For your sand problems: Around here (where it gets cold) they sell removable caulk. One brand is called "seasonseal". It goes on like any other clear caulk but once it dries it can be peeled off very easily without leaving a mess behind. People use it to seal up drafty windows and pull it off in the spring. Would that seal up any holes where sand can get in?
Good point about staying hydrated. Drink before you're thirsty. If you wait until you are thirsty, you're already behind, and it will cost you. I feel that moving the defrost control into the building was a great idea given the fact that you have sand storms which can be the worst thing for mechanical contactors. It's also a great argument for using SSR where possible, and I opt for those where I can use them over mechanical contactors, not only because they're not suseptable to the environment, but because they do come on and go off at zero crossing so you avoid the problem of contact burning due to when the mechanical contactor happens to slam on with a load connected. Now that customer is just going to have to deal with the future problem of someone fiddling with the defrost controls. So many service calls being caused by customers pushing buttons when there's some problem that they don't understand. Of course most systems let you lock them out, but often they will complain about that too.
Agreed, half of my service calls are either directly caused by or made significantly worse by a failure of the operator to read and comprehend their operator's manual. I'll slightly disagree on the use of SSR contactors, while they do theoretically have operational advantages over mechanical contactors, I've found that SSRs just aren't as reliable as mechanical relays for anything other than a pure resistive load (like a heater). But the real issue in my experience, is that when SSRs fail, they have a nasty habit of failing closed, whereas the mechanical relays tend to fail open.
@@boginator55 That's interesting. I've been using SSRs for many decades and yet to see one of them fail. Of course I tend to make certain they're well within their rating for the loads they're switching, and if switching motors for example that the motors have the proper fault and over current protection.
Keeping hydrated is so important. I was once told in a safety talk "If you don't have to piss, you are not drinking enough." Keep safe and work smart. I know the hell that comes when the bill on your body comes due. As to your project on your house you may want to try to get in contact with a UA-cam channel "The Build Show" He is a contractor and builder out of central TX and did a similar project on his house as he remolded it last year.
As someone that is into building science, I can say that _air sealing and insulation almost always have a better ROI_ than a newer/bigger/fancier HVAC system, both in terms of comfort and energy costs. Also, I agree that doing an energy audit would be an excellent way to start the new video series.
I'm glad he still holds his breath and breathes a sigh of relief when energizing a new control when it doesn't blow up 😂 thought it was just me and past traumas 😬
Seconding what you said about working smarter, not harder, and not beating yourself up. Once you beat up your body like that it's really hard, sometimes impossible, to go back. If you keep pushing it until you reach the point where you're feeling it and beat up you're stuck there, potentially for the rest of your life. Especially in regards to heat stroke. Once you reach the point where your body's cooling just breaks down like that you can become less able to tolerate extreme heat in the future. Or worst case, you die. Heat stroke is scary stuff.
Made it to the end. I'm excited for this project and can't wait to see your big picture process for your new system! Also, as a viewer, I appreciate your stance on sponsored products. Too many creators will push any junk that's sent to them. It's nice knowing if I see a product on this channel that it's actually something good. Keep up the good work, Chris!
You might just be one of the best service technicians in the trade. Watching your videos has definitely made me a better technician. All about the big picture !
You mentioned a new system for you personally. I am an efficiency nerd but I have learned to crunch the numbers before I go hog wild. Bang for the buck over the 15 -20 year life is how I calculate. Many OEMs are charging outrageous prices for efficiency improvements. Bigger heat transfer coils are more expensive but not double the price! A 10-year warranty is worth a lot because no system is efficient if it breaks. It's a complex choice for a professional, so what hope is there for the average consumer? There is also the question of putting all your eggs in a single basket. Two smaller systems that are zoned can offer many advantages for $ saving on operating costs. They can also provide a greater reserve capacity & better humidity control in mild weather. Of all the HVAC improvements, I think air sealing and insulation pay the most $ in long-term dividends. It was 108 in Tulsa Oklahoma today. The Ashrae design degree day cooling is only 95 so are we to install a window AC for days like this? There are some high-efficiency window units (Midea) but is that the best way to engineer a new system. From my personal experience, I have used this approach and it works wonders but it's not for everybody. Happy trails to you.
These units in locations you have problems with sand, have you considered mounting the contactors/etc in an IP rated J-box? Keep the moving parts fully isolated from the environment? Love your work buddy, I'm learning a lot about being a controls engineer from watching your videos! Thanks for doing what you do 😀
Proskit angled head crimper. It has been great for me, bought the head with non-insulated flag crimp and got the insulated flag terminals head and a regular head.
I always watch to the end. You replacing your own system sounds really interesting and I think most manufacturers would jump at the chance of the exposure for residential systems.
I know you can diagnose some issues by sound, but if things are really loud, put in a pair of those disposable foam earplugs. Easy enough to pull one out if needed. Those temperatures you work in are insane. I know it's dry there, but that just makes it worse because you don't feel the sweat. It's not just water either. You lose electrolytes. I always knew when I needed both because Gatorade actually tasted good.
