As you may know by now, Trimark Mechanical is no stranger to dealing with complicated repairs. Well, here’s another BIG case that required some serious investigative skills from our technical team. The only difference is this time we were against the clock. Our client in Alexandria had a 50-ton package unit serving the entire church and it was experiencing some peculiar issues that left our client in a bind. Read how Trimark Mechanical had to go the extra mile to repair a unit’s motor before this church’s big weekend event.
The Trimark Detectives Were on the Case Again
One of our church clients in Alexandria contacted us saying their A/C package unit wasn’t working and the facility wasn’t receiving any cool air. It was especially important they get the unit repaired because the church was hosting an event the upcoming weekend. During Trimark Mechanical’s on-site inspection we noticed that the Variable Frequency Drive had completely melted into a ball of goop.
What is a Variable Frequency Drive?
A Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) is a type of motor controller that drives an electric motor by varying the frequency and voltage supplied to the electric motor. VFDs are primarily used to reduce energy consumption and energy costs, increase a unit’s operational efficiency and reduce the wear and tear on the motor.
Our initial assumption was that the VFD had melted due to an electrical problem. However, when searching for an electrical component capable of generating that amount of heat, nothing could be found. This required our technical experts to investigate what possibly could have caused the VFD to melt entirely. Since the system was very sophisticated, it needed careful analysis to figure out what exactly was causing the problem.
We uncovered that the supply and return ducts sit underground beneath the church. The immediate concern when something is underground is the risk of water buildup, which is exactly what happened. The church’s sump pump wasn’t draining unwanted water causing the supply and return ducts to completely flood. So this meant the unit was trying to push air into a blockage, which in turn caused the motor to overheat and melt the VFD.
With the system completely out of commission and the event coming up that very weekend, our team had to think quickly about how to handle the repair. First and foremost, we had to drain all the water from the ductwork. Then, to provide a solution in the short term, two of our technician’s volunteered to act as human VFDs during the event to ensure that when the unit was running the motor wouldn’t overheat. What exactly does that mean? Well, it means instead of asking the church to postpone their event, our two technicians worked in alternating shifts turning on the motor for 20 minutes and then off for 10 minutes all while monitoring the temperature of the motor. Talk about going the extra mile! Luckily, by doing this we were able to keep the space comfortable all weekend long. The following Monday we were able to return to the site, replace the failed sump pump and install a new VFD to the motor.
Another Case Closed
Customer satisfaction is at the forefront of the service Trimark Mechanical provides. We never want our clients to feel like they need to sacrifice comfort or halt operations because of a challenging repair. We’re committed to putting our clients’ needs first and doing whatever is necessary to keep them comfortable and happy. This is what has allowed us to be one of the most trusted mechanical service firms in the Washington Metro area for decades. Get in touch with us today at 703-891-4600 to schedule a no-cost site inspection.