MOTORING ON: MARS Motors and Components showcased its Azure-branded Electronically Commutated Motors (ECMs) at the recent AHR Expo in Las Vegas.(Staff group photo)
From a U-shaped window air conditioner unit that prevents compressor noise and cold air from entering, to a portable dehumidifier that folds into a bucket, to using a ductless mini-split, new ideas and new ideas pay homage to 50 years of history to meet new Demand from the market, old ideas have been improved – all of which came to the fore at the MARS exhibit at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
Founded in 1946, MARS sells off-the-shelf HVACR equipment, including air conditioners, furnaces, heat pumps, mini-splits, and air handlers under the Century and Comfort-Aire brands, and also has a motor and parts division that sells some of the technology that goes into such equipment : capacitors, transformers, motors, relays, etc.This segment sells its parts to HVACR equipment manufacturers as well as to the aftermarket.
“MARS can give its distributors a shock or two,” says Glen Bowen, vice president of marketing for MARS’ equipment division. If a buyer needs an air conditioner, MARS has it, and if she or he needs an air conditioner motor, MARS has it.
The new Comfort-Aire Cube portable dehumidifier was one of the innovative products on display at the show.ENERGY STAR rated equipment folds into its own bucket for easy transport and storage.
Bowen said that while the Cube was not designed with shipping costs in mind, its compact size means it takes up less cargo space than more traditional dehumidifiers, offsetting recent increases in shipping costs that make it priced comparable to having less Older model dehumidifier with advanced features.”This is probably one of the few Cinderella stories in a supply chain crisis,” Bowen said.
The Cube is available in 20-pint, 35-pint, and 50-pint-a-day models, as well as a 50-pint-a-day model with a built-in pump.The 20-pint-a-day model has a barrel capacity of 25 pints, while the other models have a capacity of 33.8 pints.
Also old and new is the RXTS line of window air conditioners, a U-shaped Energy Star unit designed to close the windows on its chassis, leaving the compressor and its noise outside.Bowen says the design makes for a safer, more efficient installation, and the compressor starts out quieter, thanks to an inverter-driven compressor and DC fan motor.
The RXTS series is available in 8,000, 10,000 and 12,000-Btu models, the latter capable of cooling rooms up to 550 square feet.
“This product is one of our hallmarks from 1968,” Bowen said, which was updated and re-released last year.The original Comfort-Aire U-shaped air conditioning unit was manufactured by Heat Controller Inc., which MARS acquired in 2013.
Beginning in 1972, Heat Controller also pioneered ductless mini-split air conditioners under the Comfort-Aire brand in the United States, and the MARS showroom in Vegas pays homage to that history.The display includes an original model and a large photo of Heat Controller CEO James Knight working with the earlier model.
“No one has what Comfort-Aire has been doing for 50 years now,” Bowen said.”So we have a full line of ductless mini-splits, from single-zone to multi-zone and everything in between: console units, regular tall wall boxes, all types of air handlers.”
MARS’ single-zone and multi-zone mini-split VMH series, available under the Century and Comfort-Aire brands, offer up to 28-SEER, ultra-high temperature operation (down to -22°F) and smartphone connectivity for high-wall models. According to Company literature, high-wall models are designed with features that allow for quicker and easier disassembly for repairs.
The booth also showcased the MARS HRG18 series 18-SEER inverter heat pump, also available with Comfort-Aire or Century labels.Available in 3-ton and 5-ton models, the HRG18 heat pump offers aluminum alloy fin tube coil construction, inverter compressor and variable speed fan operation for durability and cutting-edge performance, the company said.
Matt Jachman is ACHR NEWS’ legislative editor.He has more than 30 years of community journalism experience and holds a BA in English from Wayne State University in Detroit.
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