Saving the World

Saving the world like a superhero; yes, you can! You might think that that’s a little crazy and far fetched. But as a refrigeration mechanic every repair you perform can prevent greenhouse emissions and slow global warming. And every new concept and idea on cooling can improve the way we live. So, go ahead and make a difference. Start saving the world one gas leak at a time.

 

Being a refrigeration/air conditioning technician is more than just being a hero. It’s a great trade. You get to meet great people, travel and earn awesome money (after the first 4 years that is). Refrigeration and air conditioning is made up from many different trades and covers many different areas. You can condition the air on an Airbus Dreamliner or keep the meat cold at your local supermarket. And your daily tasks can include things like programming electronic controls or welding new or busted pipes.

 

The majority of the work we do at Coolphase is on commercial refrigeration equipment. And one of the most interesting parts of our job right now is transitioning supermarkets to natural refrigerants. Yes, you guessed it, saving the world by reducing carbon footprints.

Saving the World 2

At Coolphase we give kids the opportunity to do something great every year. In 2022 we’ll again be employing two first year refrigeration apprentices and one electrical apprentice. Having a constant flow of trainees ensures that our business can meet our legendary requirements well into the future.

 

If you want to learn more, just give us a call. We are more than happy to provide any information you may need. Refrigeration is a great career. #livethechill

 

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    Euroshop 2020

    We were at EuroShop purely and simply to support our case supply partner De Rigo Refrigeration, their first attendance in twenty years.

     

    THAT’S A WRAP!

     

    Overwhelming – check

    Lots of stuff to look at – check

    Sore feet – check

    Lack of sleep (due to networking) – check

     

    This was probably our longest trade show visit ever. We were at EuroShop purely and simply to support our case supply partner De Rigo Refrigeration, their first attendance at EuroShop in twenty years. They did a fantastic job, the displays were “Awesome”, their marketing team, sales staff and commitment even better. We congratulate them on a great show and look forward to the next one in 3 years!

     

    Factory Visit

     

    Prior to the show, we travelled to the De Rigo factory Belluno to view new products and learn more about the LEAD production process. While in Belluno we were also lucky enough to visit a recent transcritical Co2 installation. The Installation was at a local Kangaru store (appropriate for an Aussie visit) and included a De Rigo Enex Co2 plant and De Rigo Refrigeration cases. De Rigo’s lead installation engineer was present to discuss the detailed installation process and control of the transcritical system. We look forward to the day when we have our first opportunity to install a project like this.

    Back to the show. Making new friends and reuniting with old is a great part of industry trade shows. I’m sure my dancing, drinking games and larrakin antics have made a lasting impression… Wayne got to catch up with nearly everyone he used to work with in the UK, it was good to see him reminiscing about old times.

     

    The Show

     

    With almost 128,000 square meters of refrigeration which mostly comprised of refrigeration cabinets. Conservatively, picking the difference was hard. Arneg, Epta and Carrier had the biggest presence and biggest crowds. One of our favourites was the Hauser stand, apart from the company, the cabinets were “mint”. I was too scared to ask about pricing as the cases were obviously manufactured to a very expensive standard. A huge thank you to Brian Edkins from City, who took time out of his busy schedule to visit the De Rigo Refrigeration stand. We understand that this a very hectic time for the guys from City and every minute is precious. But Brian shared some of that great commodity to listen and show interest, this was certainly appreciated by the De Rigo/Coolphase team.

    With thousands of cabinets to see, that are all energy efficient, that all work, that are all good looking, that all vary in price, how do you choose? What makes the De Rigo Refrigeration / Coolphase partnership stand apart? It’s simple, it’s our ability to serve our customers through being honest and responsive.

     

    View this post on Instagram

     

    Having a great time @euroshoptradefair with our awesome friends from @derigorefrigerationsrl #derigorefrigeration #coolphase #euroshop

    A post shared by Coolphase Pty Ltd (@coolphaseptyltd) on

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    R290 Refrigerant – What’s the Big Deal?

