THE KITCHEN AC IS LEAKING WATER IN THE BUILDING 

I think everyone in hvac should learn from this guy

I've taken to doing that at work now when turning equipment on... "1..2..3 please don't blow up!"... the look on my project manager's face is priceless!

Delay timers should be mandatory for all air conditioning equipments to save the compressors

You and I both know that "temporary" fix will be quite permanent. The alternative is most likely shutting the restaurant down for a significant period of time while almost everything in the ceiling is rerouted, and that's not only costly, it's lost sales as well. One month away from the two-year anniversary of me reporting a nonfunctional exhaust fan... And the Baxter mini rack oven messed up so badly this past week. After a repair last Saturday, this Tuesday I was baking croissants at 130° instead of 325°. I texted the store's group chat with a demand that Bruce, the Franchise Owner himself, be immediately notified and address the ongoing oven repairs, or I would contact Dunkin' Donuts directly. Wednesday it was repaired again, and Thursday it was 238° instead of 325°. The same week, our $15k a piece used McDonalds OG Frappe machine (Taylor Island Oasis) began on Monday with random blender motor activation when not in use. Tuesday, the keypad was replaced. Tuesday afternoon, the keypad/brain lost its calibration and would not blend after ice was crushed. Wednesday, the keypad was replaced again. Thursday, the keypad was falling off the machine (it's a dumb peel-and-stick membrane keypad with fragile ribbon cables, or as I like to call it, "a way to keep making the manufacturer money after the sale" 😆). Our walk-in fridge pan drain line STILL goes uphill, it's not being fixed, the blame is "it's an old walk-in, it just needs to be replaced." Well, yeah, now that the floor is saturated, it DOES. Oh, and the walk-in freezer floor now has water intrusion from below, and the floor is getting lumpy as it's frozen now. Just effing great. And our renovations? Pushed back again, no estimate on when it's going to happen. Delfield sandwich station has 5 different slices in the line cord's insulation - at least the last time I was brave enough to pull it out from the wall. Conductors aren't damaged - yet - but I've ordered every single crew member to NOT move it and clean behind it until the cord gets replaced, it's been two and a half years since I noticed the first slice and reported it, and was told "it's not that bad right now." I don't want anyone to move the equipment, the back panel severs a conductor, and 🔌⚡🪦It's a pain to move because our expedite monitor stand is bad (and has been since at least 2012) and so the terminal sits on top of its printer, which sits on the top shelf of the Delfield. Oh, there's the GFCI receptacle on the Drive Thru counter that hasn't worked since BEFORE my last time working there in 2012. The Test and Reset is stick in the middle, and it's been that way. That's what, a fifteen-minute repair if you go really slowly? I swear, if there ever is a fire there, I have STORIES TO TELL. Like the ground pin from one donut case's lighting cord stuck in another receptacle, and I've banned anyone from using that lighting until the cord is properly replaced and the metal cabinet is grounded. Cord (missing its pin) is tightly wrapped and rubber-banded with a note on it inside the back cubby. Excuse me if I care about my crew's safety. I just don't get it at all. Perhaps I never will. Sometimes you gotta spend money to make money, or spend money to at least keep making the money you're currently making. July 2023 was the most profitable month since the store opened in... Gosh, 2001? Maybe before that? And our store is often the highest-sales within the Franchise Owner's zone? Maybe put some money into the store that makes most of your money, and your crew will be happier, and customers will be happier, and your profits will grow even more? Hello? **tap tap** 🎤Is this thing on?

I'm in HVAC school, starting my final quarter next week. Every single class, we watch one of your videos. I like how thorough you are in your videos.

It may look bad, but the easiest solution likely will be to install rigid ductwork along the ceiling of the kitchen from the supply vents to the front area of the kitchen to direct most of the cold air right to the cooking area. Then the Manager can turn the thermostat in their office up to something approaching Sane without melting their cooks... Sure, if the cooks look up they'll see the big silver tubes running across the ceiling, but it should be both functional and out of sight of the Customers and that's what truly matters here...comfortable cooks and happy Customers...happier Customers actually since once the cooks become more comfortable due to not cooking themselves, the quality of the food should go up...

In the past worked on McDonalds stores maintenance had a unit similar to that. We just drilled a monster hole and reran duct work. It worked fine until they had their remodel three years later.

Unfortunately when remodeling people dong look at the “big picture “ put in new stoves coolers etc. but don’t realize that thermal demands in the work spaces will need to be addressed as well.

