Arkansas HVACR NewsMagazine September 2018

S tate, National, Chapter News Tech News

Drip Loops and Straws

By Bryan Orr, HVAC School Many of us are aware that X13 and Fully variable motor failure has peaked over the last few years and I’m sure there are multiple reasons for that. One of the reasons is fairly simple and can be traced back to two simple installation and service practices that can be easily implemented. 1. Seal all air handler / furnace / coil penetrations. 2. Use drip loops on wires entering the motor

coil or package unit warm/moist air can more easily be drawn in after the coil and before the blower. When unconditioned air enters into the system due to these penetrations it can cause mold, short circuits, and corrosion. This moisture can also gather on wires and drip into electrical connections causing issues with motors and control panels. Make sure to seal any penetrations into the conditioned compartments of equipment with proper rubber grommets or in some cases silicone or thumb gum can be used.

Eliminating Straws

Straws are openings in the cabinet that are unsealed that “suck” moisture into the system and can cause condensation on the interior surfaces. These can be copper penetrations, drain ports, and electrical penetrations. This is a bigger factor on fan coil systems and package units than it is on furnace/coil systems because in a fan

Wire Drip Loops

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