In the evening will be the Delegate Business meeting and dinner.

The next EKA training will be in NYC in January at AHR expo. We gotta go as a chapter! This is too big and too close to ignore.

And don't forget that we have 3-5 chapter members who are getting close to taking the CM exam in April. I'm particularly proud that these members have really taken the initiative to study on their own and meet to encourage and hold each other accountable for completing the material. These are exceptional people.

Hey, by the way did you know that Mr. Kevin Wasieleski CM is almost finished writing a book about heat pumps. He has agreed to speak at our April meeting.

It never stops! I mean learning. If you do stop learning your going to dry up like an old leather shoe. See you on the 27th!

Lehigh Valley RSES meets at Johnstone Supply Ditst. Center

2007-05-27T15:49:00.001-04:00

Mr. Harold Myers of H.E. Myers and Assoc., Inc.

Johnstone Supply Distribution Center tour:

Mr. Wayne Thomas, vice president,on left

Mr. Harold Myers in center

Mr.Tom Donmoyer, treasurer, in back round

We would like to thank Mr Harold Myers of H.E. Myers and Associates, Inc. for taking the time to come to our meeting and share some of his expertise on the subject of calculating refrigeration loads and proper equipment selection. Before the meeting Mr. Myers told me that he had been on the road all week. I'm sure he would have liked to be on his way home, but he was willing to come to our meeting none the less. I have to confess that I was embarrassed by the poor turnout, but he was unfazed and cheerfully conducted the instructional time and even stayed for the tour of the Distribution Center.

We also appreciate Johnstone Supply Distribution Center for opening up their training facility for our use as well as conducting a tour of their center. It's was awesome in every sense of the word!

It's now time for our summer break, so there won't be any chapter meetings during June, July or August. The next big thing that we are looking at is the successful completion of year two and final exam for those participating in the self study course.

Looking back over the past year, I do believe that we have had some really good opportunities for training and education at the chapter level. The highlights of the year for me, in addition to the monthly meetings, were attending the international convention in Atlanta(only one day for me) in October and attending the EKA convention in York, Pa in April.

Over the summer months the chapter officers will be meeting to develop a schedule for the upcoming year. We may even try to poll the members to see how we can better serve and accommodate your interests.

To my way of thinking the one thing that is sorely needed is better participation at our monthly meetings. I know that everyone has a lot to do and we are all squeezed for time. Why not take some time and invest it in yourself to improve your skills and knowledge? If you think you don't have anything to learn or contribute you are dead wrong. If your wife or girlfriend is jealous that you are out, bring her along. If your kids are busy with sports then come late or leave early. The monthly meeting is not the most important thing in life, but for a member who truly wants to continue to learn and improve it really needs to be one of our priorities. Even if you learn one new thing or meet one new person at the monthly meeting it's a success for you and our chapter.

I'll post from time to time over the next few months. I hope you all have a healthy and productive summer and look forward to seeing you in the fall.

May meeting to be held at Johnstone Supply Distributiong Center

2007-05-10T21:16:00.000-04:00

The May meeting of the LVRSES will be held at the Johnstone Supply Distribution center in Brieningsville. It will be held on Thursday May 24 from 6-8PM. This will be our last meeting before our summer break so I hope you all will make a special effort to be there. The speaker will be Harold Myers from Russell refrigeration . The educational topic will be "Calculating refrigerant loads and proper equipment selection". Thanks in advance to Johnstone for opening up their center for our use and also supplying refreshments. Please RSVP me soon so we can give them an accurate head count.

Travel route 22/78 to route 100S. Follow 100S to Shantz rd. Turn right onto Shantz rd. and follow to Boulder Dr. Once on Boulder drive look for 200 Boulder drive which is the Distribution center. I will post the RSES signs so you all can find the classroom.

At the April meeting we accepted nominations for officers positions. Since there was only one nomination for each position our new officers are as follows:
President Mr. Ron Lobb
Vice President Mr. Wayne Thomas
Treasurer Mr. Tom Donmoyer
Secretary Mr. Mike O'Hare

Congratulations to all our new officers. I am hopeful that we can continue to work toward improving our chapter and its educational offerings.

