TRANE SPACESHIP HAS NO HEAT

[@jesse9713]

Still amazes me how much easier it is to troubleshoot Lennox, Carrier and York units than it is trane units. They don’t make it easy for whatever reason!

[@philmerrifield1163]

Great video as always dude I hate it when manufacturers make it harder for techs to work on their products. I have many times looked at something I was trying to fix and said "what bone head thought this was a good idea"

[@tbelding]

That's been my thought since working on an '81 Ford Escort (my first car). I've never changed that thought in the years since. My father, a MechEng, has the same thoughts. Much of it happens because the companies now separate the various engineering groups, so group A designs based on a space, but doesn't know anything about the space NEXT to theirs - because they're not allowed to talk to Group B to make sure that they don't interfere.

[@demonknight7965]

Throw away culture

[@tbelding]

@ - Nah. I'm in IT, so I know the throwaway culture. This is more of a thoughtless culture. That is, once they get to the next stage, they forget that the previous one is still in use, so needs to be maintained.

[@alext424]

You used the knowledge you already had and fixed the problem with little help from Trane. I wouldn’t have done anything differently. Excellent work as always Chris, and another great video. Thanks again! 👍🏻👍🏻

[@adamlee3810]

I work for Trane and just did 6 of these on one rooftop. Best way to route the wires, without drilling, is thru the chase above the heat exchanger, where the other wires are already ran from the control panel to the blower section. Then you can tie right into the transformer in the controls section for your power.

[@jrsmyth9761]

There are 2 Tranes, one is light commercial and below and the other is large commercial. The large stuff, like you worked on has their own service dept and they want to do all the work on those. As you found out, once outside any warranty period, there is no free tech support. There are no people sitting in an office someplace waiting for calls. It is just a handful of individual techs. It might be possible to get a tech to call you back and assist, but it is rare. In my area, their hourly is 3 times mine and they have a 2 hour minimum(might be more).

[@MikePaulsen-m7k]

Don’t feel bad man every brand I work on sucks nowadays I don’t think I could recommend any company there’s always something they’re not telling you

[@_iLLuSiv3_]

Those sticky pad bases have a hole in the middle of them for a screw, some have two holes on the sides. I always use a pro-point to secure them to the material I am sticking them too.

[@mxslick50]

Good call on the shielded comm cable..those Damfussy drives are super sensitive to noise on the control inputs.

[@horsekid98367]

FYI on those sticky backs, I generally run a self tapper through the center to hold them long term. Been known to not even peel off the back and just run them home.

[@paulravitsky2898]

We had 12 Trane units of various sizes. Before I "retired" and was subbing for the "maintenance" guy we were constantly replacing those inducer motors. They were a standard 208v single phase motor. They failed with bad bearings or the windings burned up. When they failed you could hear them running constantly, even in the summer. Couldn't figure that one out...

[@derek10w]

I just started commercial a few months ago and had to replace one of those inducers! Mine was a psc motor, they're expensive little boogers. I've also replaced two gas valves and a ignition board. Fun times!

[@TooManyHobbiesJeremy]

Great job with a complicated diagnostic situation. Even more impressive you figured out the programming errors. I think the average tech would have toosed up their hands and said the new drive was bad.

[@Luzgar]

Looks like they tried to roll out their own inverter board, and then figured out the hard way why they are expensive.

[@maxsantana1]

Trane tech support does suck. I called once, I waited for 2 hours. Another time they never called back.

[@EverythingHVACR]

Nicely done Chris. If you ever need anything for trane, especially with Horizon DOAU let me know, I’m always happy to help.

[@helmsajr]

Very nice work Chris Trane can be a pain in the butt sometimes.

[@DrGreenGiant]

Fascinating and interesting video Chris. I still can't get used to individual wires which is the norm over your way but you seem to make it work well. Cheers!

[@WilliamDenman2016]

I just did this conversion Friday on 2 units.

[@WilliamDenman2016]

1 of the old boards had high voltage going out and the motor would still not run. I was lucky enough to find a board that was working and used it to verify that the board was bad.

[@CharlesSmith-hy3hl]

I agree with you on Trane. They have turned their tech support into a profit center. I personally work at a School District and we work thru a lot of problems as you have by a good understanding of the sequence of operation and just figuring it out. Also Trane does do it's best to sell a entity more than it needs. Good job figuring it out.

[@jasonjohnsonHVAC]

Nicely done Chris. I definitely agree that equipment was a salesman wet dream....they do not need those. With that in mind.....you successfully troubleshoot it. Thats an expensive RTU with failures. I sure hope they take care of them....no maintenance will equal expensive repairs....with a long lead time on parts.

