Thank you for this video. I am a relatively new in HVAC field, have only 8 years of experience. These kind of stories for adult kids are priceless. No book will give you such knowledge. Thank you!
Well I got to admit, 3 of your videos I have learned alot, even at my 1/2 century old. Thanks for all and definitely understand about the late, and tired. Our next generation is gonna be in a bad hurt ,in bad way. Thanks for the knowledge and advice. May god bless you and yours. Hats off from ky
Great job Ted. I've been a hvac tech for over 10 years, glad you got your customers going. That home warranty company hacking up that old furnace is one of those things that piss me off. Even if you think something is bad wrong, you still put it back together, unless the customer tells you right then and there to replace it. I'm guessing by the video that they did not. Been sitting at home for 12 days now with covid, just catching up on all the RU-vid vids. Keep making these vids ted, I need to feel like I'm working, even though I'm not!😆
yep and the condensate hose from furnace is inside the pump and likely underwater and it's effectively double trapped in combination with the trap on furnace. I have a feeling he'll be back there again, sooner than later :) been a whie since I looked at the manual, but pretty sure it says to have an air-gap or open tee fitting at or near outlet of unit trap ;) ** I wonder if the pump is stupidly plugged into the light circuit, which is switched off from the looks of it.
@@throttlebottle5906 agreed. i dont like how he moved the condensate pressure switch so high either. its there to prevent the drainbox from overfilling due to blockage, not to be way up there in my opinion, defeats the purpose of the switch. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-52S-pogleeo.html yup.. can see it bubbling out on that timestamp. that switch was doing its job, it was water locked due to failed pump
Pump should have been changed on install. “Another call back I guess” again reason why a completely full diagnostic is 100% necessary. I saw that too lol
@@throttlebottle5906 I had that same issue when I first installed my furnace. I didn't have a tee and it siphoned water back out enough to make a mess on the floor after a few days of running in cold northern michigan winter. Good observation on the switched light circuit feeding the condensate pump. I had a service call from a heating and cooling company here to install an extra plug close enough to the furnace in order to plug the condensate pump in because the installers did that exact same thing. Plugged it into the side of the lamp holder and when they switched off the crawl lights the pump quit.
Hey Ted, long time viewer, and I really appreciate your content. With all due respect, I think the issue is that old re-used condensate pump. My guess is the whole point of that water switch being plumbed into the factory p-trap is to shut the system down if it's no longer terminating water properly, and it's set low to prevent the water level from reaching the draft motor. Judging from the water leaking out the side of the pump, I'd say it's either unplugged or failed. Love your work and please forgive the armchair diagnosis. If I'm wrong, then my apologies. Have a great day
The condensate pump tripping would not generate the error code given. Oftentimes the safety switch on the condensate pump isn't even wired into the unit to shut it down and if so there's a high chance that it breaks the Y circuit and not the 24v to the thermostat. Curious if the installer caught the need to break 24v when they switched from an 80% to a 90+ as the condensate pump will now run year round.
No that unit was not fully converter to a horizontal left. That pressure switch with the tube at the bottom like that, will always pick up water in this orientation, as gravity brings it down to the collector box. When condensate pumps fail they just leak all over the ground they don't back feed (in most cases a min. of 12" vertically usually more) to the point a pressure switch is sucking up water. Ray is also correct about the High-High float not being tied in (what he calls breaking 24v or (R) )
Hey Ted at 11:15 your pump is overflowing. I thought I noticed it earlier in the video. I don’t think your condensate pump was working properly. I could be wrong just thought I would bring it up just in case.
We have to run BX / Armoured cable from the switch to the furnace , put the electrical box where it belongs as that is installers cutting corners . Lastly I price a new condensate pump into the job every time , we have learned that the hard way .
While you are most likely correct that the Romex connections just hanging inside behind the cover would generally not cause a problem, it is NOT to code. All electrical connections must be made within an approved, accessible electrical junction box. Any decent inspector would fail that installation immediately.
We had a fail from a newbie doing that same thing on a furnace install in a new construction. The inspector wanted to see the splice made up inside the internal junction box citing that the furnace cabinet was not an approved splice box.
That 90% furnace cabinet has a less 5% leak rate, and with the door on is enclosed and locked/secured. I installed hvac in the bay area of CA for 2 1/2 years, and that is to code. I've installed up and down CA for over 6 years now and not one area is more strict than the Bay Area (in terms of building code). Don't even get me started on Title 24...... Also if the manufacturer installation book shows another process/method, you can typically persuade the inspector to pass the installation book's recommended procedure. And your last comment is laughable. Careful my guy, falling off your high horse from that height could cause you serious physical and mental harm....An "immediate fail" means you go no further in your inspection process. You don't sound the alarm and wrap is up because of those electrical connections. Most inspectors I know would be decent enough for a minor inspection correction at no additional charge to the customer for the re-inspection of said connection. While still allowing the customer to use the heater until that happens, which could be some time depending on the size of your city/county.
