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HX Surface Area - key to effeciency

May 21st, 2009

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It’s all about heat exchangers

May 16th, 2009

OK, lets talk HVAC! I decided that the first discussion dedicated to Heating and Cooling, should be about the most basic central component of any system - the heat exchanger. What is that, you ask? Well i’m glad you did.

As you likely already surmised, what a heat exchanger (hereinafter referred to as HX) is, can be found by simply studing the name: it “exchanges” heat - that is it passes heat (or cold, a lower level of heat) from one medium to another. A medium is simply the air or water you are heating or cooling, or the “products of combustion” from your fire. In commercial systems the mediums may be an antifreeze mixture, steam or other possibilities. Let’s look at a few examples to help you get a better idea of what’s going on.

Example: your typical home furnace burns fuel, then passes the “products of combustion” through a HX to the chimney, or more often these days to a sidewall vent using a forced blower. On the other side of the HX the furnace uses a blower to force the air from your home through and it picks up the heat the “products of combustion” are giving up, increasing the temp in your house.

Example 2: your window air conditioner forces freon to evaporate inside a HX with your room air blowing across the other side, the room air gives up heat and the freon changes from liquid to vapor (evaporates or boils). The AC moves the warm vapor to a second HX while increasing the pressure, which increases the temp - while outside air is forced over the other side which picks up the heat and discards it to the outdoor air. Meanwhile your room air is returned to your room with less heat - that nice cool breeze is why we pay the electricity to run the AC.

Example 3: your boiler burns fuel and discards the “products of combustion”, but not before putting them through the HX - the heat passed into the water that circulates through another set of HXs, your radiators or baseboard heaters. The room air moves through the radiators by “convection” and warms the house.

So you see, “heat exchangers” are all around us. They are our friends. Without heat exchangers we would all still have to burn our fuel in a fireplace, possibly get the “products of combustion” into the air we breathe and soot up the house, to say nothing of the fact that when you leave the area of the fireplace, you leave the heated area.

A word about “products of combustion” - that is a term for the mixture of soot (carbon) CO2, CO, water vapor and excess air that comes off a fire in varying amounts. The mix is determined by many factors that we won’t get into here. But lets just say we want it removed from the living space for health reasons after we take as much of the heat out as possible.

Congratulations! you now understand (you do understand, don’t you?) the basis of all heating and cooling equipment. The heart of every furnace, boiler, air conditioner, chiller, fan coil etc is the Heat Exchanger - keeping mediums separate while passing energy between them.

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New Phone

May 10th, 2009

Hurray! I can see my contacts again!

My previous phone had lost the display. So over 200 contacts - inaccessible.

Phone still worked, and luckily my family was still accessible via the one key speed dials. Also they all had a different ring so i could tell it was one of them calling.

But how many people do you know who keep a printout of their contact list, so they can manually enter the numbers? Yeah, i thought so.

Fortunately my new phone waiting period was up just 2 weeks after this occurred. So this morning, a little bleary eyed, i went to the phone store and picked up a new LG Chocolate 3. So far this is a really cool phone - and - i can see my contacts again!

It’s just pathetic we rely on these gizmos so much. Why, back when i was a boy . . . . well you know. Let’s face it we all love (more or less) our phones, and especially the convenience.

Hopefully my next post will be more useful. I just wanted to let someone know of my relief of having a new, cool WORKING phone.

Maybe i should get the insurance - but it just seems way overpriced to me.

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Long Dark Winter

May 6th, 2009

Hello. It’s been way too long. Nearly a year. No way to run a blog, i know.

But i been really busy. Remember my 12 hour job w/ the hour commute? Still there.

Also helping remodel apartments w/ my son-in-law. That takes care of all my free time. And just in case, my job is at night, remember? So on all those “free” days (read: everyday) many times i sleep them away. Truly, there ain’t no free lunch.

In other words, my body clock is so screwy that its hard to use the days, because i am now a nocturnal creature. I have always been somewhat like that - easy for me to stay up at night. But now, it’s often hard to stay up at day. And to sleep during the day is pretty weird too. You must have dark or it’s no good. If the room is light you can only sleep for a short time, then the light wakes you. The dark blue blanket over the window gets me there.

Well enough about that. I have news - just added three categories: HVAC, Food and Gluten. Strange combo you say? True enough. For those who may not know - Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning = HVAC. My life of employment has been here. I will write more on this.