On walkin coolers that need a defrost, I really like the Johnson Controls A421 ABD controller. Cheaper than a KE2, and simple install, comes set up out of the box for a 30 min off cycle air defrost every 8 hours. Eliminates the mechanical clock etc.
even broken defrost clock right twice a day :) I know what you mean about taking care of yourself as over 40 years of plumbing leads to shot away knees. Keep up the amazing videos, I for one now know a lot more about HVAC than I did before watching your excelent videos.
Chris I'm experimenting on a little something and it will be cheap and may be what you are looking for but it will take me quite some time to get to a point I can show it off. I'm a maker so it's the journey more than the destination. Here's what I would suggest for you, whatever you do, do it twice maybe this year and next or back to back. You learn so much your first time through the process that you really need to do it twice just so you can get a chance to really grasp what is going on.
Loved that you removed the old components from the roof unit. It looked CLEAN when you were done. So many people just cut the wires and leave the dead body so that the next person chases ghosts.
Been in the trade for fifteen years. Been a licensed refrigeration tech since 2015. You would think I'd be bored of seeing this shit everyday. However, analyzing the similarities and differences is pretty cool. I'm from Ontario Canada. We do not get sand in our condensers nor do we have swamp coolers lol! Love the content, Been a fan for a while.
Man, being an HVAC tech is my dream job. I don't really have experience though other than working on chillers at my current maintenance job. I've replaced contactors and motors as well as chased down electrical issues so many times though so I know I can learn quick how to be a good technician.
@@killtyrant I've been comfortable at my job for the last 10 years but I think I'm going to try to find something. I would like to get right into the field if possible without having to do 2 years of school. It's hard to break away but I feel like it's my calling to fix ac units.
@@alaub1990 Changing jobs/careers always has some inherent risk so I can definitely understand why you'd want to minimize it. Rather than immediately jumping ship. You can maybe use vacation time and line it up with interviews or on site experience and see if it's something truly for you
@@alaub1990 fwiw I made the transition from the Healthcare field (physical therapy assistant) into commercial HVAC service tech. Currently 31 and started 1 year ago. Had zero experience with hvac stuff, but am very mechanical (working on cars since 16. Worked along side electrician for a few months as well) I found a company that does on the job training. Spent 3-3.5 months tagging along with random dudes for about a week at a time. Then got my own truck and they put me out on my own. This is my first summer on my own, and with some help from the trainers on occasion, I've been doing fine. Find a company focused on training and teaching.
Wow Chris. Your words at the beginning of the video could not be more true. I have been a technician for twelve years here in Chile, and when I was in my thirties I thought that those years would never come. But just like you, I began to take care of myself. I am now in my late thirties and invest more in good equipment to help me do comfortable, clean and well-executed work. success Chris and thanks for sharing the knowledge.
I worked in blythe CA for about two years, you are absolutely right about once you feel heat it’s too late, I do NOT miss that nasty weather, the body isn’t meant to be in 120+ weather for long periods of time
My suggestion for your new home system is to include some temperature and power monitoring. Stick a few thermocouples in the supply and return ducts, as well as on the refrigeration components. Add a current transformer around the compressor and blower wires. Then make a dashboard with all of the temperature and power usage values, and monitor them over time to track the health of your system. This is on my list for my own home geothermal system.
well done mate, I love your vids and I am just a web developer sitting infront of a computer screen all day. Your experience, logical approach, explaination skills and common sense are more far reaching than the HVAC context of your content :)
Listen to him guys, I've worn my back out by being stupid. I worked as a mechanic and I've damaged my back before I was 25. I now have arthritis everywhere and can barely move and cannot do what I love
I Love your videos and the way that you care for your customers is awesome. As for running more wires than necessary, I like to do things properly and know that someday down the road you might be back there at 2am in the morning with a bad wire and those extra wires can be reconfigured to get you through a crisis until a proper fix can be made. As an Industrial mechanic/electrical tech I always try to use cables with extra wires just in case especially where long difficult runs are necessary. Thanks again for all your videos and your outlook on work, you are one of the few good guys out there helping your customers.
Have to look into the second sensor for the KE2. We have a kitchen on the backside of the track that is leased out and I had an outside contractor that installed one on the WIF. Even after adjusting the sensor position higher it always leaves a permafrost band along the top inch or so of most of the evap.
Yup....im 43 years old and have 22 in the trade. It takes a toll on your body. Im definitely paying for being stupid in my younger years. I definitely try to take care of myself quite a bit more nowadays. I drink plenty of water all day long. Its hot as hell in Texas too. I took the online classes for KE2 and their products. I like them and try to use them when its applicable. Another great video Chris....keep em coming
Hey man just wanted to thank you for the videos! I'm a 23 year old 3rd year apprentice in Local 33 in Iowa. Tested into my second year coming in from residential plumbing construction so only have about a year in HVACR. Your videos help me out a ton! I watch you for about 30mins to an hour everyday to help keep fresh on different things. Getting better and better at diagnosing basing off of symptoms from the start, of course confirming with tests. Pretty confident in HVAC now besides the big guys, need to keep learning on refrigeration that's for sure. I definitely prefer HVACR over plumbing though, and love being a service tech over construction. Really happy with my choice to get into the trade, and with more and more vacancies in this job In the next decade or two our wages are gonna be huge! Anyway thanks again man. I'll be getting a hat and shirt here soon, my broke ass has a kid on the way so I'm working on it, the hats are definitely bad ass
Remember folks just like the machines you service and repair preventative maintenance to your body is a lot cheaper (and less unpleasant) than dealing with parts that fail, and you can't order replacement parts for most of your meat so take care of it.
