I've been an HVAC Tech for 20 years and the Trane XL1800 was made extremely well. I will run into them every once in a blue moon and i'm always happy to see them. It goes to show you how durable they are when homeowners ignore yearly maintenance's. The original run capacitor lasted for almost 20 years. You're lucky today to see a run capacitor last more then 5 years...especially the ones made from China. Those usually last about 1-2 years. That condenser coil was ridiculous. These people are lucky that they had you show up that day. Most techs would've tried to get a sale. Good job. Nice video!
You just need to ditch the compressor covers. They will rust out the compressor roto-locks, and even corrode sweat in compressor connections. More harm than good
Martin Leonard : if you’re a technician of any sort your primary objective is to trouble shoot and repair. The field is currently flooded with “would be” techs who throw parts (usually whole units) at a problem and it’s disgusting. I am a combustion tech but help absolutely everyone I can with their HVAC issues at the cost of parts because I see people stating “you’re gonna need a new unit” all too often. He did a great job as a REAL technician.
90% would have condemned that one. I might have myself if I was pushed for time & had other calls to get to. I was actually standing beside a 2-stage Am. Standard package heat pump, with the home owner, when the crankcase heater blew one time. Made a god-awful electrical noise and then came a trail of smoke out of the top of the fan grill. We looked at each other and I said...."I sure hope that wasn't one of your compressors." So he got lucky that day. I bypassed it just like Ted did. In our climate he can get by without it.
Like I said in another video a true gentleman and professional. 👍Fixing and servicing what needs to be done! No up-sell, no scamming, no bull shit! ☝️👍
This is the kind of tech I want to be and strive to be. I hate when companies force you to upsell every little thing. I refuse to do it. I only fox what's needs to be fixed, if I see something that warrants attention I let them know and that's that.
You really take pride in your work. Instead of being an A/C salesmen with tools like everyone else, you are a proficient technician that doesn't stop until he figures out what's wrong. That's so rare these days. Good on you sir
I have a Trane XL 1400 that I put in a good 22 years ago and it’s still working like a champ. When I put it in, the standard was 10 seer and the HVAC company thought I was nuts. Before I bought the unit, I spoke to the electric utility company and they said to buy the biggest one I could afford. You will get the payback. So I did and I did! It’s nice and cool inside today and 91 outside. Case closed. Never regretted buying this beast.
We've got a Whirlpool AC sold by Sears, installed in 1988. 2 ton unit, never been serviced except for me oiling the Cond. fan motor and cleaning out every spring. Still running well. I was bragging on it to a service man who was going to fix our Frig. He said " those old vintage units run forever. Sometimes. This is 32 years.
As someone who has both Built, Installed and serviced Trane 2 stage home units. I am amazed at the condition of this unit. The buildup of debris and the location astounds me that it hasn't had issues before. This old girl deserved to try to live another 20 years.
ckhallock88 At least once a year. I live in Fort Worth Tx and my ac company comes out every 6 months to service my system. My system works like a champ!
I just this year pulled out a 5 ton Goodman that I ran in southern calif for 30 years. Of course I replaced it with another reliable goodman. I also had another Goodman that was still running when I sold the property, 40 years old.
I remember 20 years ago when we were installing these units that people were saying that the units we were replacing then were built like tanks and they don’t make them like they used too.
I have the same unit in my house in South Florida, running daily. It is 18 years old and well maintained, I keep it clean and just this month we discovered a small gas leak. Great unit!
"Anti diy". There is a reason people DIY. Never had a tech actually diagnose. Most just take the lid off to look official, maybe even flip a breaker, shrug their shoulders and say the compressor is dead. "Its 13 years old so past life expectancy. Here is a $6000 quote for replacement and a $150 bill for my time spent on this cover".
HVAC guys try to keep the industry shadowed and "Difficult". Its really not hard to service your own equipment. Gauge sets are cheap and with a quick how to anyone can check pressure, and superheat. But for now they are loving the monopoly and they charge accordingly. This guy is one of the few that actually seems to know the whole machine, not just the few things he read in a manual.
@@joepayton3646 I love it when customers check their own gases. Then the Schrader valve leaks out all the gas. Or they overfill it killing the compressor. Or they add a bunch of gas only to leak out in a few days. Or it keeps leaking out slow killing the compressor because it overheats
It's why I have all my HVAC gear and took some classes. They charged me 500$ to charge 4lbs of 410a and to tell me there's a leak. It'd be 600$ to initiate a recovery and nitro fill to go leak hunting. The unit is 9 years old and SPOTLESS. Useless pricks.
My house has a Trane 1200XL condenser that was built in 1989 and still going strong. 31 years old! I live in New England and the AC is used for only four months of the year.
I have an old International Comfort unit installed May '92. Still going strong 28 years later. Zero maintenance until this year (cleaned out the A frame coil, washed down outside coil).
Great video. Always very interesting to me to watch someone who is a master of their craft. I just had a 4 ton Trane XR 13 central air conditioner unit (13 seer) and a S9X1 90,000 BTU gas furnace. Spent a pretty penny (so I think) at just about $8,000 for both units installed and that wasn't an equipment swap... that included running new gas lines, a bit of new duct work to plumb the new furnace in the basement while the old one was upstairs, the electrical. Not bad I think. I'm just hoping to get 10+ years without any major expenses. I'd be tickled pink to make it 20. I've heard Trane is now an Ingersoll brand. Both very reputable, and from what I've researched they are top tier expense but top tier reliability as well.
Knock on wood, I installed one of these in 1999, and have maintained it myself. About 8 years into it's life, the same thing happened to my unit. It was covered under warranty, and the local dealer replaced the heater. Then, just a few years ago the Black Start Cap went bad, caused the breaker to trip when the 5 ton compressor tried to start, so I replaced all of the Cap's which fixed that problem. About a year later I replaced both of the Contactors because they were just getting old. They both still worked fine, and I resistance checked the coils and the contactors and compared them to the new ones, and they still test virtually identical. so I stuck them on the shelf just in case I need one down the road. I have removed the covers and done thorough cleanings on it twice in 22 years (It really doesn't get dirty down here in Florida where it is installed). I'll probably pull the covers on it this year and give it a good cleaning again. I did notice that the suction line does not sweat as readily as it once did when it was new, so I suspect it may be a little low on R22. I have a friend in the AC business that can recharge it for me, but he said he has not done a heat pump with two compressors before and didn't know if there was anything special that had to be done when testing and charging it. I suspect as long as it is running in High Speed Mode, it would be tested and charged like any other unit. It has a 2.5 ton and a 5 ton compressor in it, and only one at a time runs, so not sure what to tell him about that. Hopefully I can keep this unit running for another 10 years!!! (Yes I know R22 is expensive, but still much cheaper than a new unit today if you can even find one.) Thanks in advance for any insight into topping off this unit with refrigerant. It does use a TXV, and the label on the condenser unit calls for Sub Cooling to be 10 which is pretty common. Any insight into the charging process would be appreciated. Love your videos, keep up the great work!!
