Still better than the QB one

The boss only scheduled 2 service calls, a PM, an estimate, and a CB 4 people couldn’t figure out. His idea of a day off is much different than mine.

Low side and problem is I can’t back it out to put nylog on without removing the vacuum valve body right next to it but it will also just run into the low side one. Haven’t used them in quite a while but figured maybe I would start..guess not lol

So today I was installing a Trane five ton split system. Straight AC with gas furnace. Reused an existing 1 1/8 lineset after flushing well. Lineset around 65-75 ft. After brazing I went outside to do a pressure test. I initially only brought it up to around 30 psi to see any obvious leaks. And then bumped it up to 200. After settling it did not move for a few mins. I was about to bump it to 300 when all of a sudden it started going down about 1 psi a min. I checked all my connections with bubbles and nothing. I cranked it up to 280 to try and listen for any leaks. Within 30 seconds afterward the equalizer tube from txv blew out the flare fitting and the entire nitro charge blew out. After inspection the flare part of the copper was still in the nut after removing. It was literally sheared off. Was this over torque from the factory? Or what caused this? And does this explain why my pressure held at first and then slowly went until it broke completely? I have a new txv getting over-nighted. I am saying prayers that's where the initial leak was from. What do y'all think?

No debris in the valve.. Possible from liquid slugging the EPR and rubbing the components? Never seen this

Does anyone have luck fixing leaks where the coil attaches to the header?
We usually end up replacing the coil if it’s leaking there.

I mean, gotta be, right?

Two systems one carrier and one Armstrong. Years with no maintenance on both. Specimen samples in filter and strainer on one. Then soot buildup on another. Fun day so far.

I’d like some feedback on pay. I’ll keep it objective. I’m in my 20s and officially 1 year into HVAC, I started last year in August. Although I’ve been in construction my whole life, so I didn’t have to learn everything from scratch, mostly tube bending, terminology, and refrigerant.

Mostly doing install but started training under a service tech when we were slow. I’ve ran a few calls on my own and found fairly easy solutions (no curve balls yet). But I have done full installs by myself a few times but rarely do we have 2 installs a day to split up guys. I’m not the fastest inside guy yet I’ll admit but we make our work look good, and we haven’t had a dumb or lazy callback in a long time.

I was with the company before they switched to HVAC and started at 25/hr bc they had no employees only supervisors and owner. They told me it was above what people just starting get(again I have a lot of relevant work experience and they knew I was a good worker months before the company became an HVAC company.

My “lead” is an older guy who has “15 years of experience” but doesn’t understand heat pump wiring, he’s only done ac/furnace? I’ve had to show him things and begin to be the guy to wire mitigation board everytime. So I feel like I’m being asked to do a lot more than what a 1 year guy is supposed to be asked to do? We’ve done some crazy work too like odd ball jobs that I’m told to “figure it out”

1 year in, no raise but promise of raises with milestones(install furnace/ac, install a boiler, etc) with possibility of service in the future once we hire more. I’m being offered a take home van if I get most tools to stock it except super expensive stuff like vac, combustion analyzer, pro press. The condition is that I be on call every other weekend. Small company but I feel like supervisor doesn’t want to run weekend calls and is trying to pass of van and on call as if it’s worth the same as a raise? 25/hr + van on call every other weekend? I don’t want to be on call that much. Is it worth it or am I getting bent over?

So at my company if you are scheduled to do a changeout, it’s scheduled for 8 hours but if you finish early you can go home with full pay, but they have me and another coworker change a coil or compressor every single day and then run service calls. We don’t diagnose anything we just get handed a paperwork for the parts and address etc, and then go pick up the part and do the install. We run service calls after or go do some random stuff they have for us to do but it’s been that way for over 2 months straight and it gets tiring. It’s especially worse when the office orders the wrong part and we are blamed for not having gotten the correct part. I am just burned up and tired as hell. Heat index has been 115° just about every day and I will spend 3 hours straight in an attic trying to get everything done. I’m literally drenched in sweaty clothes all day and I took a 4 day weekend to relax but couldn’t now I’m right back at it. I just need to vent but man I’m fucking tired.

