Emerson Climate Technologies Introduces Electronic Unit Controller for Refrigeration Condensing Units

SRC buys quite a few condensing units from Emerson Climate Technologies. They are a business segment of Emerson, one of the world's leading providers of heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration solutions for residential, industrial, and commercial applications. The group combines best-in-class technology with proven engineering, design, distribution, educational, and monitoring services to provide customized, integrated climate-control solutions for customers worldwide. They recently came out with a new product, and I wanted to post it here! READ THE FULL NEWS STORY HERE.

Controller Simplifies Setup While Decreasing Number of Costly Callbacks and Time-Intensive Repairs for Contractors

ST. LOUIS, July 25, 2011 – Emerson Climate Technologies, Inc., a business of Emerson (NYSE: EMR) is pleased to announce the launch of its new Electronic Unit Controller for Copeland® condensing units with low pressure controls. The first-of-its-kind unit controller represents Emerson’s continuing commitment to enhance condensing unit and commercial refrigeration system performance with innovative technology.

Emerson’s Electronic Unit Controller is an integrated electronic pressure control solution to replace traditional mechanical low-pressure control switches, while enabling a smarter condensing unit.  Electronic pressure-sensing accuracy maintains a tighter low-pressure control tolerance than mechanical controls to help decrease costly callbacks, while the easy-to use LED interface allows field setup time to be reduced to less than one minute.   “The Electronic Unit Controller from Emerson was easy to install and set,” said Dan Whitten, General Manager of Rosetown Central Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Ltd. “Our technician was very impressed by the accuracy of the pressure readings compared to his service gauges.” In addition to providing precise control, the Electronic Unit Controller features built-in system protection to prevent costly compressor failure and improve operator uptime.

To help contractors more quickly and accurately troubleshoot and diagnose field issues, the Electronic Unit Controller shows current suction pressure, plus stores alarm occurrence codes, discharge temperature trips, and service run time information, all displayed on a large, easy-to-read LED panel.  The controller also features smart fan cycling control through mid-coil temperature sensing on all dual-fan units.

For more information on the Electronic Unit Controller available from Emerson Climate Technologies, read here!

Walk in Cooler Leaking Water (Drainage System Malfunctions & More)

(Read here for more general information about walk in cooler drainage systems.)

If your walk in cooler is leaking water, there are two main sources to check...

1) The Evaporator Coil Drainage System

When the compressor is operating, the copper tubing and fins in the housing of the coil are colder than the air inside your walk in cooler. As air is forced through the coil by the fan motor, moisture will collect on these fins. This moisture will form droplets and fall into the bottom pan (this is part of the evaporator coil assembly). From there it will be directed into a drain hose, and eventually into the bucket, floor drain, or electric hot pan.

a) If the drain line becomes plugged or obstructed at any point, water will back up and spill over the edges of the coil. If this is the problem, the walk in cooler will need to be shut down so you can clean out the obstruction.

b) If the coil assembly is not pitched back towards the drain hose, water can pool in the front of the drain pan and leak from screw holes. Drain pans generally have a pitch designed into them, but if the walk in cooler itself is not level or pitched forward, it can defeat this design feature. Recheck if the walk in cooler is leveled properly. If more drain pitch is required, the evaporator coil assembly can be shimmed (allowing the water to flow freely back to the drain).

2) General Air Leaks

Whenever the cold air inside the walk in cooler meets the warmer outside air, moisture will form. Thus, if a floor or ceiling seam is not sealed properly, you may notice condensation or water droplets on your walls or floor. Your walk in cooler should be as level as possible—its seams will be tighter and the doors will shut more securely. Use a 100% silicone caulk to seal any seams where you notice condensation. (Read here for more information on caulking.)

When installed in a non air-conditioned warehouse, some walk in coolers will develop condensation on the outside of the walls or entry doors when the weather is warm and/or humid. Unfortunately, there is little that can be done to alleviate this situation. Sometimes, air movement in the form of a floor or ceiling fan can help reduce or eliminate the problem.

Caulking Information: How to Make Your Cooler Airtight

Walk in Cooler Panels

Normally wall and ceiling panels will lock together tight and not require caulking—the only exception is when it is difficult to get the box completely level and square. In that case, caulk any walk in cooler panels that are not entirely tight to prevent air infiltration.

