4 Silly Mistakes of The Green HVAC Tech

[@jericosha2842]

I love your channel. Thanks for making videos like these.

[@gadgethunter5732]

One of my most memorable rookie mistakes was made changing out a defective hi press sw. on a carrier rtu. The senior tech I was with saw I wasn't using a back up wrench . I snapped off the port just as he yelled NOOOOO ! That was followed by - " Go get the torch. " Woops !

[@bikerbobcat]

Always good advice. Looking for rubouts is something I definitely need to do more in basic checks. As for the "read the manual, learn what you can" I've had customers give me real grief about looking something up on the job. Maybe it's just the DC-area but I've had a customers literally yell at me for not knowing everything about everything with their specific complex set up I've never seen before. They didn't know anything at all about it, mind you, but expected me to have all manual details memorized. Definitely one of the more frustrating aspects of the job.

[@SonsofIssac]

When I was still quite green I was having trouble figuring out an issue with a manitowoc ice machine. I called my boss. The first thing he said was, Did you read the manual? I said no. He said call me back after you read the manual. Best lesson I learned from that guy.

[@newstart49]

Absolutely great video! If I may add; Before condemning a compressor for being shorted or grounded, be sure and not just test at the wires at the contactor and capacitor- get down there and remove the cover or plug on the compressor and test at the terminals/lugs. There may be a CRS wire shorted to the case or tubing or perhaps a wire came loose. Also, as a courtesy, If I am working on an AH or furnace unit in the attic, I look around and check the insulation, ventilation, any piping, ducting, electrical, maybe termites or rodents, leaky roof and so on. The customer is well impressed if you do find a problem that can be fixed before it becomes a huge problem. 47 years at HVACR and still going strong.

[@averyalexander2303]

That's a great tip! Several years ago my friend's AC went out, so I went over to look at it and found that the capacitor was bad and replaced it. While I was there, I also cleaned the coils and replaced the filters and the unit ran great until last summer then it went out again. For some reason, instead of letting me know, he called some dumbass "professional" from Craigslist who ended up condemning the compressor and doing a hack job replacing the entire unit. I took the old unit home for parts and scrap and found that one of the wires simply broke off the crimp terminal under the compressor's terminal cover and there was nothing wrong with the compressor. If that moron took another few minutes to properly diagnose the problem, he would have saved my friend nearly $5000 replacing a perfectly functional unit that worked better than the one he installed. It's sad when a 20 year old IT student knows more about diagnosing HVAC equipment than a 70 year old "professional" who has been in the industry their whole life.

[@monteglover4133]

As a 40+ year tech, caps left off and screws left out are my pet peeves. As for missing the obvious is not limited to new techs I’ve done it too many times as well as most of the others. I actually have learned and been reminded of many things from your videos and podcasts

[@user-bj4lp3fr1o]

I just had a new 5 ton heat pump installed. Just before the lead left, I noticed 3 screws had bee left out of the air handler. He had to go get hi driver to put these in. After he left, I found the caps were left off the service ports. This was from a highly rated company with a dedicated installation team.

[@officerkrupke4966]

@@user-bj4lp3fr1o Just imagine the stuff you didnt spot. Thats why equipment fails prematurely.

[@dwightadams3853]

I appreciate your focus on excellence in your work.

[@samuelg3586]

Great video. I agree 100% You bring up a Great point at the end because we all screw up at some point. But as long as you aren't negligent, have dialed in basic skills and do a good job covering everything you are supposed to plus keeping good customer service your management won't go crazy on you for simple mistakes

[@josephsantos7047]

All I can say is I love you 😂 your videos are shown in my trade school here in Myrtle beach. we just watched how to replace / test a capacitor.

[@LuisNunez-cw3lp]

These mistakes are definitely not limited to “green” techs

[@stevenjfanucchi]

Truth.....🤦‍♂️

[@boby115]

Luis, how true. The main thing is that we learn from our mistakes. I'm a firm believer we learned far more from our mistakes then we do our successes.

