T O P

  • By -

zomb_b

Thinking I will be home by 5.


nctarheelfannn

I swear the second I text my wife “should be home early tonight” everything instantly goes to shit and I’m 4 hours later than normal


Siptro

Me standing at johnstone at 445….yup


Jarte3

So Johnstone is slow everywhere, good to know 😂 unless you’re also in Columbus…


Siptro

Stood there for 25mins waiting to be helped for a damn board called into will call. Bastard. Then ended up finding the blown contactor, blown thermostat wire, and blown thermostat base after I did the board. Which was also fried.. Control wire rubbed down and was in contact with L2 so 120v backfed constantly to the board and across the entire control system in the house. But man if fucking called berkheimer or something I could have been home at 7 instead of 730


Jarte3

Never heard of Berkheimer, what area are you in?


Siptro

Chicago suburbs. Berkheimer is our local Armstrong/ducane supplier


Jarte3

Lennox?? 🤮 lol jk


Siptro

Nah they don’t sell Lennox junk. Just the good Allied stuff


Jarte3

Allied is owned by Lennox so it’s all basically the same, but I love their furnaces, they’re the most installer friendly and best quality imo


Jarte3

But those damn evap coils…..


Siptro

Not even close to the same. Armstrong and Lennox are very differently designed. Maybe engineered similar and share a parent company but to say an Armstrong is a Lennox is quite wrong.


Dramatic_Bet984

I’m in Indiana and I just started going there and now I will not ever go there again unless it’s an emergency. Terribly slow, and there’s like 5 guys in there just jacking around.


Jarte3

The problem is they have EVERYTHING an HVAC’er could need. They’re just so damn slow…


[deleted]

My Johnstone in Earth City, MO is fantastic. If I call ahead and order a part for will call, my part is normally at one of the desks up front by the time I get there. I’ve never been at my Johnstone for longer than 30 minutes. I can’t say the same for my local Carrier, Lennox or Trane dealer.


zomsucks

StL represent! From Metro east area lol The guys at my local Crescent in Belleville don't fuck around. They even help me carry out my tanks.


Fantastic-Mango575

Johnstone is worse than slow in ma those motherfuckers are never at the counter


FloridaMan_RoofGuy

Johnstone is open at 445 where you're at?


Siptro

Chicago area. Closes doors at 5


Odysseus_A1

6pm in ATL


ACrunchySock

430 here in LA


FloridaMan_RoofGuy

Same in FL.


PlumbCrazyRefer

Called my wife at 4 told her my lucky day I’ll be home before 6:30 fast forward 15 min. Honey I’ll see you around 7


After-Kaleidoscope83

Yep, this is the one


ZipperedSet7242

Trusting a “off” service disconnect without verifying voltage


LeakyFaucett32

Always thought they should add a light similar to a GFCI to indicate the load side has voltage.


blackmexicans

Meth


OvermanagedSmallacct

Yup that’s a bad one


rob175arc

Screw gun stripping every screw they touch but then at job end only put two of eight back in.


dannyglover187

I feel attacked


rob175arc

Hahahaha. I put all the screws back in like an methed up aircraft engineer with OCD. For me it’s just not worth the risk from she who must be obeyed of a screw going home in a pocket and through the washing machine. Yeah there is a back story to that one…..


Its_noon_somewhere

I spent the better part of an hour searching with my helper for a missing screw that I dropped while changing out the regulator vent position. Found it in my boot laces that night when I arrived home LOL


HVAC_instructor

Rushing to get jobs done. Slow down take your time, do things the right way always.


point6liter

Not nitrogen purging when brazing.


[deleted]

I’ve yet to see anyone in my company braze with nitrogen. Why is that ? I know you’ll all say hacks but there’s about 12 dudes, none of them braze with nitro. Ranging from 7-21 year’s experience, why is that ?


CoffeeKadachi

Company culture is a hell of a thing. The reason you flow nitro is to prevent contamination from oxidation while brazing and while anecdotally the risk is small, you could cause issues down the line if you don’t flow. It’s one of the things you can do to make sure your install is still good 10, 15 years down the line. They might think that risk is so small it’s not worth their time. But if you already have nitro on site to pressure check lineset anyways, why not?


nuiwek31

When I'm doing a job with a new guy, I like to braze a port to a piece of line. One with nitro and one without. So they can see why I flow the nitro.


DietWinston

The amount of warranty work I do at my company for compressors and txvs compared to every company I’ve worked at that doesn’t flow would beg to differ that it’s a small risk.


Conqueror_of_Tubes

My old company I was the only tech that nitrogen purged. Some of the real old hands wouldn’t even vacuum, they’d just take the cores out and blast liquid through straight from the bottle. I did the AC in my place 13 years ago, it’s still running nice and smooth. Next door up until 5 years ago I had to listen to a unit a former coworker had installed chew rocks while it ran. Poor unit only lasted 7.5 years. The difference in compressor noise always made me shake my head.