Your Customers are so Lucky to have your Experience Level Maintaining Equipment. It’s Safe to Say you’re a Strong Tech and Company Owner. Thanks! 👍🙏

2 🐦 with 1 stone...thank you for sharing with us.

Wouldn’t it also be an option to close supply vents close to the return and maybe add some near the cooking appliances? This way you would get more cold air to the cooks and proper air circulation

When the Manager said "It's working, I don't want to make a Work Order for the Walk-In.", I'd have looked him in the eye and said "Do you want to spend a few dollars today fixing it now with no downtime, or spend a few hundred dollars for a late-night Emergency call when it fails when you need it the most? Right now it just needs a pressure control and time delay, later it will need a pressure control, time delay AND compressor..." I suspect I'd have the Work Order a few minutes later... 😄😁😆😅😂🤣

Could you get by short term with a carefully placed fan to blow the hot air towards the reruns or the cold air away? I’ve done that in computer data centers.

Awesome instead of waiting around for the thing to defrost you fixed the walk in. Saving your time and the customers money. fixing stuff when you're already there beats spending time driving back out

You did the best of the situation. Real, root solution is to get those returns in the correct places. I hope they don't use your temp hack as a solution

Return air is the bane of my existence.

Just ran in to this same issue. Glad to see my thought process of their issues validated with this video

I'll hazard a guess that this will be a permanent temporary solution...

I love how it's 90°F and you make no mention of the temperature 😅

What a cluster, hate coming in behind others to fix issues, never easy.

if a 8 inch return duct is all you can fit to the back kitchen you can install a booster fan in it or to it to incress the cfm flow and wired to the evap fan

It’s nice seeing you posted after a long day of school. Keep up the good work 👍

Just dealt with a restaurant that had its bar return in the kitchen. 🤔 Started tripping the interlocked duct detector taking down all of the units. Owner was furious! It's hot and my customers are walking out the door! I don't want smoke detectors in my HVAC system. They don't care what needs to be just make it work. You have to somehow calm them down and direct them in the right direction.

21:43 No idea whether this is at all feasible... but is running a mini-split over the cooks line to take some of that load a possibility?

Nice job on that cooler condenser. I like that vs sweating in a new pressure switch and having to blow the charge. 👍🏻

Thanks for sharing Chris. Next time, instead of interpreting the coil to the contractors, you can remove the brass jumpers on the LTB for comp 1 and 2. Does the same thing, and you don’t have to change wiring.

I’d put those “temporary” freeze-stats on the common suction lines (2 comp system)… not on a specific coil leaving circuit, for a shotgun approach. I do understand that the real fix is to relocate the unit’s air returns though. If the specific circuit is restricted/plugged, then you’ll cycle the unit comps unnecessarily

I was thinking, why didn't he put delay timers on with added the freeze thermostats, because they'll probably end up banging on and off too much. and later in video! you did. 🤣

i had the same problem at a restaurant and it had the remote sensor above the cookline with all the heat and return in the storage area. I moved the remote sensor to half way between and no more frost/freeze lockouts.

watching from Vancouver

Good job champ 👍🏽u a bad boy Chris Tnkiu for another great class amigo

I work at a restaurant that has this EXACT SAME PROBLEM.

Looks Like 👍 Frosty the Snowman inside the Doors of the Outdoor Equipment. 🤔

If anyone is really concerned about one plugged metering device tripping the freeze-stat you could always put two in parallel (fixed it) on two separate circuits. That way two would have to plug, or it really is freezing up. But that would eliminate one plugged circuit taking down the unit.

Great video. That freeze stat gave me some good ideas for a problem customer.

The Trane unit will lock out on high pressure when the freez stat opens. No time delays needed.

Truly love the way you trouble shoot.wish I could work with U.

change the make up air too the hood to condition air from that unit . That would lower over all temp on the line also need to add a modulating outside air damper to allow more air in when the hood is on

Good job Chris, the delay timer or anti short cycle timer and freeze stats should buy them some more time.

Cut a 20"+ hole in office door with a grate. Mostly block the A/C outlet in the office down to like 10%.

Ran into that a few times. I put in grates above the cook line, to allow the heat to rise into the attic space. Untill they approve the proper work for the returns. They will just leave it, trust me.

Couldn't you cut back the air volume at the diffusers closet to the return grilles and push that supply air up towards the cooks line? Depending on how many and how big the supply diffusers are serving the cooks area is of course. You could also see what kind of horsepower there is left on the blower motor and maybe speed that sucker up along after adjusting the balance of the supply air diffusers. Might create some air noise but being that its a kitchen i doubt it would be that big of a deal. Also, verifying the minimum outdoor air volume the unit is capable of on a worst case scenario day and ensuring the min position is setup to bring as much outdoor air as the specs allow. I work as a commercial test and balance tech and supervisor in northern Michigan so i don't have much experience with the refrigerant side of things nor the climate that you work in. For me, that makes your channel that more interesting and informative to watch. Thank you for the no nonsense educational content!