The only panel seams you need to caulk will be at the floor and ceiling perimeter joints. Apply a generous bead with the silicone we have provided, and using a caulking tool or even your finger, smooth the bead out so that good adhesion is made to both surfaces. Clean up can be performed with mineral spirits. Leave the doors of your cabinet open until the silicone cures and the vinegar-like smell diminishes.

Display Doors

If your walk in cooler includes display doors, run a bead of silicone around the entire inside perimeter of the frame after installation. If the gap is too large for silicone, stuff fiberglass insulation or backer rod to fill the joint instead. The same applies for glass viewing windows. Make sure they are well sealed prior to the window trim being secured.

Refrigeration

All refrigeration or electrical lines penetrating the walls or ceiling need to be sealed. In addition, the inside of all electrical conduits must be sealed prior to entering the walk in cooler. This will help avoid future electrical problems by preventing moisture from collecting inside the conduit. Not all electricians are familiar with this possibility, so it never hurts to remind your contractor.

If You See Moisture…

When your walk in cooler is in operation, if you see any water droplets running down the wall panels or water pooling onto the floor, it indicates warm air is entering the walk in cooler causing moisture and condensation to form. Determine the source of the air leak and seal properly.

What About Larger Gaps?

If you needed to shim your walk in cooler during installation to compensate for an uneven floor, you may be faced with gaps larger than silicone caulk alone can seal.

Minimal expansion spray foam can be purchased at any hardware store or building center. It is sold under various brand names in convenient aerosol dispensing cans. You may need several cans depending on the size of your walk in cooler. The directions on the can will give you an idea of the product coverage.

First, install whatever type of finish trim you had planned for the outside of the walk in cooler. There are many possibilities (for example: vinyl cove base, tile, or wood molding). Having this in place will prevent the spray foam from expanding all over the outside flooring.

Now you can apply the foam underneath the wall panels from the inside of the walk in cooler. If you are unfamiliar working with this product, test spray a small amount into an empty box, and get a feel for how much it expands. This will give you an idea of how much to apply. Apply masking tape over the inside perimeter of the floor if you wish to protect the surface. After the product has finished expanding and has cured, it can be trimmed flush with the wall panel with a sharp knife. You will be left with an air tight seal, and can now finish it off with whatever base trim you choose.

Pictures/Examples

It's always great when customers send SRC pictures of their new walk in coolers (before, during, and after installation!)... But from those pictures, I actually couldn't find one specifically of the caulking process. Instead, through Google, I found a good example of caulking here. If you scroll a bit farther than halfway down the page, you'll see a heading called "Plywood and Seams Finished." Ken writes, "Finished layering the inside with plywood, and then caulked all the seams. Decided to use basic painters caulking, since I had a lot of it on hand." There are several good, up-close pictures posted!

New Refrigeration Condenser from Heatcraft Helps Supermarkets

One of SRC Refrigeration's main suppliers of refrigeration and refrigeration products is Heatcraft. Heatcraft manufactures evaporators, condensers, and other top-quality refrigeration products for their five market-leading brands: Bohn, Larkin, Climate Control, Chandler and InterLink. Many products are custom-built so they can satisfy the individual customer's needs. No wonder they sell to more than 70 countries worldwide!

The news story I wanted to share is actually from late May, but still plenty relevant and cool (pun intended)...

STONE MOUNTAIN, GA – MAY 18, 2011 – Heatcraft Refrigeration Products, a leader in commercial refrigeration, introduces its new air-cooled condenser featuring microchannel coil technology. This latest refrigeration solution includes an environmentally friendly design that lowers refrigerant charge by more than 70 percent, helping grocers significantly reduce their impact on the environment and save operating costs.

“In today’s marketplace, supermarkets want more than just a well-made piece of equipment,” said Subodh Sharma, Marketing Director for Heatcraft North America. “They want quality refrigeration solutions that can help decrease energy consumption and provide cost savings. Our new air-cooled condenser was developed with these business goals in mind.”