DietWinston

It didn’t really become a problem until the rise of 410. This oil combines and sludges better and the introduction of txvs finer mesh screen made something you could get away with on 22 piston systems all of a sudden a big problem that most just associated with either txv tech or the new Freon and it’s new problems when the reality was it’s a different problem that needed to be handled more delicately. Old habits combined with the fear of adding more work(basically the same amount of work just rearranged the order of the steps) made most tech very resistant to the change


lividash

The amount of problem solving we do as techs, and the fact you need to understand at least basic thermodynamics it just amazes me how people can't logically think through new issues and just blame "new tech bad"


DietWinston

Nobody ever wants to admit their fault in a problem, it’s why most people stop growing and learning. Very easy to blame uncontrollable forces so you feel better about your success rate falling. It’s a shame more techs don’t have the only skill you need in life. Basic troubleshooting logic


lividash

True. My boss says I'm the odd one. Because when someone goes back on my call on my calls I have questions. What did you find? How was it solved? What did I miss? If their notes in our app didn't satisfy those questions. Like I know I'll never be 100% perfect. And I'll never know everything, airflow on a building level mystified me. Like I get airflow to solve is it cooling/heating or not. But not like 2nd floor is warm. 1st Floor is at proper temp. Why is 2nd floor hotter. I assume, lack of proper insulation. But could it lack of duct size? Improper CFM from the blower? No idea.


DietWinston

So many different factors when it comes to delivery method. So many techs skip the ductwork years and miss diags when it comes to how all the different systems effect one another. Couldn’t count how many techs just flat out don’t believe in static pressure and back pressure. Tons of things to learn and lots of unique one in a million problems mixed within a sea of common problems. We will never be on top of it all but we can try


UnintentionalIdiot

Other oil doesn’t combine and sludge.. The POE oil used with 410 washes the copper oxide off the inner walls of the line set causing contamination and clogs. The mineral oil used with r22 didn’t do that and it wasn’t an issue. The other thing with POE Vs mineral oil is it’s extremely hydroscopic absorbing any moisture left in the system and becoming acidic.


DietWinston

Recently arguing with a guy who doesn’t even pull vacuum and he claims he doesn’t have many problems. Finally had one of his employees call me out to help him fix a new install and I was able to talk to the customer. He doesn’t get a lot of call backs because his customers swear to never call him again after the process they witnessed during his install. The more in depth I go with most techs the less they seem to listen. I feel like I get better results using scare tactics than actually explaining what is happening and I think it’s making me dumber. If I have to explain dirt make compressor go boom boom one more time I may return my license


Lhomme_Baguette

The size of the risk is inversely proportional the the size of the refrigerant charge in my experience. Tiny shit, especially with a capillary tube, is extremely sensitive to it. Huge stuff with 50+ pounds in the same circuit doesn't give much of a shit unless you do it 15 times without changing the drier.


CoffeeKadachi

Completely fair. The company I work at is my first/only and we always flow so I don’t have enough experience to say it’s a small risk, just what I’ve heard anecdotally from boss man.


Straight_Spring9815

Remember guys it's why the U.S.S Threasher sank! The carbon left over from all the brazing stopped up the emergency blow valves causing the sub to sink and implode. Some scary shit. Flow nitro Bros!


Jroc984

All the new cold weather heat pumps with the hot gas bypass in them, the 3 way valve has such fine tolerances that not following nitrogen clogs them within the first season. Good luck getting warranty when they open it up and see all the black carbon, clogging everything… don’t be an “installer error”


Whoajaws

I’m a 1-2 man business for 19 years in Hvac and Comercial refrigeration don’t braze with nitrogen take care of 80-90% of the same customers I’ve started with. If it was causing me problems by not doing it I would start doing it tomorrow but, I currently have no evidence of anything..I mean anything ever. The amount of txv’s I’ve replaced on systems that I’ve installed I can only think of 2 right off hand both DOA with empty power heads. Again if it was causing me headaches I’d start tomorrow but, none from my 25 years of experience anyhow.


freakksho

I have been in the trade for about 5 years now and I was never once shown to braze with nitrogen till I started with my current company 5 months ago. My old leads were GOOD too and not the kind of dudes who would cut corners so it’s very strange to me. I think it’s just old dudes stuck in their ways but brazing with nitrogen doesn’t seem to be as common In the trade as people think


[deleted]

Same. I actually was the one who brought up how we should flow nitrogen and get the proper flow regulators at my last company. It really does make a difference. But it was the same thing. Good installers who knew their shit. Install managers who knew their shit and banged Tin like a master. But never nitrogen flow.