Food - one of my good friends at work is a food guy. He attended a really good chef school and ran a deli business for a number of years. He has a great talent with food, and love for it. It’s really funny, often we speak of food, and he will always say his mouth is starting to water. So hopefully my blog will incorporate food items and recipes from the “Mystery Chef”.

Gluten? What is that you may ask. Well is a sticky substance that naturally is in wheat and some other grains. So what? So my wife is allergic to it. There are degrees of intolerance to the stuff. Some folks are bothered by it enough that it is almost like a poison to them. Most are less so. And the medical community and society at large are relatively ignorant on the subject. Although many restaurants are starting to get with the program. Yup, attach dollars signs and people take notice - good old American commerce is still alive and well. I will attempt to get my wife to write on this issue, or help me with it. She is somewhat of a local expert (had to become one of necessity). Many who have this issue may not know it, and wonder about their health issues - why can’t the doctors figure out what’s wrong? Listen, don’t get me going on that one! But just imagine if you couldn’t eat anything with wheat - no bread, no bagels, cookies, no pasta - sounds a little impossible doesn’t it? Well once you get the hang of it, it’s not so bad. There are substitutes for wheat flour (rice flour combinations) and other ways to go. But enough for now - just hopefully you will see some pieces on that subject here.

I will start using my “can’t sleep at night on my day off” time to blog more. The long dark winter of no writing has (hopefully) turned to spring. Wish me luck.

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Job update

June 9th, 2008

Well last week was my 3rd week at the new job. I’m settling in to the 12 hour shifts, and the schedule or lack of a schedule. The jury is still out on how to do this 2 on 2 off etc (for more info see my last post here).

So far i am liking it but it’s too early yet to tell. As with most all things, there are trade-offs. I like the concentrated time off, but the concentrated work can be somewhat of a drag. But hey, ordinary work can be a drag too. That’s why they pay you for it - if they could get volunteers they would but that’s not too likely.

Anyway so far so good - more as it develops.

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Stick to the knitting

May 21st, 2008

Well how are you? I am sorry i haven’t been communicating much lately.

My life is again changing. Or should i say i am returning. Going back. Starting back to the front. I recall when i worked at ‘the corporation’ one time they said they were going to do what they knew and did best - they were going to “stick to the knitting”. This is from the book “in search of excellence” and it is what i am doing with this move.

Let’s just say i agree with myself in my last post. I started a new job gig. Another company has hired me. I get to go back to my natural teching occupation. I have been very fortunate to find a spot that i think may be really nice.

It’s a new dairy plant. Just built, or actually still being added onto. My job will be maintenance. 10 Air handlers, 2 boilers, 5 chillers, misc pumps, HXs, vavs, vfds, etc etc. A Siemens control system to learn. And loads of PLC based controls for all the dairy process equipment.

Worst downside - 1 hour commute. I know, gross. Especially with the price of gas touching $4.00. But time wise there is good news. I get to work 12 hour days.

How in the world is that good, you ask? Well that means I work only 7 12s in a two week stretch. I also have 7 off. It is concentrated work - whenever i go in i work the equivalent of a day and a half. It goes like this: 2 on, 2 off, 3 on, 2 off, 2 on, 3 off - repeat. In other words, i work tues, wed, off thurs, fri, work sat, sun, mon, off tues, wed, work thurs, fri, off sat, sun, mon. Repeat.

Bottom line, my old job i had to be there 9 hrs (8+ unpaid lunch)+ (2×25min) commute. Roughly 10 hour days.

New job, 12 hr day (paid lunch brk!) + (2×1hr) commute. 14 hr days

in a 2 wk block: old job 10×10 = 100 hrs new job 14×7 = 98 hrs.

Oh yeah, night shift, 6pm-6am. Some of you may have just barfed. But look at it this way - i get EVERY day off. True i have to sleep sometime but so do you. I just have more options. Also more $$. new pay/ old pay = 1.73 yes over 70% more! And doing what i was born to - tech heaven!

Anyway i should have time to blog more, i hope.

Posted in Beginnings, Praise, Real World, Life | 1 Comment »

That’s why they call it a job

April 24th, 2008

HI - Yes i’m still here. By here i mean living.
Still alive but not all that well. Still at the parts place, boss still wants me to sell and i don’t got no sales DNA.

actively looking for another tech gig

Truly there is no greener grass, though it always looks greener.

I’ll try to be more faithful to the blog thing. Later.