Speaking about education, the self study group is nearly finished with year 2 of the RSES technical institute. We are planning on an exam in June and then starting year 3 in September with the goal of taking the CM exam at the EKA seminar to be held in Corning, N.Y. in April of 2008.

Is anyone out there interested in an EPA certification and/or a 410A certification. Our chapter now has the resources to offer both and I'm sure the cost will be very reasonable. Respond to this blog of contact or of the officers if you are interested.

April Meeting held at CIT

2007-04-29T21:23:00.000-04:00

Mr. Kevin Wasielewski CM from CIT makes presentation.

Mr. Kevin Wasielewski CM and Mr. Ron Lobb (chapter president) in front of newly donated RSES banner

The April meeting of LVRSES was held at Career Institute of Technology(CIT) in Forks twsp. For those of us that were able to make the meeting we were treated to the CIT version of refreshments which included soup, sandwiches, potato salad, ice tea and coffee followed by apple pie. They really went the extra mile to make all of us feel at home and we thank CIT and their staff for the hospitality that was shown to us. We also appreciate to two door prizes that were given out.

Our own Kevin Wasielewski CM made an excellent presentation on safety topics of concern in the HVAC industry. Kevin is an instructor at CIT as well as the owner of Apollo Metal. He is very interested in using RSES training materials as the curriculum for instruction. He also discussed a safety fair that CIT is planning for May 15-17 at CIT. This is the initial year for the fair and it may become an annual event. I think this is a great idea and a good opportunity for our chapter to become involved in a service for a wider audience. Stay posted for details.

Also, thanks to Kevin for providing the RSES banner that we can use at RSES events.

Mr. Terry Brady from the Harrisburg chapter made to long trip across Rt.22 during rush hour to participate in the meeting as a presenter on the Empire Keystone Association within region 2.

The way I understood it was that every region of RSES has (or should have) an association within that region whose purpose is to give opportunities for all the local chapters to assemble for training -like the recent EKA seminar in York. It also exists so that local chapters can send a delegate to the quarterly EKA meeting to voice concerns and receive input about ways to make the chapter more effective. Anyway, we voted in the business meeting to join the EKA and begin participation in their activities. I'm looking forward to a closer association with other chapters in our region.

We are still in the planning stages for the May meeting which will be held on Thursday May 24 at 6PM. The meeting will be held at the Johnstone Distribution center in Breiningsville(sp) just west of Allentown. I know the if you travel 22/78 to route 100 S to Shantz Rd. that it is located in the first industrial park off of Shantz Rd. Check back later for more details as well as the newsletter which will have more specific directions. This will be the last meeting before our summer break so make an effort to be there.

Our chapter now has a another proctor that is recognized by the International RSES for EPA and R-410A certification. We are going to try a R-410A certification in the near future. Give me some feedback on interest.

RSES/EKA seminar hosted by Twin RoseChapter

2007-03-29T21:34:00.000-04:00

Mr. Ron Lobb at York Technical Institute

Mr. George Benyak and torch safety

Mr. George Benyak demonstrates aluminum brazing

Mr. Ron Lobb at steam trainer

A little less than one week has passed since the RSES/EKA seminar hosted by the Twin Rose chapter in York, Pa. I'm still digesting the wealth of information that was presented at the two days that I was able to invest in their program.

First, many thanks to the Twin Rose chapter for hosting this event. The planning and hard work that went into this event were very evident in quality and quantity of seminars offered.

It was nice to see Nelson Long and Kevin and Shawn Wasieleski at the seminars. Of course, it's always a pleasure to spend time with our local chapter president, Mr. Ron Lobb.

The sporlan seminar that was offered on TXV's was just outstanding and you couldn't ask for a more informative seminar on brazing and torch safety which the York Technical Institute hosted. There was also some new technology about heat pumps which I think that we are going to see more of in the near future. I also thoroughly enjoyed the steam seminar, even though the speaker was not able to demonstrate with the live boiler due to some technical difficulties. Not a problem, because his presentation was outstanding!

If your reading this and are even a little jealous -good, because this event really lived up the the whole purpose of the RSES which is to further the education and knowledge of the HVAC professional. I'm planning on attending next year's seminar which will be held in New York state and don't be surprised if we try to bring to this area in a couple of years.

