I bet that old Goodman has outlived many of the high dollar brands out there from the same period. It might also outlive most of us. Great catch on the coil being dirty and not needing that missing fan shroud.
THANK YOU. I am on social security - older senior - don't have much left over so I try to learn little tricks like you just showed. Again, thank you. I learned about generators today too.
I had this exact R22 unit on my house for 20 years, last week I finally had it replaced. Over the years, I replaced 3 capacitors and 2 blower motors and towards the end, I had to add some coolant, but it served me well. This was a good Goodman.
If homeowners would just do the quick spray down a few times a season they could put a bunch of "test dollars" in their pocket on the energy savings. And I agree you got 80+% of the airflow restored in a lot less billable time than a teardown on a system on its way out. Trust builds relationships, relationships build word of mouth referrals and repeat business. But you know how the Internet is... full of haters and shoulda woulda guys.
Yes sir, I hose my condenser down couple times per month and open up the top before every season to vacuum out the leaves and debris in the bottom pan so the water doesn't just sit there and rust everything out. 11 years on a Goodman DSXC18 ZERO problems other than the OAS which got chewed by a furry animal.
Thanks for sharing this. I completely agree with your opinon. As chief engineer for 4 100kw FM and two 50KW AM radio stations, I spent a great deal of time with my HVAC man. All my stuff is 3 phase monster units. I'm an RF guy. Radio station transmitters emit a great deal of heat. Keeping them cool can be a challenge here in Louisiana. I know very little about AC units but my guy has taught me quite a lot and the value of keeping air moving. Due to budget cuts, I have to do a lot of maintenance myself and call in the big guns when I'm in over my head. I fell in love with Nu-Bright. That's some wonderful stuff. Works great on aluminum wheels not on my party barge pontoons, Not So Much. Great work, sir. Cheers from Louisiana.
Not as an AC person, but homeowner... but over the years I have sprayed Simple Green on those fins, let them set for 5 minutes or so, and then cleaned them with a low setting of my pressure washer. Amazing how much dirt comes out and how much more efficient the unit runs. Never heard of the dollar bill thing, but was very impressed!
You’re a credit to your craft. Your customers are fortunate to have you. I would try to clean the coils on mine every spring and I would remove the cover to clean out the nuts and seeds a ground squirrel would store in the winter. I had a unit similar to the one you just repaired and I knew it was on the way out too. Thanks for the video.
I always like the customer watching and asking questions, as for the coil cleaning you could put 2 techs side by side and there would be different remedies to the same work..
Thank you great video...went out and did the dollar bill test on my goodman. Thanks again. Oh, thanks for the accurate representation of what the 1 dollar bill now looks like thanks to JB!
The company that installed my ac in my house would have charged a travel fee, a walking to the ac fee, diagnostics fee, deciding what to do next fee, a replacement parts charge, put the fee back on the fee for the fee fee fi fo fum fee. I’d never hire them for sure. I just took advantage of prior owner having a warranty on the machine. You seam very honest and to the point.
I can say with a 100% certainty the people in that house were on cloud 99 when they felt cold air coming out those vents. Then at 4:00 0'clock on a Sunday, they were thanking the good lord you existed, lol. Great Job taking care of your customer. Don't see a whole lot of that anymore, especially on the week-ends. "The Cajun Ninja's Dad"
me neither. but seems to work good for him. heats up the coil cleaning solution & water. Proof is in the pudding. i wouldn't do it though. with my luck it would go Bang💥 & Trip the Breaker for sure ! wires inside could be wrotted away , put water on them while its running. not for me.
Good to know, the ac can benefit with a quicky spray down once a year without all the fussin' and messin'. I got a 32 year old York 2 ton that hasn't had any cleaning at all. But it runs well every season. The A coil never had a scrubbing either. I'm certain the accumulated dirt and dust has hindered the proper operation of the unit. It's time I spent a few dollars to do some maintenance on my HVAC system.
Thanks. I have a very similar unit. That dollar bill trick was something I didn't know about. My unit is 23 y/o and I know its getting near the end of it's life. I just changed the run capacitor recently but did not try to clean the coil. It got pretty hot today and doesn't seem like it's cooling too well. I'll have to be checking it out tomorrow if I can get to it.
Ted I’d like to clean the coils that way while the unit is running spraying the soap on coil I feel that it pulls into the coil and then the soap can expand and push out dirt and blast it with the hose Usually on a single pass coil it works pretty good
Thanks for the video, my Carrier is 3 years old but is in as new condition just because I clean it twice a year (AZ desert), and is somewhat protected under my back awning in the shade. Loved the dollar bill check though, will use it. I agree the amount of work you expended was equal to the condition of the unit.