I call those snow men compressors.

Nice little learning vid Chris ... Thx

Good call adding the time delays. Did you write on the wiring diagram the changes that you made, for the next tech?

Your so good at explaining things brother, glad you are sharing your knowledge with us guys.

Some times is not a good idea to go OEM,some times is to go better.thanks for sharing.9:20 2 co and 30 ci

Outstanding video as always very much appreciated 👍

Definitely make a video when you go to make a follow up on how you fix this.

Saw the preview on tictok. We see u over there. 😊

What about using the Attic area as a central return? Or can you blow out that wall where you shown where the return vents are that interlock with the fire suppression to shut in the event of a fire if you need that for code in the area

I don’t do much restaurant work but could you make it an open return and put egg crates in drop ceiling

Sucks that these folks didn't bring you onboard to get your thoughts before their kitchen remodel. Could have saved them A LOT of heartache.

Increase exhaust hoods and add more outside air to the system, it'll add to running cost, but just let the outside be the return?

Thanks a lot for this video I learned a lot😊

Maybe the solution would be attic air return with perforated ceiling tiles may be feasible?

Awesome video

Air to water unit with cold beams or cassettes by the cooks maybe?

Put a supply damper in the cold area to choke it down and more air for the kitchen 😉

Multiple smaller parallel return ducts, either recombining for the actual returns or more smaller returns?

Without knowing the actual layout, could you turn a supply vent into a return in the ceiling?

can you come up with a new base lift for the ac unit up 2 foot sit on to add two new return in to hot side kitchen without modifed the ac look at it next time the freezer gose down

incredible it would frost up that bad!

Judging by the pressures, it kinda looks a slightly low on charge. You coulda probably gotten it too 33-34 degrees saturation to better avoid freezing temp.

Did you adjust the TXV on the freezer too? It was clearly flooding back….

What about using a small whole house fan to pump air from point A to point B?

Hey from Germany 😋

John McClane would hate this attic crawl space

Can you run 100 percent outside air

Could you of done open return in drop ceiling with just grills and no flex.

Can you just remove the ducted return and install egg crate in place of drop ceiling panels where needed. Is that not acceptable in a kitchen?

Could you use a duct on the ceeling to bring the return from the kitchen? or a fan blowing from kitchen to return

0:21 holy cow that compressor is literally iced up

Hi. Chris Good. Stuff

Can’t you use a physchrometer or some type of cfm tool to check for proper cfms?

FYI that trane unit is not field convertible for side discharge. Return air. Might be able to remove the economizer and run exposed ductwork on the back of the machine.

Wouldn't it be easier to move the zone control sensor instead of the return vents?

Move that unit over the kitchen and reduct install new small unit in place of original unit

Just throw a defrost clock in there lol

Got enough ice? ngl that ac became an Ice maker

We all know they will NEVER pony up the cash to redo the ducting..

Would the system still function with the return near the supply blocked to force it to draw from the return closer to the line? I suppose you would have tried it already if it would have provided enough airflow… I’ve seen other commenters’ suggestions for egg crate over the line into the attic and then to open the return to the attic, but that’s not really ideal over a greasy line because any airborne grease that bypasses the exhaust hood would then make its way into the attic… (yuck!)

A 60-foot run, maybe a 1 or 2-inch duct tubing?

Put a ductless mini split in that area.

Sounds like they need a minisplit in the kitchen

Is that the same ac that was making the thumping noise a few videos back?

ALC controls?

It’s been almost a year. Has the customer done anything with the return air ? Any more freeze ups?

Needs 7000 cfms less outside air.

This is a hair brained idea, but would a walk-in system work in that part of the kitchen? As a split system! Yes it'll need filters on it!

Since this is a cook line this system should be using 100 % outside air or at least 50/50.

Great job. You can't make diamond rings out of horse turds.

Took on some trane units?

the compressor on the right looks odd? Looks very old and why the green color and not standard black?

Ice Ice baby

Damn.. it looks like a thick strofoam

How can I be your apprentice? I live in Arcadia CA

It seems you are holding the camera with one hand while doing all the work with your other hand. Why do you not buy a head mounter camera so you can use both hands? That would drive me crazy.

👍🏿

It's probably a McDonald's Restaurant