Hey, on the topic of vision: make sure you wear sunglasses, eyes are so fragile and the amount of UV radiation your eyes take, especially on the roof during the summer, will definitely start to cause issues later. Also try wear sunscreen on exposed skin, cancer comes out of nowhere and it’s pretty brutal :(
The defrost contactor might have hesitated to pull in because like the clock, it too was gummed up with sand and dust but once the coils magnetic field yanked on it long enough to pull it in, it dislodged the dust and now works normally... Either that, or that entire unit is plagued with Gremlins... 😄😁😆😅😂🤣
That rooftop looks just like BJs in houston. Just wait the problems just keep coming. Spent 48 years in service game poor vision bad knees scars where people should not have scars how many nights spent on some rooftop on some refrigeration emergency One of my altime favorite calls was county morgue on Monday morning. Houston is pretty wild. To check Evaps you lay down on slab and they push the drawer in I should write a book about some of the stuff we did and the people I met
I feel you on getting old. Lol 47 here. Done wayyy too many stupid things as a kid and now i have arthritis in every joint (also hereditary issue) ears are shot partially due to not wearing hearing protection.
The service life is VERY hard on the body .. Ropes and pulleys and a good set of gloves save a lot of pain. Especially pulling compressors up the side of a building ! Keep hydrated, man .. heat stroke took me out in 2011. Im glad to have survived from the revenge of the elements.
Not sure if you've ever seen or tried this but when I'm roping things up to a roof I tied a rock climbers grappling hook to the end and I can hook almost everything from the roof and pull it up. Was worth the 30 bucks on Amazon.
Nice job, only thing I would add is to check your total amps on that system now that the compressor and defrost heater run at the same time while the compressor pumps down in defrost. I've used a couple of those ke2 controls with good results so far.
Good job Chris, Watch out for those gremlins and poltergeist, they can cause arch flash and all kinds of stuff, maybe if it becomes a bigger problem, get the city records and find out if there is any documentation of any burials in the area, and that might help things, you would probably need more tamper resistant devices. Good work there.
"I think it might be iced up... Oh, yeah, look at that, doncha know!" I'm guessing you either A) were in Manitowoc for some training recently, or B) watched Fargo this weekend.
Could maybe be a somewhat sticky/stuck heater contactor given the bad clock means it hadn't been cycled for a while, once it cycled once it broke it's sticky block and could then cycle freely.
I watch a tech channel as well and they dont hide anything or try to suger coat stuff about a manufacturers product and most of the time the manufacturer like it that way so they can improve there products so i think a good manufacturer will let you do it your way and learn as well keep up the great content
Thanks for the review. I am so glad you mentioned not getting water on the floor of a freezer. It is inevitable that some water is going to get on the floor. A small electric blow-dryer & paper towels are handy for mopping up. I was concerned when the drain started dripping. A failed drain heater & broken pipe? Having a walk-in freezer down for 2 hours is unthinkable for kitchen managers. Did they unload the freezer to a back-up or did they let the food thaw? I try to get them to unload but most have nowhere to unload it to. Ice cream is impossible to reuse if it thaws.
I’ve found using a steam cleaner and wrapping a towel around the nozzle with it being lose works to get Ice of walk-in freezer floors. Almost like a hot mop get ice up real easy no do to get a hammer and chisel just a tip if you get water all over the place
Love watching your video sir... Keep up the great works Currently working on Taylor's Eq in Malaysia,as long as its refrigeration system its really help me alot increase the knowledge 😀
My guess while skipping through segments would be that there was resistance across the defrost clock and it wasn't getting full voltage to the coil side of the contactor, causing a delay until whatever schmutz was in there burned off a bit. The subsequent activations of the contactors were faster and faster.
Solid advice about doing things to work smarter, not harder and take care of yourself. I just recently changed careers (I was an automotive technician) and there is this whole toxic masculinity in that industry, as well as many other “blue collar” industries. I was lucky (i guess) to work with some older folks early on in my career and I listened carefully to what they said as well as what they didn’t say. Basically all of the older guys I worked with were a physical wreck, had multiple surgeries, literally working themselves to death because they hadn’t saved anything to be able to retire and hadn’t taken any measures to take care of themselves when they were younger. I learned a valuable many valuable lessons from them, including lessons from their mistakes. Many seem to think that doing things to reduce stress on their body somehow makes them weak. No, it makes them smart. Tools and equipment exist in pretty much any industry to make it so that people don’t have to destroy themselves for their work. Basic things like wearing eye and ear protection, not using your hands as a hammer, screw driver or wrench, and working a reasonable amount of hours each day will make your life SO much better, now and when you get older.