Where I live, algae and mold will clog up an HVAC drain line. Last time I checked, bleach kills algae and mold. I usually flush my HVAC drain line with bleach diluted in hot water at least once every two years. My drain line hasn’t clogged since I adopted this procedure. I would probably try some yellow death coil cleaner but I doubt the supply house would sell it to me.
Back when I did installing, we always told customers to use a cup of white vinegar down the cleanout (I said once a month, but the usual policy was every three months). Always discouraged customers to use bleach, as aluminum coils, don't take to kindly to bleach and neither does PVC. At least that is what I and several A/C companies I have worked for and employees I've talked with have come to as our conclusion. The Bleach when poured in the SS2(condensate pan overflow float switch) instead of the cleanout(usually by the homeowner who is trying to remember what the installer told them and that it goes "in the thing with the cap"), goes into the condensate pan where it sits and is allowed to "breathe" in the same space as the coil until it is diluted by the new condensate and runs out the drain line. This bleach is at least in my opinion found to be a slow but steady coil killer. Though bleach does an admirable job of disinfecting condensate drain lines, It will not "usually" help in the case of a drain line that has been neglected and allowed things to grow and call it home. The slime and nastiness that exists in these drain lines 9/10 won't be touched by bleach. If this were the case then it would be the only thing a service tech would have on his truck/van for a drain line call. Besides not being effective for clearing drain lines, the bleach that is used in the life of the drain line will sit in the line( under slab drain lines mostly, with exception of lines using a trap at the end of the line, and of course what is contained in the trap.) and will eat away and cause the PVC to turn brittle and can lead to cracks/leaks. If you find this not to be the case, good for you I hope you never have a drain line fail to drain or leak. It's never a fun time to be had by anyone. Just giving my $0.02 worth.
@@joep4143 - I am qualified to install and service HVACR equipment. In fact, I held a contractor’s license 35 years ago and installed new equipment in my home last year. Why would I pay some jackleg $125 to pour cleaner down my drain? I only used diluted bleach in the drain line. I use the pan tabs in the coil.
Here any wiring below joist level is put in conduit to a handy box with switch to disconnect line voltage and never splice wires outside of junction box. Also couldn't that condensate pump's float switch be shutting the furnace down? The pump looked to be overflowing and not operating.
I remember you mentioning several times before about the need to route that line up before it goes down. I used to keep a really big wooden mallet on my desk and ask employees if I needed to boink them a few times to refresh their memory.
As far as any wire nut connection, from somebody who’s been twisting those things for 50 years, always put your nuts up, if the nut comes loose at the minimum hopefully won’t fall off and cause other issues so always turn your wires up, keep your nuts up
I understand that it was a quick install under no heat condition's but alot of lack of attention to detail. But still going to give you a thumbs up on you going in and taking care of it same day.
went to a call last night ...northern Alberta Canada...-41.....furnace was down for 6hrs...entire house frozen solid....once I got it warm...just an ignitor....water lines frozen solid... this house was newer so it had r-45 insulation..didnt matter.
That white stuff falling down along with the falling temperatures are a couple of the reasons my wife and I retired in her home country, the Philippines. Really do like the videos though.
Yeah we get snow up north, kinda used to it. We don’t get a lot of equipment in crawl spaces, thank goodness, just makes it harder to work. Enjoy your show and advice and your technical know how shows, need more with your style and clean language. Some of those guys just cuss an complain and then do the same hack repairs and I can’t respect that. I have 40 years in this, over 20 with my own state licenses, so it’s easy to see who knows what they’re doing (or not).
As an electrician I have a problem with the romex inside the cabinet. Romex is not temperature rated for this and wire connections shall always be in an approved junction box.
I had a house where the condensation pump was not pumping water but kept flowing water over flowed water got all over the floor .I cleaned up the mess ,made them replace the pump with a commercial grade, cheap pumps have failed me more then once on rentals, the new pump was hard wire where the pump will shut off when over flow .That is standard I would hope looking at units in attics .
Are installer in that much of a hurry to get out from under the house? Looks like crappy working conditions. Seems they don't care what the work looks like since no one sees it. My furnace is a a basement utility/storage room. East to see.
