Page 210 - Boiler_Operators_Handbook,_Second_Edition

Refrigeration & AC 195

all the factors that have an effect on their comfort. It’s not have changed. Take dry bulb and wet bulb readings be-
uncommon for complaints to disappear just because you cause the occupant discomfort can be due to humidity
were in the zone taking readings; people can get hap- problems instead of temperature problems.
py just knowing that you care. There are many studies
that indicate changes in the room temperature settings Action and Instrumentation
above and below design at regular intervals increased This point I’m certain many operators are saying
occupant satisfaction with the air conditioning system. “Wait a minute Ken, we are supposed to be operating
Problems can be local or area wide and should be the plant, not fixing it.” However, I’m not telling you to
approached with checking the room or checking the fix anything, I’m merely suggesting you isolate the prob-
equipment serving the area depending upon the com- lem and determine what’s necessary to fix it. Then, if it’s
plaints. Complaints from one room or zone require a dif- something you can fix by operating controls or adjust-
ferent approach than those from all areas served by one ing them and occasionally by fixing something that quit
air handling unit or rooftop unit. working the owner should be very pleased. You certain-
Frequently comfort problems in a room or zone ly don’t want to be in the position where you hear the
are due to the location of the thermostat. It’s a common contractor tell the owner that it was a problem you could
problem that I have encountered many times, especially have fixed. Whether it was in the boiler room, the chiller
when I was teaching seminars on boilers and air-condi- room, or a mechanical equipment room, when that was
tioning and refrigeration in various hotels throughout the case I normally tried to tell the operator the solution
the country. In some cases we would be in the room con- to the problem and explaining how he or she could have
taining the thermostat but most of the time the thermo- fixed it so it wouldn’t happen to them again. The only
stat was in another room in the zone. That was fine as time I did tell the owner the operator could have fixed it
long as the other rooms occupied with an equal num- was when the operator insisted it wasn’t the operator’s
ber of people. All too often however, the room of the job or it was obvious the operator couldn’t understand
thermostat was empty with lights off and occasionally what was going on. I can only hope that after reading
it had more external exposure than the room we were this book you will not be one of them.
using. Although it gripped to me to do it I managed Early in my years in this business I learned that
to reduce the problem by turning on the lights in the listening got me further ahead than talking ever did. Of
other room; that being a waste of energy, something I course that didn’t stop me from putting my foot in my
was teaching my students not to do. On a few occasions mouth at regular intervals. The sooner you learn to lis-
the other room containing the thermostat had a much ten the better off you’ll be. That’s not to say that you
larger crowd and my students are complaining of the have to believe everything you hear. I have yet to have
cold. I managed to help that a little by blocking the re- an operator tell me what happened without adding his
turns. Yes, carefully tossed tissues help cover the return or her own opinion of what the problem was all about;
air grills blocking air circulation through our room to most of the time that part of the discussion wasn’t exact-
reduce the introduction of cold supply air. Those tem- ly right but their relating what happened was most tell-
perature controlled registers can help reduce those prob- ing. So, listen to what are facts, even from the dumbest
lems along with zones containing several small office observer you encounter and you’ll be amazed at how it
spaces. Hotels, conference centers, and similar venues provides a good foundation for your analysis of what’s
might reduce those problems with multiple thermostats wrong.
and thermostat selection based on occupancy sensors. There are occasions when there’s nothing wrong
There’s nothing much an operator can do to reduce the with the equipment, systems, or controls. I had one op-
problem other than inform the person scheduling use of erator tell me that a certain lady was always complain-
the rooms to make sure the first or only room in use is ing that she was cold and called the boiler room repeat-
the one containing the thermostat. Altering the setting of edly. Each time he checked temperatures and humidity
the thermostat to balance the loads will normally result and had to inform her that he couldn’t help her. Her
in more complaints calls stopped immediately after a visit when, during his
When there appears to a problem with air condi- examination of her office area, he received a cell phone
tioning equipment serving an area you should collect call from his wife. I trust you can explain that one.
the data on the system to see if it is operating as de- Hopefully all the foregoing explanation of equip-
signed. Many factors can contribute to improper oper- ment operation and things to check along with data col-
ation and you have to compare to determine what may lection and analysis will help you identify the source of