In addition to the wealth of information, it's great to meet and talk to members from other chapters. I learn as much or more from hearing these seasoned professionals talk and debate topics as I would from any class or book. You just can't beat the experience quotient.

What's incredible to me is that Twin Rose was able and willing to offer all these seminars for only $15.00. Yes, that's right! Oh sure, I bought a few meals and split the cost of a hotel room with Ron, but where can you go and get this kind of education for that kind of a price.

All that said, don't forget our monthly meeting on April 26 at 6PM. This month we will be meeting at CIT. I'll have another article and newsletter with the topic and directions. Make plans to be there, because we'll be discussing the upcoming safety seminar at CIT as well as hearing about a safety related topic. SEE YOU ALL THERE. More to follow.

Montlhy Meeting Location Change ......again

2007-03-19T18:52:00.000-04:00

Well I can't say I'm really surprised, but our location for the monthly meeting has been changed from Moravian College to Meier Supply in Allentown. I'm beginning to think that we are going to have to look for a new home for our meetings as the "doghouse" is being used more and more for student events. It would really be nice if we could use a classroom or meeting room at an area trade school. Any help or suggestions will be appreciated.

I hope you all can take time from your busy schedules to attend the monthly meeting. In addition to our educational program, we will also be accepting nominations for officers positions. If you are interested in serving as an officer of the local chapter, show up at the meeting and I'm sure someone will nominate you.

This is also the week for the Twin Rose EKA seminar. I just got an e-mail from Wm. Parlapiano, our Region 2 director, encouraging as many people to attend as possible. He says the registration is light so there's plenty of room for all of us. I plan on attending on Fri/Sat. and am really looking forward to the educational sessions.

Hope to see you all at our meeting!

Air Quality Seminar/ Chapter happenigs

2007-02-23T20:59:00.000-05:00

Many thanks to Keith Roe of Air Care and Restoration Co. for the excellent presentation that he made to our chapter on the topic of indoor air quality and mold remediation.

It was well received by our members and I look forward to hearing from Keith at some future meeting.

Actually last night was one of our more successful meetings of the year. Even though we got "kicked out" of the "doghouse" the accommodations in the HUB were actually nicer. Several members commented that they would enjoy meeting there all the time. It would be nice, but there's no guarantee that this will happen.

It's eye opening to hear from an expert like Mr. Roe in the area of indoor air quality. He certainly got me thinking about a lot of things that I need to pay closer attention to. For example, from now on I will make more of an effort at PPE when doing coil maintenance. A lot of time in the HVAC industry we loose sight of how dangerous routine things can become.

I learned some new things about filters and UV lighting last evening that I haven't heard. Proper coil cleaning and maintenance is not just fill in work, it's really essential to ensure the health and safety of the building's occupants. Also hearing from an expert in the field of mold remediation gives me some clear direction about how to better handle those situations.

Isn't that what RSES is all about? "Better service through Knowledge" isn't just a glib statement, it is actually the core reason we exist as an organization. Last night's meeting only reaffirms this idea in my thinking. Enough!

At our short business meeting last night, we decided that next month we will accept nominations for chapter officers. We are looking at May for our election month. In you are interested in serving as on officer or in nominating someone for a position, come the the March meeting. Our by-laws state that 20% of the membership constitutes a quorum so 6 people can carry the day. All officers will be elected for a 3 yr. term.

Also, last night we welcomed Mr.Brian Thomas into the chapter and I got to meet another new member-Mr. Bob Hoffert. Welcome to both of you!

We also recognized three members for longevity with RSES. Mr. Carl DeHart, Mr. Roy Becker and Mr. Wayne Thomas whose combined longevity as RSES members is 75 years. Congratulations to all of you!

Now for my last rambling. I would encourage you to attend the EKA seminar in York, Pa. The seminar runs from March 22-24 and the offerings are just fantastic. To top it off it only costs $15.00 (that right $15.00) to attend Friday and Saturday. Where can you get a deal like that? Take some time and improve your knowledge by attending and get to meet some new people from other chapters. I'm going to e-mail and snail mail the schedule to all of our members.