Equipped with a variable speed EC motor that helps maximize energy efficiency, the new condenser also includes an all-aluminum microchannel coil design that offers improved corrosion resistance for a longer-lasting, more durable product – even in coastal environments. It also features an innovative sound reduction technology that lowers sound pressure by more than 50 percent, resulting in a quieter product.

READ MORE HERE...

A comparison: SRC's walk in coolers VS. competition

To sum it up with two pictures and a few words...

Email from a Happy Customer: Calvin Borisuk from PureCal Produce

A few days ago, Steve Lemieux, president of SRC Refrigeration, received an email message from one of his customers. Calvin Borisuk purchased a warehouse cooler for the new store he's opening in Lexington, SC, called PureCal Produce. It's always nice to hear back from customers, and I attained permission to post the email he sent us. Calvin also attached pictures of his walk in cooler installation--which he completed himself! It's a very big project to take on, but as Calvin wrote, he saved quite a lot of money by doing so.

Calvin writes,

"As you may recall, I am just starting this company, and this purchase was one of our most significant equipment purchases, so I researched it for months to do my level best to make the 'right' decision. And I can say from start to finish, I am very confident my purchase from SRC was the RIGHT decision. From our initial conversations, through the many revisions of design and complexities of equipment selection, you proved yourself to be a very competent business leader who was not just concerned for your bottom line but also that of the client as well. I truly appreciated your patience and professionalism through the design, selection and decision making process.

Also, I would be remiss if I didn't express my appreciation for your staff. Tiffney VanConant and Betty Squier were most helpful and gracious. I spoke with both of them regarding payment, shipping coordination, and a few bumps that came up and both of them were friendly, patient and always willing to help. In addition, I spoke with Allan Jett during installation and start up and he acted in like kind.  It was a pleasure dealing with each of them and they should be proud of the work they do. I am not sure if you hold team meetings or not, but if you do, feel free to use this letter as an opportunity to recognize these folks and to encourage the rest of your team. I know full well that it is easy for folks to go day by day and not think the work they do matters and I want your team to know that what they all do does.

Lastly, I have attached a few photos of the cooler construction process (my apologies for the quality… I am not a techy by any means) and please feel free to use me as a reference for any other customers who may be a little hesitant about building their own cooler. It wasn't easy but it was simple and straight forward. With a little mechanical know how and A LOT of hard work we had the cooler from truck to operational in 5 days and saved about $10-12,000 in the process.

Thanks again and best of luck to you and your team."

Here are a couple pictures of the walk in cooler installation... (MORE PICTURES HERE)

Thank you again Calvin! We are very happy you're pleased with your purchase, and hope to do more business with you in the future!

For more information about industrial warehouse walk in coolers, read here.

Where Can I Find a Good Refrigeration Man?

The key for long-term dependability is insuring your initial installation is done properly—finding a good refrigeration contractor is important. Following a high quality installation, routine service and maintenance will keep your walk in cooler running at maximum efficiency.

Best places to check:

1) Contact other businesses in your area that use refrigeration equipment. Examples would be floral wholesalers / floral shops, restaurants, bakeries, drug stores, convenient stores, and gas station mini marts. These places are guaranteed to have walk in coolers (or walk in freezers) and refrigeration systems.

2) Larger cities have refrigeration wholesalers that can help. Check the phone directory: "Refrigeration Equipment - Parts & Supplies". These wholesalers only sell to other refrigeration contractors. You can ask them for a few references that would be good for your specific area of business.

3) Call SRC Refrigeration (800-521-0398). We keep an extensive list of contractors we have used over the years. We would be happy to check and see if we can offer a recommendation in your local area. Just call our service department during normal business hours (Monday – Friday, 7:30AM – 5:30PM).

Do I want a large or small company?

Both large and small companies offer different advantages—however, ultimately, the most important aspect is the individual service they can provide your business. Do your research on different companies and see if other customers seem to indicate they are customer oriented. For SRC's personal opinion: We tend to work with smaller contractors. In our experience, since they are owner-operators, they are generally more attentive and customer oriented.

Be prepared…

If your walk in cooler does require service, it's best to have office procedures in place so your staff immediately knows what to do. Display the service company name and phone number in a spot that can be easily retrieved.