Advanced Refrigeration Podcast
Two veteran refrigeration technicians share field service war stories and deep technical advice on complex commercial and industrial cooling systems.
This is a real-world, in-the-trenches podcast for high-level refrigeration techs. The hosts mix personal anecdotes about flat tires and hotel stays with extremely specific discussions about the bugs in a Danfoss EKE400 controller or the serviceability flaws of an EPR valve. It's less a structured lesson and more like listening to two senior techs debrief their chaotic work weeks, naming specific parts, frustrations with other trades, and the workarounds they used to get the job done.
“The show's defining feature is its unfiltered specificity. Unlike generic training material, the hosts openly discuss frustrations with manufacturer designs, buggy control modules, and on-site problems like mis-wired panels by electricians, providing a raw look at the trade.”
Who hosts this show
Hosted by industry experts Brett Wetzel and Kevin Compass, the Advanced Refrigeration Podcast is a technical show for HVACR professionals. The hosts share candid stories from their weeks in the field, troubleshooting complex supermarket and industrial refrigeration systems, and explaining the practical application of high-level theory. Both hosts were recognized in ACHR NEWS's "Top 40 Under 40" list in 2021.
Credentials & credits
- Commercial & Industrial Refrigeration Technician
- Manager of Technical Troubleshooting and Training at CoolSys (Brett Wetzel)
- ACHR NEWS 2021 Top 40 Under 40 (Both hosts)
- Electrical Engineering Degree (Brett Wetzel)
- CO2 Refrigeration Instructor
Other ventures
- Advanced Refrigeration: Engineering & Technical Education (Training Webinars)
What kind of podcast
- Country
- United States
- Region
- usa
When new episodes drop
- 01
- 02
- 03
- 04
- 05
- 06TekLab Compressor TK4 Oil Level Control, Kevins in Georgia Episode 521May 24, 2026 · 39 min
- 07CO2 LMP Racks Hot Gas & What The Heck Is A DTR Valve ?? Episode 520May 17, 2026 · 42 min
- 08Danfoss Mini Pack Controller Overveiw PC572, Its Friday back from Jersey Episode 519May 10, 2026 · 44 min
Notable episodes
- 01USA VS Canada Training And A 3 Time Gold Medalist For Refrigeration Episode 525
A detailed comparison of American and Canadian refrigeration apprenticeship models, framed by an interview with a three-time Skills Canada champion.
- 02Electricians CO2 Hot Gas Defrost, Danfoss EKE400 & Parts Changing Process Elimination Episode 526
A classic episode showcasing the core format: troubleshooting specific, buggy hardware (Danfoss EKE400, Husmann CoreLinks) and venting about on-site chaos caused by electricians.
- 03Parallel Compression, Oil System Differences & Bretts Flat in Bat Country Episode 524
Exemplifies the show's blend of personal travel stories (a flat tire, a weird hotel) with a highly technical analysis of parallel compression and oil system designs.
What you'll be asked on this show
When conducting interviews, the hosts use the guest's specific expertise as a lens to explore broader industry topics, such as comparing apprenticeship programs between the US and Canada. They open by highlighting the guest's credentials and ask targeted questions to understand the technical details of their craft. The style is conversational, with the hosts frequently relating the guest's experience back to their own and their audience's frame of reference.
The format is a conversational co-hosted show, often recorded remotely while the hosts are on the road for jobs. Episodes typically begin with the hosts recapping their recent field experiences, which then serve as jumping-off points for deep dives into related technical topics. While primarily a two-man show, they occasionally feature guest interviews.
Questions the host keeps coming back to
8 cataloguedIf you're going on this show as a guest, expect some version of each of these. Each note explains when the host reaches for it.
origin
1- Q.01
“Tell us a little bit about yourself.”
This is the standard opening question to establish the guest's background and role in the industry.
backstory
1- Q.01
“How long have you been doing refrigeration?”