We have a lot of freeze ups at work due to the fact people are in and out of coolers/freezers all day long and suggested longer defrosts at night when there is no activity when online grocery is done and produce, meats, bakery, deli are done for the night the coolers/freezers are undisturbed. I remember you saying doing longer defrosts at night when things are not crazy keeps ice away but I was dumb and didn't know what I was talking about. The refrigeration dude says if we program it for this store then the corp would want it done for all the stores everywhere and more testing and yada yada yada would have to go one but we keep having freeze up's and cooler drains plugged up that's leaking all over the place but no one wants to fix anything. Just rambling on but some systems have separate defrost electrical panels that do all the defrost from the frozen doors, bunkers, and walkin's that have 200 amps just to run the store defrost system. That way you need a separate contactor that gets power from the defrost panel but is controlled by the timeclock.
Wind shields work for keeping sand and dirt off mildly and it's cheaper for the these buildings. Look into it and this would actually help out those that have a lot of sand in videos
ARE YOU CONSIDERING AN A2L SYSTEM FOR YOUR HOME? ARE A2L RESIDENTIAL SYSTEMS AVAILABLE? HOW ABOUT COMMERCIAL/INDUSTRIAL A2L SYSTEMS? Really excited about this new miniseries.
When do you want to use dampers? I live in Az and I got a call today 7 brand new carrier units werent getting past 84 degrees. I go to the roof and the dampers are fully open and pulling in 115 degree air.
At this point, I'm wondering if they should just invest in a dehumidifier for the room outside of the freezer, but I don't trust them to properly maintain one.
The Samsung vrf heat recovery is nice also the Mitsubishi heat recovery systems are nice as well. Both have great support. Also zoning the home with slim ducts would be way cheaper.
Very nice even coating of frost @0:37. So probably TXV working properly and not low on charge. It's when the top 1/3 is clean fins, and the bottom is 6" thick of frost that gets me worried... :) Or one time I went in and no frost on back of coil, but box was 25 degrees, but I noticed the compartment on the side bulging on the evap. Pulled the cover off, and wow, the TXV and distributor lines were encased in like a 1 foot think ball of hard frost. That was a big PITA to thaw out. The IceMonster was trying to pop the side cover off!
Absolutely love all your videos. I’m a fairly green (1.5 year) resi/light commercial hvac tech and learn so much from all you’re videos. Do you teach any classes? Anyways, thank you for all the informational videos!
I WOULD BE SATISFIED & EAGERLY WAITING FOR WATCHING THE VIDEO SERIES OF CHRIS (BEING HIMSELF A HVAC TECHNICIAN) TO REPLACE, REWORK AC SYSTEM OF HIS OWN HOUSE IN A 100% PROFESSIONAL WAY WITH HEARTFUL OF ACCURACY & SATISFACTORY. 😎
![Lp. Сердце Вселенной #1 НАЧАЛО ПУТЕШЕСТВИЯ [Новый сезон] • Майнкрафт](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/380Q7gLWGvk/mqdefault.jpg)
I love watching your work, it’s meticulous and smart. You definetly know what the heck you’re doing!
Yeah Chris rules!
i was a flooring contractor for 20yrs & my body sounds like an old pirate ship when i move, & im 44yrs old👍 take care of your body
That’s how much your videos have helped me.
For your sand problems: Around here (where it gets cold) they sell removable caulk. One brand is called "seasonseal". It goes on like any other clear caulk but once it dries it can be peeled off very easily without leaving a mess behind. People use it to seal up drafty windows and pull it off in the spring. Would that seal up any holes where sand can get in?
Good point about staying hydrated. Drink before you're thirsty. If you wait until you are thirsty, you're already behind, and it will cost you.
I feel that moving the defrost control into the building was a great idea given the fact that you have sand storms which can be the worst thing for mechanical contactors. It's also a great argument for using SSR where possible, and I opt for those where I can use them over mechanical contactors, not only because they're not suseptable to the environment, but because they do come on and go off at zero crossing so you avoid the problem of contact burning due to when the mechanical contactor happens to slam on with a load connected.
Now that customer is just going to have to deal with the future problem of someone fiddling with the defrost controls. So many service calls being caused by customers pushing buttons when there's some problem that they don't understand. Of course most systems let you lock them out, but often they will complain about that too.
Agreed, half of my service calls are either directly caused by or made significantly worse by a failure of the operator to read and comprehend their operator's manual. I'll slightly disagree on the use of SSR contactors, while they do theoretically have operational advantages over mechanical contactors, I've found that SSRs just aren't as reliable as mechanical relays for anything other than a pure resistive load (like a heater). But the real issue in my experience, is that when SSRs fail, they have a nasty habit of failing closed, whereas the mechanical relays tend to fail open.
There are some nice phone apps that chime and remind you to take a water break. Pretty handy especially when your working hard and tend to forget.
