tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1497004104272690197.post184205795620178755..comments2024-03-28T05:53:03.081-05:00Comments on Insects in the City: Treating fire ants in electrical equipmentCreation Care Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00096774491277223713noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1497004104272690197.post-57558200480138482362014-09-27T21:24:17.699-05:002014-09-27T21:24:17.699-05:00A neighbor called for help because her well pump h...A neighbor called for help because her well pump had apparently failed. A quick inspection revealed mushed ants were preventing the pump relay (a Square D Pumptrol) from closing. The Pumptrol is in a pretty tight enclosure, so the ants are coming in either through the flexible conduit from the power source, or through the pump motor itself. Liberal use of household ant spray has failed to deter them, but she now knows how to clean the contacts, and thanks to this blog and other references, we have some ideas on how to keep the little buggers from coming back.Mikeyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01098743176079304484noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1497004104272690197.post-90952542327904496592011-12-15T17:47:46.880-06:002011-12-15T17:47:46.880-06:00The White-Rodgers division of Emerson Electric has...The White-Rodgers division of Emerson Electric has been working towards solutions for the HVAC equipment market for some time.<br /><br />Six years ago we pioneered a totally sealed switching relay which replaces a traditional 240VAC 30amp Definite Purpose Contactor that turns on the compressor and outdoor fan motor. As you probably know fire ants getting between the contacts of these devices is a major service problem. Up until now this technology was only available on select new OEM equipment from manufacturers like Rheem and Goodman, and is implemented on their high end AC and Heat Pump units using control boards having this switch built-in. This summer we are going to change all of that and offer a product I’m calling the SureSwitch. This product will be a field retrofit item with a form factor that allows it to replace a standard contactor. Once installed…no more failed contactors due to fire ants! We also add numerous other value add features like short cycle protection, brown-out (low voltage) protection, random start delay timer, and more. It’s a contactor with a microprocessor brain that improves system reliability.<br /><br />The SureSwitch will be launched at the AHR trade show in Chicago in January 2012, and hopefully in production by about June.David Vienoreply@blogger.com