You got a love the old try and crank case heaters. I find a lot of them failed after I clean the coil on a maintenance then it pops the breaker. Old school diagnostics. Great job Ted
That’s a good unit right there. Hardly any airflow through the coils for a long period of time. Very surprised the compressor was good. High limit works I guess. Good job sir
That’s when Trane built them like a Trane, now they’re piecing them together like the rest of the brands. I seen a new trane unit the other day a d looked down and was shocked to see a Copeland scroll compressor in it instead of seeing orange
Not only it proves that the unit ran great for that time but it also says alot of how it was installed. Both play a high role in the life span of a system. Great video. Thanks for sharing.
Ray Ray the installation is the most important day of a systems life. Use nitrogen when soldering replace the line set every time. Deep vacuum and take the required time to do a proper commission of the system. Including static before and after the installation. Many undersized duct systems in Florida as well as oversized equipment because the last guy went up a 1/2 ton on a already oversized unit. Always do a heat load. We require a heat load on every sales call as well as pictures of the duct system.
These older Trane units, in my experience, are solid. I found one just like this in worse condition. It looked like the condenser was growing out of the ground. It belong to one of the salesman in our company. Washed it completely off and did a once over and it ran like a champ. You won't get this type of build anymore.
There's no telling how long that run cap has been blown. I've found so many old tranes With a hard start kit that had blown run caps. Tough old units! I've never seen one of those older 18 seer tranes myself, but then again, I work for a lennox dealer. Great job!
I bought an XL19i back in 2004 and it hasn't been exactly problem free, but here in south Florida it's tough expect that from any unit. I found this video very informative, thanks.
I appreciate your honest work. I've been a technician for 8 years and the company I currently work for would never allow me to make the repair. I'm basically a sales person instead of a tech and I hate it.
I pulled a GE (Trane) 3 ton back in the mid 90s with a rotoloc compressor. I installed it in my grandmother’s house, and it was running when I installed mini splits last year. That one is probably close to 40 years old. Only failure was a capacitor.
We have a Trane XL 1200 2 ton unit that was made in Oct. 1993. It has been in since April of 1994 and is still going strong. Blowing ice cold as we speak. Like you said they made them like tanks!
For 20 years old the unit itself looks fantastic, very well-made nothing made today will last that long and look that good, plus was without any maintenance.
I really like those old trane xl units, ive only seen one of those 1800s, still have a lot of xl1200s and 1400s running out here in the pacific northwest. Tough old units
Those XL model tranes last forever...I Remember working on 2 of those 18 seer units in my 15 year career. I Wish trane still made units like the Xl. I would probably be installing Trane instead of Carrier if they did.
God I hate carrier! Our HVAC contractor installed two 10 ton carrier package units at one of our tower sites. They replaced two 1999 build date York package units. The new carriers have only been running 5 months and have been worked on 6 times. They are made in Mexico junk now!!!!!
I just replaced my XL 1800 3ton that was installed in 2000 with a Carrier. The condenser and evaporator coil was still good but my Trane furnace needed replaced. While I miss the Trane, I just couldn’t pass on the deal my from neighbor whom works for my local Carrier distribution. I got everything at cost. With the help of my Brother in-law that is a license installer I saved a lot of money. Hopefully this scroll compressor and carrier system holds up as good as my Trane did. I also had this exact problem my brother in-law fix with my unit about 3 years ago. Looks to be a known defect in these units.
Lol Lenox units, I had two propane ones and a smaller electric heat pump. Never had a tech come out in 18 years until the one died. But we had to replace the caps in those at least every 18 months before they blow. That and the outdoor condenser units are loud as hell after the first few years. Had a carrier put in almost 2 years ago and it is great,
@@rgj5832 As a technician, every brand is the same anymore. All the new systems have constant problems no matter what brand you put in. 6 times in 5 months is excessive though. That sounds to me like it's either a lemon system or your installer didn't do the job right.
I’m in school for hvac and am working with a guy doing hvac and I’m learning a lot from your videos and the guy I work with because nothing is hands on because of corona
Those old units amaze me. Sold 2 houses 2 years ago. One had a 24 year old Heil and another had a 20 year old Trane XL 1000i. Both still running great. On our new house we just replaced a pair of 20 year old Goodmans (DAMN THEY ARE L O U D!!) with a pair of 20 seer Lennox. Aug AC bill dropped from $590 to $320 with an average temp 2-3 degrees higher.