Ha ha first comment!! Seriously I do enjoy your vlogs I’ve learned a lot from you. A lot about what some people shouldn’t be messing with when they don’t have the experience and gets a little dangerous
Sloppy/Lazy install. I wouldn’t even admit to doing that replacement and if my workers did that they wouldn’t have a job. That electrical connection is completely unacceptable. There’s a box there for a reason and I didn’t see a shut off or disconnect anywhere either.
I don't know where you are but in the San Juaquin County (CA), in the county, a pigtail connection to an outlet is to code, as is hardwired into the unit as they have it. And I feel bad for your employee's. I'm sure your turn around rate in unreal.... My biggest gripe is that the whole thing is just chilling on cinder blocks. Maybe it's just a CA earthquake thing but here we would have to either have it suspended on unistrut/all-thread or sitting on a concrete pad, in a pan, on isolators, earthquake strapped to the floor joist.
Seems lack of information is common when the equipment is outside or out of sight inside..Most people have little or no idea except it isnt working properly. Home warranty companies arent in the business of getting the best and brightest subcontractors..They want quick cheap repairs. The customer is fortunate when they get an experienced pro to respond..
Do it right the first time. Dont be afraid to call someone who has the answer. Take a little razzing. If they humiliate you your day will come. They will need help. If it's your boss, find a better company. But dont hurt the customer. They paid a lot of money for the system and your expertise.
Atleast it was an easy fix but the install crew should have fired up that furnace so you wouldn't have to come out at night because you had to eat that bill I used to have to go to almost every install because of something done wrong or not done I talked with the big boss told him almost all of my after hours calls are install error he didn't like it so he started sending a service tech to do start up on every install and told the install crews they had to tighten up or changes would be made because it was the company that was taking the hit for this thanks for the video
very nice....looking to see what direction you go for a new truck this year ? I have a 2018 GMC 2500 basic technology, etc. My understanding is Transit types don't do 300k real well ?
"make like a tree and get outa'here" 😆 I've been known to use that line a time or two myself. Bonus points if someone knows what movie that line was from.
Don't see any primer on the 2"pvc for the unit. No safe over flow on the secondary drain no tee after trap. That's big code problems were I live. And with the way the hoses were it should not have run more than 15 min before you get that code on left side configuration. And line voltage wire has to be inside the box for code also
If that evap coil was downstream and has a positive air flow through the condensate line, the cap should be removed in order for the air to escape a allow a proper draining of condensate liquid.
This is why as a owner we prefer to do all jobs because employees don’t do what owner would do. This owner is good. But employees don’t do it like us owners
You see that’s why we don’t install those overpriced Trane PS 😂😂. Carrier baby haven’t failed me yet and haven’t had a call back ever besides to thank me for making them comfortable.
Wow that condensation pump is leaking all over that insulation. That poor ceiling for that customer is gonna be one large payment to get fixed. I really didnt see anything but cosmetic fixing here. the unit heat came on with the hose undone from the switch which was super odd to begin with. i dont think there was much educational purpose here but lack attention to detail.
What was actually wrong with the original furnace? And what was the problem with the 90%er? Not clear. Also, you replace the old furnace from 96 with 90%er and keep the original 96 ductwork? Doesn’t make any sense. Customer would be better of with replacing the ductwork and keeping and retrofitting the old furnace efficiency-wise...
At least in my state, You're allowed to have wire nut connections in any suitable junction box. Since the furnace is an enclosed metal enclosure, that entire furnace, top to bottom constitutes as a suitable junction cavity.
I see you do quite a few Trane units. I just had my heat pump replaced with a new indoor unit. The unit is supposed to be a variable speed unit. I have an Ecobee thermostat. I live in Florida and the humidity is higher than my last AC system. I also noticed the variable speed doesn't happen. Should I have gotten the Trane thermostat? I would love for you to work on my system, but I am a long way out of your service area. I also want to point out I have learned a ton from your channel. I replaced my old unit to a Trane because you mentioned the quality of Trane units in one of your videos.
The variable speed airflow should have been set by the installation crew using the "dip switches" inside the air handler. Sounds like your system isn't operating long enough to dehumidify, they probably have the fan set to constant 100% airflow. Thermostat should be fine.
You should have gotten the Trane thermostat. At best, you will get two stages out of the Ecobee. But, if you only have a 1 stage compressor, it doesn't matter that much. If you had a communicating compressor and air handler, then whoever left the Ecobee did you a disservice. One of my thermostats is over the dryer vent, so not very accurate.
I don't consider myself a real HVAC technician like yourself because I work in the land of the basement Ohio. The jobs that make me hate my job are jobs you run every day. Attic and crawl space!! 😂
