A major concern in our industry today is the careless promotion of hydrocarbons, or hydrocarbon-based blends, as drop-in refrigerants. Even though HC’s do have many positive attributes, in their pure state they are classified A3, and therefore if misapplied can be very dangerous to use.

Perlick Corp., which makes package bar equipment, beverage dispensing systems, and residential undercounter refrigeration, has announced that its patented Signature Series 48-inch freezer/refrigerator (HP48FR) has been awarded the Energy Star® Most Efficient designation for 2012.

ICOR International has developed Tech Tools, a mobile application that will supply refrigerant knowledge and resources for anyone that carries an iPhone®, iPad®, or iPod touch®.

As this is being written temperatures are near 100°F here on the Illinois/Wisconsin border and a drought is in full force. The hue and cry is, “See, see, global warming! Told you it was real!” But folks from Europe were telling me that the Old World was experiencing one the coolest and wettest summers on record.

Demand for HVACR products looks to be rosy over the next several years, as HVAC and commercial refrigeration equipment demand is expected to go up several percentage points through 2016, according to the studies World HVAC Equipment and Commercial Refrigeration Equipment from The Freedonia Group.

The TrilliumSeries™ refrigeration system condenser uses a patented Dry-Coil Adiabatic™ design that provides up to 18 percent peak energy reduction, uses up to 60 percent less refrigerant charge, and lowers operating costs with a smaller refrigeration system, said the company.

Outdoor condensing units with three-phase power supply have been added to the company’s remote ice machine configurations. According to the manufacturer, the outdoor condensing units remove from the building the heat generated when making ice, and the energy-efficient units save 20 percent over single-phase units.

Who says young people do not want to be a part of the HVACR industry? Amidst the 5,600 vocationally-inclined individuals competing in 94 contests at the annual SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference, there were 58 in the HVACR event. That was the largest number ever to take part in the HVACR competition.

Systematic troubleshooting using a system check sheet is still the best method for the conscientious service technician to pinpoint hard-to-find system problems. This article explores how evaporators can become oil logged, and includes symptoms with explanations of a system with an oil-logged evaporator.

An effective means of building any refrigeration contracting business is to sell maintenance agreements. Maintenance agreements help to build a strong customer base and even out the workload throughout the year. Is there something else they do for a contractor?