@@boginator55 That's interesting. I've been using SSRs for many decades and yet to see one of them fail. Of course I tend to make certain they're well within their rating for the loads they're switching, and if switching motors for example that the motors have the proper fault and over current protection.
@@Mrcaffinebean Great idea.
Keeping hydrated is so important. I was once told in a safety talk "If you don't have to piss, you are not drinking enough." Keep safe and work smart. I know the hell that comes when the bill on your body comes due. As to your project on your house you may want to try to get in contact with a UA-cam channel "The Build Show" He is a contractor and builder out of central TX and did a similar project on his house as he remolded it last year.
As someone that is into building science, I can say that _air sealing and insulation almost always have a better ROI_ than a newer/bigger/fancier HVAC system, both in terms of comfort and energy costs. Also, I agree that doing an energy audit would be an excellent way to start the new video series.
I'm glad he still holds his breath and breathes a sigh of relief when energizing a new control when it doesn't blow up 😂 thought it was just me and past traumas 😬
Seconding what you said about working smarter, not harder, and not beating yourself up. Once you beat up your body like that it's really hard, sometimes impossible, to go back. If you keep pushing it until you reach the point where you're feeling it and beat up you're stuck there, potentially for the rest of your life.
Especially in regards to heat stroke. Once you reach the point where your body's cooling just breaks down like that you can become less able to tolerate extreme heat in the future. Or worst case, you die. Heat stroke is scary stuff.
Gotta love it when things just break even more because of improper care and all of that...
Made it to the end. I'm excited for this project and can't wait to see your big picture process for your new system! Also, as a viewer, I appreciate your stance on sponsored products. Too many creators will push any junk that's sent to them. It's nice knowing if I see a product on this channel that it's actually something good. Keep up the good work, Chris!
You might just be one of the best service technicians in the trade. Watching your videos has definitely made me a better technician. All about the big picture !
Oh, I always watch to the end. I don't want to miss a minute!
You mentioned a new system for you personally. I am an efficiency nerd but I have learned to crunch the numbers before I go hog wild. Bang for the buck over the 15 -20 year life is how I calculate. Many OEMs are charging outrageous prices for efficiency improvements. Bigger heat transfer coils are more expensive but not double the price! A 10-year warranty is worth a lot because no system is efficient if it breaks. It's a complex choice for a professional, so what hope is there for the average consumer? There is also the question of putting all your eggs in a single basket. Two smaller systems that are zoned can offer many advantages for $ saving on operating costs. They can also provide a greater reserve capacity & better humidity control in mild weather. Of all the HVAC improvements, I think air sealing and insulation pay the most $ in long-term dividends. It was 108 in Tulsa Oklahoma today. The Ashrae design degree day cooling is only 95 so are we to install a window AC for days like this? There are some high-efficiency window units (Midea) but is that the best way to engineer a new system. From my personal experience, I have used this approach and it works wonders but it's not for everybody. Happy trails to you.
These units in locations you have problems with sand, have you considered mounting the contactors/etc in an IP rated J-box? Keep the moving parts fully isolated from the environment?
Love your work buddy, I'm learning a lot about being a controls engineer from watching your videos! Thanks for doing what you do 😀
Your videos have helped me out in a lot of jams. I'm new to the field... Almost one years in. I love your videos.
I like the defrost clock used, only thing I might have done extra is add a 2 pole switch in weather box for power disconnect near defrost clock.
Proskit angled head crimper. It has been great for me, bought the head with non-insulated flag crimp and got the insulated flag terminals head and a regular head.
I always watch to the end. You replacing your own system sounds really interesting and I think most manufacturers would jump at the chance of the exposure for residential systems.
I know you can diagnose some issues by sound, but if things are really loud, put in a pair of those disposable foam earplugs. Easy enough to pull one out if needed. Those temperatures you work in are insane. I know it's dry there, but that just makes it worse because you don't feel the sweat. It's not just water either. You lose electrolytes. I always knew when I needed both because Gatorade actually tasted good.
On walkin coolers that need a defrost, I really like the Johnson Controls A421 ABD controller. Cheaper than a KE2, and simple install, comes set up out of the box for a 30 min off cycle air defrost every 8 hours. Eliminates the mechanical clock etc.
Seeing wirenuts everywhere makes me hope that your costumer won't burn down.
always watch to the end for the nuggets of wisdom
even broken defrost clock right twice a day :) I know what you mean about taking care of yourself as over 40 years of plumbing leads to shot away knees. Keep up the amazing videos, I for one now know a lot more about HVAC than I did before watching your excelent videos.
Defrost clocks are 24h clocks so a broken one is only correct once a day.
Chris I'm experimenting on a little something and it will be cheap and may be what you are looking for but it will take me quite some time to get to a point I can show it off. I'm a maker so it's the journey more than the destination. Here's what I would suggest for you, whatever you do, do it twice maybe this year and next or back to back. You learn so much your first time through the process that you really need to do it twice just so you can get a chance to really grasp what is going on.