    Unless you’re a hardcore refrigeration fanatic, it’s highly unlikely you’ve laid awake at night wondering if the refrigerant (gas) in your commercial fridge or refrigeration system is the most energy efficient option, what it’s Global Warming Potential (GWP) is or how it is affecting our environment. But it’s actually something you should consider. I’m not saying toss and turn and lose sleep with the weight of the world’s changing climate on your shoulders… but something as seemingly insignificant as your refrigerant can actually be a bigger factor than you would think and knowing some basics on refrigerants can save your pocket and the planet. 

     

    There is heaps of information out there on refrigerants; natural and synthetic; so, I won’t make this blog an information overload, but I have included some links at the end if you’d like to know more. 

     

    In January 2018, the Australian Government, in line with an International agreement started the phase down of synthetic gases including hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs).  

    “HFCs (and sometimes PFCs) are used as refrigerants in industrial, commercial and domestic refrigeration and air conditioning equipment.”

    If you have older commercial refrigeration equipment, chances are it is still charged with HFCs such as R-404A (GWP 3922) or HFC-134A (GWP 1430); even some of the newer equipment on the market are charged with high Global Warming Potential refrigerants. The implications of using these gases with high global warming potential is that over the next 10 to 15 years as Australia (and the world) continue to phase down and phase out these synthetic gases, the gases will not be readily available on the market and the cost to recharge your equipment will rise exponentially. Right now, the cost of these synthetic gases are already more expensive per kilo than R290 and as the phase out continues the gap will only continue to grow! 

     

    The current rate for R290 is around $46.55/kg + GST. Compare this to R134a at $50/kg + GST, R404A at $50.50 + GST, R410A at $55.95/kg + GST and the whopper R22 at $275/kg + GST! Not to mention the effect these synthetic gases have on the environment.

     

    There are a number of natural gases now available on the market, although they are not always readily available, and there are limited refrigeration contractors certified to work with them. (Australia is well behind the times when it comes to Natural Refrigeration Solutions, check out our blog Transcritical is Not a Dirty Word) 

    R290 is a refrigerant that is becoming more readily available in the refrigeration world; and with the associated benefits, it is easy to see why. 

    R290 has a global warming potential of 3, making it well below the global threshold of 150 GWP, placing it in an elite class of refrigerants with minimal environmental impact. 

    R290 boasts a 40% reduction in refrigerant charge; not only is this gas cheaper in the long run with the phase out of HFCs but refrigeration systems are using less gas for the same system. 

    The excellent thermodynamic properties of R290 also leads to higher energy efficiency. 

     

    There are risks around R290 so it is important to do your research:

     

    Due to its flammable nature R290 requires different charging, recovery procedures and equipment. In Queensland, fridges and freezers charged with R290 must be tested for compliance and technicians working on systems with R290 must be licensed to do so. If you are buying a fridge or installing a refrigeration system that is charged with R290 be sure to ask your contractor if they are licensed to work with R290 and that the equipment you are purchasing is certified. Currently, Queensland has a certification process that must be followed in order to sell any refrigeration charged with R290.

    For more information be sure to check out https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/mining-energy-water/resources/safety-health/petroleum-gas/gas-work-devices/guidelines/hydrocarbon-refrigerants 

    Other links:

    https://issuu.com/shecco/docs/am_104/28 

    https://emersonclimateconversations.com/2015/11/18/the-pros-and-cons-for-wider-adoption-of-r-290/ 

    MORE INFORMATION

    Wanting more information on what you’ve read? Contact Us

    Know When to Maintain ‘Em

    Know when to maintain em’…

     

    “You’ve got to know when to hold ’em
    Know when to fold ’em
    Know when to walk away
    And know when to run”
    – Kenny Rogers, The Gambler

     

    Not maintaining your refrigeration or air conditioning equipment can be a huge gamble. What’s the cost of being broken, rejected and unwashed? Most of us aren’t really sure and can’t put a number on it. So why, when it comes to some of the most expensive equipment we own, we are willing to take the risk on that investment failing.  