Used to establish the guest's level of hands-on experience early in the conversation.
process
4- Q.01
“Explain what [a specific competition or organization] is and how you got involved.”
This question sets the context for a guest's specific and notable achievements.
- Q.02
“How often do you have to go back for schooling?”
Asked when comparing different training or apprenticeship models to understand their structure.
- Q.03
“How many questions are on the journeyman test and how long do you have?”
A detail-oriented question to understand the specifics of professional certification exams.
- Q.04
“Is the journeyman test open book?”
A direct follow-up to clarify the conditions of a certification exam.
craft
1- Q.01
“What did you actually have to do for the competition?”
A direct prompt to get into the technical, hands-on details of the guest's work.
future
1- Q.01
“Now that you've won, do you get to go somewhere else?”
This question seeks to understand the progression and next steps in a competitive or career path.
Signature segments
- · Weekly Field 'War Stories'
- · Deep Dives on Specific Components
- · Troubleshooting Other Trades' Mistakes
- · Opening: "Good morning everybody and welcome to Advanced Refrigeration Podcast..."
- · Rants on Poor Serviceability
Topics covered repeatedly
Who gets booked here
Guests are typically highly skilled practitioners or experts with unique achievements, such as a multi-year skills competition champion. They are brought on to provide a framework for discussing and comparing technical processes, training methodologies, or specialized systems.
- Devin Owenson USA VS Canada Training And A 3 Time Gold Medalist For Refrigeration Episode 525 Video
Where to find this show
Audience & reach
Sponsors are major B2B manufacturers of refrigeration components, including Copeland, Parker Sporlan, and Westermeyer Industries. The angle is to reach the professional technicians who make purchasing and installation decisions for these products in the field.
Subscriber and view counts are pulled live from YouTube and re-verified on a 30-day cycle. Listener estimates for the RSS feed aren't published here unless they're host-verified.
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People also ask
- Who are the hosts of the Advanced Refrigeration Podcast?
- The hosts are Brett Wetzel and Kevin Compass, two experienced commercial and industrial refrigeration technicians.
- What is the format of the podcast?
- It's a weekly conversational show where the hosts discuss their recent field experiences, troubleshoot technical problems, and occasionally interview expert guests.
- Is this podcast for beginners?
- No, the content is aimed at experienced HVACR professionals who work on complex commercial systems like supermarket racks.
- Is the podcast still running?
- Yes, it is an active podcast that releases episodes on a weekly basis.
- Where can I listen to the podcast?
- The podcast is available on YouTube and major podcasting platforms like Apple Podcasts.
- Do the hosts offer training?
- Yes, through their website, they offer paid training webinars on topics like CO2 refrigeration, case diagnostics, and energy management systems.
Built from the show's public RSS feed, YouTube, the host's own websites, and the cited sources below. Computed and AI-extracted fields are labelled. Facts only — no private info, no fabrication, no transcripts republished.
Sources & how this page was built
This page is AI-assisted, grounded in the public sources cited below, and host-verifiable. We publish facts only; we do not republish transcripts. If anything here is wrong, the host can claim and correct the page above.Model: gemini-2.5-pro · high confidence
- [01]Advanced Refrigeration Podcast Official Websiteadvancedrefrigerationpodcast.com
- [02]Advanced Refrigeration Podcast on Apple Podcastspodcasts.apple.com
- [03]In The News | Advanced Refrigeration Podcastadvancedrefrigerationpodcast.com
- [04]Training | Advanced Refrigeration Podcastadvancedrefrigerationpodcast.com
- [05]From Adversity to Innovation: Brett Wetzel's Drive Fuels the Future of Refrigerationachrnews.com
- [06]From Resi Tech to Industry Leading Refrigeration Trainer w/ Brett Wetzel - HVAC Schoolhvacrschool.com
- [07]Kevin Compass Archives - HVAC Schoolhvacrschool.com
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