Loved that you removed the old components from the roof unit. It looked CLEAN when you were done. So many people just cut the wires and leave the dead body so that the next person chases ghosts.
Lol! I could hear the sarcasm in your voice when you asked if it was iced up!
Been in the trade for fifteen years. Been a licensed refrigeration tech since 2015. You would think I'd be bored of seeing this shit everyday. However, analyzing the similarities and differences is pretty cool. I'm from Ontario Canada. We do not get sand in our condensers nor do we have swamp coolers lol! Love the content, Been a fan for a while.
Man, being an HVAC tech is my dream job. I don't really have experience though other than working on chillers at my current maintenance job. I've replaced contactors and motors as well as chased down electrical issues so many times though so I know I can learn quick how to be a good technician.
Why dont you try your hand at finding an apprenticeship or something like that
@@killtyrant I've been comfortable at my job for the last 10 years but I think I'm going to try to find something. I would like to get right into the field if possible without having to do 2 years of school. It's hard to break away but I feel like it's my calling to fix ac units.
@@alaub1990
Changing jobs/careers always has some inherent risk so I can definitely understand why you'd want to minimize it. Rather than immediately jumping ship. You can maybe use vacation time and line it up with interviews or on site experience and see if it's something truly for you
@@alaub1990 fwiw I made the transition from the Healthcare field (physical therapy assistant) into commercial HVAC service tech. Currently 31 and started 1 year ago. Had zero experience with hvac stuff, but am very mechanical (working on cars since 16. Worked along side electrician for a few months as well)
I found a company that does on the job training. Spent 3-3.5 months tagging along with random dudes for about a week at a time. Then got my own truck and they put me out on my own. This is my first summer on my own, and with some help from the trainers on occasion, I've been doing fine. Find a company focused on training and teaching.
I just bought a one gallon jug from rtic. I love it. Keeps cold all day. Plus your not spending money on plastic bottles and producing that waste.
Chris your videos are the best on UA-cam, please don't ever stop..we love your videos..
Thanks for the great video made it to the end about talking about redoing your HVAC system.
Wow Chris. Your words at the beginning of the video could not be more true. I have been a technician for twelve years here in Chile, and when I was in my thirties I thought that those years would never come. But just like you, I began to take care of myself. I am now in my late thirties and invest more in good equipment to help me do comfortable, clean and well-executed work. success Chris and thanks for sharing the knowledge.
Oh would you just look at it, sir. Just look at it!🤣🤣🤣
Thanks for that reference lol
The back of that evaporator looks like my lawn in January!
I worked in blythe CA for about two years, you are absolutely right about once you feel heat it’s too late, I do NOT miss that nasty weather, the body isn’t meant to be in 120+ weather for long periods of time
My suggestion for your new home system is to include some temperature and power monitoring. Stick a few thermocouples in the supply and return ducts, as well as on the refrigeration components. Add a current transformer around the compressor and blower wires. Then make a dashboard with all of the temperature and power usage values, and monitor them over time to track the health of your system. This is on my list for my own home geothermal system.
11:50 Holy crap. A digital defrost controller. Finally got rid of the crusty analog jobbies. 😲
Sounds like a great project, residential done well
Have you tried using digital defrost clocks? No moving parts, nothing for the sand to gunk up.
well done mate, I love your vids and I am just a web developer sitting infront of a computer screen all day. Your experience, logical approach, explaination skills and common sense are more far reaching than the HVAC context of your content :)
Listen to him guys, I've worn my back out by being stupid. I worked as a mechanic and I've damaged my back before I was 25. I now have arthritis everywhere and can barely move and cannot do what I love
I Love your videos and the way that you care for your customers is awesome. As for running more wires than necessary, I like to do things properly and know that someday down the road you might be back there at 2am in the morning with a bad wire and those extra wires can be reconfigured to get you through a crisis until a proper fix can be made. As an Industrial mechanic/electrical tech I always try to use cables with extra wires just in case especially where long difficult runs are necessary. Thanks again for all your videos and your outlook on work, you are one of the few good guys out there helping your customers.
Have to look into the second sensor for the KE2. We have a kitchen on the backside of the track that is leased out and I had an outside contractor that installed one on the WIF. Even after adjusting the sensor position higher it always leaves a permafrost band along the top inch or so of most of the evap.
Yup....im 43 years old and have 22 in the trade. It takes a toll on your body. Im definitely paying for being stupid in my younger years. I definitely try to take care of myself quite a bit more nowadays. I drink plenty of water all day long. Its hot as hell in Texas too.