We run our old train with window screen around it since it was brand new because of the large amount of cottonwood in the area. Makes it much easier to clean every other day. Just wait until it's off and go out with a broom or car wash brush and brush it off. That cottonwood kills A/C units. When I worked as a mechanic at the bowling alley I came in on my day off one day to help the HVAC tech fix a few units on top of our building. On one of the older units we weren't getting much airflow so we took it apart and I stood inside it for 2 hours with a water hose very meticulously back washing the condenser. Worked much better afterwards!
Yup, Nice job. Good to see a guy that knows exactly what to do. To many guys can't wait to just replace the unit. It is a 22 year old unit, pretty old.
I'm teaching some young men HVAC for nothing. They can't afford the classes. I replicated your video Monday, clogged the condenser & showed them the dollar bill test. I didn't use a Ben Franklin like you. Ha! I remember being taught this in apprentice school 50 yrs ago. The new test tools we have today are miraculous. Love em! But I start them out using a std manifold gauges, temp thermistors, sh/sc charts & try to teach them how to calculate sh/sc for the hell of it. Time is money so I try to get them moving
I have the same Goodman unit. Built in 2000, we finally upgraded to a new unit. I had it re-installed in my work shop. 21 years, no leaks, works great. Betcha it’ll last another 5!
good video ever since i had seen you do the dollar bill trick the first time, i have been doing that. i found one the other day on one of our Rentals (i work property maintenance) cleaned the coil the same way on that one and got the same result. i have taken the covers off on many units and washed them out when the situation arises
Let the haters hate, Ted.. you’re doing the right thing considering the circumstances.. that’s why you’re as successful as you are.. keep on keeping on brother 🤙🏼
I was trained by a old timer that was in business for over 35 years and follow everything he thought me cause we always stay super busy year round with out advertising all word of mouth every thing has to be level and look like a showroom install so many customers are in shock when they see the pride we take in are installs. I believe you did the right thing no need to waste money a lot of money on something that should have been replaced. I try to feel the customer out to see if they want to replace it or buy some time while they get off he budget together to replace
I have a carrier over 20 years plus. Never maintained other than air filters and covered in off seasons. Cold as the first day. Praise the Most High for blessings
As a home owner, I have a Goodman and an AirEase, I open mine up and clean them yearly the correct way, inside to out first and then outside to in. Obviously you know a lot more then me about ACs, I just do what is logical in my feeble brain…
this is my 4th week working at Lee company doing hvac preventative maintenance. most laid back and easy going job I've ever had. went to college for industrial Maintenance air conditioning and refrigeration
Thanks for all the informative videos Ted. As an RV tech who sees only low efficiency mobile home furnaces in the park models I service and dinky rooftop air units on travel trailers, I'm trying to up my game before the inevitable upgrades occur.
Nice job!-Worked with the utility company for 20 years,never saw that $1 bill trick.!Yea,clean the condenser with a garden hose goes a long way,Don"t mow the grass with the ac on does too.In my experience,no ac was either simple or a major pain in the ass.No in between-Great vid."Arm chair Warriors!-CLASSIC!
A Goodman is my favorite to. Have a roof top on my house . Cost me a gas valve $ 35, and a board $ 65. About 10 years. Simple, cheep on parts , available, new or used . Thay must do something good if Daikin bought them.
I have that style condenser on a few units. Some of them don’t have fan shrouds and I have made them out of sheet metal. It always improves performance. I’ve never noticed any plastic shrouds broken in the bottom.
I am 30 years in this business and I would have cleaned that coil exactly the way you did. Good job. Unfortunately some technicians striping down the unit so they can charge more money for unnecessary work
I always kill the thermostat whenever the yard guys show up....you would be surprised how much grass clippings get sucked into the coil each time they come by. 😲
While I agree that the right way to clean the coil is by removing the fan, it’s Sunday, he’s on an emergency call so the goal is just to get the client up and running. I’d do the same thing and recommend annual maintenance.
Very nice work you a good and honest man wish their was more business that care for their customers as well as you do.I do agree with you on buying made in the U.S.A or at a country that doesn’t use slave labor.God bless and god bless the U.S.A
I like to think that the fan running helps pull the cleaner in a little bit. Good yob! My Goodman has holes for a shroud, but has never had one on it. I installed it new. And also, I kinda like that little pump sprayer you had. And yes it is great to do what ever you want, isn't it.