[@kenward9968]

Great video! Thanks for the warning, I just took on 5 new Trane units loaded with sensors

[@jasonbecker7143]

Keep sharing Spaceship videos! I would be curious to see the cradle to grave costs of a 2 stage unit vs a modulating gas unit. Supposedly the modulating unit will save energy, but how much dollar wise is that compared to the added complexity of service/maintenance/component replacement, etc.

[@oldshep2695]

Give that teck of yours a bonus..he knows his stuff.. them guys are hard to find..Makes a good worker happy..

[@pattyPIMPIN]

We have to get the warranty/tech support though our distributor (Gensco) for Trane commercial equipment

[@sbukosky]

@@pattyPIMPIN they stop support at 25 ton. That’s light commercial. Commercial starts at 27.5 tons.

[@christopherkidwell9817]

That "This error should never be seen!" code that you pointed out in the manual had me thinking "Okay, I've seen that language before in other electric hardware manuals and it means that if everything is hooked up correctly, you should not see that error message. You can still get the error message if something is not hooked up correctly."

[@uzlonewolf]

Yeah, my first thought was a jumper somewhere in the wiring harness which bypasses the unused sensor has a bad connection.

[@therudetwin]

I also just ran into the same thing with Trane tech support on a 2013 on Friday. I asked myself if I was doing it wrong and ended up figuring it out myself with some diag.

[@norcal715]

Chris, its like I say at my job as an industrial electrician, I don't really know what I an doing, I just get lucky A LOT.

[@jacobfoxworth]

You probably would've been fine to mount that vfd where you wanted to put it so the wires would reach. Trane probably tested it in that location you mounted it in and can guarantee its operation as long as its in that location. Any other location might void their warranty but the drive probably just needs airflow from the blower to help keep it cool. It probably wouldve been fine anywhere in the blower section though.

[@johnmore3823]

Man I’m moving to California. 40F outside is cold?! I’m up in Calgary Alberta. It’s -10F (-23C) outside today 🥶. Not sure why I live here

[@Mike_Regan]

Because it's NOT America? That's good enough for me.

[@carloshilarionvazquezaranda]

Buenas tardes Chris, es estupendo como resuelven el gran problema de esta unidad, y creo que el problema mayor es saber que los que se supone te pueden orientar y salir adelante, no lo hacen, me refiero a la compañía que fabrica estas unidades, es frustante que solamente te quiten el tiempo y no te apoyen son personas egoístas. Pero como siempre resuelven el problema, los felicito onestamente. Saludos desde Coacalco estado de México.

[@mgonzalez8880]

I barely got comforable with the voyager come to find the newer tranes have a new logic to the board or so it seems as i came across new one on a roof recently.. I'm only 2 years into service but nothing like trane made me wanna blow my lid. Learning refrigeration and hot side restaurant equipment all at the same time can be overwhelming.. but we'll get there ladies and boys...

[@mrgreen9086]

Trane tech support is the worst had to deal with them when a residental split wouldn't run amd when i called for support the guy gave me an attitude because I didn't tale part in their class for their communication units .

[@ntsecrets]

Cuz he's a supertech, never calls tech support!

[@sherwinalvarez7365]

🎯💯🐐

[@vargar09]

Good ole Trane tech support. 🤣

[@pfilip2346]

I like the new outro format

[@bashirmohamed7982]

Thanks, I enjoy commercial electrical & hvac

[@mikemoseley8711]

You don’t need an inverter on the heat but this is California we are talking about. Good video

[@Arides2010]

Trane gatekeeping informations extends to them not handing out passwords to reset error codes. Heard they even mandate that only their technicians can perform maintenance on certain units - at least in Germany - and withhold passwords for resetting error codes.

[@tbelding]

This is why Right To Repair is important. If you own it, you _own_ it. The manufacturer has no right to tell you that you only own the physical item, not anything inside.

[@Grinderluke]

just find a way to hook up power to the inducer to make sure it works.

[@Hudson12339]

Man there’s some units that just need the manufacturer to deal with them, especially looking 20 years down the road when units are going to start having diagnostic software that only the manufacturer techs have. Makes me almost rethink going to work for a manufacturer

[@tbelding]

Heck, by that time, the diagnostic software won't be available, because it will be the same software that they wrote a decade before, and it won't run on anything but hardware/software you can't get anymore. I deal with that regularly for various things - treadmills, electronic signs, and so forth.