I took the online classes for KE2 and their products. I like them and try to use them when its applicable. Another great video Chris....keep em coming
Hey man just wanted to thank you for the videos! I'm a 23 year old 3rd year apprentice in Local 33 in Iowa. Tested into my second year coming in from residential plumbing construction so only have about a year in HVACR. Your videos help me out a ton! I watch you for about 30mins to an hour everyday to help keep fresh on different things. Getting better and better at diagnosing basing off of symptoms from the start, of course confirming with tests. Pretty confident in HVAC now besides the big guys, need to keep learning on refrigeration that's for sure. I definitely prefer HVACR over plumbing though, and love being a service tech over construction. Really happy with my choice to get into the trade, and with more and more vacancies in this job In the next decade or two our wages are gonna be huge! Anyway thanks again man. I'll be getting a hat and shirt here soon, my broke ass has a kid on the way so I'm working on it, the hats are definitely bad ass
Good to see you again. I was waiting for you to post. I love learning and watching your videos you motivate me to be a better tech
Remember folks just like the machines you service and repair preventative maintenance to your body is a lot cheaper (and less unpleasant) than dealing with parts that fail, and you can't order replacement parts for most of your meat so take care of it.
I dont feel like I'm invincible, I am invincible 💪
Im in phx and i feel your pain. Hurts going from freezing to 115 degrees.
Hey, on the topic of vision: make sure you wear sunglasses, eyes are so fragile and the amount of UV radiation your eyes take, especially on the roof during the summer, will definitely start to cause issues later. Also try wear sunscreen on exposed skin, cancer comes out of nowhere and it’s pretty brutal :(
39 yr old plumber since I was 12. The damage is real we do to our bodies when we are younger!
I'm 38 and I feel ya. The 30's really hit hard. My vision and hearing went on me bad then any other age.
a tip for vision, wear polarizing sunglasses when working on a roof or other bright places. The reflected UV does damage in time.
The defrost contactor might have hesitated to pull in because like the clock, it too was gummed up with sand and dust but once the coils magnetic field yanked on it long enough to pull it in, it dislodged the dust and now works normally...
Either that, or that entire unit is plagued with Gremlins...
😄😁😆😅😂🤣
Work SMART and HARD! At the end of the day experience and knowledge will earn.
hi welder for 40 years now have bad knees bad hearing bad back so i agree with you totally
That rooftop looks just like BJs in houston. Just wait the problems just keep coming. Spent 48 years in service game poor vision bad knees scars where people should not have scars how many nights spent on some rooftop on some refrigeration emergency One of my altime favorite calls was county morgue on Monday morning. Houston is pretty wild. To check Evaps you lay down on slab and they push the drawer in I should write a book about some of the stuff we did and the people I met
I feel you on getting old. Lol 47 here. Done wayyy too many stupid things as a kid and now i have arthritis in every joint (also hereditary issue) ears are shot partially due to not wearing hearing protection.
The service life is VERY hard on the body .. Ropes and pulleys and a good set of gloves save a lot of pain.
Especially pulling compressors up the side of a building !
Keep hydrated, man .. heat stroke took me out in 2011.
Im glad to have survived from the revenge of the elements.
Not sure if you've ever seen or tried this but when I'm roping things up to a roof I tied a rock climbers grappling hook to the end and I can hook almost everything from the roof and pull it up. Was worth the 30 bucks on Amazon.
Nice job, only thing I would add is to check your total amps on that system now that the compressor and defrost heater run at the same time while the compressor pumps down in defrost.
I've used a couple of those ke2 controls with good results so far.
Would you look at that! LOL!
Watched the whole way to the end.
Hey I’m so happy now
Good job Chris, Watch out for those gremlins and poltergeist, they can cause arch flash and all kinds of stuff, maybe if it becomes a bigger problem, get the city records and find out if there is any documentation of any burials in the area, and that might help things, you would probably need more tamper resistant devices. Good work there.
Haha, yes, I always watch for the end notes. Keep up the great work.
perfect frosting pattern
The snow on the coul is so beautiful ^^
Do everything. It's yours do it to the fullest.
Love the doing it my way. Lol.
Can't wait to see what you come up with. I'm looking to put in a 3 ton + ductless system with 4 or 5 heads.
"I think it might be iced up... Oh, yeah, look at that, doncha know!"
I'm guessing you either A) were in Manitowoc for some training recently, or B) watched Fargo this weekend.
Nice video, glad to see ya use the KE2 PLUS DEFROST. Been looking into using those in the future.
Could maybe be a somewhat sticky/stuck heater contactor given the bad clock means it hadn't been cycled for a while, once it cycled once it broke it's sticky block and could then cycle freely.
I watch a tech channel as well and they dont hide anything or try to suger coat stuff about a manufacturers product and most of the time the manufacturer like it that way so they can improve there products so i think a good manufacturer will let you do it your way and learn as well keep up the great content
Thanks for the review. I am so glad you mentioned not getting water on the floor of a freezer. It is inevitable that some water is going to get on the floor. A small electric blow-dryer & paper towels are handy for mopping up. I was concerned when the drain started dripping. A failed drain heater & broken pipe? Having a walk-in freezer down for 2 hours is unthinkable for kitchen managers. Did they unload the freezer to a back-up or did they let the food thaw? I try to get them to unload but most have nowhere to unload it to. Ice cream is impossible to reuse if it thaws.
