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Giving Back with a Purpose – Beyond the Holidays.

We at Fieldpiece believe it’s our duty to give back to others and help people. As we have learned about the labor shortages, especially in the HVACR technician industry, we have come up with the perfect way to encourage you HVACR technicians to master the trade. We are now offering an HVACR scholarship through Fieldpiece! This will allow ten applicants to either continue or start their journey to becoming HVACR technicians. We are thrilled to be able to offer this because we understand the challenges of recruiting young workers these days. But, we hope this helps, and read on to learn more about it!

When Fieldpiece read the following in the September issue of HVACR Business, we knew we had to do something:  

“80,000 HVACR technician jobs are currently unfilled — representing 39 percent of the total industry workforce. At the same time, the industry is losing an estimated 20,000 technician jobs per year due to the retirement of an aging workforce or basic career attrition rates.” 

As a company devoted to the HVACR industry for more than 30 years, Fieldpiece recently announced the launch of its #MasteroftheTrade Scholarship developed in partnership with SkillsUSA. Through this collaboration, Fieldpiece is helping to equip young HVACR techs in-the-making with new opportunities to succeed.  

The program is designed to help close the skills gap in the U.S. labor market by supplying ten $2,500 HVACR scholarships to students in their junior or senior year of high school and beyond, to help them continue their education in an HVACR program.  

To learn more about the #MasteroftheTrade Scholarship, or to apply, visit fieldpiece.com/scholarship The last day to submit applications is March 1, 2022. 

Giving back is always a rewarding experience, especially when you are helping the community you are passionate about. Nevertheless, whether the act is a donation or the gift of time to help others—goodwill and charity go a long way. What will you do to give back this season?  

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Tech Articles

Let’s make HVACR Electrical Testing Safer and Smarter.

Three rules to follow:

When you’re troubleshooting and testing the electrical components of an HVACR system, there are three things to keep in mind. First is safety. Working with electricity is dangerous, and even deadly, if you aren’t careful at all times. Second is to use the right meter. If you’re testing an HVACR system, make sure to use the right meter for the job. Third is to follow best practices.

The following HVACR electrical safety tips are industry best practices for a reason – they work!

1. Always put your safety first

Like we said, safety is important for you, your co-workers and your customers. Before you take electrical measurements, make sure you’re working safely. How do you do that? By following the right procedures, wearing the appropriate PPE and by ensuring that you’re always using the correct equipment.

Rules to live by:

– Turn it off. After troubleshooting a system you may determine there’s an electrical issue that needs to be repaired. Before conducting the repair, turn off the power at the breaker box. Don’t just hit the power button on the unit.

– Lock the circuit. When you’re working with the electrical components of a system, lockout and tag the breaker. This ensures that a co-worker or the homeowner won’t accidentally energize the system when you’re working on it.

– Check it twice. Even if the power is off, use a multimeter to test the system to confirm it is, in fact, de-energized. Also, make sure that your meter is rated for the voltages on the equipment you’re testing.

Dress correctly

Wearing personal protective equipment is typically the last line of defense against accidental electrocution. By conducting a safety assessment, you’ll be able to determine the level of PPE you need. This could include insulated blankets, hoods, gloves and a helmet in some conditions. In general, you should avoid wearing any metal jewelry or other things that conduct electricity — this includes some synthetic fibers. Also, always wear a face shield or safety glasses.

Use safe meters

If you’re working with electricity, make sure your meter is designed with safety in mind. Many meters include specific safety features. For instance, if you only need to determine if a circuit is energized, use a meter with a non-contact voltage sensor that beeps and lights up when near energized equipment.

In addition, make sure your test leads have finger barriers that provide visual and tactile cues to keep fingers away from live components. If you’re using a clamp meter, pick one with a built-in test lead holder. This will keep your hands even further away from power sources and energized components.

2. Is it the right meter for the job?

Safety ratings

Meters should be rated for use in your working environment. CAT III – 600V is a typical rating.   Meters with these ratings should be independently tested and listed to UL 61010.

More and more VFDs

As HVACR system technology continues to advance, it’s important to select a meter designed to keep up. For example, more and more HVACR systems come equipped with variable frequency drives (VFD) to enable greater efficiency. A VFD takes the supplied AC power and converts it to a PWM (Pulse Width Modulated) non-sinusoidal voltage to accurately control the speed of an AC motor.  Traditional “True RMS” meters will show readings that are 20% to 30% higher than the actual output when used to check these voltages.  It is important to choose a meter with low pass filtering technology to ensure you get accurate voltage measurements.

