I just finished reading Carol Fey's article, “Volts, Amps & Watts,” in the December 2005 edition of Plumbing & Mechanical. Once again she has captured the simplicity of electricity.

Volts times amps equals watts. The VA rating on the transformers is the watts rating. This particular article has helped me put the “puzzle” together on how electricity is utilized in the heating and air-conditioning industry.

In the article, she also mentions the voltage going up over the years - 110 to 120 and 220 to 240. Carol also indicates the varying voltages depending on the demand. Just like a lot of other products. When there is an increase in demand, the product needs to supply more “volume.” The product delivering the demand needs to be able to handle the increased load.

That is where the bigger wire, larger circuit breakers and so on come in. I get it.

Her book, “Quick and Basic Troubleshooting” has helped me tremendously to fine-tune my skills in the electrical troubleshooting area.

Thank you very much.

John Garis
Petro Oil Co.
Southampton, Pa.

Addressing Market Changes

[Jim Olsztynski's “High Velocity Contracting,” December 2005] was the best articulation of the transformation process for traditional HVAC and plumbing contractors, suppliers and manufactures entering the age of e-commerce. You are actually providing future historians the documentation for today's market paradigm changes as powerful as the gasoline engine was upon the 1890 transportation industry.

Tom Warner
Utility Service Express
Reston, Va.

This was a really great article, and so true. We have found over the years that communication is the key to good service. We try to have all our POs out within two weeks on all our projects, including large hospitals, and that gives everyone time to spot areas of concern for timely shipping.

We also don't negotiate who gets the order; it goes to the firm that got us the project in the first place. We trust our suppliers to give us the best price going in, and they trust that their hard work will pay off.

Thank you for all you do to keep our industry informed on the issues of concern. With time a concern for all of us, reading PM is a shortcut for good information.

Jo Rae Wagner
CTO Inc.
Harlingen, Texas