Good call on cleaning the coil . Afterwords I just did mine I bought two cans of coil cleaner & mine had lot of debris that came out . I took note after I finished up & put back together & fired it up huge improvement. Not to mention it helps extend the life of your unit . & avoid costly repairs. Yes they can get pricey to replace . Maintenance is best way to go . Also helps cut your electric bill & improve the performance. I went to Lowes & got the coil cleaner . It was around $8.00 a can . Which is small price to pay vs replacing a unit . Also be sure to check the furnace filter as well . It’s hard to stop a trane . For a 20 yr old unit I’d say that’s a tank . I have a York unit that put in 2012 & to this very day no issues . All ever done was kept the coil clean . Still going 💪
Yeah some of those Trane and Rheem units were pretty unstoppable. My Parents had an 31 year old Sears Unit. Still ran but I had surprised them by installing a new 2 stage natural gas furnace and 14 SEER a/c along with Honeywell filter box and auto humidifier while they were on vacation. Have a good one. 👍
I did A/C in Phoenix for 20 years an we sold ONLY American Standard and Trane. When I started out, 12 SEER was the newest fangled units available and they worked great. THEN cane the 14 SEER with the DC compressor, variable speed with a variable speed furnace/air handler. NO ONE wanted to work on them because of the DC and they were scared. I went to EVERY tech training class they offered and when I took the 14 SEER class, the instructor showed us exactly how to troubleshoot SAFELY. Piece of cake, so I got all of the calls for these and had at least 2 VERY ANGRY customers that wanted those POS out of their house. No problem I would tell them, please go get me a cold glass of water. By the time they came back out, the unit was purring like a kitten and the customer couldn't believe it. We had one customer with 5 of them on his McMansion and his neighbor just installed 5 new 16 SEERS on HIS house, so in keeping up with the Jones' HE had to have the 16 SEERS. His units were only 4 or 5 years old, so replace them we did. I got 4 that I drug home and bought a new variable speed furnace and hooked it up. The condenser was right outside my bedroom and I never heard it run. Electric bills dropped significantly and we sold quite a few of the 16's before I had enough of 160 degree attics, crawling from one end of the house all the way across the attic to service air handlers and furnaces. The contractors don't give a rats ass, just slap 'em up and go. The WORST were the 2 story houses with a roof pitch like a black diamond hill and the package unit perched all the way on top, as close to the edge as possible. And I always seemed to get those calls. I had talked to a contractor while picking up parts and asked him why they put the units is such a miserable, hard to get to place. He said "just to make your lives miserable". I was on the tail end of 14 days straight, 16 plus hour days so I hit him as hard as I could and knocked his ass to the ground. Everyone in the parts store applauded. AND the customers who's A/C went out on a Wednesday and they wait until Saturday at 2 AM and DEMAND immediate service. So I drive out there and by asking a few "innocent" questions, they fess up that it's been out since Wednesday and momma ain't putting out until the A/C gets fixed. About that time I advise them it would be cheaper to spent the night at a motel verses me fixing it at 3 o'clock on a Saturday morning. They didn't believe me, so I fixed the unit and gave them a WHOPPER of a bill. I cautioned them that if their check bounced or credit card got declined, they would hear the pitter patter of little feetsteps on their roof and their A/C would slowly whine to a dead stop and it would take another tech several HOURS to figure out what I did and correct it. My boss was not happy when I turned in my invoices for the weekend until I told him the story. Needless to say, the check cleared. I finally had enough after I fell off a guys roof (he had painted his driveway for some unknown reason and I put my ladder up to the fake wall above the garage, thinking it was block with a stucco covering. As I climbed up and laid my drill gun and tool bag on the wall, the ladder kicked out and down I went. After the stars cleared, I could wiggle my toes and move my legs and looked at the ladder and realized how lucky I was that I didn't get one leg caught in the rung. THAT would have sucked. As it was I landed on my right side where my keys, wallet, radio and pocket full of assorted things you accumulate in a days work. I crawled over to my radio and called the shop to have the homeowner to come out as I fell off his roof. As I laid there looking up, I realized the stucco was covering chicken wire and insulation so when the ladder kicked out, it gouged the stucco. The homeowner came out and all he was concerned with was that I had kicked the door on the way down and marked it with my boot.. I should have been a dick and made him call EMS, but didn't, so as I am picking up my stuff he says "Are you going to fix my unit or not?" So I did a good customer service and fixed his unit and went to the ER. The nurse took a double look when I took off my shirt and was already bruising. By the next morning I was purple from my nave to the middle of my back. I went into hotel maintenance shortly there after. Good luck out there and be safe.
I've got one of these and the same thing happened to me a few years back. Crank case heater wires burned out tripped breaker. Mine is from 1996 still going strong! *Fingers crossed*
Wish I had this gent in my neck of the woods. He knows his stuff and he has the owners interest in mind versus his pay. Hard to find the best that doesn't worry about making all the money.
I live in My duplex (since I bought in 1984) that has two (2) original 1972 Amana Air command HVAC units. I've replaced 1 fan and 1 capacitor and repaired two melted wires and both compressor heaters still work. I recharged them for the first time this year (2020) with a jug of R22 I've had for 30 years. Simple is best.
Hey Ted, this would be a good video for the young kids who are just starting to get their feet wet in the business. Very good job of explaining the 18 seer unit. I'm sure that there are quite a few of them out there earning their keep. I am retired after 37 yrs., enjoy watching your vids.
Our house has an ArcoAire A/C unit from February 1991 that is still purring along nicely. It just had it's condenser fan motor(original to this unit) replaced a few weeks ago.
James Bowie The Internet is putting service men out of work. There’s so much knowledge available on the internet that if you put your mind to it, you can do just about anything yourself nowadays. Replacing a capacitor, cleaning the coils that stuff is easy. The refrigerant requires a licensed technician but most stuff can be learned by watching some professionals on UA-cam.
@@acereport8939 I love it when people do their own work. I have more things to repair. You wouldn't believe how many service calls I go on because the customer put in their own thermostat and either blew the low voltage circuit or they didn't program the thermostat to match their system. Sometimes it runs the electric heaters with the AC if not programmed correctly. I usually get the call after they get their $700 light bill. Many capacitors will still start the compressor but is still bad causing the compressor to run too slowly. I've never seen a home owner with a capacitor tester. Same thing happens to the fans motors too.
@@acereport8939 There were plenty of repair books and manuals for anyone technically minded enough to do basic operations to keep em running before the internet existed. Cheap people have always found a way.
Great video. great job finding the problem I was a hvac helper for 2 years and i seen alot of dirty units , i mean dirty. That one fits with all the rest ive seen. People dont think its a big deal to keep them clean.BUT IT IS ! Clean is the lifeline of a ac unit. If it cant breathe it cant do what its suppose to. Ive seen coils and filters caked with crap and they wonder why it wont work 😕😂😂
I’ve had breakers trip just from bad run caps. I think there’s a direct link between dirty coils and blown capacitors. Every time I encounter a bad cap, I also have to wash the coil. The higher amp draw of the dirty coil causes them to fail. Good call on the crankcase heaters. Down in your neck of the woods they’re not entirely necessary.