[@Sinister392]

Yeah I have some slugs at my work that have been the trade for years , and make these mistakes. I call this laziness and is not tolerated!!! Great video 👍

[@autoairsteer]

Doesn't matter what trade you're in this is important

[@horsth9566]

Absolutely phenomenal! A great presentation most technician can benefit from. Thank you again for your devotion to help others.

[@thetedcorproject]

Great Info for apprentices and journeyman alike. Your podcast and KZbin videos have taught me a lot about the trade. Thanks

[@creed0423]

This is a great list to take any tech from good to great.

[@d2euceslyck757]

Man I forgot to flip the attic switch back to on and put the furnace door on securely once smh. It sometimes be the small things even in a very technical job. Love the vids and info

[@kennyjohnson4411]

These were some very good tips. Thanks for sharing.

[@Barracuda48082]

I like to think I do well, when I can find a problem or the only issue in under sixty seconds. A tech with some history and growing experience, by using a smart start chart list for the unique machine . knowing the startup sequence, noise and visuals components make, and the difference between sounds of gas flow, liquid flow, normal motor noise and a failing winding or phasing sounds. All of these while running should signal an issue if one or more change. Note if any non oem parts have been substituted that could make louder or softer noises and may need current and voltage tests before and during run. Many times I have come across undersized low voltage thermostat wiring. Long runs with small wires will cause havoc . Thank you Bryon and Bluon for keeping all of us tech mechanics on our toes.. Michigan senior tech, two years, two months til I pass the baton... hopefully 😇

[@raindogs451]

I teach my guys the best tool you carry is your senses and experience/ knowedge. What do you see? Smell? Touch? Hear? Is the unit communicating to you? What does the customer report? You can narrow the mental funnel tremondously before you take your coat off or remove a nut runner from your bag. Don't rush into your diagnosis.

[@jamesmarschall3922]

Well said! I often say the equipment talks to me.

[@hvacmike1175]

I always talk with the customers about the system. This became my best diagnostic tool over the years. If you actually listen to them they will usually tell you what the problem is. Never connect a set of gauges to a HVAC system until checking everything else first. Most repairs are electrical or lack of maintenance.

[@hvacmike1175]

So true

[@saulurena7681]

Thank you so much for your work and time, also I respect that you understand that newbies are new. I started working for a very small company that knew I had 0 experience, and I feel like I was treated like I should have known everything. In a way, I am happy, because I've only been in the install game for a year, and I do a better/faster job than some leads and foremen. I also feel like I'm underpaid lollol!!

[@officerkrupke4966]

Saul, learn how to spot the difference between a compressor muffler and a factory installed filter drier. Some leads and foremen see the muffler and fail to put in a filter drier on an installation. Try not to make the lead feel stupid, and point this out incidentally. You will make a better impression that way, and not be thought of as a smart arse.

[@EverythingHVACR]

Nice! I'm sending this to the young guys now. Keep up the good work!

[@hkhvac270]

Best channel ever thank you for sharing

[@DanO181919]

Good tip on the crimping opposite side of the barrel split. I learned this on my own but it really seemed to make a lot of sense to do it that way.

[@bikerbobcat]

I was always told to crimp the split side. This is news to me!

[@DanO181919]

@@bikerbobcat this was the first time I heard someone recommend it a certain way. In my personal experience I notice when I crimp the open side it just pushes them out causing it to not be secure. No one taught me just what I saw in my own experience.

[@DanO181919]

It works both ways just seems better the way described.

[@JH-ms3ny]

Also wasn't specified, but a crimping die with an indent is only for non-insulated crimp connectors. Crimping dies without the indent are for insulated connectors. Most crimping pliers will have both on them.

[@DanO181919]

@@JH-ms3ny You are correct. In my experience I only use the indent (non-insulated) side for both. I haven’t had much luck using the insulated side for a insulated sta-kon connector. I know it’s the right way but they seem to pull off easy. I always pull on my connectors to verify that that are Secure.