I just cleaned mine for the very first time in 14yrs since new. Surprizingly, it wasn't as dirty as it should. Only the top and one corner needed cleaning. The top of the run capacitor is rusted. It is still functioning but a back up is on order. I got a $1k charge for no cold air one time when my hvac was less than 10yrs old. Didn't know anything about hvac so I probably got scammed.
as to taking the goodman apart. yes, agree. about the only thing you need to "take apart" is by disconnecting the line set and hauling the unit to the dump.
It is very hard for us old timers, that were young when things were still made right, and MADE IN THE USA meant something to realize that everything made today is overly complicated, and cheaply made. The fact is, that you cannot get away with both, but that is what we have done by allowing ALL our manufacturing to China. The HVAC system in my home in MD is made by Carrier. It is now 30 years old. All of my neighbors have had their systems replaced. The neighbor to the right of me put his old furnace out for pickup. I took most of the parts that he had replaced and have them as backups, as the systems are basically the same. Over 20 years or so I have replaced most of the parts, some twice. I understand the concept of diminishing returns, and I know I am due for a new system, but one thing i have learned is that keeping your condenser coil, your evaprator coil, your condensate trap and lines clean is absolutely necessary. I do this twice a year. As a DIY person, To me, there is a right way, and a wrong way to do something. When Running a business, a much different approach is required, because you are competing with a large percentage of schmucks.
I am writing this comment in Aug. 2021. I have the same unit, installed in 1997 and still going strong, knock on wood! I replaced the same run capacitor twice and need to get another for a spare just in case. I love these old units that have only a compressor, fan motor, contactor and a capacitor. I don't need all that fancy electronics onboard, don't need a two speed fan, this runs fine enough for me and my electric levelized billing monthly has been less than $60 a month for a 4 bedroom, 2,500 sq, ft. house in the deep south of Louisiana. I have gas heat and the electricity is for air conditioning and lights only.
Once or twice a year I clear out all my RU-vid channels because it just gets overloaded especially you end up seeing a lot of political stuff you don't want to see and my friend you just got subscribed again love your channel you're always trying to help people I was watching the one where it's really hot outside and you were able to change a cap out and I mean you going to detail with everything and it's just awesome thank you for providing a great service and I hope you get more views peace
Like you said you own the business and you take care of your customers you do you my friend and keep up good work thanks for all the videos love to watch them
Ted, my Son's Trane went out Thursday 7/7 and he didn't tell me. I checked it and had a very slow start on the fan motor. 45/5 cap is swollen but the fan started and I did the dollar bill test. It was actually holding the bill down on top . Tech coming tomorrow to service and I told son to have him check it all and I want that bill to fly up. LOL ! Your Kentucky Bud. Ted also!
I think you did great. Like you said it's running 100% better. Taking older stuff like that apart you can cause more problems. You may need additional parts. With all that said, its up running, Cooling ! Good judgement call ! Most of all the customer is happy everything is COOL !
i have the same goodman compressor, DOM is 1996. still holds a decent charge. amazing, they don't build them like they used to. it may be time for an upgrade next season.
Lol lol you remind me so much of the man I was a helper with back in the day as young-in back in the 80’s and early 90’s. He was a Trane & Amana dealer and his Trane days were previously GE I don’t know what he sold in the GE era Fedders I think but I’m not sure, so that tells you how old he was then when he retired and passed away from cancer in the mid 90’s. He was a cigarette smoking machine. He taught me a lot but I never stayed with the apprenticeship I had & he got me. I just moved on when it went south with the company I was with. I just let the pros take care of my stuff on my home today. You bet tell a man how to do his business that sure isn’t my thing. You do right by your customers & how you see fit and you’re right this machine isn’t long for this world. I remember a lot of the earlier Goodman’s probably the late 70’s era and very much earlier than this one anyway when these were new and I’m 50 now and I still see a lot of them around. I enjoy watching you work like many on here, it’s so much different today and I enjoy seeing you all work. I know it’s hard work and thought I’d just drop by and say something nice. 👍 👍
You just can't learn this stuff out of a textbook. I had circus friends who lived in a motor home and were ready to strangle each other because they hadn't slept in days with no AC. I took the cover off the RTU and washed the years of dirt and hay off the coils. They had cool air and thought I was a god.
I got a goodman/amana unit.. you can’t fix anything that is major.. the next thing will break and be even more of an expense… you then feel obligated to continue.. inside coil was replaced. Now the heat pump don’t heat.. makes all the noises. Wish I got a new unit set.