Mini-splits carry big volts

If you’re working on mini-splits equipped with VFDs, keep in mind that they can operate with high voltage signals. Look for a meter that can measure up to 1000VDC and 750VAC. Also, for mini-splits, it’s important to use a meter that can measure resistance into the Megaohm (MW) ranges as higher resistance values are commonly found in more advanced equipment.

3. HVACR electrical troubleshooting best practices

When we’re troubleshooting an HVACR system, there are three main areas that we want to check. These are the electrical system, airflow and refrigerant charge. They’re all dependent on each other, but based on the symptoms you’re hearing from the customer, you’ll get a clue where you should start. Here are a couple of examples of customer complaints that are likely caused by an electrical issue and how to effectively troubleshoot them:

“The system doesn’t turn on.” 

If the system isn’t even turning on, start by checking the electrical components. First, check the incoming voltage to make sure the unit is getting power from the utility. Then, check that the appropriate inputs and outputs are present at the control board. Also, a quick check at the thermostat for a 24-volt communication signal lets you know quickly if the signal from every thermostat is reaching the indoor and outdoor units of the system. These steps can help you quickly diagnose why it isn’t starting.

“My energy bill keeps getting higher even though I’m not using my AC more.”

Some meters on the market measure real-time kilowatt power. That gives them the ability to measure how much power in kW the system is consuming. The benefit here is you can measure the system power consumption before and after a service call to show your customer that it’s using less power after changing filters and giving it a tune-up. This could lead to a drop in their energy bill. Plus, some electrical meters that work with powerful field service mobile applications can measure system efficiency in SEER and EER. This will help you roughly compare the system with the equipment manufacturer’s energy specifications.

Let’s be safe out there

Working with electricity is part of the HVACR business. The HVACR electrical safety tips in this article are great to keep in mind as you’re working on a system: Be safe, use the right equipment and follow best practices. If all of us work with these ideas in mind, we’ll all work smarter and safer.

The skinny on test leads

When testing, you might come across mini-splits and other modern systems that include Molex plugs. Your typical test lead’s tips will not fit in these plugs for measurement. Get a meter that comes with thinner test lead tips to help you take measurements through these thinner plugs.

Magnets work

Companies put magnets on their tools to make your life easier. If your meter has a magnet, stick it to a nearby panel. You’ll be free to use both your hands to safely take your measurements. Also, you’ll never need to set your meter on the ground.

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Fieldpiece | Electrical Testing at Its Finest

Fieldpiece Instruments, the leader in HVACR tools, features clamp meters that make electrical testing safe, versatile, and accurate. UL-listed for safety, these clamp meters offer non-contact voltage testing and provide high voltage warning indicators. Built-in magnetic hangers and alligator clips let you take measurements “hands free,” and the single-test lead holder lets you test with one hand.

The Fieldpiece Instruments clamp meter gives accurate voltage and amperage readings on variable frequency drives and measures real-time consumption in kilowatt hours. This versatile clamp meter can accurately measure blower motor amperage draw with the door closed, and its Molex lead tips fit easily into small holes on mini-split circuit boards. Using the Job Link® System app, you can document the measurements for commissioning a system. The Fieldpiece Instruments family of clamp meters has what you need to get the job done.

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Fieldpiece | #MasteroftheTrade Scholarship

For over 30 years, Fieldpiece has been devoted to the HVACR trade— making tools for HVACR pros by HVACR pros. We care deeply about this industry and are committed to creating opportunities for those who want to build a successful career in HVACR.

That’s why we’ve partnered with SkillsUSA to bring you the Fieldpiece #MasteroftheTrade Scholarship. We’re offering ten $2,500 scholarships to support the skilled technicians of tomorrow.

 

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Press Releases

Fieldpiece Instruments and SkillsUSA Join Forces to Deliver Scholarships Supporting the HVACR Industry

Dec. 1, 2021 — Fieldpiece Instruments, a leader in tool and test instruments for HVACR professionals for over 30 years, today announced it has joined forces with SkillsUSA to present $25,000 in scholarship opportunities as a way to give back to the industry it serves. SkillsUSA, a consortium of students, teachers and trade industries working together to ensure America has a skilled workforce, has long had an aim to close the skills gap in the U.S. labor market by sponsoring heating, ventilation, air-conditioning and refrigeration (HVACR) scholarships for trade and technical students. Thanks to the new grant from Fieldpiece Instruments, ten SkillsUSA students studying HVACR in their junior or senior year of high school, or as college or postsecondary students, will receive a $2,500 #MasteroftheTrade scholarship to continue their education in a college or postsecondary HVACR technology program.