[@brianmcdermott2430]

Great list, and procedures. Thanks

[@daveeckmann9568]

VERY good content, the only thing to add that I thought of is, As you do your final walk around check...do a tool check...make sure you have all your tools and didn't plant one somewhere. As hard as I have tried to plant one, they never take root and grow into a tool tree. lol.

[@joshuawallace6509]

Great video keep the positivity coming

[@hvacmike1175]

I have left the power off a few time even as a senior tech. Always see the system running before leaving the site.

[@stvac9413]

I made a perfect flare, but still forgot to put flare nut on first. from Korea

[@hvacmike1175]

Been there done that

[@flybyairplane3528]

ST KIM , YOU & a million other guys did the same thing, cheers 🇰🇷🇰🇷🇺🇸🇺🇸

[@bikerbobcat]

Guilty as charged! That flare was perfect though...

[@markpayne6803]

Hell Kim you state your from Korea plenty of techs are from the US and do the same thing lol

[@danieldelano9892]

I was a hvac tech for the last ten years of my working days and it wasn’t always easy because I wasn’t trained good when I started. Many hard days second guessing myself. I used to call up my hvac friend when I found a problem and and he would assist God Bless him, but one day he told me not to call him until I check theses ten different things. Honest that was the best advice he gave me, I started to get better after those wise words. One of my regrets about going into the hvac trade was I wished I’d started early then age 52, but then I wouldn’t have learned all my other trades. 👍

[@truthbebold4009]

I'm 47 and want to learn HVAC. I have the electrical down and am learning tons from all these excellent content providers. Do you mind listing out the 10 things to check before calling? Thanks

[@mainj54]

Most crimpers have a "insulated" crimp and a " bare" crimp. The insulated crimp section is flat and the bare section has the indent. The indent can crack or puncture the insulated part of the connector if used.

[@juliangonzalez3541]

Hey I appreciate all your hard work and time that you put on us by doing this videos and teaching us to become a better technician in the future.thank u brian👍

[@danieldelano9892]

I always always put a date on all air filters that I changed, so if I come back for a season inspection and filter hasn’t been changed when it should have I bring it to the customers attention.

[@WillieMakeit]

Very good content 👌. Quality channel 👏

[@joetech5787]

Great video... Thanks

[@bkluntz]

Dope video fam, really enjoy the content

[@dizziedallas]

I am still doing some of these thing😲

[@soldieroftoughlove7635]

😂

[@bikerbobcat]

I'm not lazy, it's job security!

[@MIKE2111ful]

Something that I don't like about this trade is that other people will shame you and call you a hack for stuff they know damn well they also did when they first started.

[@stevencarrillo3615]

Thanks you have help me become a better tec.

[@b-2466]

Thank you for making this video.

[@robertstringham1433]

"Don't get all judgy"....LOL. Stones brother....stones..

[@stevencarrillo3615]

Thanks you help me become a better tec.

[@chadholmes7051]

One minor point in my experience schrader valves almost always leak to some extent I don’t think I remember finding even one that won’t give at least some trace with an an electronic detector they are basically a glorified bike valve of sorts and should never be trusted to hold the system charge the cap in my opinion is actually the gas tight seal same with the screw caps on the valve body to a lesser degree.

[@tomoliver8498]

I put the unit caps on my manafold gauges where the hoses are stored. It is easy to find them then.

[@chasemcnamara]

How about this one ? When i was an apprentice i was working across the street from the University of Miami with a Journey Man. We were doing a full refrigeration retrofit on an air source chiller. He couldn't find a 120V connection for his vacuum pump. I told him I would look around the building for a 120V socket. As i was doing that he couldn't wait any longer and used his alligator pig-tail and hooked up to a transformer on the control panel off the chiller. Big mistake. As soon as turned that vacuum pump on. The whole transformer blew up and the panel caught fire damaging several boards.

[@FarFromPar]

Interested to know what you guys might add to this list from experience.

[@markwade9403]

Awesome video...

[@kimoarmstrong3519]

My pet peeve is not putting all the screws back in the panel. Whether it be a 4 x 4 junction box or a panel on an outside unit.

