Rhonda Bracey: At Random

Feeling vindicated and very glad software testing was a de facto part of my job as a tech writer. We got a new air conditioning (AC) controller just under 2 weeks ago to better control the temperatures and airflow in each zone. The office zone worked fine; the living area… not so much. It was way too cold early in the morning when the outside temp was <15C and way too hot if the outside temp was >25C. The living area temp was set to 22C (cool mode), but I was recording up to 6C above or below that set temp. And our summer temps haven’t kicked in yet.

I recorded data—lots of data… temps at various spots in the house, weather bureau outside temps, power usage. A pattern began to form (patterns are good—you can narrow things down with a good pattern!). The patterns showed that the office temps were fine and within tolerances, and the issue was definitely the living area. I took photos of the controller’s settings, a video of the almost non-existent air flow from the outlets in the living area, and deduced that something was wrong in the roof space—either the ductwork for the living area, or on the new ‘motherboard’ control unit installed up there. I sent all my data and deductions to the AC people on Sunday.

The bloke from the AC company came out today. We talked about many things AC-related (and I learnt a lot), but he wasn’t really convinced the issue was in the roof until he’d eliminated everything else, which he did. Next stop, the roof space. And there he found an entire piece of ducting was NOT connected to the main ductwork. He showed me photos he took up there and I wanted to fist pump the air because I KNEW that was likely one of the 2 main causes I’d already figured out.

After he reconnected it all, we immediately had lovely cool airflow into the living area. On behalf of the company, he was most apologetic, and said he would definitely be having words with the installer and the apprentice, would be bringing it up in a staff meeting, AND would supply us with another sensor (about $150) for the 3rd zone for free.