Ironically I came across your channel while attempting some DIY HVAC, the combination of your videos and not wanting to die trying to fix that hack job our home inspector failed to mention (blower motor is covered in wires and yellow duct tape among other issues, provide an email and I'll send you the pics) I decided against it. Got a 16 SEER 5 ton Trane unit being installed next week, I've heard you and other techs comment about oversized units not being a good idea, from my research a 5 ton is appropriate for a 3694 sq. foot home in Texas. Thanks for helping me make a decision and keep up the good work.
Good diagnosis. I have found the same issue with the older training units everything is running great but the crank case heater shorts out most crank case heaters on older systems are usually burnt out and you don’t even know it so I don’t even have an issue not running it without it that older model XL train and the TTX units were Bullet proof Good job on the cleaning as well like your videos keep up the great work
its sad to see that with new equipment so much effort is put into design for future failure. The grommet where the wires pass through the cabinite show a commitment to a better produce as well as the lifespan without breakdowns. This unit would have been an upsell or replacement with a lot of companies. I appreciate the content of your videos, the good the bad and the ugly and not hiding your mistakes and most no cursing or swearing. Thank you!
I had an evaporator coil that nasty the other day. Got really creative to get that thing clean. The thermostat I had in my house for 15 years is communicating thermostat with a sensor you can have the remote sensor in another room with the thermostat and it would average the temperatures out in the house. Worked very well for 15 years until II swapped in Nest
I remember those things being expensive (enough that no one bought them). I guess with two separate compressors and a double layer coil we can see why. I’ve seen guys in the field do it, but my instructors always told us not to push contactors in by hand-acted like that was a huge safety thing.
Yeah you can get burnt by arc if load side is shorted out and the contact action dissipates the energy before breaker engages. Long insulated electrician's screwdriver is okay for this. I would never stick my finger in there ever! Especially when grounded compressor was suspected like in the video.
My gosh I bet the head pressure was through the roof from those dirty coils and thank you for cleaning the coils like someone that lives in the real world. These guys I see splitting the coils apart and tearing the unit down are just killing the time clock.
Thank you for that now I know what that sound is now. I always thought that arcing sound was coming from inside the compressor. No telling how many compressors I’ve condemned because of not understanding that.
I just love the side discharge. Makes a lot of sense to protect internal parts from sun and water. I bet the companies don’t use só you need to replace parts more often.
I have a xl1200 26 years old and this year was the first time I had it serviced. Herm wire on the run capacitor burnt up but other then that still ticking. Can’t stop a trane as they say..
Bo Taylor old ones had nasty chemicals in them it was rare to find failed one. PCB I believe the same people in Pam bay Florida that makes the turbo caps gives a 5 year parts warranties on there capacitors. They cost more but are made in Florida.
Is it just me or is Jeff Sessions running service calls on HVAC now? LOL! This gentleman is a solid competent technician. Figures out the problem and corrects it.
That XL-1800 was the last of the good ones. The XL-1400 was a good simple unit as well. Im certified by Trane as a comfort specialist going on 25 years.
Since there is so much talk on this thread about DIY vs. fair charges from knowledgeable technicians I have a question. I've been a DIYer for decades due to having shallow pockets. I recently decided to call a well known company re an HVAC defrost issue. They recommended replacing a capacitor. The quote was $189 for the part and $199 for the labor. I bought the cap myself for $10 and it took me 20 min. to replace it - I'm guessing a trained person would have taken 10 min. Is this kind of pricing normal in the industry? It sure didn't make me want to give up DIYing.
If you hit the coil completely with water then foam it the foam will be alot more effective. The water activates the acid. Love the videos, keep grinding
Wow these people living a bit on the edge. No maintenance on a 20+ year AC unit and they drive a Mazda RX-8!!
Could you imagine your A/C condenser outlasting 4 whole RX-8 engines
Anthony S Anaya 🤣🤣🤣
I was thinking the same thing :D
Lmaooo
rotarys are actually very reliable if you treat it right, and its hard to stop a trane.
I've been an HVAC Tech for 20 years and the Trane XL1800 was made extremely well. I will run into them every once in a blue moon and i'm always happy to see them. It goes to show you how durable they are when homeowners ignore yearly maintenance's. The original run capacitor lasted for almost 20 years. You're lucky today to see a run capacitor last more then 5 years...especially the ones made from China. Those usually last about 1-2 years. That condenser coil was ridiculous. These people are lucky that they had you show up that day. Most techs would've tried to get a sale. Good job. Nice video!
You just need to ditch the compressor covers. They will rust out the compressor roto-locks, and even corrode sweat in compressor connections. More harm than good
Great job on finding the burnt wire most techs would’ve condemned that unit.
Martin Leonard : if you’re a technician of any sort your primary objective is to trouble shoot and repair. The field is currently flooded with “would be” techs who throw parts (usually whole units) at a problem and it’s disgusting. I am a combustion tech but help absolutely everyone I can with their HVAC issues at the cost of parts because I see people stating “you’re gonna need a new unit” all too often. He did a great job as a REAL technician.
Really?
Martin Leonard “condemned, sorry it’s out of warranty. We can quote you for a nice 18 SEER Carrier or Lennox.”
Dishonest tech yes, but shorted crank case heaters are common on old Tranes. First thing I look for when the breaker trips out immediately.
90% would have condemned that one. I might have myself if I was pushed for time & had other calls to get to. I was actually standing beside a 2-stage Am. Standard package heat pump, with the home owner, when the crankcase heater blew one time. Made a god-awful electrical noise and then came a trail of smoke out of the top of the fan grill. We looked at each other and I said...."I sure hope that wasn't one of your compressors." So he got lucky that day. I bypassed it just like Ted did. In our climate he can get by without it.
Like I said in another video a true gentleman and professional. 👍Fixing and servicing what needs to be done! No up-sell, no scamming, no bull shit! ☝️👍
This is the kind of tech I want to be and strive to be. I hate when companies force you to upsell every little thing. I refuse to do it. I only fox what's needs to be fixed, if I see something that warrants attention I let them know and that's that.
But forgot to clean the evaporator coil. It's almost always ten times more dirty
They spent all that money on high efficiency unit just to kill half its efficiency by not cleaning it
Jenthe Huysmans how does it feel to get all those views on that one navy video. Crazy lmao
Thats the point. Like audiophiles .... they get the more expensive audio system in the world, and never treat the rooms !!!!