I’ve found using a steam cleaner and wrapping a towel around the nozzle with it being lose works to get Ice of walk-in freezer floors. Almost like a hot mop get ice up real easy no do to get a hammer and chisel just a tip if you get water all over the place
2:00 is the heat of the day. Work in the box or up on the roof? We know what you were thinking
Great work. I remember your video on that piece of equipment long time ago.
Love watching your video sir...
Keep up the great works
Currently working on Taylor's Eq in Malaysia,as long as its refrigeration system its really help me alot increase the knowledge 😀
I am in the IT field I use Veto products as well
Get yourself a supco umbrella. I use mine all the time just to get in the shade. Cheap enough and a life saver
My guess while skipping through segments would be that there was resistance across the defrost clock and it wasn't getting full voltage to the coil side of the contactor, causing a delay until whatever schmutz was in there burned off a bit. The subsequent activations of the contactors were faster and faster.
Solid advice about doing things to work smarter, not harder and take care of yourself. I just recently changed careers (I was an automotive technician) and there is this whole toxic masculinity in that industry, as well as many other “blue collar” industries. I was lucky (i guess) to work with some older folks early on in my career and I listened carefully to what they said as well as what they didn’t say. Basically all of the older guys I worked with were a physical wreck, had multiple surgeries, literally working themselves to death because they hadn’t saved anything to be able to retire and hadn’t taken any measures to take care of themselves when they were younger. I learned a valuable many valuable lessons from them, including lessons from their mistakes. Many seem to think that doing things to reduce stress on their body somehow makes them weak. No, it makes them smart. Tools and equipment exist in pretty much any industry to make it so that people don’t have to destroy themselves for their work. Basic things like wearing eye and ear protection, not using your hands as a hammer, screw driver or wrench, and working a reasonable amount of hours each day will make your life SO much better, now and when you get older.
We have a lot of freeze ups at work due to the fact people are in and out of coolers/freezers all day long and suggested longer defrosts at night when there is no activity when online grocery is done and produce, meats, bakery, deli are done for the night the coolers/freezers are undisturbed. I remember you saying doing longer defrosts at night when things are not crazy keeps ice away but I was dumb and didn't know what I was talking about. The refrigeration dude says if we program it for this store then the corp would want it done for all the stores everywhere and more testing and yada yada yada would have to go one but we keep having freeze up's and cooler drains plugged up that's leaking all over the place but no one wants to fix anything. Just rambling on but some systems have separate defrost electrical panels that do all the defrost from the frozen doors, bunkers, and walkin's that have 200 amps just to run the store defrost system. That way you need a separate contactor that gets power from the defrost panel but is controlled by the timeclock.
Wind shields work for keeping sand and dirt off mildly and it's cheaper for the these buildings. Look into it and this would actually help out those that have a lot of sand in videos
Good work i have also seen ants.
Fantastic thanks for the explanation
Excellent 👌
ARE YOU CONSIDERING AN A2L SYSTEM FOR YOUR HOME? ARE A2L RESIDENTIAL SYSTEMS AVAILABLE? HOW ABOUT COMMERCIAL/INDUSTRIAL A2L SYSTEMS? Really excited about this new miniseries.
Invest in a canvas collapsable bag. Lightweight, easy to store and awesome. Klein has a great one.
Dude. I made it to the end lol
Thanks for the vids
When do you want to use dampers? I live in Az and I got a call today 7 brand new carrier units werent getting past 84 degrees. I go to the roof and the dampers are fully open and pulling in 115 degree air.
Made it to the end, should be a nice project.
At this point, I'm wondering if they should just invest in a dehumidifier for the room outside of the freezer, but I don't trust them to properly maintain one.
The Samsung vrf heat recovery is nice also the Mitsubishi heat recovery systems are nice as well. Both have great support. Also zoning the home with slim ducts would be way cheaper.
Very nice even coating of frost @0:37. So probably TXV working properly and not low on charge. It's when the top 1/3 is clean fins, and the bottom is 6" thick of frost that gets me worried... :) Or one time I went in and no frost on back of coil, but box was 25 degrees, but I noticed the compartment on the side bulging on the evap. Pulled the cover off, and wow, the TXV and distributor lines were encased in like a 1 foot think ball of hard frost. That was a big PITA to thaw out. The IceMonster was trying to pop the side cover off!
Absolutely love all your videos. I’m a fairly green (1.5 year) resi/light commercial hvac tech and learn so much from all you’re videos. Do you teach any classes? Anyways, thank you for all the informational videos!
Pretty nuts that the electronics are not even in a dust-protected cabinet. Or inside altogether.
Why not get an uninsulated flag crimper and the insulating sleeves to put over them? (they should be supplying those, mind)
I WOULD BE SATISFIED & EAGERLY WAITING FOR WATCHING THE VIDEO SERIES OF CHRIS (BEING HIMSELF A HVAC TECHNICIAN) TO REPLACE, REWORK AC SYSTEM OF HIS OWN HOUSE IN A 100% PROFESSIONAL WAY WITH HEARTFUL OF ACCURACY & SATISFACTORY. 😎
"well it didn't blow up when I powered it up" sounds like me when firing up an engine after major repairs 😂