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Tech DNA

January 6th, 2008

My techie nature cannot be denied. My position as a sales dog will shortly be changing. I am to move to the counter. Still a sales position, but much more tech oriented. I will deal face to face with people as they enter our store. They will know what they want, or at least that they want something. My job will be to get it for them, or guide them into what they need and then get it for them.

I know that anyone can learn to be a salesperson. At least that’s what they say. (i’m not sure who ‘they’ are but ‘they’ seem to know just about everything. This ‘they’ is different from the ‘they’ spoken of above that will come to the counter for stuff. There seems to be a very large number of theys out there.) I haven’t been given any real instruction on sales, but neither have i actively sought out any either. There is no blame here, only facts. The fact is, i have not sold much. My company cannot afford to carry a person who doesn’t carry their own weight.

Anyway i look forward to the counter. Actually it is what i figured i would do here before the owner suggested the strictly sales position. I look forward to using my HVAC knowledge to help those who need parts or equipment. My challenge will be to talk less, and to guide those who come in into upgrades when appropriate. (you don’t buy parts for an older piece of equipment that cost half what newer equipment does - you upgrade, make your life easier and save energy with your new equipment while helping hug trees and saving the planet, as well as saving yourself money on the fuel to operate it.) That’s called win-win.

I think this is a perfectly appropriate time to reveal my identity. Not sure why. But the corporation is long behind me. They cannot hurt me anymore. In fact the other day i had occasion to put on my corporate labeled hat and jacket when going out to do some old fashioned teching. “The oven will not shut off.” Kitchen overheating, and somewhat of an inconvenience. After a little investigation all was fixed and back to normal.

Anyway, who am i? Name is Norm. AKA “Vlux Delux” and a few other handles i’ve picked up through the years. If you see this man on the street >>> well i need to do some learning before i add a photo, sorry.

Anyway hi, i will relate more at another time.

Have a great weekend end.

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Time Flies

December 25th, 2007

Well not in the air. It’s sort of a fourth dimension thing. Actually what i meant to say is i haven’t checkd in in a while. Been too busy. That tends to happen this time of year. It’s a good busy though. The usual holiday fare - food, family, fun etc.

None the less, the blog has been neglected. Things are still very good. I don’t know how to increase my sales to where they (should be?) but the guy who has done it in the past can’t convey to me how to do it. Progress is gradual but in the general correct direction - up.

I still don’t know what i want to be when i grow up. Of course i have been saying that for years. Only because it’s true. Many people are like me in that respect - they come across a job that pays the bills, they get a few more bills, maybe some kids or extra cars or what ever, they work harder at their accidental career, get more pay and the cycle keeps going and they find they spent their (job) life at something they never planned and didn’t want to really do. That’s why they call it work.

So at least i have verbalized most of my life that there must be something better, something i would really like to do and get paid for (handsomely?) So time flies in more than one way - short term and long term.

Well hope all is well with you - Merry Christmas! I will try to be more faithful to the blog, and to have something to entertain you.

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Another great weekend

November 5th, 2007

Well this is late Sunday evening, the garbage is out and it’s time for bed. Just wanted to say Thank You to Jesus for an excellent weekend. Some good chores got done yesterday and today was a great family day. After church the kids and grandkids came over, we all hung together, ate together, chilled together, and generally were together. The women got to go shopping, the men folk looked at a piece of Real Estate, the grand kids were played with and taken good care of.

It truly doesn’t get any better than this. I am so thankful to be so blessed and what’s even better that that is that i am able to realize and appreciate how much of a blessing this is.

Worth saying over and over: Thank You Lord, Thank You.

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Sales is still work

October 31st, 2007

Well how are you today/tonight/whatever? I’m doing ok.

Let me tell you a little more about my new job. It’s still a job. If you are one who looks down on sales people as those who don’t work - you’re wrong. This stuff doesn’t just happen by itself. You know that old saying (very very very old) that says:

“Build a better mouse trap, and the world will beat a path to your door.”

Well that may have been true a really long time ago. Probably only when there were no mouse traps, then someone invented it. Presto! There was the instant stream of mouse ravaged customers beating a path. But the guy next door, he noticed the trap builder just sitting around half the time, and counting his trap money. So the next guy goes into the trap business. Then another. Etc. Now you can have the best digital trap around, but you have to let your mouse infested public know a few things.

1 - Your trap is better, but doesn’t cost that much more - it’s a far better value.

2 - Yours has a better guarantee.

3 - You offer free shipping.

4 - You will take the competitors worthless busted traps as a trade in

5 - You will come and take the dead mice out for them.