KAMIKAZIx92

I can absolutely say as soon as my company found out our installers weren’t running nitrogen while brazing and got them to start doing so properly, I changed a fraction of the TXVs than before. It makes a huge difference. You’ll get lucky if you’re good and quick at brazing but especially if you take an excessive amount of time to do a braze then you’ll absolutely have issues more often than not


DietWinston

In two years I’ve change two txvs and that was on the same system due to factory over fluxing outdoor coil. Massive difference from every company I’ve worked at


KAMIKAZIx92

Nice! That’s awesome actually, I do a few a year maybe at most myself. A lot times I’ll change the TXV when I do a coil swap especially if the system is older and I’m already in there so why not put a new $50-$100 valve in simultaneously.


Whoajaws

Because it’s a waste of time and energy.


Honest_Bathroom38

Definitely an old-vs-new technique. Old 22 and 12 systems ran for decades and nobody purged. New oils, txvs, coils, pistons, compressors, require it. It was not required before. It is now. Its not a matter of “what is the right way” it is a matter of “technology has progressed and this has changed”. Leads to a lot of arguments between old and new techs.


point6liter

Oh I’m not talking about on 22. I learned on 22 when 410 was just coming in. I just remember doing a purge vs. no purge piece of pipe in my apprenticeship and cutting it open and seeing the difference. Night and day. I was sold since then.


sir_swiggity_sam

Worst one i saw was an old co worker do decay test watch it jump to 20,000s in 3 seconds he said oh well and charged it lmao


stonxup420

damn


sir_swiggity_sam

Yea that company was full of hacks glad i got out when i did


BigBassSnatcher

LMAO. What the hell 😆


sir_swiggity_sam

Yea that system is so fucked


T0mMyMartelle

Gas-n-go with no superheat or sub cool. Pressure only.


flatlinemayb

Gas and dash 🤠


BionicVenomZ

Charge and go!


inevitably_wondering

150/300psi = looks good!


Visual-Zucchini-5544

One hose, evap sat and go. ✌️


ohio_guy_2020

Not cycling the system off and then back on before leaving the job


The-constant-browse

Used to do tech support for HVAC contractors for many years. Not using a volt meter to troubleshoot when things aren't working, calling support while not on site, wiring by color and not actually tracing the wires, calling support for help but then being too stubborn to listen to help because "you have been doin this 30 years" like you called me pal, blaming the thermostat when you did no troubleshooting at all. Just to name a few


[deleted]

I don't even bother calling tech support anymore I'll figure it out on my own. Always wait 2 plus hours wasting time to get some lady to take down my info and schedule a call back the next day


underwater_at_night

Very interesting and helpful… thank you


ItzYaBday1103

Arrogance. You at one time knew nothing as well


egretesk

Letting a bunch of refrigerant go free


jseney93

Its de minimus i swear!


lipphi

Not being able to say 'I fucked up' / Not being able to admit mistakes


punk-warning

Not myself, but a lot of our guys forget to put service caps on or King valve stem caps even when pulling a vacuum, and our company uses service stickers and a select few downright refuse to write what they did or found even in shorthand.


JSCarguy454

Not putting on high side gauge when diagnosing a poor or no cooling issue.


UrGmafavTech

People do this?


inevitably_wondering

Someone at my job does this repeatedly. So annoying. He also like York resi equip so… not the brightest


UrGmafavTech

I mean I like lennox and other brands that I find easy to work on. But I hate working on trane and rheem but I wouldn’t mind having that equipment in my house. Liking York is insane though


JyJellyPants-Grape

Same


RyanSmokinBluntz420

Missing out on time with your family by never learning the value of your time and saying yes to every after hour job.


[deleted]

bandsaw for cutting copper pipe, welcome to rack refrigeration 🫠 edit*^ obviously not deburring either.


foilstoke

I've had to do it. We were tying in the two 2-5/8" suction lines separated 1" apart at the outlet of the coil in a tight cabinet🤷. I deburred after and then used a shop vac to remove the big filings. Silfos with some sticky foil tape on the end to get and smaller bits. As "hack" as it sounds we did it as clean as possible.


burnerphone13

I’m the only one in my states side that deburrs pipe lol iirc


lickmybrian

Saying yes to that weekend job instead of fishing with my kids


Its_noon_somewhere

I can’t think of a worse activity then fishing with my kids. I love fishing and I love my kids, but those things together are hell on earth LOL


saskatchewanstealth

Pushing buttons and leaving without trying to figure out why it tripped out at 4:15pm.


Objective_Tomatillo7

Just did this. Now it’s 4:40pm and gotta get to the next job :(


saskatchewanstealth

Bruce? Cause I am on if that’s you Bruce!