Meeting Update

2007-02-15T21:40:00.000-05:00

With one week until our next meeting I want to inform everybody that our meeting place has been changed from the "doghouse" at Moravian College to the Haupert Union Building (HUB) in the UBC room at Moravian College. If you follow the map it easy to find and I'll be hanging around outside to direct anyone who might be confused.

I hope that you will be able to attend the meeting on Thursday February 22 at 6PM. I think the topic is very relevant for most of us in our day to day experiences. The topic of air quality is being reviewed in the RSES journal over the last two months and there is some very good information in the magazine that will point us in the right direction.

I received some information about the EKA seminar that is going to be offered in York, Pa by the Twin Rose chapter. Just looking at the vendors and companies that will be represented is very inviting. I'm going to make plans to attend at least part of the seminar and I would encourage you all to think about attending. I spoke to one of the gentleman who are organizing it and he told me that the cost to attend the educational and trade show for one or both days is $15.00. Where can you go anywhere for $15.00? Even if you stay overnight and buy a couple of meals, the total cost is very reasonable.

I've been e-mailing our Region 2 director Mr. Parlapiano and he has agreed to conduct a building performance seminar. This is going to be a great opportunity both to expand our knowledge in this area, but also for our chapter to step up to participate in an event that will also benefit a larger audience. More details to follow

Lastly, in some of the last information that I received from the International they sent me a list of three people whose combined time as RSES members is 75 yrs. WOW!
I won't publish their names, but I would like to give them an honorary mention at our upcoming meeting.

Speaking about the meeting, if you have any ideas about topics or presenters, let us know. We are always looking for new topics and/or presenters who can help keep us informed about our ever changing field.

Febuary Meeting Topic

2007-02-02T21:34:00.000-05:00

February's meeting will be held on Thursday Feb. 22 at 6PM at the "doghouse" of Moravian College. The "doghouse" recently had some remodling done to it: two new HDTV's and a projection system. Hey, we can watch the weather channel before the meeting.

Speaking about the meeting, you won't want to miss this one, because it will be addressing a topic that is becoming more and more important in our industry- air quality!

Kieth Roe from Air Quality will be our presenter and he will address the topic of air quality and mold remediation. I don't know about you, but I spent a lot of time in the last few months dealing with mold issues. So it will be very interesting to hear from Keith about some of the techniques that can be used to identify and remediate an air quality problem.

Yes, we also need to have a short business meeting. We haven't had one for a while and they are some official things that we need to do: like nominate officers and get ready for a chapter election for one. If your would like to serve as an officer for the chapter, we will consider your nomination for an upcoming election. Actually, we should have done this sooner, but we haven't had the opportunity to run a business meeting during the last couple of months.

I received and e-mail from William Parlipiano who is the Region 2 director as well as being part of a company called "Building Performance". He is interested in conducting a seminar (probably in April or May ) on building performance issues. This sounds like a real good opportunity. Stay posted for further details.

If you are coming to the meeting on Feb.22, I would appreciate an RSVP ASAP so we can have sufficient materials on hand( including some refreshments). Non members are welcome to attend up to three meetings as our quest. After that we ask that they would join the chapter and share in our common goal of furthering our knowledge of the HVAC/R industry.

January Meeting: Dynatherm boilers and Carlin Burners

2007-01-26T22:14:00.000-05:00

Thursday's meeting wasn't as well attended as I hoped it would be, but for those who made the effort to be there it was an enjoyable and informative meeting about two products that are making a strong comeback into the HVAC market.

Dynatherm boilers have been around a long time, but they almost became extinct only a few short years ago. Through the enterprnerial efforts of its new owner, it is making a strong comeback into the market. These boilers are unbelievably efficient and almost impossible to kill. To boot, they are made in the good old USA. To see the manufactring area of these boilers is an experience in itself and it is well worth the investment of time to pay a visit to the headquarters on Cherry Road.

Many thanks to Kerry Moyer (pictured above) for hosting this event and for being so hospitable to all who attended.

Also, for our benefit last night, we were able to spend time with two reps from Carlin burner. Jeff Mace and Bruce Graham were two terrific speakers who represented their company well , but also spoke with enthusiam and humor about burner technology. You always remember things better if the information is accompanied with a humorous anicdote and I will remember a lot about last night's presentation.

We were able to fire one of their new gas power burners which really helped with the cool conditions in the building.

