An HVAC trainer and installation specialist, for Fluke, Bill Dove has worked in the HVAC trades since 1977 as a serviceman, supervisor, instructor, and consultant. He joined the Refrigeration Service Engineers Society (RSES) in September 1992 and became a Certificate Member (CM) within three months. He may be reached at billdove@comcast.net.
Thermal imagers provide very fast, multiple-point temperature measurements of a scene. They are ideal for moving targets and machinery; hazardous, inaccessible, or distant targets; electrical components; big picture evaluations of machinery or surfaces; trending records; and even protection against litigation and insurance claims.
Have you ever wished for a crystal ball to see things your traditional test equipment and eyes couldn’t reveal? Compared to traditional test equipment, a thermal imager may seem like a crystal ball. By going beyond the visible spectrum to the radiated heat spectrum, we begin to see predictive qualities that do indeed foretell future likelihoods.
After new equipment is installed, I make sure the system is operating as efficiently as designed. This process has gone a long way in reducing the number of warranty performance complaints, improving our pricing structures, almost eliminating overdue account receivables, and enhancing our reputation.
Whenever the seasons change and your work changes from cooling to heating or vice versa, take a minute to review which of your measurement practices result in the greatest payback. On the technical side, surely one of the very best practices is benchmarking.
Understanding the relationship between dry bulb temperature, wet bulb temperature, rh, and dew point temperature is essential in all facets of air conditioning. These psychrometric processes play an especially important role in building and materials integrity, occupant health and comfort, and overall IAQ.