“Fieldpiece’s dedication to this field extends well beyond just equipping field professionals with the highest quality and most innovative tools so they can do their jobs faster, easier and better,” said Rachel Newport, director of marketing at Fieldpiece Instruments. “Fieldpiece is also committed to supporting the next generation of up-and-coming HVACR professionals in this fantastic trade. We’ve recently launched free online training resources via Fieldpiece University, an online platform designed to keep industry professionals at the top of their game; and today, we are delighted to announce the Fieldpiece and SkillsUSA #MasteroftheTrade scholarship to further give back to the industry.”

Through the partnership, Fieldpiece Instruments is addressing a shortage of trained labor in the HVACR industry. According to an article published by HVACR Business in September, “80,000 HVACR technician jobs are currently unfilled — representing 39 percent of the total industry workforce. At the same time, the industry is losing an estimated 20,000 technician jobs per year due to the retirement of an aging workforce or basic career attrition rates.”

“We sincerely thank Fieldpiece Instruments for supporting America’s future skilled workforce,” said Chelle Travis, executive director at SkillsUSA. “There is a critical need for more HVACR technicians. We are rolling up our sleeves every day to provide career and technical education, and to forge meaningful partnerships between education and industry that result in a better-trained HVACR workforce and a shrinking skills gap. Working together with Fieldpiece Instruments, we can make this happen.”

To apply for the #MasteroftheTrade Scholarship, applicants must be SkillsUSA members enrolled in its HVACR or general construction programs who plan to study HVACR at the college or postsecondary level in the 2022-23 (high school seniors) or 2023-24 school year (high school juniors). The scholarship application must include a résumé and either an essay (300 words or fewer) or a video (1-3 minutes) answering the question: “Why have you chosen a career in HVACR?” The scholarship opens Dec. 1 and applications must be submitted by March 1, 2022. Scholarship recipients will be announced on May 16, 2022.

Scholarships will be awarded based on the merit of the application including the essay or video and the proficiency of the SkillsUSA Framework skills demonstrated in the application materials. To receive the funds, scholarship recipients must provide an acceptance letter from their postsecondary education program or their first semester tuition invoice. The funds will be distributed directly to the school.

ABOUT SKILLSUSA: SkillsUSA is a nonprofit partnership of education and industry founded in 1965 to strengthen the nation’s skilled workforce. Driven by employer demand, SkillsUSA helps students develop necessary personal and workplace skills along with technical skills grounded in academics. This SkillsUSA Framework empowers every student to succeed at work and in life, while helping to close the skills gap in which millions of positions go unfilled. Through SkillsUSA’s championships program and curricula, employers have long ensured schools are teaching relevant technical skills, and with SkillsUSA’s new credentialing process, they can now assess how ready potential employees are for the job. SkillsUSA has members nationwide in high schools, colleges and middle schools, covering over 130 trade, technical and skilled service occupations, and is recognized by the U.S. departments of education and labor as integral to career and technical education. It has served nearly 13.8 million members since 1965. For more information, visit www.skillsusa.org.

ABOUT FIELDPIECE INSTRUMENTS: Fieldpiece Instruments is an innovative technology company focused on helping industry professionals do their jobs more easily, faster and better around the globe. It delivers on this promise through industry-leading devices with the broadest range of professional-grade tools and technology inspired by real-world application and field use. Fieldpiece is focused on serving the HVACR industry exclusively, enabling HVACR professionals to become Masters of the Trade. For more information, please visit www.fieldpiece.com, and be sure to follow Fieldpiece on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn.

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Fieldpiece | Tools inspired by YOU

It’s no coincidence that our tools are built strong and reliable. As a brand for HVACR professionals by HVACR professionals, Fieldpiece tools are modeled after the qualities you exhibit in the field. They are:

Hard working.

Versatile.

Accurate.

Confident.

Reliable.

You deserve nothing but the best. That’s why Fieldpiece only designs the highest-quality tools with YOU top-of-mind.