We recieve one new application for membership last night. Welcome to Brian Thomas who has applied for membership. We are looking forward to your contribution to the local chapter.

Feruary's meeting will be on Thursday, Feb. 22, 6PM at the "doghouse" at Moravian College. We are going to have a speaker addressing the topic of mold remediation. This is an issue that is becoming bigger and meaner as people are looking for ways to increase indoor comfort. I am sure that the information will be of great benefit to all of us. Try to schedule time to be there.

Now, if anyone would like to contribute articles to this blogsite just leave a comment and I will add you to the list of contributing writers. Hope to see you all at the February meeting.

Happy New Year 2007

2007-01-07T15:00:00.000-05:00

Now that all the festivities for the new year have ended, we can all look forward to a new year of challenges and opportunites. The LVRSES chapter is ready to host some events for chapter members and guests that I am looking forward to in a big way.

We have already started on Manual 2 of the self study course that will prepare us for the CM exam. We've been meeting on the first and third Wendsday of the month at the Bethlehem Public Library. We spend and hour to an hour and one half reviewing the material from the manual. By end of January we should be through Chapter 16. This is a good group because if keeps you accountable to continue studying and moving through the chapters. Let's face it, how many times do we buy a book or manual with all good interntions of working our way through it only to find that we get distracted by work and family committments, before you know it the book is collecting dust on some shelf -more wasted money and even worse we can get discouraged from our goal of improving our knowledge. The self study group meets to review the material and encourages its members to continue to read and study. I know it works because last year all three members of the group- Ron Lobb, Tom Donmoyer, and Nelson Long, sucessfully passed the first year exam.

On Thursday January 25 at 6PM we will be meeting at the Dynatherm headquarters in Cooperburg/Quakertown to once again enjoy a seminar on the Dynatherm boilers. We were there last year and it was a terrific evening of fun and education. Bring along your warm jacket though because when we go out into the production area it will be unheated. Last year there was also a representative from Carlin burners, but I am not sure if that will be the case for this year. We would encourage all members of our chapter to plan to attend this worthwhile meeting. Stop for something to eat on the way down, because we won't provide any food for that meeting.

We are lining up some great educational seminars for the following months, so be sure to check in with the blog site from time to time and while your on the site take some time to click on the adds. The more clicks that we get the more advertising dollars that will come our way. I'm still waiting for the first check from google, but once we hit $100.00 they will send me a check that I will gladly donate to the chapter.Feel free to comment and let me know if you would like to be included as a contributing writer to this blog site. No doubt you'd like to hear from some different voices.

Now that's a meeting

2006-11-17T22:03:00.000-05:00

Last night's meeting of the local chapter was a test of resolve for those who attended. Despite near Hurricane conditions we still had a good handful of faithful chapter members who came for the educational and business meetings.

Many thanks to Rick Seasholtz for taking time to share some information with us about boiler control and oil additives. I was relieved that he didn't activate the sprinkler system with his demonstrations. We look forward to hearing from him in the future.

Our business meeting was short. It doesn't take long for a treasurer report when the "well" is almost dry. The discussions centered around how we can promote our local chapter particularly with the younger upcoming HVAC technition. Let's face it-- that's the future. All us old guys should be looking for ways to interest and involve the younger generation in the society. I heard some really solid ideas last night. All it takes is the preserverance and commitment to implement them.

One disturbing point that I would like to comment about: One of our members made an insightful comment about the reluctance of some contractors and supply houses to become involved in the RSES chapter. It seems that some folks may feel threatened by HVAC professionals from different companies coming together for the common purpose of furthering education and skills. As if sharing information might be a threat to their "turf". Nothing could be further from the truth. Our sole purpose is to promote training and education for the HVAC pro. We are non political, non sectarian, non denominational but totally oriented toward training and education. Admittedly, we have a long way to go to become fully established, but we are not going to go away. I would respectfully say that if someone has the attitude of trying to guard their little world we don't really want or need your participation. Sorry if this sounds harsh, but we're about education not recess.

Having said all that, Mr Kevin Wasielewski CM made to quote of the night when he said that "learning something new is like putting cash in your pocket.". Doesn't that really sum up the whole ideal of the RSES organization. Continuing education is the key to success in our industry. It's really not that different for any profession.

