HVAC Fundamentals Course

Lesson 1 • Using Multimeters and Clamp Meters

Demonstrates correct meter selection, lead placement, and range settings for measuring voltage, current, and resistance. Builds the diagnostic tool skills used throughout the entire course.

Lesson 2 • Electrical Safety and Personal Protective Equipment

Establishes lockout/tagout procedures, shock hazard awareness, and proper PPE selection for electrical work. Directly reduces injury risk during all subsequent hands-on tasks.

Lesson 3 • Reading Electrical Schematics and Wiring Diagrams

Teaches standard schematic symbols, ladder diagrams, and pictorial wiring layouts used in HVAC documentation. Enables technicians to trace circuits before touching equipment.

Lesson 4 • Voltage, Current, and Resistance Basics

Covers Ohm's Law, the relationship between volts, amps, and ohms, and how these values interact in HVAC circuits. Forms the mathematical foundation for all electrical diagnostics.

Lesson 1 • The Mechanical Refrigeration Cycle

Traces refrigerant through compression, condensation, expansion, and evaporation stages. Connects each stage to measurable pressure and temperature changes in real equipment.

Lesson 2 • Refrigerant Handling and Environmental Compliance

Addresses proper recovery, recycling, and reclaim procedures alongside environmental regulations governing refrigerant release. Prepares students for certification requirements.

Lesson 3 • Heat Transfer Fundamentals

Explains conduction, convection, and radiation as mechanisms that drive all HVAC heat exchange. Provides the physical reasoning behind equipment design choices.

Lesson 1 • Compressors: Types and Operation

Covers reciprocating, scroll, rotary, and screw compressor designs and their operating characteristics. Establishes compressor knowledge as the foundation for refrigeration diagnostics.

Lesson 2 • Air-Handling Units and Blower Assemblies

Covers fan types, motor configurations, belt and direct-drive systems, and filter housings within air handlers. Prepares students for airflow diagnostics covered in later chapters.

Lesson 3 • Heat Exchangers: Condensers and Evaporators

Explains coil construction, airflow direction, and heat transfer efficiency for both condensers and evaporators. Connects coil condition to system capacity and energy use.

Lesson 4 • Heating Components: Furnaces and Heat Pumps

Identifies gas furnace heat exchangers, burner assemblies, and heat pump reversing valves as distinct heating mechanisms. Bridges refrigeration knowledge to heating-mode operation.

Lesson 1 • Thermostats and Low-Voltage Control Systems

Explains 24-volt control wiring, thermostat terminal designations, and how a thermostat initiates equipment operation. Establishes the control signal path used in all subsequent diagnostics.

Lesson 2 • Sequencing and Time-Delay Controls

Covers sequencers, time-delay relays, and defrost controls that stage equipment operation. Explains how sequencing prevents electrical demand spikes and protects components.

Lesson 3 • Capacitors and Motors in Control Circuits

Explains run and start capacitor function, motor starting methods, and how capacitor failure affects motor performance. Builds component-level diagnostic skills for motor circuits.

Lesson 4 • Relays, Contactors, and Starters

Covers coil-and-contact operation, load ratings, and the difference between relays, contactors, and motor starters. Connects switching devices to compressor and fan motor control.

Lesson 1 • Principles of Air Movement and Pressure

Defines static pressure, velocity pressure, and total pressure and explains how each affects duct system performance. Provides the pressure concepts needed for all airflow diagnostics.

Lesson 2 • Air Balancing and Distribution

Covers proportional balancing, damper adjustment, and register sizing to achieve design airflow at each outlet. Ties balanced distribution to occupant comfort and equipment efficiency.

Lesson 3 • Measuring Airflow in the Field

Teaches use of manometers, pitot tubes, anemometers, and flow hoods to quantify airflow at registers and in ducts. Directly enables the balancing and diagnostic work in later sections.

Lesson 4 • Duct Design and Sizing Methods

Introduces equal-friction, velocity reduction, and static regain duct sizing methods. Connects proper sizing to balanced airflow delivery and energy efficiency.

Lesson 1 • Pre-Startup Inspection and Verification

Establishes a systematic checklist for verifying electrical connections, refrigerant charge, and mechanical clearances before energising equipment. Prevents startup failures and equipment damage.

Lesson 2 • Refrigerant Charging Procedures

Covers weighing-in, subcooling, and superheat charging methods for different refrigerant and metering device combinations. Ensures correct charge as the baseline for all performance testing.

Lesson 3 • Airflow and Temperature Verification

Measures supply and return air temperatures, temperature rise or drop, and total airflow to confirm system capacity. Connects measured performance to design load calculations.

Lesson 4 • Electrical Performance Verification

Measures supply voltage, amperage draw, and power factor against nameplate ratings to confirm electrical health. Links electrical measurements to equipment longevity and warranty compliance.

Lesson 1 • Heating System Fault Diagnosis

Covers gas furnace ignition failures, heat exchanger cracks, and heat pump defrost faults using systematic testing. Integrates electrical and mechanical diagnostic skills in heating-mode scenarios.

Lesson 2 • The Diagnostic Process and Fault Isolation

Introduces a five-step diagnostic framework: gather information, identify symptoms, list causes, test, and confirm repair. Provides a repeatable method applicable to any system failure.

Lesson 3 • Airflow and Comfort Complaint Diagnosis

Diagnoses insufficient cooling, uneven temperatures, and humidity complaints by measuring airflow, static pressure, and coil conditions. Links comfort symptoms to specific mechanical causes.

Lesson 4 • Refrigeration System Fault Diagnosis

Uses pressure, temperature, and superheat/subcooling readings to diagnose overcharge, undercharge, restriction, and compressor faults. Applies refrigeration cycle knowledge to real failure patterns.

Lesson 1 • Maintenance Practices That Sustain Efficiency

Establishes preventive maintenance tasks—coil cleaning, filter replacement, belt tension, and lubrication—that preserve rated efficiency over equipment life. Quantifies the energy cost of deferred maintenance.

Lesson 2 • Refrigerant Charge Optimisation

Demonstrates how precise refrigerant charge directly affects system efficiency and compressor life. Reinforces charging procedures from commissioning with an efficiency-focused perspective.

Lesson 3 • Load Calculations and Right-Sizing

Introduces Manual J load calculation principles for determining correct equipment capacity. Connects proper sizing to efficiency, comfort, and equipment longevity.

Lesson 4 • Variable-Speed and Inverter-Driven Equipment

Covers variable-frequency drives, inverter compressors, and ECM blower motors as efficiency technologies. Prepares technicians to service and optimise modern variable-capacity systems.