[@natewalker4666]

The biggest thing I have found as I've matured as a tech is ignoring your pride you don't know everything and reaching out to tech support or a senior tech is not showing weakness know your limits

[@tmst2199]

It's funny to hear about these goofy mistakes commonly made by techs, who have relatively concrete ways of inspecting their work, and then consider what we might laughingly call "management."

[@antonioalfaro8891]

How to properly size a capacitor?

[@roberts1159]

Nameplate on the condenser fan or compressor will have MFD rating on that label for each component.

[@bernardbenjamin5607]

Great video

[@rogerweisse6224]

Before cutting a copper line confirm its not pressurized. In the event a live line it cut walk away frost bite is painful.

[@markwade9403]

And don't forget this one. Don't always go into a job assuming there is something wrong just because the customer is not satisfied or a previous tech says there is/ or can't find one... The hardest job is the one working on a perfectly good system. Could be under sized or something completely unrelated affecting the system.

[@MIKE2111ful]

I have a lot of people complain that when they turn their heater on they feel cold air for a bit and then the hot air comes out I just look at them like what do you want me to do.

[@creativeorca]

I have been in this industry little over a year and I have see senior technicians doing all you said. Think the topic should have been “simple mistake an hvac technician can make”. Great speech though, very informative channel. Have you heard about Ferris university? If yes would you recommend their “hvac and energy management degree” ?

[@donnierobertson3088]

Nice

[@Glaedr11]

The first raise I got in my career, I left my supervisors office, went to a maintenance, forgot to rewire the blower cap, the leads touched the motor winding and nuked his blower, then had to call my supervisor to explain..... 😭😅

[@Niveous23]

I WISH I had watched this video a year ago. I'm still a little green. About eight months in. I'v made ALL these mistakes at least once. But usually only once. My senior techs were only a little annoyed with me, and probably because I started to immediately do things better every time. I use the 'dummy plugs' on my manifold now for caps. I always inspect for seals now...now. The advice I would add to this video as a new tech is this: "TAKE YOUR TIME" A lot of times we solve the problem, but we'v already run up and down the attic or crawlspace like 3 times and we want to leave! DO NOT RUSH. That's how my foot slipped and went through a ceiling one summer day. It's never fun when the attic you work on only has beams and no platform, but that's no excuse. I didn't even get yelled at, I got a 'bless your heart'. Which is probably worse. lol

[@hvacmike1175]

Over 40 years in the trade I always use my manifold to hold the caps and the put the screws back on the unit after I remove the panel. No way to misplace them or lose them.

[@bikerbobcat]

@@hvacmike1175 This is a brilliant idea and I would have never thought of it.

[@hvacmike1175]

Another trick if you have a unit leaking water and can’t find out why use a piece of plexiglass. You can take the door off tape the plexi in it’s place watch what’s happening inside the unit under “normal” conditions. This reveals the issue almost every time. Sorry for getting off topic

[@peepeepoopoo1399]

Your install guys, however, should know to take pieces of plywood when doing an install on a bare attic as a temporary (or permanent) solution. It’s just common sense. Lay it down and your job gets exponentially easier.

[@Niveous23]

​@@peepeepoopoo1399 we mostly sub out to install guys. even if i'v done about a dozen installs myself. this particular job was a customer that is basically a property manager. we have been doing PMs and fixes for him for at least a few years. the company, not me. this particular apartment complex i worked in wasn't our install. i know the brands we use, and HOW we install. we have used boards in the past when doing some installs. i can't remember the details of this particular job, but MAYBE it's a smart idea to carry random boards in a truck all the time on the off-chance a customer has a shitty set up in their attic. but it doesn't seem all that practical. i will add that as the new guy, i have far less space on my work truck. if i had a bigger one, i may just keep a board or two on it....just for me....to re-use for attics that suck.

[@inoahmann7542]

I unscrewed my guage set knob once. I thought the valve was stuck and the entire thing unscrewed. Getting blasted with liquid 410 was not fun on a 28°f day.

[@Buster2058]

My favorite mistake was climbing up a 2 story ladder and not taking every tool you own up with you.

