MAINTENANCE
Essentials
Fieldpiece Instruments looks at essential cooling season tools for inspecting air conditioning systems.
P
icking up new tools before heading into a new season – whether it be heating season, or cooling season (which will be
here before you know it) is about more than just having the fanciest gadget, the coolest wireless tech, or even the sheer pride of knowing you have ALL the bells and whistles. At the end of the day, it’s about being armed with the tools you need to work smarter, not harder; and to get jobs done faster—so you can achieve more in a day. Having the best possible equipment is about ensuring you’ve got the right tools for every job – to help make every service call run smoothly. Essential tools could range from a good
screwdriver and a durable headlamp to powerful vacuum pumps and sophisticated software that gives a real-time view of an entire HVAC system. Let’s start with the simple stuff . Every bag should include the basics like pliers, hammers, wrenches, cutters and drills, as well as safety
30 January 2024 •
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equipment to protect eyes, ears and more. These are things we all need for every service call. As far as tools that are specifi c to working with an A/C system during cooling season, a versatile and powerful vacuum pump is necessary as well as a digital vacuum gauge. Together, these tools make the process of pulling a vacuum faster and much more accurate. Newer pumps allow the tech to change oil while the pump is still running without losing pressure. A wireless refrigerant scale makes recharging a system easier as well. Newer models are sturdy enough to handle large tanks and communicate wirelessly with a mobile device – giving a tech the ability to fully and accurately recharge a system while performing other maintenance at the same time. Also, pick up a new refrigerant leak detector. The latest technology has hyper-accurate sensors that sniff out small, hard-to-fi nd leaks
with ease. (We’re talking leaps and bounds better than soap bubbles.) To check airfl ow, new wireless psychrometers make the job go smoothly. By attaching one on each side of the evaporator, it’s easy to take measurements like Delta T and TESP. And, since they’re wireless, they stay in place during the service call and show in real-time how other adjustments improve system airfl ow and overall performance. To check voltage coming from the street and in the system itself, a sturdy, safe clamp meter does the job nicely. They’ll alert a tech if there’s an electrical issue, and some newer models also show the system’s Kw/Hr usage. This can be a nice way of letting a homeowner know how much energy a service call is saving. Everything Fieldpiece builds is designed to
help HVAC techs work better, faster and smarter through all seasons.
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