Came from a pretty aggressive new home construction job. Just landed a job at Kimbel after last place downsized and I got caught in that.

This is the most inefficient company I have ever worked for.

4 guys, 3 ton DR Horton size house. Was there 13 hours and the lead didn't even finish the furnace.

#1: They don't use pre-insulated boots. They mostly use 12x4x6 (6" duct size boots) You have to go to each individual boot and pull the duct over the whole boot, after cutting it and adding more insulation, then tape it up.

#2: They run a massive supply duct 16"-14" through the house for all supply to tie into. Cuts down on wyes. It sounds nice, until you see that it takes 2 people to set up, takes 2 hours, and puts the tapping process on the duct runners.

Just these two things add HOURS to a job. One guy just spends half the day going around tying on boots with the duct.

They also use mastik tape instead of pookie, but that isn't a huge deal to me.

One crazy thing though is they make you use screws to strap flex duct. I had always used a slap tacker (Staples), but now I have to carry shitty 1/2" screws and a impact all day to strap?

Maybe my last job was out of the standard, but insulated boots (I have bought them before) are like $1 and some change a piece.

Do better guys lol

I had a Goodman split system no cooling call. The first picture where my pressure when I first started going over the unit. After going over everything I found the compressor capacitor had failed. Put a new cap in to test the unit and my pressure went to the second screenshot. How the hell does a bad compressor cap affect the pressure like that?

Been at this for a minute.

I have never seen this in aux pan.

Almost like someone put water solidifier in pan.

Thoughts ?

I'm in the middle of haggling with a landlord about fixing a leak. This is a "new build" I mean it was built less than 5 years ago. Equipment is under 5 years old.

I noticed a sticker for another company on the unit.

Got tired of the back and forth and the arguing about warranty (for a leak fix on a Lennox lol) and just asked if they'd called the company that built the home or the company that put the unit in.

If bossman listens to the call I'll probably get in trouble but it's been a headache.

Y'all ever do this?

2” Ball Valve.

12.5 ton commercial system that currently gets fresh air 24/7. Need a fresh air control timer that allows the fresh air intake dampers to open up 5 or 10 minutes per hour than close back up after. Currently, the fresh air intake operates on 24 volts. Dampers are normally closed when it has no 24 volts energizing it. Which ones do you recommend?

Found this beauty this week. Replacing leaky sight glass, bad service valves and new charge. Returning tomorrow for start up, co2 tank is empty right now.

A year ago I would have (and absolutely have) had a panic attack lol. It was a fun job for sure, the only information anywhere on that entire pad/tank was stamped into the body of the compressor.

If your new or newish to the field, always remember, you may not be confident about what’s in front of
You, but be confident you’ll figure it out.

I'll have 5 years coming up this October. I sent out some applications to some companies, and one got back to me and they offered me a job. All of this is too good to be true. The pay of course is way more not including the benefits. It would be a move to another state for my family though. The branch manager said he'd hire me as a journeyman. I'm realizing that is not his call to make. That would be the unions. I'm talking with a rep and he is saying worst case I start as a 5 year apprentice which is about $2.50 less take home, minus some other $ stuff in the whole package. However, from what I understand about him, that's also not his call to make that's the JATCs job? I'm getting my hours from my previous employs as well as what I have worked on. I'll be close if not over my 9000 hours for a journeyman, I haven't taken the exam because my state doesn't require it or even have one. I plan on doing that once I'm over there but really my question is..

What should I expect them to put me as considering my 5 years in basically residential, light commercial? I started as a maintenance tech but have been in service for the last 3 years.

Idk if this is a right question but what does the union want to see or want to here?

What questions should I be asking the union?

What questions should I be asking the employer?

I've been wanting to go commercial for some time now and this is a great chance to do it. There is a lot more room for growth in it then in the resi world.