@Lord Ball-sac the 2nd no alternative, gotta remove the heat to somewhere, best place is outdoors
Exactly
First time that unit has delivered 18 seer in maybe 15 years. Nice work
You really take pride in your work. Instead of being an A/C salesmen with tools like everyone else, you are a proficient technician that doesn't stop until he figures out what's wrong. That's so rare these days. Good on you sir
4:12 “one little rubber cap will save you a lot of trouble” there goes little rubber caps saving the day again
I have a Trane XL 1400 that I put in a good 22 years ago and it’s still working like a champ. When I put it in, the standard was 10 seer and the HVAC company thought I was nuts. Before I bought the unit, I spoke to the electric utility company and they said to buy the biggest one I could afford. You will get the payback. So I did and I did! It’s nice and cool inside today and 91 outside. Case closed. Never regretted buying this beast.
We've got a Whirlpool AC sold by Sears, installed in 1988. 2 ton unit, never been serviced except for me oiling the Cond. fan motor and cleaning out every spring. Still running well. I was bragging on it to a service man who was going to fix our Frig. He said " those old vintage units run forever. Sometimes. This is 32 years.
How much was it
Ted you do a hell of a job great to see an honest repair man keep up the good work
I aspire to be a great technician like this gentleman. I'm 19 years old and fresh to the trade and these videos have been a great education to me.
As someone who has both Built, Installed and serviced Trane 2 stage home units. I am amazed at the condition of this unit. The buildup of debris and the location astounds me that it hasn't had issues before. This old girl deserved to try to live another 20 years.
I think maybe you should recommend a cleaning contract at least every 5 years, instead of the 20 year plan.
@TheOtherWhiteBread0 That was irony.
ckhallock88 At least once a year. I live in Fort Worth Tx and my ac company comes out every 6 months to service my system. My system works like a champ!
I just this year pulled out a 5 ton Goodman that I ran in southern calif for 30 years.
Of course I replaced it with another reliable goodman.
I also had another Goodman that was still running when I sold the property, 40 years old.
Always enjoy rewatching you working! So very detailed and observant!
Most would have sold the owner on a New one. Your a Great Technian.,and probably a decent human being.😀
Most would have checked the evaporator coil too. Maybe he cleaned it too but didn't put it on video..
Great diagnostic work; that's amazing to see that sensor for the crankcase heaters. Attention to detail!
I remember 20 years ago when we were installing these units that people were saying that the units we were replacing then were built like tanks and they don’t make them like they used too.
Lmao.
and now you see how terrible things are made today.
I have the same unit in my house in South Florida, running daily. It is 18 years old and well maintained, I keep it clean and just this month we discovered a small gas leak. Great unit!
A tech diagnosing a unit...what a novelty. When you pulled that fan off with one hand, I about fell over. That alone was worth the money 19 years ago.
"Anti diy". There is a reason people DIY. Never had a tech actually diagnose. Most just take the lid off to look official, maybe even flip a breaker, shrug their shoulders and say the compressor is dead. "Its 13 years old so past life expectancy. Here is a $6000 quote for replacement and a $150 bill for my time spent on this cover".
HVAC guys try to keep the industry shadowed and "Difficult". Its really not hard to service your own equipment. Gauge sets are cheap and with a quick how to anyone can check pressure, and superheat. But for now they are loving the monopoly and they charge accordingly. This guy is one of the few that actually seems to know the whole machine, not just the few things he read in a manual.
I don't. The longer they keep an old system, the more I make. Of course I tell them what to expect..
@@joepayton3646 I love it when customers check their own gases. Then the Schrader valve leaks out all the gas. Or they overfill it killing the compressor. Or they add a bunch of gas only to leak out in a few days. Or it keeps leaking out slow killing the compressor because it overheats
Yep. I do HVAC in aviation. So I'd rather work on them myself.
It's why I have all my HVAC gear and took some classes. They charged me 500$ to charge 4lbs of 410a and to tell me there's a leak. It'd be 600$ to initiate a recovery and nitro fill to go leak hunting. The unit is 9 years old and SPOTLESS. Useless pricks.
Fantastic! Love seeing the high efficiency units age gracefully
My house has a Trane 1200XL condenser that was built in 1989 and still going strong. 31 years old! I live in New England and the AC is used for only four months of the year.
Probably cover it up for the Winter, too.
That is the reason they don't make them like they used to!
Our Trane XL1200 had its 31st birthday on July 6. Last year we had a party with cake and balloons for it.
I have an old International Comfort unit installed May '92. Still going strong 28 years later. Zero maintenance until this year (cleaned out the A frame coil, washed down outside coil).
@@hyperlexis Tie balloons to the fan grill and blow them around?
I like to watch these cause you always know what’s needed to get R done.
Great video. Always very interesting to me to watch someone who is a master of their craft.
I just had a 4 ton Trane XR 13 central air conditioner unit (13 seer) and a S9X1 90,000 BTU gas furnace. Spent a pretty penny (so I think) at just about $8,000 for both units installed and that wasn't an equipment swap... that included running new gas lines, a bit of new duct work to plumb the new furnace in the basement while the old one was upstairs, the electrical. Not bad I think.
I'm just hoping to get 10+ years without any major expenses. I'd be tickled pink to make it 20.
I've heard Trane is now an Ingersoll brand. Both very reputable, and from what I've researched they are top tier expense but top tier reliability as well.
Knock on wood, I installed one of these in 1999, and have maintained it myself. About 8 years into it's life, the same thing happened to my unit. It was covered under warranty, and the local dealer replaced the heater. Then, just a few years ago the Black Start Cap went bad, caused the breaker to trip when the 5 ton compressor tried to start, so I replaced all of the Cap's which fixed that problem. About a year later I replaced both of the Contactors because they were just getting old. They both still worked fine, and I resistance checked the coils and the contactors and compared them to the new ones, and they still test virtually identical. so I stuck them on the shelf just in case I need one down the road. I have removed the covers and done thorough cleanings on it twice in 22 years (It really doesn't get dirty down here in Florida where it is installed). I'll probably pull the covers on it this year and give it a good cleaning again. I did notice that the suction line does not sweat as readily as it once did when it was new, so I suspect it may be a little low on R22. I have a friend in the AC business that can recharge it for me, but he said he has not done a heat pump with two compressors before and didn't know if there was anything special that had to be done when testing and charging it. I suspect as long as it is running in High Speed Mode, it would be tested and charged like any other unit. It has a 2.5 ton and a 5 ton compressor in it, and only one at a time runs, so not sure what to tell him about that. Hopefully I can keep this unit running for another 10 years!!! (Yes I know R22 is expensive, but still much cheaper than a new unit today if you can even find one.) Thanks in advance for any insight into topping off this unit with refrigerant. It does use a TXV, and the label on the condenser unit calls for Sub Cooling to be 10 which is pretty common. Any insight into the charging process would be appreciated. Love your videos, keep up the great work!!
