Top 10 Tips For Measuring HVAC Coils

1. When measuring HVAC coils, performance has very little to do with accurately measuring for replacement coils. Fitting the coil in the existing space with the least amount of labor has everything to do with measuring a coil.  If you duplicate the coil in almost every respect, the performance will match and take care of itself.  New is always more efficient than old.

2.  If you’re ever in doubt about a dimension, smaller is always better than bigger. You can always “safe off” around any coil as long as you can fit it in the space.  If a coil is too big, it makes a really ugly coffee table in your shop.  Too big is the enemy of measuring coils.

Chilled Water Coil

3.  The fin height and fin length are not the determining factors in measuring a coil. The overall casing dimensions are the most important, and you work backwards to determine fin dimensions.

4.  The depth of any coil is the total casing depth in the direction of airflow. The height is the number of tubes high in any row.  Depth is a function of rows deep and height is a function of tubes in a row.

5.  Overall length (OAL) is not the fin length and it’s not the casing length. It is the length from the return bends to include the headers that are inside the unit.  Again, it is necessary to work backwards to get the other dimensions once you know this critical dimension.

6.  Circuiting is the number of tubes connected to the supply header. Generally, you just want to count the number of tubes connected to the header and that will tell you whether it’s full, half, or even a double circuit.  It does not matter how the return bends are configured.  Your goal is to count the number of supply tubes and all performance is based on that.

7.  Fins are measured in fins per inch. Hold a tape measure up to the coils and count the number of fins in one inch.  If you can’t get in to take the measurement, a safe rule of thumb is 10-12 fins/inch.  That will work on almost every coil.  The exception to that rule is a condenser coil.  14-16 fins/inch on a condenser coil is usually pretty safe.

8.  Connection locations are difficult only if you are using the existing piping in the system (which are welded). Copper piping is brazed and can be changed easily.  If a system is old and the piping is being replaced as well as the coil, the connection location is not a major deal.  It’s very easy to match up!

9.  With replacement coils, the concept of “left hand vs. right hand” doesn’t actually exist. Connections are “top left-bottom right” or vice versa.  Ideally, all coils should be counter-flow which means that the water and air flow in opposite directions.  The air hits row one first and the water is piped into row eight first.  However, there are lots of installations that are piped backwards, and they work just fine.  Just match them up, and the coil’s performance will be equal to the old coil.

10.  Connections are not measured from the top of the header! They are measured from the top of the casing to the centerline of the connection.  Or the bottom of the casing to the centerline.  You need a point of reference, and the header height can be anything just as long as it doesn’t stick above or below the casing height.

 

All of the above “suggestions” or “secrets” are in no particular order.  They are just things that you should know to ensure that you are selecting the correct replacement coil. While most seem like common sense, your best bet is to talk with the sales team at Capital Coil & Air, who can walk your through the entire process and help you to fill out coil drawings when trying to measure the dimensions.

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Light-Duty Commercial Belt Drive Air Handler Units

There are lots of jobs that require large custom built Air Handler Units, as well as jobs that require Central Station Air Handler Units that are semi-custom built units. There are also plenty of jobs that Belt Driverequire neither of the above products. This application only requires that a light-duty standard unit be built that will match the duty and requirements of the job.

 Examples

  • Strip Malls/Shopping Centers
  • Dormitories and other college campus buildings
  • Military installations
  • Office areas in factories or other industrial settings
  • Condominiums

These examples do not need large heavy-duty units that are expensive and custom built. Instead, most of these units require standard light-duty construction that can provide 800-12,000 CFM. These units come with various options and choices, and are well-built with the highest quality components available. However, the units are not designed for overkill.

Capital Coil manufactures “Belt Drive” units that operate from 800 CFM (2 Tons) – 12,000 CFM (30 Tons). They are available in both horizontal and vertical airflow styles. Included are blowers, coils, drives, filters as well as additional accessories if required. Additionally, they are available in Chilled Water Coils, DX Coils, Hot Water Coils, and electric heat if needed.

So, why would you want to use these units in lieu of a heavy-duty air handler? Cost, cost, and cost again are the primary reasons. In addition, the light-duty units weigh less, they are more economical to install, and long-term maintenance is much easier. The overall cost of a Custom-Built Unit or a Semi-Custom Station Unit is dramatically higher and not needed in most installations. Please visit Capital Coil’s Belt Drive Product Page for additional descriptions of our units.