[@Drayko78]

Great stuff Chris, Was wanting to ask if have advice/ troubleshooting tips on where to start on larger units like 50 + ton Intelipaks and Carrier weathermasters. We do alot of work for several theatres in my area and their equipment is old. The intelipaks at one location are 27 years old while the weathermasters at another are 20. Constantly chasing down problems. We have changed out 4 Carlyle compressors on 1 unit just last year. I'm just in the office managing these guys but seeing videos like this give me a better idea on what the process is and what they are going through in the field. appreciate all the knowledge!

[@terrygrant8126]

'Talk about due diligence.....Well done!

[@Tstadtlander1]

dang chris found a commercial voyager that nobody stole the touch screen out of yet

[@akshonclip]

I usually X out old diagrams with a sharpie and asterisk the new label.

[@mrgreen9086]

Couldn't you apply voltage directly to the inducer ( bypass the board) to test it whether it's bad or not?

[@nastyhvacr]

That’s the cleanest Trane burner compartment I’ve ever seen. I don’t see a spec of corrosion.

[@mel904]

Best practice is to separate power and motor leads to drive.

[@GeorgeEvangelou-g1o]

Loving the content, always learning something new. keep up the good work

[@sherwinalvarez7365]

The EPA has really screwed up our business. I want to know how much energy is being save with all of this over engineering. Things we used to fix on the spot with truck stock have gone electronic 🤦🏽‍♂️ and the customer suffers.

[@MariosACandRefrigeration]

Always power down to reset,and check sequence.2 cents.

[@HVACRss]

Man it’s crazy because I work on Trane intellipak units and if I call for tech support they do not provide it for anything over 25 tons. I have to get one of their technicians out to work on it. So I am having to figure it out.

[@ntsecrets]

guessing they want the VFD mounted where it is in a constant air stream...

[@aleksandarvasilevski7410]

Working in Europe this changing of blower drive circuit without verifying with combustion analyzer seems crazy unsafe to me. Guessing if 160Hz is too much or not will make me sleep bad.

[@Chevy2564]

Awesome video. Chris!

[@mcpiddler1135]

At one time I was fairly good with older Voyagers, but these make me glad I retired before they were at our customers' locations.

[@Tech_-on1ou]

What year is that unit? I've never seen that electrical cabinet configured like that.

[@HVACRVIDEOS]

It’s a 2015 unit

[@DumahBrazorf]

Not a tecnician, just some dude on the internet. If the old board expect 230V +- 10% is 207V to 253V, so the 2 blink undervoltage may be correct and the manual not correct in the description of the overvoltage situation (230-253V).

[@Zt24367]

The manual listed the voltage range from 208-230V

[@dashcamandy2242]

@@Zt24367 Chris measured 204v at the beginning.

[@DumahBrazorf]

@@Zt24367 Exactly. 208-230V +-10%? isn't strange?

[@dashcamandy2242]

Grounding the shield of a communications line is definitely a good idea. You might be fine without it, but why take the chance of a callback and having to look for interference that causes erratic operation? I have no idea why Trane suggested the mounting spots they did for the retrofit kit, seems silly to me.

[@mark351]

40 degrees would be a heat wave here in Philly this winter (2024-2025).

[@johnfitzpatrick2469]

G,day from Sydney Australia. My Nickel on the grass. The inducer PCB looks like a AC/DC step down converter (caps and trans winding). Is the fan motor DC? P.s Did you leave instructions in the next cabinet panel for operating the fan blower motor? 🌏💫

[@gregmercil3968]

Good lord those Trane Voyagers are so weird and overly complicated. It’s so unnecessary too. Over this space aged monstrosity, I’d choose the equivalently sized Carrier/ICP. Far simpler, easier to work on an diagnose, parts are cheaper and (usually) plentiful and readily available. Plus the unit itself is less expensive. Well on this particular Trane, at least the indoor blower is belt drive with a normal 3 phase motor. I’ve seen some of these with a direct drive ECM blower, which I’ve heard are an expensive nightmare to change out.

[@KG-yn9qi]

well here is my opinion... all HVAC units are over engineered!!! if a heating unit is outside or on roof, they should not need an inducer motor!!!even indoor or in attic, if vented properly do not need an inducer motor.... An inducer system just burns more gas and electric power to heat. do not use inducers on wood stove even on cook stove or standalone hot water heater??? I have a home built in 1945 has a floor heater that is gas. Have to light a piolet lit by hand, has no thermal coupler has no thermostat has no blowers or ant electrical to it at all works just fine no Leakes heats all the house! so if that works why do we need all this other crap now? Even have a fireplace in den burn wood or gas! just on or off no extra bull!

