Wow...all I an say is.....

[hvac5646]

...Wow.

I received my Testo 320 sans printer (back order) and my FP sc 57 and I can't believe the craftsmanship of both products...at the risk of sounding sappy...They are beautiful!

I got an additional temp sensor for delta tee and some extra silicon tubing to take draft and press differential measurements.

Paid $65 extra to overnight it in to Mi from Ohio. I was so anxious to get it!

Any tips that anyone would like to pass along?

[ga-hvac-tech]

If it were me... I would schedule a training session on combustion analysis... A lot more to this than meets the eye.

I bought a Testo 327 a while back... I had been reading at H-talk for 4-5 years about CA... thought I could figure it out... NOT!
Took the training at National Comfort Institute (expensive)... good investment.

Part of the 3 day NCI course is a cert in CO (carbon monoxide) inspection... believe it or not... this cert has sold a number of systems already.

[hvac5646]

YEs i Agree....as I said in a diff thread, "I am in for one hell of a Crash-Course in combustion science".,

[Chuck]

X2 on the NCI training. I took all the crash courses and combustion videos but they really didn't show all the possibilities. With the NCI course you will pay for the analyzer in a matter of a week or less. Not to mention the added safety for you and your customers.

[hvac5646]

X2 on the NCI training. I took all the crash courses and combustion videos but they really didn't show all the possibilities. With the NCI course you will pay for the analyzer in a matter of a week or less. Not to mention the added safety for you and your customers.

Can you give me an idea what the length of the course is and maybe a ballpark on its cost?

[darctangent]

3 days, ballpark 900

take it.

[ga-hvac-tech]

3 days, ballpark 900

take it.

X1,000

This is beyond a doubt one of the BEST classes I have ever taken! Jim Davis, while he can be a tad eccentric sometimes, is one of the experts in this field... guy was one of the pioneers of Combustion Analysis!

And his DRY sense of humor is worth the $$$ just to listen to... <grin>

One more thing: You need a draft gauge (pressure in flue, measured in WC"). This is an integral part of CA... without a draft gauge, you are only guessing at the diagnosis.

When you graduate; you will not only be able to 'tune' a furnace, you will be able to:
*Check for a compromised HXE without doing a visual inspection (if my CA says bad HXE, I generally take a look)
*Check all fuel burning appliances
*Tune the N/gas oven... It would scare you if you knew what was legally allowed in CO emissions from a gas oven.
*And lets not forget gas DWH's (water heaters). Endless issues here... one could almost run a business making DWH's safe.

Oh yeah, you will have a cert to do CO (carbon monoxide) testing. This alone will sell lots of new furnaces.

[hvac5646]

3 days, ballpark 900

take it.

Thank you.

Now all i need is a phone number to to schedule a class,

[hvac5646]

X1,000

This is beyond a doubt one of the BEST classes I have ever taken! Jim Davis, while he can be a tad eccentric sometimes, is one of the experts in this field... guy was one of the pioneers of Combustion Analysis!

And his DRY sense of humor is worth the $$$ just to listen to... <grin>

One more thing: You need a draft gauge (pressure in flue, measured in WC"). This is an integral part of CA... without a draft gauge, you are only guessing at the diagnosis.

When you graduate; you will not only be able to 'tune' a furnace, you will be able to:
*Check for a compromised HXE without doing a visual inspection (if my CA says bad HXE, I generally take a look)
*Check all fuel burning appliances
*Tune the N/gas oven... It would scare you if you knew what was legally allowed in CO emissions from a gas oven.
*And lets not forget gas DWH's (water heaters). Endless issues here... one could almost run a business making DWH's safe.

Oh yeah, you will have a cert to do CO (carbon monoxide) testing. This alone will sell lots of new furnaces.

My 320 has a manometer/draft gauge (along with a Space Shuttle...or it least it seems so because it has so many features built in...some I am not sure I have seen before).

[darctangent]

just google "national comfort institute" and figure out when a class will be near you or fly to them.

Until then use your CA to monitor, but I would suggest waiting until after the class before you start making adjustments, unless it's your own furnace. even then.....

remember- the class is just the beginning of your journey.

TTT has some videos for you to watch too. good stuff.

gotta go, service call.

[hvac5646]

just google "national comfort institute" and figure out when a class will be near you or fly to them.

Until then use your CA to monitor, but I would suggest waiting until after the class before you start making adjustments, unless it's your own furnace. even then.....

remember- the class is just the beginning of your journey.

TTT has some videos for you to watch too. good stuff.

gotta go, service call.

That is a certainty.
I watched Jim's videos and several other knowledgeable persons videos (and read articles and posts by same) for almost two years before I committed to buying a CA.
And I am most definitely aware I will need further training in combustion science to be even considered a competent practitioner in combustion science.

[Chuck]

That is a certainty.
I watched Jim's videos and several other knowledgeable persons videos (and read articles and posts by same) for almost two years before I committed to buying a CA.
And I am most definitely aware I will need further training in combustion science to be even considered a competent practitioner in combustion science.

What really puts the finishing touch on a good combustion class is to go out and use the CA on every fossil fuel appliance you work on. It eventually gets as easy as driving a car, you don't really have to think about which way to turn the steering wheel to turn right. That is the way it gets with CA, you take readings during the run cycle and instantly know if its correct or what you need to do to correct it.

[gravity]

What really puts the finishing touch on a good combustion class is to go out and use the CA on every fossil fuel appliance you work on. It eventually gets as easy as driving a car, you don't really have to think about which way to turn the steering wheel to turn right. That is the way it gets with CA, you take readings during the run cycle and instantly know if its correct or what you need to do to correct it.

DITTO ^^

the testo also has a draft gauge built in, but you need a stand alone gauge that you put in a seperate hole so you can watch the draft the entire time your testing.

purchase a dwyer 460. Jim Davis will also tell you to buy one.

[ga-hvac-tech]

DITTO ^^

the testo also has a draft gauge built in, but you need a stand alone gauge that you put in a seperate hole so you can watch the draft the entire time your testing.

purchase a dwyer 460. Jim Davis will also tell you to buy one.

Agree on the draft gauge... The Dwyer is not much $$$.

[kdean1]

I'm late to the party, but I also recommend the course highly. My head was spinning each day, in a good way.

[hvac5646]

I'm late to the party, but I also recommend the course highly. My head was spinning each day, in a good way.

Looks like the NCI class is on hold for now.

The powers that be nixed the ifea so iy looks like I have i break open the Piggy Bank to pay the class and go AWOL to attend.

Meanwhile I'll do my best with the down load TTT sent me on beginning combustion science,