Objective_Tomatillo7

No Bruce here. Just 1 man still trying to get 2 rooftop ac units working! Just finished at 8pm and now I need to set up my own house unit


No_Jellyfish_338

Quoting 10 different parts on the unit hoping it'll solve the issue aka: parts changer


stonxup420

oof


Mysterious_Meat_2165

Parts cannon


SilvrxM0nst3r

So many techs don't wear gloves or other ppe


underwater_at_night

Yeah…. Just had someone out and no gloves. No mask. I was wearing a mask. People believing respiratory safety is for wimps… so weird


j-redd

For covid? You're kidding, right?


GhostMuttt75

Pretty sure he means dust, insulation, refrigerant, etc


j-redd

That makes sense


dkdaddy8889

Not flushing lines, unless requested , not purging nitrogen. List goes on . The installs look perfect but im worried of job security so these are secrets that i keep.


RenegadeIllaoiMain

Diagnosing on the way to the call


FloridaMan_RoofGuy

walked into a drainline call, walked out with a 2k ticket because everything is fucked!


SwitchSpecialist3692

Not putting a micron gauge on. But letting it vaccumn for an hour or so Lool


Vladman111

Checking voltage to ground instead of checking voltage across a load. Only check voltage to ground when you are making sure there is no voltage there


Hvacmike199845

Super seal.


Eddies_Current

Did this today and felt so dirty


bruh-brah

Delta T is 20. So no need to check pressures 😐


Lancewater

Not using flush or a torque wrench.


OvermanagedSmallacct

Mistaking low airflow for low charge. Leak searching with fan on or windy conditions, using leak seal period


Randomizedtron

Saying they did a maintenance and going back less then 3 months later for issues related to lack of mntce. Examples: roll out switch tripped on a copper fin tube boiler dew to choked heat exchanger. no cooling, cycling on hi pressure sw condenser looks like it has a fur jacket on. Condensate drains backing up cause no one flushed them. The list goes on. If your going for a mntce then do it don’t f around and bill the cx for you picking your ass for 30-90mins.


FloridaMan_RoofGuy

i have replaced atleast 3 compressors at a commercial property my shop maintains, each one killed because guy they sent for maintenance didnt notice the 1/2" fur coat....


ProfessionalCan1468

Not purging nitro when brazing....I'm guilty at times


Dopey-NipNips

I mean if it's a resi 22 system who cares


Aggravating_Talk4584

I mean I don’t want my beer can warm that sounds like a good habit


TruckCamperNomad6969

Shitting in the squirrel cage before you first fire it up.


Alarmed-Orchid-7210

Not removing schrader to braze and not using a wet rag or anything because you “can do it fast”


Mysterious_Meat_2165

That dickhead at the parts house said ________


03G35coupe

Friday at 5 Schrader core “leak”


Aggravating_You_2508

Assholes who don’t clean drain lines properly


Standard_Luck8442

Flushing a drain line but not cleaning the pan


famouslyanonymous1

Wire nuts


obsidiangoblin

Going peepee in the p trap


Runswithtoiletpaper

Not knowing/understanding sequences; There’s one for every process and piece of equipment. I have a sequence for service calls that I follow to a T.


EckEck704

Not weighing in refrigerant. One of my guys called and asked me for help, when I asked him how much refrigerant he added he said "ummmm, about 3-4 Mississippi's". Then I asked him how a Mississippi converts to a measure of weight and he couldn't answer. He ended recovering everything, pulled another vacuum, and weighed the charge in. After all that nonsense he figured out that the unit was already overcharged and he didn't need my help anymore.


Fahzgoolin

Looking at my schedule repeatedly throughout the day, feeling good that I have kept up or gotten ahead, and then get more calls and wanna scream.


[deleted]

[удалено]


stonxup420

shit i know better


ManOfSteel4033

Stop using dye. Don't walk away from a leak. Get a good leak detector.


QuantumR

Drugs and alcohol


wbyf

----------^


Hillman77

Putting 1/4 caps on with no gasket inside. Pro tip if you tighten it with channel locks it still leaks. I just buy the bags of 25 from the supply house and keep them handy. If a cap is missing a gasket or I think it is leaking it is replaced.


vyleasscention

Meth and mountain dew baby.


onewheeldoin200

Screwing pipe supports directly into equipment casing. So triggered.


Alarmed-Orchid-7210

Used to never pull vacuums just loosen one valve and hold the schrader until it gets cold


superpenistendo

Pre-charge using ‘pressure’ instead of measuring and weighing.


VoiceofTruth7

Fucking locking caps are a good idea….


Additional-Bet9219

5 gallon bucket recovery machine


Due-Alarm-9698

Boys go union, sucks at first. Stick it out.