Comfortech Product Showcase Award
At HVAC Comfortech 2011, 12 products were recognized as Product Showcase Award winners. Judges took into consideration the ease with which HVAC contractors can apply the technology, and the technical value of the product or service to the HVAC industry. We’ll feature these products each month in upcoming issues of Contracting Business. This month, we’re featuring Trane’s ComfortLink II Zoning Control, the winner in the Zoning category. For additional information on any of the products listed here, circle the appropriate number(s) on the reader service card at the back of this issue or visit www.contractingbusiness.com/freeinfo.html.
Trane Takes Top Prize in the Zoning Category
The ComfortLink II Control features a seven-inch interactive, high-definition color touch screen, which provides an intuitive user interface that allows homeowners to see different room temperatures from one single control. With it, homeowners can create the ideal temperature and humidity for their home, 24-7.
Features of the Trane ComfortLink II Control include:
• A personal computer application allows homeowners with a wireless router to control comfort from any room in the house, the backyard, or even from the office
• Homeowners are able to program as much information as they want to see on their screen, including the status of their indoor air quality, humidity and individual room temperatures
• In addition to providing the ideal indoor temperature, the ComfortLink II Control provides homeowners with a five-day forecast, complete with radar image and weather alerts personalized for their ZIP code.
www.trane.com
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Johnson Controls Introduces Coleman Apex and Apex Magnum Heat Pumps
The Coleman brand of HVAC products from Johnson Controls has expanded its line of single-packaged heat pumps with the new Apex and Apex Magnum 15- and 20-ton R-410A packaged heat pumps.
Coleman’s convertible single-package heat pump line combines standard high-efficiency and advanced economizer controls with installation flexibility and low installation costs. In addition to a Simplicity control board, all units feature independent refrigeration circuits to ensure efficient part-load operation, while grooved copper tubes and enhanced aluminum-fin construction improve heat transfer.
The heat pumps also use a demand frost control scheme. This means a unit will operate in heating mode until a combination of outdoor ambient and outdoor coil temperatures indicates that a defrost cycle is necessary.
Every new heat pump is completely charged, wired, piped and tested at the factory to provide quick and easy field installation. Electric utility knockouts on the unit’s side and bottom ensure easy connections and contribute to reduced installation time and costs. A wide selection of factory-installed options, such as electric heating elements, supply and return smoke detectors, disconnect switches, non-powered ground-fault interrupter (GFI) convenience outlets, single enthalpy economizers, power exhausts and high-static drive blower motors, further reduce installation costs.
colemanhvacdealer.com
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Emerson Climate Technologies Launches New Diagnostic Modules
Emerson Climate Technologies launched CoreSense Diagnostics for Copeland Scroll compressors, new electronics modules that strengthen the Copeland Scroll brand by unlocking advanced capabilities in fixed speed and two-stage compressors. Designed to help contractors troubleshoot residential air conditioning systems, CoreSense Diagnostics modules use the compressor as a sensor to deliver active protection and diagnostic capabilities, improving overall system reliability.
According to company sources, CoreSense Diagnostics modules give technicians insight into the system through the compressor, providing valuable information to help diagnose problems quickly and accurately, reducing costly callbacks. With active protection, homeowners can enjoy peace of mind knowing their air conditioners and heat pumps (both fixed speed and two-stage UltraTech compressors) will work without catastrophic failure and major repairs.
emersonclimate.com/coresense
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Pittsburgh Corning Announces New Size of Foamglas One Insulation
Designed to help customers decrease labor and overall installed costs, Pittsburgh Corning Corporation has expanded the footprint of its Foamglas One insulation product by offering an 18 x 36-in. size in thicknesses up to 7-in.
The new, expanded size represents an increase of 50% over its current 24-in. insulation, allowing customers to save money on installation without sacrificing thermal or physical properties. Additionally, factoring in the reduction in joint sealant needed with the new size saves handling time and cost.
Like all Foamglas insulation products, the new 18 x 36-in. product features an all-glass, closed-cell material which eliminates the possibility of moisture without requiring a protective jacket. Impermeable Foamglas insulation offers high compressive strength and dimensional stability. It’s also resistant to rotting, insects, vermin and acids, and will not support the growth of mold, fungi or microorganisms.
foamglas.com
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Palmer Instruments Announces New Line of Digital Pressure Gauges
Palmer Instruments announces the addition of digital pressure gauges to its line of process pressure instrumentation. With a 2.5-in. dial face, EDG gauges display both positive and negative pressures on an easy to read LCD screen. Accuracy of ±1% of full scale provides the reliability needed , while settable resolutions of 0.1, 0.2, 0.5, and 1 whole unit allow flexibility in readings. User selectable single point calibration with known pressure input allows for minimized errors at expected operation pressure for optimum accuracy. Standard 9V battery is good for approximately 1,500 hours (8,000 cycles) and is easy to replace, sources say. Auto-off timer feature saves battery life, allowing the gauge to be always on, or to auto shut off in increments between 30 seconds and 180 seconds.
palmerwahl.com
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New Comfortmaker Gas Furnaces
Designed for Easier Installation
International Comfort Products, LLC (ICP) introduces a new line of Comfortmaker SoftSound 96% + AFUE gas furnaces, featuring models with stainless steel primary and secondary heat exchangers.
ICP designed the new line of 96% + Comfortmaker gas furnaces after conducting focus groups with dealers across the country.
Some features include:
Smaller cabinets – The new furnaces are only 35-in. tall for easier installation in tight places.
Easier-to-read sight glass — Newly designed sight glass combined with a super-bright LED makes diagnostic flash codes easier to read in the event the unit requires service.
Multi-position — These gas furnaces are designed for four-way multi-position installation, with at least 12 different venting options to meet the needs of virtually any installation.
Comfortmaker maximum strength warranties cover the new 96% + gas furnaces with a 10-year limited warranty on parts, a lifetime limited warranty on the heat exchanger, and up to 10 years of No Hassle Replacement limited warranty on SoftSound models.
GoComfortmaker.com
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Milwaukee Introduces New Deep Cut Band Saws with Twice The Durability
Milwaukee Tool Corporation launches four new deep cut band saws that provide two-times more durability while still delivering on the heritage of long-term reliability and performance that make Milwaukee band saws the industry standard for professional tradesmen, sources state.
The band saws feature Milwaukee’s new patent-pending motor technology that packs more copper in a smaller amount of space. This motor technology also allows for a much slimmer motor housing, which increases the user’s line of site to ultimately deliver more accurate cuts. Balance is also improved with this design, allowing the tool to rest naturally and comfortably in the user’s hands to provide better control. At only 14.5-lbs., the new band saws are 3-lbs. lighter than the existing models to further improve balance and comfort.
milwaukeetool.com
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