[@lavina58]

Nice video 👍😀👌🍀🙏

[@romusilva4986]

muito bom , atulaizar tanks

[@juniorelectrician2005]

That has to be the most over complicated retro fit ever lmao

[@rockercover]

Nothing works like a Trane. 😆‼️ These VFD units should be sold with hours of end user training. Sales team appears to have made bank on selling customers these. (As you described so well 😆 within the video).

[@fshn76]

Trane tech support is very lacking. Not my favorite brand. Good stuff Chis! Thanks for a great video.

[@thomlinrs8472]

I do not understand, why you use GAS to heat up the building ! You have a cooling unit, it could be switched to "heat mode" called "heatpump", which is much safer and quicker !

[@johnmore3823]

Not sure if I’m way off here but could you have put 204V to the motor from the line side of a contractor to test it? Still an awesome video though! Love retrofit stuff

[@jasonjohnsonHVAC]

You could have yes. It would of ran at 204v and 60 hz, which by what he said in the latter part of the video it ran at 160hz. It would of been about 40% of max. It would of only ran within a small deadband, hence why it's modulating. If that inverter had a bypass it would of sent line voltage to the motor.

[@johnmore3823]

Good point. At the end of the day, he would have come to the same conclusion. The Retrofit was needed anyways. Trane sucks sometimes. I find it hard to work on their stuff with the info they withhold.

[@Infowarrior-45]

Trane Tech Support sucks. I can always get someone on the phone from Carrier!

[@johnmore3823]

Agreed. They hamstring us on purpose. Their parts are marked up sooooooo high too.

[@mikekuschka998]

With so many daughter boards, they really need a single diagnostic board. With at least a seven segment display.

[@lexmarks567]

I would like to see your techs make their own videos also, see how they do things compared to how you do them.

[@jthatguys]

Could they have squeezed another computer controlled board in there? Parts are going to be a nightmare as those age. I was trying to get parts for some conventional units that were 5 years old. They used different parts for different serial numbers, and of course back ordered for 4 weeks. Contact the manufacturer, zero feedback/support. Ended up figuring it out myself.

[@JonathanByar]

New video!

[@prothermal_refrigerationHVAC]

👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@EdwardOrozco12]

Sheeeshhhhh

[@cyborgsheep6077]

the instructions are good wait no the instructions are bad no wait their good LOL

[@mohamedrheem6854]

When you start to understand TRANE RTU you will hate other brands, Trane is the best!

[@mattwoodbridge7924]

Good shit Chris 🤘

[@mattwoodbridge7924]

Trane can be difficult. But so can others... it all depends on the relationship you have with tech support.

[@HVACRVIDEOS]

I totally agree

[@BlakDrgn]

OMG PEEL THE PLASTIC. REEEEEEEEEEEEE

[@MariosACandRefrigeration]

Yes you were.LOL🤣

[@snowballinflatableandgaming]

Good video (first🤓)

[@BenCos2018]

second I guess lol

[@snowballinflatableandgaming]

@@BenCos2018 lol

[@garysmith9772]

Something not too many people know is that Elon Musk purchased those units to build those rockets that he’s landing back on earth. Lol

[@djdrewschannel3805]

Spaceship? Try Space nightmare. Goodness what a mess. From a firefighters point of view, all that wiring had me literally saying what in the he!! Are they thinking. In my opinion if a manufacturer is going to manufacture such nightmare equipment the least they could do is provide technical support when it is needed.

[@badzioch64]

Can’t start a Trane.

[@amadeusrocks4967]

Being a Trane everything is expensive

[@bryanharayda1975]

Trane units can be difficult, the Tracer system sucks as well. I hate how they make it proprietary and unless you are Trane you can’t access it. And then they’re so cheap they don’t send you a wire harness? I can only imagine that kit wasn’t cheap. Lame ass Trane

[@steveblake8766]

294th thumbs uP

[@MikePaulsen-m7k]

So you have good experience with Lennox I was on hold three times last week for like 45 minutes and I just had to hang up. I couldn’t wait any longer one I figured out the other two I’m still dealing with it ! I’m not hooked up with that national account like you are but they don’t even let you put your name and your phone number and they could just call you back. Nothing just sit there and listen to elevator music the supply house salesman said they’re all out of Texas. There’s only one place that has tech-support. I don’t know if that’s true or what oh well.

[@MikePaulsen-m7k]

Why in the hell did they put an inverter draft inducer on there completely completely unnecessary. Let me guess. Is that a big box store? They always get screwed when they do build outs Contractors they put the most expensive shit in and then when it goes bad the big box door has to pay out the ass