We want to wish everyone and their families a wonderful holiday season. We will not have any meeting in December, but keep the third Thursday of January '07 available for our monthly meeting.

If you want to help the chapter right now take some time to look at the adds that are posted on this blogsite. We earn some money for every click you make on the posted adds. So take some time to read them and you'll also help the chapter.

Posting soon

Your Local RSES chapter needs YOU!

2006-11-10T19:16:00.000-05:00

Now that heating season has begun in full force, our schedules will become a little more managable and hopefully we all can turn our attention to some additional training. No matter what our experience level we all need to continue to learn new things and be reminded of standard things. That's where the local RSES chapter comes in. Our sole purpose in to further the skill and knowledge of the HVAC technition. There are so many things in our busy lives that can claim our time, but we always need to make room for those opportunities that can enhance our skills and make us more valuable to our employer and especially the customer. We can encourage and support each other in our profession by sharing our ideas and knowledge. I am always impressed with the willingness to help I receive from most HVAC pros.

We encourage anyone who is interested in continuing development to become an active part of our local RSES chapter. We meet most months on the fourth Thursday from 6-8PM at the Moravian college " doghouse". Check out our meetings and see if you don't come away with something new that you can put into your "toolbox" of knowledge. Its amazing how some things that you learn about in a meeting can be put into actual practice on the job.

If that's not enough reason to put aside some time to enhance your profession just think about the support you can receive from the international RSES in the way of the Journal and the website. So much useful information can be a great contributor to our profession and ultimately serve our customers in a better way.

I hope to see all of you at our meeting on November 16 from 6-8PM at the Moravian College "doghouse". We'll enjoy some food and fellowship and hear from a good speaker, Mr. Rick Seagraves, on some relevant topics. Maybe we can hear some reports from those of us who attended the international convention in October in Atlanta. It was a great experience.

Lehigh Valley members back from Georgia

2006-10-16T13:53:00.000-04:00

Hey Tom and Mike glad to see you guys are back safe and sound.Cant wait to hear your experiences from the Omni center in Georgia. If you have any lituature you would like to share bring it along.

RSES Atlanta

2006-10-09T20:21:00.000-04:00

Having just returned from Atlanta, I have to report that the international RSES conference was a wonderful experience. I was only able to attend on Wed. Oct. 3, but even that was a memorable experience.

The training sessions that were offered were top quality.

Heat loads, Air flow and Combustion Analysis were the sessions that I was able to pack in one full day. Tom Donmoyer was able to attend the entire conference and I am sure that he was super saturated with information and technical knowledge by the time that the conference was over.

One thing that really made an impression on me was that in each of the training sessions that I attended there was a wide representation of people from all over the country. Hearing their questions and comments was and education in itself. And being able to meet and converse with contemporaries from different areas of the country was something that I look forward to doing again next year in San Antonio, Tx.

Congratulations to Ron Lobb, Tom Donmoyer and Nelson Long on their successful completion of the proctored exam for year one for the training material for CM. We are going to be starting the self study group for year two in the near future, so if you are interested in joining us, let one of the officers of the chapter know ASAP.

Don't forget the October monthly meeting on the fourth Thursday (October 26 from 6-8PM).

September Meeting News

2006-09-29T21:24:00.000-04:00

Thursday Septermber 28th was the first meeting of the 2006-2007 year for the Lehigh Valley RSES. The Moravian College "doghouse" was the site of our meeting. In addition to some great pork b'que, we were privlidged to enjoy a training session on scroll compressors given be Mr. Pete Gunderson from Emerson technologies.

Mr. Gundrerson explained the principles and practical workings of Copeland scrolls. In addition, he spent time reviewing Alco flow controls for the group.

Many thanks to Mr. Gunderson for spending the evening with us and helping us to improve our skills. Thanks also for the "ton"of litterature that you gave us.

In case you havn't heard Mr. William Parlapiano III will be the new director of Region 2 for RSES. We wish him all the best.

The first week of October will be the time that the Int'l RSES will host its annual convention in Atlanta, Ga. at the Omni hotel (not far from the airport). Two of our local chapter members will be attending. We are looking forward to hearing from them about the convention.