Shipping Schedules

  • Standard lead time: (6) weeks
  • (4) week quick-ship: 30% adder
  • (2) day quick-ship: 40% adder

Capital Coil is 100% transparent on all prices and pricing options. Each option is clearly listed on all quotes to help make your buying experience that much easier.

The Air Handler industry is pretty easy to understand when boiled down. If your job allows you to stay within “Production” type units that are built to normal standards without any customizations, you can save a lot on your price. The proper units for your project are still of the highest-grade quality, but they are much more of a fit for commercial, light-duty jobs.

Capital Coil & Air looks forward to working with you on all of your future Air Handler projects. You’ll be glad you did.

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Large enough to service all of your commercial replacement coils, but small enough to care about what you think

With replacement coils, as a customer, you have more choices than ever. But don’t you ever get tired of dealing with largely nameless corporations with high staff turn-over? As you’ve probably Replacement coilsexperienced first-hand, there are plenty of companies in the HVAC industry that fit this description. You are simply a number or a project instead of a customer/partner with a name and face. If given the alternative, would you rather deal with a company who knows you and is interested in your success, or a company who’s sole interest is finding out when your check is in the mail? Don’t you want somebody that values your business, regardless of the $ amount, and will go the “extra mile” for you when you need it? Capital Coil & Air places a great emphasis on those attributes in our business relationships, and common sense tells us that you probably do as well.

Capital Coil & Air was created as a family-owned business, with Matt and Dan Jacobs as joint owners and partners. What differentiates Capital Coil & Air from our competition is that we are big enough to handle all of your coil requirements, but still small enough to know who our customers are and what they need. We have decades worth of knowledge and expertise, and because of that, we have learned to not try to be all things to all customers. Capital Coil’s knowledge and experience is in the replacement and design/build market, and we are very disciplined at “staying in our lane”. Additionally, we’d much prefer to have customers and relationships that last years instead of one-off transactions. Working with Capital Coil is as simple and easy as it gets, and here are some examples:

  • When requesting a quote, we almost always respond within the same hour, or within 24 hours at the latest.  We recognize that there is an urgency to almost every coil order, and your time is valuable. In the end, a 3 day delay for a quote and/or revisions to said quote, is the same as if the manufacturer shipped your coil 3 days late.
  • When you place an order with us, we’ll send you an order acknowledgment within 24 hours detailing what you ordered, overall costs, and when it is going to ship.
  • We understand the value and necessity of clear communication. To minimize mistakes, we attach submittal drawings for every quote and order. We want to communicate with you throughout the entire buying process to make sure we are building exactly what you need.  More communication leads to less mistakes and wasted time.
  • We follow up on our shipments very carefully. We’ll work with both you and the carrier to help track your shipments to ensure your order gets to you the fastest way possible.
  • We will not ignore you simply because a sale is complete. Before, during and/or after installation, we’re here to answer your questions and help in any way possible.
  • If you need some help on pricing, we’ll do our best to work with you. While every job is unique, we want to work with you for the next 20 years, rather that a one and done purchase.

You now have some insight into our values and who we are at Capital Coil & Air. Please contact us for any future coil requirements. We greatly value your business and look forward to be your coil replacement partners on your next project!

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How Did The HVAC Commercial Coil Replacement Market Originate???

How in the world did the commercial coil replacement market start? This specific newsletter is more of a story than anything technical that we have covered in most of our previous emails or blogs. Rather, this is the story of how one manufacturer’s representative, Robert Jacobs, almost by accident, stumbled upon the concept of the coil replacement market back at a time when the only way one could get a replacement coil was to go through the original equipment manufacturer – (OEM). In full disclosure, Bob Jacobs is the VP of Business Development with Capital Coil & Air.

Way back in the day – (1970’s) – HVAC coils were not stand-alone pieces of equipment as they are considered by some now. Coils were nothing more than a single part in an Air Handling Unit (AHU) or a bank of coils. Like a bearing, a drive, or fan wheel, coils were simply part #’s that one needed to reference with the OEM in order to get a replacement built. This situation was a very good deal for the OEM’s because much like car parts, they could charge upwards of 3x’s the original cost of the coil or “part”. And, it was built according to their schedule/timeline, not yours’.