Ours was installed in 1999 but my dad cleans it every year. Still going strong!
You got a love the old try and crank case heaters. I find a lot of them failed after I clean the coil on a maintenance then it pops the breaker. Old school diagnostics. Great job Ted
That’s a good unit right there. Hardly any airflow through the coils for a long period of time. Very surprised the compressor was good. High limit works I guess. Good job sir
That’s when Trane built them like a Trane, now they’re piecing them together like the rest of the brands. I seen a new trane unit the other day a d looked down and was shocked to see a Copeland scroll compressor in it instead of seeing orange
Good job cleaning that coil. Looks good!
Not only it proves that the unit ran great for that time but it also says alot of how it was installed. Both play a high role in the life span of a system. Great video. Thanks for sharing.
Ray Ray the installation is the most important day of a systems life. Use nitrogen when soldering replace the line set every time. Deep vacuum and take the required time to do a proper commission of the system. Including static before and after the installation. Many undersized duct systems in Florida as well as oversized equipment because the last guy went up a 1/2 ton on a already oversized unit. Always do a heat load. We require a heat load on every sales call as well as pictures of the duct system.
These older Trane units, in my experience, are solid. I found one just like this in worse condition. It looked like the condenser was growing out of the ground. It belong to one of the salesman in our company. Washed it completely off and did a once over and it ran like a champ. You won't get this type of build anymore.
It was a dirty one you sure cleaned her up good. Thank you for sharing your hvac life. I learn so much from you.
There's no telling how long that run cap has been blown. I've found so many old tranes With a hard start kit that had blown run caps. Tough old units! I've never seen one of those older 18 seer tranes myself, but then again, I work for a lennox dealer. Great job!
Reminds me of a car that had been running hot for years. a mat of dead insects between the condensor and radiator was blocking air flow.
My favorite find was acorns and other crap inbetween the condenser and trans cooler on a 2000 f350.
I bought an XL19i back in 2004 and it hasn't been exactly problem free, but here in south Florida it's tough expect that from any unit. I found this video very informative, thanks.
I appreciate your honest work. I've been a technician for 8 years and the company I currently work for would never allow me to make the repair. I'm basically a sales person instead of a tech and I hate it.
I pulled a GE (Trane) 3 ton back in the mid 90s with a rotoloc compressor. I installed it in my grandmother’s house, and it was running when I installed mini splits last year. That one is probably close to 40 years old. Only failure was a capacitor.
We have a Trane XL 1200 2 ton unit that was made in Oct. 1993. It has been in since April of 1994 and is still going strong. Blowing ice cold as we speak. Like you said they made them like tanks!
That is 1 beautiful job on coil cleaning right there! Excellent work ted
For 20 years old the unit itself looks fantastic, very well-made nothing made today will last that long and look that good, plus was without any maintenance.
From the year 2000. That’s not too long ago in terms of manufacturing. Lol it’s not like it was installed in the 60’s.
My parents had two of those units at their old place when I was a kid. They were put in in 87 and they never had any major problems.
I really like those old trane xl units, ive only seen one of those 1800s, still have a lot of xl1200s and 1400s running out here in the pacific northwest. Tough old units
Those XL model tranes last forever...I Remember working on 2 of those 18 seer units in my 15 year career. I Wish trane still made units like the Xl. I would probably be installing Trane instead of Carrier if they did.
God I hate carrier! Our HVAC contractor installed two 10 ton carrier package units at one of our tower sites. They replaced two 1999 build date York package units. The new carriers have only been running 5 months and have been worked on 6 times. They are made in Mexico junk now!!!!!
I just replaced my XL 1800 3ton that was installed in 2000 with a Carrier. The condenser and evaporator coil was still good but my Trane furnace needed replaced. While I miss the Trane, I just couldn’t pass on the deal my from neighbor whom works for my local Carrier distribution. I got everything at cost. With the help of my Brother in-law that is a license installer I saved a lot of money. Hopefully this scroll compressor and carrier system holds up as good as my Trane did. I also had this exact problem my brother in-law fix with my unit about 3 years ago. Looks to be a known defect in these units.
Lol Lenox units, I had two propane ones and a smaller electric heat pump. Never had a tech come out in 18 years until the one died. But we had to replace the caps in those at least every 18 months before they blow. That and the outdoor condenser units are loud as hell after the first few years. Had a carrier put in almost 2 years ago and it is great,
@@rgj5832 As a technician, every brand is the same anymore. All the new systems have constant problems no matter what brand you put in. 6 times in 5 months is excessive though. That sounds to me like it's either a lemon system or your installer didn't do the job right.
I’m in school for hvac and am working with a guy doing hvac and I’m learning a lot from your videos and the guy I work with because nothing is hands on because of corona
Those old units amaze me. Sold 2 houses 2 years ago. One had a 24 year old Heil and another had a 20 year old Trane XL 1000i. Both still running great. On our new house we just replaced a pair of 20 year old Goodmans (DAMN THEY ARE L O U D!!) with a pair of 20 seer Lennox. Aug AC bill dropped from $590 to $320 with an average temp 2-3 degrees higher.
Good call on cleaning the coil . Afterwords I just did mine I bought two cans of coil cleaner & mine had lot of debris that came out . I took note after I finished up & put back together & fired it up huge improvement. Not to mention it helps extend the life of your unit . & avoid costly repairs. Yes they can get pricey to replace . Maintenance is best way to go . Also helps cut your electric bill & improve the performance. I went to Lowes & got the coil cleaner . It was around $8.00 a can . Which is small price to pay vs replacing a unit . Also be sure to check the furnace filter as well . It’s hard to stop a trane . For a 20 yr old unit I’d say that’s a tank . I have a York unit that put in 2012 & to this very day no issues . All ever done was kept the coil clean . Still going 💪
Yeah some of those Trane and Rheem units were pretty unstoppable.