[@specialK_hvac]

CAPS LOCK ALWAYS ON... ✅

[@markpayne6803]

Question How do I handle this I go to install a gas valve that was diagnosed by another tech who supposedly was an instructor ar a local trade school I install gas valve as requested unit not working I do my troubleshooting and find hot surface igniter not functioning trace it back to circuit board tell service Manager he sends me out with another tech who responds you know what your doing why am I here in other words the senior tech if you will didnt troubleshoot properly and I got to pick up the ball cause he dropped it do I tell the tech who missed it or the service Manager or both if Im equal to the tech but dont make the same wages where do I stand Im a team player but dont believe the individual should be missing things as such like a greenhorn

[@hvacmike1175]

Always do your own diagnostic. NEVER CHANGE A PART SOMEONE ELSE CONDEMNED. If you do sooner than later you will replace a part (probably sooner) That wasn’t bad. Trust but verify We are all human and will make mistakes.

[@hvacmike1175]

Always call the tech and let him/ her know what you found. When I was in the field every day I would call the previous tech and talk to them on my way to the customer.

[@Tyler-cf8jl]

Everyone makes mistakes. We were all new at one point. I always just explain what they did wrong and how to correct it. I don't get mad unless they're doing something blatantly unsafe or dangerous

[@GotTwins29]

Most companies in my area, especially non union, hire people with no experience so they can pay them garbage wages while still charging a customer top dollar. As a customer educate yourself somewhat before a technician shows up then ask your technician some basic questions. If they stubble on answering your questions send them away and call a different company or request a senior technician.

[@hvactony6444]

Don’t leave a unit until It is up and running again

[@chuckmvs]

I hate when I find empty beer cans inside the equipment,

[@stevenjfanucchi]

1000%

[@joehead1294]

Try not to "modify" from the original design. Use approved repair methods and materials as they will CYA.

[@EdTube444]

I may be new but I can count. That sounded like more than 4.

[@jasonreitz6049]

See a lot seasoned veteran techs guilty of leaving shrader caps off...see it all the time, just pure laziness in my opinion.. drives me nuts!!

[@Brandon-bl8ko]

Nothing worse than goin up to the roof for a no heat/cool and finding the disconnect off lol.

[@shifter8207]

The 100lb pigeon turned it off 😅

[@Brandon-bl8ko]

@@shifter8207 lol its even worse when it was a call tht u were personally on. The walk of shame

[@flybyairplane3528]

@@shifter8207 What a laugh, but I had a COOLING ONLY unit , with an electric duct heater, every so often, NO HEAT CALL, , on the roof , the 30A FUSED DISCONNECT, was OFF, , As I got up the ladder a SEAGULL SITTING ON THAT DISCONNECT, BUT WHEN SURPRISED HE FLEW OFF SEING THE DISCONNECT FLIP OFF WHEN FLEW OFF, capable ties were not yet popular, so used some SOLDER to secure it ! Cheers 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

[@clarkgriswold2582]

Easy money

[@brianr797]

Professor joe ward graduates are often guilty of this

[@paulrozinski1488]

One more that you might want to add: GET OFF THE PHONE! I myself got distracted by a phone conversation while disconnecting from a system and , ......... well let’s just say that I’m not proud of what happened next.

[@brianr797]

It always is fun to bad mouth your fellow tech who has more experience and thinks he knows everything

[@officerkrupke4966]

You remind me of the laughing apprentice, who, while I was in mid swing, told me my hammer was being held backwards. He spent the next day cleaning the shit tank on the sewage treatment plant on the ship I was on.

[@PeterSmith-or3pq]

Should be tested in position . Clean up

[@5822huron]

Somebody must of messed up! Hence the video..smh

[@HVACS]

Yep- we all have ... hence the video

[@MIKE2111ful]

@@HVACS it's attitudes like this that make me not like this trade we should all encourage and help each other not shame each other.

[@monstermamojam]

1st!

[@vilhelmstein2091]

Lol these mistakes also apply to sloppy and lazy techs.

[@jeffc3381]

good info

[@justinnegrete6803]

Great video