In the 1970’s, Bob Jacobs was a manufacturer’s rep in the Philadelphia-area, and his main line of equipment was Bohn Aluminum & Brass. Bohn was a division of Gulf & Western and competed against many of the top manufacturers, such as Trane & Carrier. For comparison-sake, Bohn was very similar to what Dunham-Bush is today.Commercial Coil Replacement

During this period, Bob Jacobs was asked by numerous local contractors to replace old and/or broken coils. Due to the lack of a quality alternative, he initially used Bohn for coil replacement projects, but replacing coils was not exactly Bohn’s “sweet spot”. It should be mentioned that during this period, replacement coils were not really on any manufacturer’s radar as a separate product – hence the point of this story. Regardless of the OEM, standard lead-times were upwards of (12) – (14) weeks, and those “replacement parts” were very expensive. It was during this period that he realized that there was serious potential for some kind of HVAC coil replacement market. To test this theory, he initially spent $75.00 on an ad deep within the classified section of “Air Conditioning & Refrigeration News”. It was the old type where one had to “circle the bingo card” to request additional information, and this single ad received over 525 inquiries from across the country!! This eye-opening initial response to his idea made him realize that he had come across something good, but now the challenge was how to satisfy this new market. Bob Jacobs initially contacted Bohn to see if there was any interest in building replacement coils, as well as marketing the idea across the United States. Bohn essentially laughed at the idea and countered that he’d be violating his sales rep agreement by going into the territories of other reps. This was very flawed reasoning as none of the other reps were engineering or selling replacement coils in the first place! Within a week, he had canceled his agreement with Bohn and was looking for alternative vendors. He also decided to run a second ad that received another 450 inquiries; furthering his idea of the need for a coil replacement market.

The next step was to reach out to Singer Coils (yes, like the sewing machine), who was located in North Carolina. Because they had built coils for other manufacturers, he pitched his idea to them along with the request that they build his special or “custom” coils. While initially skeptical of the concept, the doubters were proved wrong as his firm gave Singer over $3,500,000 in business in that first year alone. Admittedly, that $ amount in the first year in a brand new market is impressive whether it’s 1971 or 2021!!

One must also remember that these were the days before fax machines and most certainly before email and the internet. Quote requests for coils were received via USPS and were hand-drawn sketches written on things, such as legal pads, envelopes and pretty much every way imaginable compared with today. Because everything was starting from scratch at this time, there were no coil model libraries or other materials to cross-reference, so going through a random building trying to locate the correct coil to replace could be torturous. However, over the next 6-8 years, his business grew quite rapidly, and he was able to collect and build a substantial reference library of coil drawings and other relevant information. The experiences of the prior 8 years, coupled with his firm’s knowledge of commercial coils, eventually allowed his company to begin building their own replacement coils for the 1st time, rather than relying on a 3rd party manufacturer.

Bob Jacobs’ original coil replacement company developed relationships with literally thousands of customers and laid out the initial blueprint for success in the coil replacement business. Due to that success, you now have approximately (10) alternatives that have attempted to copy his model as it’s become obvious that this is a lucrative market. Even OEM’s have recognized that they need to have a piece of the replacement market. But an important point to remember is that just because a company says or even advertises that they are in the coil replacement business does not mean that they are any good or even fully understand how the replacement market operates. For example, most coil manufacturers today are still more interested in the production of larger quantities, so replacement coils are “special” to them. In other words, sometimes these manufacturers want to be in the coil replacement business, and other times, without telling you, they do not. And not knowing where a company’s focus or priorities lie makes it extremely difficult to work with them under emergency conditions.

Bob Jacobs was there at the beginning and is still quite active within Capital Coil. Having daily access to a resource that literally invented the coil replacement market is what separates Capital Coil from all other competitors. Capital Coil will continue to be your coil replacement experts, and we greatly look forward to the chance to work with you on future projects.

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Boca Raton Hospital Covid-19 Care Condenser Coils

In (3) days, Capital Coil & Air Manufactured and Delivered (4) Large Condenser Coils!!

A large HVAC contractor in South Florida recently contacted Capital Coil & Air with a request to modify an existing system of Carrier 38 Series Microchannel Coils with (4) large condenser coils on an emergency basis. The main goal was to change over from microchannel to standard copper tube/aluminum fin condenser coils. The one expressed requirement for this project was that this change needed to happen very quickly. See below for a summary and timeline of the project:

Condenser Coils
  1. Monday – The contractor reached out to Capital Coil & Air with the required information needed for new condenser coils.
  2. Tuesday – Capital Coil calculated the changeover from microchannel to standard coils for this retrofit. Capital Coil & Air then provided all of the necessary engineering and pricing data for the order. Included were all of the condenser coil drawings, ready for the customer’s approval, as well as all of the needed IOM’s (Installation, Operation & Maintenance Manual) for eventual installation.
  3. Wednesday – By Wednesday morning, the contractor approved the drawings and allowed the project to move forward. Construction on the coils began that afternoon. In less than 1.5 days, this job went from a brief phone discussion into full production!
  4. Friday – The coils were completed, crated and made ready to ship in less than 48 hours after production commenced. Capital Coil then contacted FedEx to ensure that the coils would be picked up that same Friday and overnighted to South Florida for Saturday delivery to the jobsite.
  5. Saturday – The contractor received the condenser coils and installation was completed that same weekend!