Make plans now to attend the October meeting. Thursday October 26 at 6PM at Moravian College. See you all there!

September meeting

2006-09-28T21:58:00.000-04:00

Wow lots of info transfered tonite, a big thanks to Mr. Pete Gundersen from Emerson & Meier supply for a great seminar. The show was so long we couldn't even fit in the business meeting. For all who couldn't make it we will be having more quality sessions in the near future.

2006-09-28T16:40:00.000-04:00

hope to see everyone at the meeting tonite, even you wet noodle

UPCOMING MONTLY MEETING

2006-09-04T10:10:00.000-04:00

The monthly meetings for the Lehigh Valley RSES chapter will resume onThursday, September28. We will meet from 6PM- 8PM at the Moravian College "doghouse". We are looking forward to a good year of educational meetings that will increase our knowledge base in the HVAC industry. If anyone has any suggestions about a topic and/or speaker for a meeting please contact any officer.

We are going to try to send as many e-mail notifications as possible in order to cut down on postal costs. Right now that's one of our biggest expenses and with a treasury of less than $500.00 we need to save as much as possible

We are asking all members to make an effort to attend our monthly meetings. They always start promptly at 6 PM and end promtly at 8PM. Non members are welcome to attend up to three monthly meetings before we ask that you join our local chapter. The cost is $90.00 for the first year and $80.00 for renewals. If your are a student in the HVAC industry, the student membership rates are much less than the full rate. It is well worth the cost of memebership just for the RSES magazine that you will recieve.

Congratulations to Mr. Kevin Wasielewski CM on his successful comptetion of the Cerficalte Member exam. We also have three members who will be taking the first year exam for the CM self study course on Sept.7

If any member would like to contribute an article to this blogsite, e-mail me and we will set you up as a contributing writer. We would invite as much participation as possible as this helps all of us. We all benefit from each other's knowledge and experience.

Hope to see you all at the meeting!

HEAT AND HUMIDITY( Part 1)

2006-06-27T19:55:00.000-04:00

Thanks to wet noodle for the kick in the pants. I haven't posted for a while and hope that will change. Anyway, with all this rain that we've been having lately,wet noodle got me thinking about humidity and how it can affect both the comfort and quality of an A/C system.
Humidity refers to the amount of moisture that air can hold at a specific temperature and pressure higher the temperature of the air the more humidity that it can hold. The higher the pressure of the air the less humidity that it can hold. A relative humidity of 50%indicates that the air has one half of the amount of moisture that it can hold at that temperature and pressure. There are all kinds of tables and charts which explain this in great detail. Think about it this way- dry air(low humidity) causes rapid evaporation which makes a surface feel cool. Wet air( high humidity) slows down evaporation which makes something or someone feel warmer than the actual dry bulb temperature. So why all the fuss about humidity? Because if the humidity is high even though the room temperature may be 68F the occupants will not be comfortable. There is another more sinister problem here as well and that is that if the humidity is excessively high it can promote the growth of mold and other nasties.

AT LEAST IT'S DRY HEAT

2006-06-06T22:25:00.000-04:00

There are times when no matter how diligent we are at maintenance that we need to inform the owner of a piece of equipment that it is time for replacement.
Even if you could get a unit like this running, imagine the energy savings by "selling" a newer more efficient unit.
All this being said, it is still important to spend the necessary time to properly clean coils, check electrical connections, oil motors, change filters and other routine maintenance.
A clean coil can save upwards of 30% towards the cost of operation. Certainly reason enough to make it a part of our spring start up routine.
Anybody! What cleaners work best for you when you are PM ing HVAC equipment?

I'M ONLY KIDDING-SORT OF.....

