I’m going to start my first hvac job doing commercial residential. I even don’t apartment maintenance 14 years. We only had residential type hvac systems 2 ton. Any suggestions or tips starting to n field as a tech ? I would appreciate any advice. Really great videos by the way
For demonstrating the value of your service I recommending greetings 1st doing the maintenance and taking readings after so you can show the improvement that the maintenance has created for the customer. Creating value oftentimes means you can charge more. It also helps to reduce resistance when you make recommendations that the customer will have to pay for. They've seen a track record of what you are doing and the improvements you are making. It also helps you to understand what are the items that will get you the best result for the customer so if you have to give them a budget option you can get the biggest Bang for the buck
Video is informative but wrong off the bat. You DO NOT take pressures during a PM. One you can remove refrigerant from another system, and you aren’t vacuuming down you’re gauges every time to make sure no contamination. Thank god you’re not in the medical field. You check if the split is off. Rookie rookie rookie. Come on dude. You didn’t check the indoor blower bearings, you need to clear the drain every time and drop in you’re tablets. You add pan tabs to avoid build up. I can’t watch past 6:25 the hackery there. Please tell me you put the panels back on, NOPE damn dude
Nice work. Not that I do it personally but a lot of belt companies and engineers recommend not rolling the belts on or off due it allegedly tearing fibers. My work changes filters and belts every quarter no matter the condition so it’s not as big of a deal to us. Nice video
Whoever is filming needs to get really close to what your hands are doing. Sometimes someone is watching the video that doesn’t know anything about HVAC and wants to learn.
If you're new technician, stick with old school gauges over the smart probes. Smart probes are for EXPERIENCED techs. Only reason I'm typing this is bc all the responses to the probes. It's not a good choice for a beginner. Learn your pressures. Learn txv. Buy shutoff valves. You'll release hardly any refrigerant and it's equalivant to the probes, no difference. Be fast. You'll also have to send the probes in to get recalibrated and pay for it.
I don't agree that smart probes are only for the experienced techs. If your are truly interested in learning the trade, the learning curve is much faster with the newer equipment than the old. I can't even imagine going beck to a micron gauge that I couldn't plot on my phone. What a learning tool that is for a new tech to actually be able to see the difference in a leak and refrigerant or water gassing off in the system. Unlike analog gauges, smart probes allow the tech to easily think in saturated temperature rather than pressure from day one! That's priceless! New refrigrant comes along there's no difference in the saturated temperatures. How many new or old techs are going inside to sling a sling psychrometer, when charging a piston? The problem isn't the new technology! It's employer's that don't want to put any training into their employees. An apprentice needs a year or two following an older tech in the field and then support for a few years after that. If he can give me good measurement's over the phone we can walk through most any refrigerant problem. Then to top it all off the manufactures are cutting back on tech support at at time when their equipment is getting more and more complicated for new and old techs alike. Apps like MQ can give the newer tech confidence in their diagnosis, if it is used after they make an attempt at diagnosing the system first. If it doesn't agree then they need to dialup a senior tech and get advice . There's place for analog gauges like when diagnosing a TXV that is hunting or setting the cut in and cut out on a refrigeration system,. Other than that I don't really see the need for them.
Most of the customers we serviced when i was at this company had energy management services. we often would contact that service to force all the units on so that we could check operation. Also, some EMS companies will allow you access via app on your phone so that you may cycle on and all stages of heating and cooling. In larger supermarket operation, you will have EMS units such as Danfoss, E2, Novar etc that your able to graph and read logs that give you alot of important information. Most PM's are set at a low cost to the customer or they are not charged. This allows the contractor to service a customer and produce found on work. Meaning, if you show up, run the unit and find the Condenser fan motor not running, you would quote it out. Every customer has different rules especially with large Box stores and large retail chains. I always recommend for everyone to understand your companies goals and processes. understand the customers contract so that you can play within their rules. be very descriptive with your information and detail your report with high accuracy. take tons of photos this way you can show your customers exactly what they need and build that trust with you and your work. best of luck hope you found this to be helpful.
Do all of these AC function the same way and have the same components if so it this stuff sounds really technical however I assume in time its repetitive.
Thank you for the question. For the most part a Basic AC unit, split system or a package unit is usually operates in the same manner with same or similar components. Some manufactures may have some complex electronics, Variable speed drives or de humidification that may be a bit more advanced. Overall, you work on a few at the start of your career and they become easier. Attend seminars that manufactures have, this helps you in some ways understand and also gives you the opportunity to ask questions. My main type of work is supermarket refrigeration, i will be posting some vids soon.