In all, the time from the original phone call to installation occurred in less than a week. Capital Coil takes great pride in our response times, as well as our ability to handle projects in emergency situations.

For various reasons, the HVAC industry has always required quick-shipments. Capital Coil’s 99% success rate with quick-shipments over the last 5+ years has us particularly well-suited to handle whatever situations may occur during the Covid-19 emergency. Please do not take any chances with “untested” manufacturers right now, and please consider Capital Coil for all of your quick-ship needs!!

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Four Things To Know When Buying Replacement Coils

While building numerous types of coils for various customers over the years, we’ve discovered the four main things that you need when replacing HVAC coils. We’ve found that most customers are searching for many of the same things, and also share many of the same priorities. Based on numerous conversations with our customers, we’ve compiled a list of the primary factors that you need to consider when purchasing an HVAC coil.

  • Marketing and advertising experts’ claim that a person needs to see and/or hear something an average of 3-5 times for the brain to really absorb the message. And so, in light of that claim, think DELIVERY, DELIVERY, DELIVERY, and DELIVERY! Every coil job has a degree of urgency to it, which is why the speed of delivery is so significant. Either you are beginning the process of replacing coils for a system that is shut Quick-Shipdown, or you are in the middle of a job and discover that you need coils to be delivered as soon as possible. In either scenario, you need a coil supplier that works on your schedule – not their own, independent timetable. Capital Coil’s Quick Ship Program allows the coils to be built on your timeline, not the manufacturer’s.
  • The coil MUST fit in the space allowed! You can purchase the highest quality coil ever manufactured, and if it does not fit, then you have nothing more than exquisitely manufactured scrap metal. So when measuring a coil, always remember that a little smaller is always better than a little bigger. There are 100 different ways to make a smaller coil work for you. On the flip-side, if a coil is too big, then you have no choice but to start over.
  • Performance matters! As with any purchase, it’s important to have an idea of what you are trying to accomplish. The simple act of duplicating a coil can sometimes work, but more often than not, additional performance information is needed. This is precisely where Capital Coil & Air can help. We’ll work with you to come up with a simulated performance schedule, even if you do not have all of the necessary information. Working in consultation with our clients tends to lead to an outcome that is acceptable to all parties.
  • Lastly and very importantly, there is cost. Everyone has budgetary constraints, and no one wants to break the bank paying for coils. However, buying a coil is often more than simply price alone. Taking into account required delivery times, sizing of the coils for the job, performance, and price, buying a coil can be a balancing act. While price should not be minimized, buying the cheapest coil is seldom the best coil for your job or application. The adage “you get what you pay for” certainly applies when it comes to coils. Capital Coil’s main goal is to help lessen your overall price, without sacrificing performance and quality.
 
 Performance options, size options, and shipment options will help you to spend your money in the most effective way possible. Capital Coil’s job is to give you the options and information that will allow you to make the best decision in your buying process. Your success is our success, so our goal is to have an on-going, consultative relationship that works for both parties. Call us on your next job, we’d love the chance to earn your business.
 

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Direct Expansion & Chilled Water Cabinet Coils

There are lots of ducted cooling applications with chilled water and/or DX (Evaporator) coils where you need to add incremental cooling to an existing system. However, there is an important difference when using heating coils. Because it’s a Cabinet Coilheating coil, there is no humidification occurring or water/condensate to draw. Due to these factors, cooling coils require a little more creativity and labor to install.

At Capital Coil & Air, we have removed all of the guesswork out of the application. Capital Coil manufactures Custom Coil Cabinet sections from as small as 12” x 12” sections to as large as 54” x 90” sections. We manufacture these units in both Chilled Water and DX (Expansion), as well as in 1/2” & 5/8” copper tube coils. You have the option to select anything from (3) rows to (8) rows. Additionally, we will custom-design the Cabinet around whichever site you select. Cabinet units include both insulation & drain pans, while the supports and casing allow you to connect directly to the ductwork. We can also add a Heating Coil inside the unit for more dehumidification if needed. Cabinet Coils are perfect for either heavy or light-duty installations.

