Product News

Fast Trak, a prefabricated trapeze suspension solution consisting of vertical tracks and horizontal brackets, brings great speed of installation to the jobsite, and has become an important tool in driving efficiencies on installations throughout the US.

“Our Fast Trak system supports the modern‐day construction sector and its drive to use products that are efficient, safe for both installers and ongoing maintenance teams, and have a fast, straightforward installation process,” said Mark Kimberley, Construction Product Manager at Gripple. “Fast Trak helps MEP contractors and installers deliver their portion of the project to agreed timescales and budgets. In fact, because of the ease and accessibility of the system, many projects have been able to continue efficiently, even with staffing challenges. Also, tool free height adjustments can be made with ease, allowing contractors to complete installations faster compared to more traditional rod and strut methods of suspension.”

The Fast Trak Bracket comes in stocked sizes from 9 inches to 61 inches, has attachment points on all 4 faces, and can be suspended from the tracks in any of those 4 orientations. The bracket is also compatible with traditional strut accessories, as well as Gripple’s quick‐twist accessories. But the main feature of the bracket is the push‐button latch at both ends, that allows the bracket
to slide up and down the tracks without the need for tools.

The ladder‐style tracks come in 8 inch to 59 inch lengths, allow the Fast Trak brackets to be installed in 3/8” increments along the track, and also enable the double‐tiering of brackets, to increase the number of services per run. When the installation is finished, excess tracks can be bent under the bracket or snapped off, providing a neat and tidy finish with minimal to zero waste, all while delivering rigidity and high load ratings.

Fast Trak is UL 2239 listed, with load ratings of up to 440 lbs per trapeze for Electrical applications. Fast Trak is also ICC‐ESR‐4622 and IAPMO approved and MFMA compliant, with load ratings up to 650 lbs per trapeze for Mechanical applications.

“Fast Trak has proven to be a straightforward yet ingenious solution for suspending electrical containment, mechanical piping, plumbing, ductwork, and mechanical services in an efficient, safe, and reliable way,” said Mark. “The fact that it continues to deliver efficiencies in so many ways make it a hugely attractive product for contractors who are keen to manage costs and
resources effectively and deliver an MEP system that is truly fit for modern construction projects.”

Manufactured by Gripple, Fast Trak is a zero‐waste product which consists of metal tracks and strut‐like brackets which arrive on site in pre‐cut lengths, offering total embodied CO2 savings.

To find out more visit www.gripple.com

All-in-one pre-assembled package delivers shorter lead times and installation savings, meets competitive and growing market demand for turnkey solutions

In response to evolving customer needs for pre-assembled, pre-packaged solutions that save time and labor, Bell & Gossett, a Xylem brand, is expanding its world-class portfolio with the introduction of the TECHNOFORCETM HVAC Package System. A turnkey, all-in-one HVAC stock skid system ready for immediate installation in commercial HVAC and pressure booster applications, the addition of the HVAC package system represents a competitive addition to the Bell & Gossett portfolio and joins the growing HVAC skid market – all with a higher capacity skid range. Offered in 40 pre-configured standard stocked models that come fully assembled, the package system is designed as a complete solution that can accelerate the ordering process and provide peace of mind with shorter lead times.

“As Bell & Gossett expands our roster of products within our Building Better platform, we are carving a niche with our customers as a holistic solutions provider, which means continually finding new ways to streamline our customer’s installation process and deliver cost savings,” said James Wilkinson, product manager, packaged systems, Xylem. “The TECHNOFORCE HVAC Package System is a prime example of Bell & Gossett’s dedication to offering comprehensive solutions and anticipating the needs of our customers now and into the future.”

Consisting of two to three e-1531 pumps, valves and control drives, most models will fit through a standard 36-inch doorway, making them ideal for retrofit or new construction build opportunities. With higher flow capacities in a smaller footprint using end suction pumps, and ready for hookup upon arrival to a single-point electrical and mechanical connection, the HVAC package system presents a more cost-effective and streamlined solution than other market counterparts. Flow ranges from approximately 200 to 3,400 GPM, designed to meet most HVAC heating and cooling requirements with flow split options ensuring system redundancy. This robust construction turnkey solution is furthermore equipped with sensorless system control, stainless steel grooved manifolds and optional flanges to simplify installation. Other key benefits include:

• Ideal for use in high-rises, office buildings, sports arenas, schools, hospitals and other industrial applications.
• Constructed of up to three pumps capable of delivering water to the required heights; driver and pump failure protection help keep the system running.
• Each preprogrammed station fully tested for flow and pressure up to 175 PSI boost for trusted performance.
• BMS communication saves time by providing system performance data remotely.
• The 5.7” LED color touchscreen interface provides smoother navigation of the system on a single intuitive screen, including a trending log that covers power, pressure, set point, speed and flow.

As an industry leader, the addition of the HVAC package provides a complete solution for customers by combining existing Bell & Gossett products with new HVAC capabilities. The TECHNOFORCETM HVAC Package System is currently available at ESP-SystemwizeTM. For additional information or assistance with a quote, please contact your local Bell & Gossett representative at bellgossett.com/findarep.

To learn more about Bell & Gossett’s Building Better platform and its commitment to comprehensive service solutions addressing the full scope of modern commercial building challenges, visit bellgossett.com/buildingbetter.

For more information about Bell & Gossett products, visit bellgossett.com.

The latest stud finder design virtually eliminates false positives with multiple sensors and high-tech signal processing

Plumbers are responsible for many tasks such as installing, repairing, and maintaining pipes, valves, fixtures, fittings, and drainage systems. To work safely and productively, plumbing contractors need as accurate a picture as possible of everything in the wall. Expediting plumbing work while minimizing costly mistakes, the stud finder is deemed an essential tool.