My Parents had an 31 year old Sears Unit. Still ran but I had surprised them by installing a new 2 stage natural gas furnace and 14 SEER a/c along with Honeywell filter box and auto humidifier while they were on vacation.
Have a good one. 👍
I did A/C in Phoenix for 20 years an we sold ONLY American Standard and Trane. When I started out, 12 SEER was the newest fangled units available and they worked great. THEN cane the 14 SEER with the DC compressor, variable speed with a variable speed furnace/air handler. NO ONE wanted to work on them because of the DC and they were scared. I went to EVERY tech training class they offered and when I took the 14 SEER class, the instructor showed us exactly how to troubleshoot SAFELY. Piece of cake, so I got all of the calls for these and had at least 2 VERY ANGRY customers that wanted those POS out of their house. No problem I would tell them, please go get me a cold glass of water. By the time they came back out, the unit was purring like a kitten and the customer couldn't believe it. We had one customer with 5 of them on his McMansion and his neighbor just installed 5 new 16 SEERS on HIS house, so in keeping up with the Jones' HE had to have the 16 SEERS. His units were only 4 or 5 years old, so replace them we did. I got 4 that I drug home and bought a new variable speed furnace and hooked it up. The condenser was right outside my bedroom and I never heard it run. Electric bills dropped significantly and we sold quite a few of the 16's before I had enough of 160 degree attics, crawling from one end of the house all the way across the attic to service air handlers and furnaces. The contractors don't give a rats ass, just slap 'em up and go. The WORST were the 2 story houses with a roof pitch like a black diamond hill and the package unit perched all the way on top, as close to the edge as possible. And I always seemed to get those calls. I had talked to a contractor while picking up parts and asked him why they put the units is such a miserable, hard to get to place. He said "just to make your lives miserable". I was on the tail end of 14 days straight, 16 plus hour days so I hit him as hard as I could and knocked his ass to the ground. Everyone in the parts store applauded. AND the customers who's A/C went out on a Wednesday and they wait until Saturday at 2 AM and DEMAND immediate service. So I drive out there and by asking a few "innocent" questions, they fess up that it's been out since Wednesday and momma ain't putting out until the A/C gets fixed. About that time I advise them it would be cheaper to spent the night at a motel verses me fixing it at 3 o'clock on a Saturday morning. They didn't believe me, so I fixed the unit and gave them a WHOPPER of a bill. I cautioned them that if their check bounced or credit card got declined, they would hear the pitter patter of little feetsteps on their roof and their A/C would slowly whine to a dead stop and it would take another tech several HOURS to figure out what I did and correct it. My boss was not happy when I turned in my invoices for the weekend until I told him the story. Needless to say, the check cleared. I finally had enough after I fell off a guys roof (he had painted his driveway for some unknown reason and I put my ladder up to the fake wall above the garage, thinking it was block with a stucco covering. As I climbed up and laid my drill gun and tool bag on the wall, the ladder kicked out and down I went. After the stars cleared, I could wiggle my toes and move my legs and looked at the ladder and realized how lucky I was that I didn't get one leg caught in the rung. THAT would have sucked. As it was I landed on my right side where my keys, wallet, radio and pocket full of assorted things you accumulate in a days work. I crawled over to my radio and called the shop to have the homeowner to come out as I fell off his roof. As I laid there looking up, I realized the stucco was covering chicken wire and insulation so when the ladder kicked out, it gouged the stucco. The homeowner came out and all he was concerned with was that I had kicked the door on the way down and marked it with my boot.. I should have been a dick and made him call EMS, but didn't, so as I am picking up my stuff he says "Are you going to fix my unit or not?" So I did a good customer service and fixed his unit and went to the ER. The nurse took a double look when I took off my shirt and was already bruising. By the next morning I was purple from my nave to the middle of my back. I went into hotel maintenance shortly there after. Good luck out there and be safe.
Great video. I like those coil jet machines they work really well
I've got one of these and the same thing happened to me a few years back. Crank case heater wires burned out tripped breaker. Mine is from 1996 still going strong! *Fingers crossed*
Great customer service from a great man !
Wish I had this gent in my neck of the woods. He knows his stuff and he has the owners interest in mind versus his pay. Hard to find the best that doesn't worry about making all the money.
I love how the disconnect has a breaker and not a pullout. Great job.
I live in My duplex (since I bought in 1984) that has two (2) original 1972 Amana Air command HVAC units. I've replaced 1 fan and 1 capacitor and repaired two melted wires and both compressor heaters still work. I recharged them for the first time this year (2020) with a jug of R22 I've had for 30 years. Simple is best.
These house cooler are like military great build Quality just amazing other manufacturers can learn from that
Hey Ted, this would be a good video for the young kids who are just starting to get their feet wet in the business. Very good job of explaining the 18 seer unit. I'm sure that there are quite a few of them out there earning their keep. I am retired after 37 yrs., enjoy watching your vids.
I'm about to move into my first home and I hope to find an AC Technician as good and honest as this guy.
You are the best tech I have ever seen ! You get the job done
Amazing how well those units still work. If they were cleaned through out the years they would probably last a couple more decades if needed.
Our house has an ArcoAire A/C unit from February 1991 that is still purring along nicely. It just had it's condenser fan motor(original to this unit) replaced a few weeks ago.
Just had the same issue last week a grounded crancase heater but it was a 2004 Trane unit i bypassed it did not bother to replace it..great job Ted
I guess Trane had to stop making that model as it put servicemen out of work.
James Bowie The Internet is putting service men out of work. There’s so much knowledge available on the internet that if you put your mind to it, you can do just about anything yourself nowadays. Replacing a capacitor, cleaning the coils that stuff is easy. The refrigerant requires a licensed technician but most stuff can be learned by watching some professionals on UA-cam.
@@acereport8939 I love it when people do their own work. I have more things to repair. You wouldn't believe how many service calls I go on because the customer put in their own thermostat and either blew the low voltage circuit or they didn't program the thermostat to match their system. Sometimes it runs the electric heaters with the AC if not programmed correctly. I usually get the call after they get their $700 light bill. Many capacitors will still start the compressor but is still bad causing the compressor to run too slowly. I've never seen a home owner with a capacitor tester. Same thing happens to the fans motors too.