If all this is true, but you don’t shout it from the rooftops, and the other guy has a bigger sign, the mouse public suffers, because they unknowingly buy his cheesy (Ha Ha!) traps and miss out on your better made, guaranteed, freely shipped, we empty units. And then you go out of business because you have to keep a staff of emptyers ready, and people are dumping their own dead mice because they didn’t know that they didn’t have to.

SO, it’s my job to call and call and call and visit and call. Quote, quote, quote. Call, call, call. Quote.

My mouse traps are better because . . . . . . . . . . . etc.

So anyway it’s still a job, but i like it better anyway. I am getting past the confusion stage, and starting into the production phase. I get to talk to people all day, instead of machines and myself as i make things work. So far, so good.

I’ll keep you posted.

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Not yet fall

October 23rd, 2007

The weather here is ridiculous. We should have a beach. Past the mid point of October and it’s in the 70’s. Crazy.

Don’t get me wrong, i am enjoying it. I remember one year we had a freak snowstorm in October - leaves still on the trees and a sticky snow - a disaster. So many power lines down in the city that it took them about a week to get everything fixed.

At this point the weather is record setting, and may be the warmest October ever recorded. So i hope we don’t have the mother of all winters to make up for it. The worst thing about winter is snow removal. Even though i have a monster machine that makes it ok, still it can be such a pain.

Well got to go - must gear up for the day, pack the sunscreen, beach ball etc. Have a good one.

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Sad Cell Phone Story

October 3rd, 2007

About a month ago i got myself a new cell phone. I was able to get a new phone for free after sometime in July, but i waited while deciding. Should i go for a pda / phone combo? My clie is about 4 years old though it still works mostly fine. The moto Krzr was looking pretty good, and finally i ordered one. It arrived and the love began.

I ordered a belt holster, some foil stickies to enhance reception, a 2 gig micro SD card (it still amazes me that something about the size of my ring fingernail and the thickness of a matchbook cover can hold that much) and loaded some mp3s up. The player software is not very sophisticated but it works.

I started telling people my phone was like me - “Slim, Trim and Dead Sexy”. Sad i know but it was fun.

While it lasted. I was on my riding lawn mower. I didn’t remember to take my phone off my belt.

You know what happens next - suddenly a BANG and i see something black in the wake - thinking, huh some kid must have left a toy there. Till the next time around, when i spotted a piece that looked just like my phone’s back speaker slot. Frantically i check my belt to find it gone, jump off the mower and there it is so TOTALLY destroyed. Could i even find the memory chip? no nothing salvageable at all. My beautiful Krzr now lies in its body baggie, i re-activated the old phone, and went into the mourning period.

Dudes and Dudettes, can you feel my pain?

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Slimy Sales Dog

September 20th, 2007

Luke, I’m your father.

I feel a little like Darth Vader - i’ve crossed over to the dark side. It’s time to reveal a little about me. In my previous employment (with the corporation) i was a technician. For over 20 years i primarily worked on HVAC equipment and control systems. (Heating, Ventilating, Air Conditioning)

My new employment is with a supply house to the industry. And me - i’ve become a SALESMAN.

Many technical people consider sales people to be a lower form of life. Something just a little lower than pond scum. However if the truth be told, “Without ~~chemicals~~ salesman, life itself would be impossible” Sorry about that little flashback - if you don’t remember that line and then the beautiful parody on SNL - well you are just a pup and will understand someday.

Anyway my point is this - technicians can do no teching if the work isn’t first sold by someone. A friend of mine who has been selling a long time just recently gave me some real wisdom on being a salesman - don’t apologize for making a living. My family likes to eat just like yours does.

But i couldn’t help using the dark side thing - i know it will hit the spot with 99 percent of the techs out there. To them i say: Sorry but this may work out far better than my former life. Thats what i’m planning anyway.

Have a good day

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VACA

August 30th, 2007

Today the vacation begins. This is a yearly ritual. A group of us from my church goes north to a campsite to spend time together. The “Labor Day Weekend Camp Trip” is just an awesome time.

To give you an idea of what it’s like, i quote a friend, who a few years ago, while there, came out with: “This isn’t a camping trip - it’s the worlds largest, traveling, covered dish supper”

Yes, there is alot of food sharing. Lots of eating together, talking, hanging out, sharing the campfire, playing together - - it’s just kind of like living with your friends in one big extended family, in a beautiful outdoor setting, nature, love, life, the best rest and relaxation for body and soul.

Can’t wait! Later . . . .

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