Using the Copeland Website to troubleshoot compressors
Performance curves for compressors are readily available at the Copeland site. Compressor curves are invaluable in my opinion in making life easier for a technician in a hot spot.
About a year ago, I had a technician in Bogota with new equipment that apparently was underperforming. Parallel scrolls. I didn't even have the proper catalog to help him.
He was able to provide me voltage, amperages, suction pressures, and discharge pressures. I went to the website (I now have a CD that has this information.) I was able to quite closely determine the amount of work the compressors were accomplishing, which was more than 30% of what the supposed loads were on the boxes. Long story short, we were able to plant our feet on firm ground and tell the customer that there was a sizing error and the equipment is working fine. It turned out to be true.
That's just one example of using a compressor performance curve to troubleshoot in the field. You can also use them to determine if you have bad valves or other mechanical problems before dismantling things. We have even successfully diagnosed an incorrectly stamped run capacitor that drove everybody crazy for months.
Dan