TestTubeGamer hard to start one too
@@testtube173 what would you install in your home if you were to choose?
@@acereport8939 There were plenty of repair books and manuals for anyone technically minded enough to do basic operations to keep em running before the internet existed. Cheap people have always found a way.
Trane sure loved those spines and double layered coils (packaged roof top units) And they're a pain to clean well.
Great video. great job finding the problem I was a hvac helper for 2 years and i seen alot of dirty units , i mean dirty. That one fits with all the rest ive seen. People dont think its a big deal to keep them clean.BUT IT IS ! Clean is the lifeline of a ac unit. If it cant breathe it cant do what its suppose to. Ive seen coils and filters caked with crap and they wonder why it wont work 😕😂😂
A nice video Ted, i enjoy your pride and good workmanship. Greetings from Australia 👍
I’ve had breakers trip just from bad run caps. I think there’s a direct link between dirty coils and blown capacitors. Every time I encounter a bad cap, I also have to wash the coil. The higher amp draw of the dirty coil causes them to fail. Good call on the crankcase heaters. Down in your neck of the woods they’re not entirely necessary.
Ironically I came across your channel while attempting some DIY HVAC, the combination of your videos and not wanting to die trying to fix that hack job our home inspector failed to mention (blower motor is covered in wires and yellow duct tape among other issues, provide an email and I'll send you the pics) I decided against it. Got a 16 SEER 5 ton Trane unit being installed next week, I've heard you and other techs comment about oversized units not being a good idea, from my research a 5 ton is appropriate for a 3694 sq. foot home in Texas. Thanks for helping me make a decision and keep up the good work.
Good diagnosis. I have found the same issue with the older training units everything is running great but the crank case heater shorts out most crank case heaters on older systems are usually burnt out and you don’t even know it so I don’t even have an issue not running it without it that older model XL train and the TTX units were Bullet proof Good job on the cleaning as well like your videos keep up the great work
I like your archeological find haha 😋 1:47 good job by the way on cleaning those coils looks brand new
its sad to see that with new equipment so much effort is put into design for future failure. The grommet where the wires pass through the cabinite show a commitment to a better produce as well as the lifespan without breakdowns. This unit would have been an upsell or replacement with a lot of companies. I appreciate the content of your videos, the good the bad and the ugly and not hiding your mistakes and most no cursing or swearing. Thank you!
Sounds like the rusted out comfortmaker in my backyard. Been there since 1996 and has not been touched! Still works as it should, though.
I have a unit the same style only one compressor that was installed in 1995. No issues and runnning as I type this. I clean it up every spring.
worked on them wow cant believe they were that old. amazing.
We have this unit too. It’s a beast. I’m going to clean mine this week!
I have a Trane unit from 1986. Still works fine.
I had an evaporator coil that nasty the other day. Got really creative to get that thing clean. The thermostat I had in my house for 15 years is communicating thermostat with a sensor you can have the remote sensor in another room with the thermostat and it would average the temperatures out in the house. Worked very well for 15 years until II swapped in Nest
I learn so much from these videos
I remember those things being expensive (enough that no one bought them). I guess with two separate compressors and a double layer coil we can see why. I’ve seen guys in the field do it, but my instructors always told us not to push contactors in by hand-acted like that was a huge safety thing.
Yeah you can get burnt by arc if load side is shorted out and the contact action dissipates the energy before breaker engages. Long insulated electrician's screwdriver is okay for this. I would never stick my finger in there ever! Especially when grounded compressor was suspected like in the video.
The 18 SEER went in the toilet with the lack of maintenance and a dirty coil. I worked a 1994 ICP Unit two weeks ago, that was it's first call.
I enjoy watching your videos. Informative. Relaxing.
My gosh I bet the head pressure was through the roof from those dirty coils and thank you for cleaning the coils like someone that lives in the real world. These guys I see splitting the coils apart and tearing the unit down are just killing the time clock.
Holy that stuff kept running. That is amazing system
Thank you for that now I know what that sound is now. I always thought that arcing sound was coming from inside the compressor. No telling how many compressors I’ve condemned because of not understanding that.
I just love the side discharge. Makes a lot of sense to protect internal parts from sun and water. I bet the companies don’t use só you need to replace parts more often.
I have a Trane XL1200, 33 years old still runs good
Great video nothing stops a TRANE could you send me a link coil cleaning set up you have absolutely the best thing I seen since sliced bread
I have a xl1200 26 years old and this year was the first time I had it serviced. Herm wire on the run capacitor burnt up but other then that still ticking. Can’t stop a trane as they say..
God bless this man! I couldn't live without my ac.
Great guy right there many blessings coming to you
Now thats what i call a well made CAP!
it would be nice if could buy one of those today.
get a commercial grade cap
Bo Taylor old ones had nasty chemicals in them it was rare to find failed one. PCB I believe the same people in Pam bay Florida that makes the turbo caps gives a 5 year parts warranties on there capacitors. They cost more but are made in Florida.
Great video. Always very interesting!
If only everyone did a great job like you !!!
Is it just me or is Jeff Sessions running service calls on HVAC now? LOL! This gentleman is a solid competent technician. Figures out the problem and corrects it.
That XL-1800 was the last of the good ones. The XL-1400 was a good simple unit as well. Im certified by Trane as a comfort specialist going on 25 years.
Since there is so much talk on this thread about DIY vs. fair charges from knowledgeable technicians I have a question. I've been a DIYer for decades due to having shallow pockets. I recently decided to call a well known company re an HVAC defrost issue. They recommended replacing a capacitor. The quote was $189 for the part and $199 for the labor. I bought the cap myself for $10 and it took me 20 min. to replace it - I'm guessing a trained person would have taken 10 min. Is this kind of pricing normal in the industry? It sure didn't make me want to give up DIYing.
Got to love a train ac unit. They are the best.
If you hit the coil completely with water then foam it the foam will be alot more effective. The water activates the acid. Love the videos, keep grinding
“Nothing can stop a TRANE”
Big smoke - 1992
Lizards, mice, snakes and frogs and stop them.... real quick. lol :D
Nothing can start them either
The tag line is “It’s Hard to Stop a Trans”. They all stop sooner or later.