    “And the night got deathly quiet
    And his face lost all expression
    He said, If you’re gonna play the game, boy
    You gotta learn to play it right ”

    Play it right, be prepared. A clean here and a check there can leave you with a solid hand. Your chance of losing a bucket load of money on an expensive breakdown is awesomely reduced. 

    So many times we go out to a breakdown service and find the root cause to be a lack of care. An analogy frequently used in our industry is the one about the car. If you buy a car, whether it’s worth $13,000 or $300,000 you get it frequently serviced to maintain its integrity and reliability. But on the flip side, our commercial equipment, more often than not (worth more money) is neglected and left to burn… 

     

    Below is a photo of a small display fridge that’s been operating for 6 months. You can see the accumulation of dust has blocked about 30% of the condenser. If left, this will grow to 50, 60 or 70%, leaving the system exposed to failure, Failure of the compressor, condenser motor or pipe work. 

     

    All breakdowns can be costly. The cost of repairs, the cost of stock loss, the cost of human comfort.  

     

    So before summer hits “and the dealin’s done”, now’s the time to fold ‘em and get your equipment serviced, maintained or up-graded. Service rates are still low, and companies will be fighting for your business. You’ll also get the added bonus of being prepared for the next endless heat wave and even save some energy costs along the way! 

     

    We asked one of our service techs for a couple of ‘this could have been avoided’ pics. He did not disappoint. Thanks Chris!

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    PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE CONTACT

    Interested in a Preventative Maintenance Quote? Fill in our contact request and someone will get back to you asap. PLEASE DO NOT COMPLETE SERVICE REQUESTS HERE for 24/7 service contact 1300 821 106
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    Bare All Be Natural and Be Free

    What’s wrong with stripping down and being natural? We can get rid of synthetics, remove all fake blends and use what the earth provides, propane, Co2 and ammonia all the way! 

    I had a great time speaking at ATMOsphere Australia 2019. To be on the contractor’s panel where we could share our challenges and ideas was awesome. Although nervous and flapping around like a fish out of water, I was glad to be able to share our views on mindsets and training. Critical to our future, being prepared and accepting is essential, hopefully, our ideas and beliefs were well received. 

    Mindsets are so powerful they can be created or changed, developed or perfected. Our push to create a natural world will face many challenges, we will have non–believers, non–spenders and miserable realists. Our ability to inspire what is “just and right” will be significant in cementing change. 

    We have so many things in our favour when we try to instil a positive “natural” mindset. For us and our people it’s exciting, new and old technologies combine to keep our minds fresh. Our customers can be shown the benefits of a reduced carbon footprint and the future proofing from increased and accelerated synthetic refrigerant costs. Clients can also be shown (in most cases) lower energy costs. 

     

    “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step” – Lao Tzu

     

    Training us and our people is a great extension of mindset change. Once we have an open mind and our thoughts in a row, we can perfect and challenge. We can come up with new ideas, new technologies, and new best practice.  

    All training starts with the teacher, in this case that’s us. A teacher should be the greatest learner, you can’t teach what you don’t know. In a changing world we need to constantly learn so our lessons are up to date and informative. Information on natural refrigerants and technology is everywhere, one of the best available resources is the Danfoss eLearning platform. Everyone at Coolphase, from apprentice to engineer is encouraged to log on and learn. 

    Attending ATMOsphere Australia 2019 was especially awesome, learning and hearing the experiences of  so many educated and knowledgeable people. I truly appreciate the opportunity to present and share our own views. The ‘Natural Refrigerant World’ is an exciting place, one we should all take pride in being a part of.

    R290 Natural Refrigerant Promotional Island Fridge

    R290 Natural Refrigerant Promotional Island Fridge

    Promotional Island Fridge Natural Refrigerant

    Promotional Island Fridge Natural Refrigerant

    Opal the R290 Promotional Island Fridge

    Opal the R290 Promotional Island Fridge

    Coolphase sells R290 Natural Refrigerant Fridges

    Coolphase sells R290 Natural Refrigerant Fridges