Plumbing contractors have long utilized stud finders with a design based on unrefined capacitive technology. While this technology can indicate the location of wood stud framing, it also discovers metal, plastic, wiring, and other objects in walls just as easily. Furthermore, constantly active, hypersensitive “deep scanning” models further increase the potential for “false positives” – objects mistakenly identified as studs. The result is that traditional stud finders frequently chirp or flash LED lights to indicate something was sensed, but it is not clear what that is.

Today, the challenge of quickly and accurately assessing what is within walls is only increasing. There is more behind the drywall than ever, including network cabling, plastic pipes, and tubing. Complicating matters, not all construction follows standard stud spacing practices of 16 inches or 24 inches on-center, and there are often additional support beams, fire blocks, and other framing features that can further muddy the picture.

In addition, piping may change directions to avoid studs, wiring, and other obstructions. Plumbing location also varies depending on the home’s style and layout.

Now, newer, and more refined technology is being introduced to the popular stud finder category, and it promises to redefine the standards for stud finder performance. The next generation “intelligent” models incorporate multiple sensors and sophisticated signal processing technology to alert the presence of false positives. Using a sophisticated, selectable deeper scan mode, the technology can also be used to quickly identify metal pipes and even plastic pipes or PEX tubing behind the walls when this is desired.

For professional plumbing contractors, this innovative technology will provide a more accurate representation of what is behind the drywall.

Increasing Plumbers’ Productivity and Profitability

For plumbers, maximizing their work efficiency and profitability involves knowing as clearly as possible what is inside a wall before cutting into it. They do not want to create damage. They want to reduce the risk of costly mistakes that need to be repaired.

To work safely and productively, plumbers typically rely on stud finders to accurately find the studs within a wall. This can be important to support long pipe runs and heavy fixtures. Plumbers also need to avoid wood studs, since most of the work involves remodeling rather than new construction.

Finding the voids between studs is necessary to quickly assess how much room there is within the wall space to reroute pipe or mount a new fixture. When remodeling a kitchen or bathroom, it can be particularly important to understand if the studs are plumb, or whether fire blocking runs horizontally.

To better address these needs, plumbers now can use advanced, second-generation stud finders like a new unit by Zircon Corporation that utilizes multiple sensors and sophisticated signal processing to filter out false positives.

Zircon, a wholly owned subsidiary of ZRCN Inc., has been in the stud finder game for more than 40 years. In 1980, the company manufactured the original StudSensor™ stud finder and invented the category. The Silicon Valley-based company produces more than just stud finders. They design and manufacture an extended range of sensor technologies in electronic hand tools including wall scanners, metal detectors, circuit breaker finders, drill guides, water detectors, and leveling tools.

The company’s latest innovation is the Wood Stud SuperScan® advanced stud finder with Target Control® Technology and FILTERz™ cancellation. By analyzing the complex data streams from multiple sensors and controlling the result using sophisticated intelligence, the stud finder can find wood studs and filter out metallic objects such as plumbing, conduit, straps, brackets, screws, protector plates, or ductwork in the wall.

DeepScan^® mode locates the center of wood studs and metal up to 1½ inches (38 mm) deep within walls. A MetalliWarning® indicator will display when metal is detected.

Additionally, the technology can alert the user to the presence of other low density, non-metallic targets, like plastic pipe and PEX tubing. To prevent cutting into dangerous electrical wires, the device also provides WireWarning^® Detection, which indicates the presence of live, unshielded AC electricity.

The stud finder has a new and improved user interface that provides an intuitive “go/no go” indication in response to what is being sensed. A new haptic vibration and a patented SpotLite^® Pointer that shines an arrow-shaped beam on the wall.

For plumbers, the ability to quickly identify what is inside the wall before cutting into it will substantially increase their productivity and safety.

Given the opportunity to see a much clearer picture of what is in the wall, plumbers would do well to upgrade their existing stud finder with an affordable, next-generation model that is sure to become the new standard in scanning.

For more information, call Zircon Corporation at (408) 963-4550, e-mail: info@zircon.com, or visit www.zircon.com

Earlier this year, Carrier debuted its patent pending InteliSense^TM Technology – an industry first for fully connected, digitally-enabled lifecycle solutions and advanced smart technology in HVAC. As of July, units are shipping to homes with Carrier’s latest product launch, the fully redesigned, 2023-compliant Performance™ Series gas furnaces, with fan coils, heat pumps and air conditioners slated for later in the year to complete the full suite. Carrier is part of Carrier Global Corporation (NYSE: CARR), global leader in intelligent climate and energy solutions.

Available exclusively on the Carrier Performance Series, InteliSense gives dealers and homeowners the power of remote diagnostics and real-time updates for a truly smart choice in HVAC. Cutting-edge sensors in the units communicate with the full system via the ecobee for Carrier Smart Thermostat, store that data in the privacy-protected Carrier cloud, and deliver it remotely to a Carrier expert, making troubleshooting and maintenance easier, quicker and more accurate. Dealers will know when an issue arises and what parts are needed to fix it before stepping foot on a property, saving time and money on repeat service calls.

“Homeowners and dealers want servicing calls done fast, efficiently and right the first time,” said Justin Keppy, President, NA Residential and Light Commercial HVAC, Carrier. “InteliSense Technology means less downtime at home, less time waiting on parts, and more time enjoying the premium comfort and energy-savings associated with Carrier products. The future of smart HVAC is here and changing the way we help keep customers comfortable.”

For more information, visit https://www.carrier.com/residential/en/us/.