HVAC
Modulating Thermostat Firmware Glitch
by walter on Nov.04, 2009, under HVAC
Last winter I had an old Rheem gas furnace and air conditioner replaced with what amounts to Rheem’s top of the line air-source heat pump system. Its a dual fuel heat pump with a modulating gas burner and variable speed fan. To make that part of the system work required a modulating thermostat and the one Rheem sells is made by White Rodgers (Emerson). Rheem’s model number is RHC-TST411MDMS. White Rodgers and Emerson refer to it as “Big Blue” under several different variations. That stat added $300 to the cost and had a stupid programming glitch in it that came to light with the daylight savings time switch last weekend. [Problem resolved, see updates]
How The Other Half Lives
by walter on Nov.03, 2009, under HVAC, Lighting, Water Conservation
An interesting project I hope to be involved in has crossed my desk. Its not every day around here where somebody wants to build a 12,000 sq.ft. home, yet an email arrived from a German architectural firm looking for someone local to perform structural and MEP (mechanical, electrical, plumbing) engineering on such a home. I won’t be posting any images of the real thing, and I don’t yet know who the owner is, but the photo is similar to the style and here are the specs.