2006-06-05T20:35:00.000-04:00

As my truck bounced into the parking lot, I thought to myself :"this is good, nobody here, I should be able to get in and out quickly.".
however, walking up to the service counter I soon realized that I must have a sign tattooed on my head: "ignore me, please". There were at least four counter people who seemed very skilled at being completely absorbed in doing everything else except to acknowledge a paying customer. One counter geek was on the phone, one paging through some manuals, another answering the phone and asking the person to hold, and the fourth engaged in some conversation with the other customer about lawn grubs.
Did I come at the wrong time? I waited patiently for almost twenty minutes before the guy on the phone asked some office slug if he would see what I wanted. The office guy reluctantly came in my direction mumbling (not so softly) that this wasn't really his job.
I had enough! "You know," I said,"I've been waiting here almost twenty minutes and your complaining that you don't want to wait on me!"
It was at this point that he realized that he had made a parts guy faux pax. Now things were beginning to happen. Pages turned, printers printed and those much needed parts appeared from the back room with an apology.
My demeanor softened and we thanked each other cautiously.
"I think something is missing " as I emptied the contents of my purchase back on the job. "I forgot to get the capacitor #@&*#". This time I would drive twenty minutes farther to that other parts place. It's the one with coffee and doughnuts that I can pig out on while I'm being ignored.

2006-06-02T21:37:00.000-04:00

In case you are unaware the RSES intl. has changed its logo to better reflect its true purpose which is to provide training in all aspects of the HVAC industry. Every one of us needs to constantly upgrade and improve our skills to stay current in this ever changing industry.

For example, just consider all the different refrigerant blends that most of us handle today compared to just a few short years ago. Without constant training and retraining we will "loose our way" and may even cause significant damage to a system.

One of the best investments that you can make is to invest your time in some additional training that will upgrade your skills.

All that being said, Does anybody out there have any experience with NU-22? Is it a good drop in for R-22?

Wake up and give me some input!

Lehigh Valley Search and Rescue and LVRSES

2006-06-01T22:08:00.000-04:00

Who would think that one of the members of our Local RSES club is also involved with the Valley Search and Rescue club? Jim Roberts, my friend, co worker and fellow RSES member has a wonderful German Shepherd . Today I had the pleasure of allowing his German Shepherd in training to track me to my hiding place in the woods. I was given a five minute head start -do you realize how far you can travel in five minutes? Definitely far enough to get seriously lost!
After traveling about one half mile up a steep incline I found a good hiding spot behind some large rocks. Jim told me to wait about 20 minutes before I started to yell. After 25 minutes and in the middle of a light drizzle and thunder, I started to move down the hill not really sure were I was. After about ten minutes of wandering we meet each other. The dog lost my trail about half way into the search. Hey, he's in training and I traveled much farther than he is currently trained to sniff out.
We reassembled and decided that I would walk parallel to the mountain with a three minute head start. By this time it was raining pretty good, but the dog needed some confidence and I needed to see how this really works.
I traveled across the mountain with the head start and waited no more than what seemed like a few moments before the Shepherd ran up to me. I WAS TAGGED! He turned around and ran back to Jim so he could lead him to my location.
Cogo's reward was getting to play with a little red ball! I thought that was a rip off, but the Shepherd couldn't be happier.
Jim is a very skilled HVAC technition that at one time owned and operated his business. It's impressive that he is still interested in pursuing new skills and interests. The owner of a search and rescue animal has more to learn than the dog. It requires a lot of commitment.
Hey RSES members we could all learn a lesson from this!

Welcome

2006-05-31T20:24:00.000-04:00

This blog is being created as a service for the local chapter of the Refrigeration Service Engineer Society. Don't let the title of the chapter convince you that it is only for Refrigeration. It is for refrigeration, but also for all aspects of the HVAC(Heating, Ventilation, and Air conditioning) industry. I'm going to try and post some articles that will be helpful for the service tech but also talk in language that every homeowner can understand. Service techs and homeowners can interact with each other and help each other.It would be great if anyone would post comments/ questions that we all could respond to with our knowledge. Hey, if you don't know the right answer how are you going to learn if you don't ask. Everybody can learn from everybody else.

Speak about learning, three of our local chapter members are poised to take to exam for the first year of the self study course that RSES intl. offers. I think this is an exceptional accomplishment, especially that these men have had to do all the work on their own. I won't publish their names until they pass the exam.

Hey homeowners! If you want a reputalble, qualified service tech at your house you better ask some tough questions of the HVAC contractor. Like is he or she NATE certified? Does he or she even know what NATE is? Run for the hills if you don't get the right answer.

Our local RSES chapter will sponsor NATE core and specialty testing in September.I'm hoping for a good response. This will be the second time that our little chapter is sponsoring this testing.

More to come later.