Cii Service received an email alarm from the Tridium Jace controller installed by Cii to monitor the existing control system in a Richmond area 35,000 sq. ft. commercial office building. This building, like many others, have DDC systems installed and monitored by Cii Service. Alarms are sent to Cii Service when operating conditions are not within the normal range.
This alarm indicated the building was not maintaining desired temperatures by mid-afternoon. Cii Service’s building automation team was able to review the operation of the system over the previous weeks. While the system had maintained the required set points in the building during the prior week of 100 degree days, there appeared to be problems with system now.
Cii Service immediately notified the building owners and dispatched technicians to evaluate the system. The technicians discovered the compressor was vibrating excessively, very noisy and it was not drawing the compressor rated full load amperage. The technicians explained all of the options to the building owner including a cost / benefit analysis of replacing the aging compressor compared to the risks of a major mechanical breakdown if the compressor was not repaired.
Having been a client of Cii Service for 40 years, the building owner was able to review all of the service records of the compressor, the recent building automation data, and the results of the technicians’ evaluation. The building owner agreed with Cii Service’s recommendation and decided to replace the compressor. Not wanting to upset the customer’s tenants, Cii Service started the removal of the defective compressor on Friday night, the evening of the day before the new compressor arrived. Cii Service arranged for the crane to be on site 7:00 AM Saturday morning for the removal of the old compressor and installation of the new compressor. The customer’s tenants never knew the old compressor was operating marginally or the HVAC system was down while Cii Service installed the new compressor.
The owner of the office building was very pleased with the efforts of Cii Service. Because of the monitored control system and the preventive maintenance contract in place, Cii Service was able to quickly discover, diagnose and repair / replace problems with the mechanical system saving the client money and downtime.
Monitoring of the HVAC system by Cii Service saved the customer the cost of a major failure if the compressor had been left unattended. Because Cii Service was able to schedule the replacement, tenants comfort was maintained throughout normal occupancy.