All Cabinet Coils are available on Capital Coil’s Quick-Ship Program as well. As you are probably all-too-familiar, trying to custom design coils in the field is a pain. Using Cabinet Coils will greatly ease the whole installation process. Please see our Insulated Cabinet Coil Brochure for more details on available custom sizes.

Capital Coil & Air looks forward to the chance to your coil replacement specialists. Please give us a try on your next project!

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Differences Between Commercial & Industrial Coils??

The best performance you can get out of commercial coils is with copper tubes/aluminum fins. An extremely important fact to take into account is that when you change the materials of construction to an industrial coil, there’s always a drastic change in the performance. 

The explanation is really quite simple: when we build a stainless steel or 90/10 cupro-nickel coil, the materials don’t match up in terms of heat transfer to copper tubes/aluminum fins. So what does that mean? Using a chilled water coil as an example – you have a (4) row chilled water coil with copper tubes/aluminum fins, and you want to change to stainless steel. You will need to move to an (8) row coil to meet that same performance.                                                                                                                                                                          Commercial Coils

What conditions require these types of materials? The most common is with high pressure applications. Anything above 200 psig requires that you change construction materials from copper tube/aluminum fin to a special material that is able to work better under those conditions. The other instances are when you’re dealing with high temperatures or corrosive atmospheres. 

Capital Coil & Air manufactures and designs a wide assortment of heavy-duty industrial coils to withstand the environment of industrial applications.  Standard and custom designs are available for new and retrofit installations.  Our industrial coils are manufactured from quality materials that are heavier grades and thicknesses.  This ensures dependable performance and longevity, even under the most demanding conditions. While most manufacturers throw out astronomical prices or lead times that can better be explained as “months” rather than weeks, Capital Coil’s lead times are (4-5) weeks for cupro-nickel and (5) weeks for stainless steel.  

Whether it’s for boiler air preheating, pulp and paper drying process, lumber drying process, textile drying process, chemical heating process, Capital Coil & Air provides high quality industrial coils designed for easy maintenance and low operating costs.  With capabilities to build fluid coils for water, glycol, oil, and other liquids as well as refrigerant coils and steam coils for high pressures, we can easily meet all of your industrial coil requirements!

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The Smart Approach to Buying HVAC Coils (and Saving Money)

HVAC coil replacement does not have to be cost prohibitive. As you are all aware, money is tight these days, and budgets for maintenance and upkeep are constantly being cut. People are asked to do more with less, so every dollar spent must be spent wisely. In our previous newsletters, we have outlined various reasons about why you should do business with Capital Coil & Air. However, one of the most compelling reasons is cost and how you spend your money.

We now live in an age where you can skip “middle men” and buy direct from a manufacturer or supplier. Think about your own life and how your own personal shopping habits have changed over the years. When was the last time you used a travel agent to book a trip? In 2020, you’re much more likely to go to Tripadvisor or an airline’s website and make travel reservations yourself. Greater access to more choices gives you the opportunity to save money in the process.

Spending money in business these days is no different. Consumers have access to more information than ever before. Consumer studies show buyers get 60% of their product information from a firm’s website before ever speaking with a sales rep. The days of an account manager or manufacturer’s representative being the sole source of information are over. Right now, you can access Capital Coil’s website and see our entire HVAC product offering, including dimensions, quick-ship programs, and our Coil Selection Program. With information at the press of a button, Capital Coil’s expert customer service will consult with you to ensure that you’re getting exactly what you need, when you need it. Working with Capital Coil & Air directly cuts out that “middle man’s” costly mark-up and saves you money without sacrificing quality. Avoiding the “middle man” and having a direct line to the manufacturer also ensures quick response times, and helps to make sure that no information gets lost in translation.

Capital Coil & Air does have a select number of exceptional representatives in a few areas, and because they are valuable assets in the HVAC industry, we are comfortable passing your project information along to those representatives. But if not in one of those areas, you are free to work with us directly.

At the end of the day, technology has allowed you as the consumer to buy smarter, faster, and cheaper. Aside from those previously mentioned “middle men” who does not want faster and cheaper? Capital Coil & Air would like the opportunity to be your “direct supplier” on present and future projects. Give us a call and test us out!

 

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