I appreciate you being honest and talking out your mistakes for clarity. You could've deleted it but you didn't. Raw. Good shit. And because of that I learned - Compressors sound funny backwards lol
You went above and beyond to save that compressor(s), most guys would have gone "gas-n-go". My old company would say "it's old and beat up just replace the compressors and clean the coil". This is a small business and you did try your best to save them money, and that speaks volumes about you. Peace brother!
My all time favorite story is on a mall rooftop another tech was a distance away working on one store unit, found low charge then produced a really long hose which he connected to another store's unit. He was able to charge his unit without carrying a jug up on the deck. Plus he got a service call from the other store owner the very next day:) Will never forget that one.
so.. i noticed today.. when watching your vids.. wich i found only yesterday.. that i get so into the vids i clench my hands in anticipation occasionally s you try to solve problems lol. this beats netflix anyday :)
Thanks for watching! I will be going live on TH-cam this evening 12/23/19 @ 5:PM (pacific time) to discuss my most recent uploads and answer questions from emails, TH-cam comments and the live chat, come check it out if you can th-cam.com/video/K3iG5q_Q_0U/w-d-xo.html
Lol a year later and I'm in your shoes just found his vids yesterday and I'm already super absorbed, trying to solve the problems aloud while watching. Agreed these videos are way better than anything on Netflix.
I live a chill life, work my 8 to 5 job in the hvacr industry then get home, see Chris uploads a new video and my attention is here for the next hour lol
I love when you say: ,,sometimes this is what you have to do'' because it's true, on the residential side when we deal with 7-8 calls a day in the summer months it's impossible to be perfect every single time because the bottom line is to get them up and running.
Same here also a love the troubleshooting stuff the skills in the premise behind the workings is also useful for anything electrical in mechanical even if not Refrigeration learn a lot this way I'm sure I'm not the only one that would say this for sure and a lot of things even though it's not Refrigeration troubleshooting works the same way it's the inner workings and more that is just transferable to other fields and also just general troubleshooting Knowledge and Skills just works well Occasionally need to help troubleshoot HVAC issues or otherwise makes a difference when you know how the law that suffered myself as well
For a motor it is usually in the 10 to 15% range. If you suspect that it is the motor try this test, Move all of the phase connections one step ahead. A to B, B to C and C to A. This will not change the rotation of the motor but it will show you if the unbalance moves ahead with the new connection.
Love when you said “FIRE” can’t tell you how many times I’ve lit em up inside McDonald’s and forgot to mention it and it scare the crap out of them lol.
Yah, I make a habit of saying "TORCH ON" and "Vacuum Cleaner"!! Had way too many times that it's either the crap, or something else scared outa them!! One woman dropped a cake! Wish I had that one on video!
My boss was taking a leak behind the truck at our construction yard and I threw down a pallet front he back of a truck and the super loud clap made him audibly stop peeing instantly. We gave him shit for days xD
@@dougmapper3306 , yah, I could see that happening. Not really on topic though. The topic was to try to give customers a heads up when making a noise that could frighten them.
I ended up here three days ago from a random recommendation, I have not watched any other videos. I knew very little about HVAC but learning all of this has been super awesome.
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Loved the way you put on that power head like a recoil pull start! I'm always learning something handy from your vids. Got other techs at my shop watching you too.
I'd be honest, this is the 1st video that's 1hr+ that got my attention!! I've done reefer work before and we all find weird stuff so I've seen cluster f's a lot!! Had one with a a.c. system yesterday and at the end got it running up again!! Like the videos but miss the short ones!!
My company here in Bermuda has been shut down for a month now. I just found your channel and have been binge watching your vids and they have me itching to get back in my truck.......and I never even enjoyed the restaurant side of the trade. Good work though my friend.
Good stuff. As someone who has been in the HVAC/R service industry for 30 plus years, its refreshing to see someone who actually works on this crap and calls it what it is, Crap.
Not trying to take a stab at you because you have taught me alot, but when you change contacts it is worth looking at the 2 over to the left and try to keep colors and everything organized for the next guy. Everything was perfect before and now it's just all over the place. I've followed this kind of work before and change it all back out of frustration. I just mentioned this because I know how adamant you are about keeping things professional and top notch. Plus it's a good practice to get into doing. Nice video, here is a like. 🙂
I used to rewire equipment and draw a new diagram that I hid. It's great for customer loyalty:) I could give a shit less about "professionalism". Especially when they don't give a shit about me.
As Sister Hazel would say , I hope you realize how much your knowledge helps not only the younger guys in the trade but the older guys as well ... You rock Chris ...
At the end of the vid, it's a clear example of theory textbook vs. real life practice. I'm a long time computer systems administrator. The same argument applies. As the on-site repair person, your knowledge of the principle of operation will always get you though the issue, and sometimes you got to color outside of the lines to make the magic happen.
Great job man. I love your honesty. Things are not perfect all the time. We have to do what we have to do. I dont do a ton of refrigeration, but I would imagine its stressful, especially with call backs. I can see a customer saying, " you owe me for $500 dollars worth of product, because you were just here" and stuff like that. Again, great job man. You're officially my favorite you tube guy!
I worked in a restaurant back when I was in Engineering school. Refrigeration Techs keep our food safe. I'm cracking open a frosty cold beer with thanks to you and your amazing trade.
We definitely try our best to pull perfect vacuums, braze with nitro etc. but the main thing we need to do is get the customer back up and running. Had plenty of jobs like that one. Great vid
These videos are awesome keep doing what you do! I really enjoy watching them. Now I get to see what its really like and the pressure you’re under to diagnose and repair a problem to get your customers up and running! Looking forward to another video
Can you cut the top off of the old compressor? If so, maybe that black stuff is in the compressor. I think compressors have a mesh screen at their suction opening. If that screen is clear, but that black stuff is also found in that compressor, then it may have originated from the compressor. A chemical analysis of that black stuff is probably the only sure way to identify it. Thanks for bringing us along!
Once again a brilliant job and video. I noticed the fusible plug on reciever F was more than half way out,( watch it at 0.38 sec ), definitely a refrigerant leak on that...as I've had them on jobs which are flush but still leaking...Javac D-tek is just the best.
Good Vid Chris ! no, you're not a hack. you do above average repairs. some times awesome repairs , sometimes not. i live in the real world. you do the best u can do for the job that presents itself. Life is not perfect. 1) That Debris in the Drier is Compressor winding stuff. i'd put money on it. visit a compressor rebuilder and bring that stuff with you. they wrap the compressor windings in paper with lines on it,. rope wraps the windings together etc. varnish from windings. When compressors are coming apart they blow thier guts downstream into the driers. Thats why its allways a good idea to cut a drier open on a system with issues to see if compressor is comiing apart. 2) on that contactor replacement --- you broke 3 Golden Rules, thats why u got the rotation wrong way. 1) Allways take a picture of the Contactor wring with your phone or on a notepad. 2) double check wiring with your phone picture and / or notebook / or notes section on your phone. 3) in a rush from rain etc - very dangerous. dont do this. you have family. not worth it. no equiptment is worth it. put a pop up on the roof if u need to work in the rain or hot sun. take care of YOU FIRST ! YOu will live to fight another day. and repairs will be better. 3) the hole in the pipe spewing refrigerant --- thats the Classic - HOT WIRE SHORTED TO COPPER TUBE. blowing a hole in it . i just did one of those . one of the evap fan wires from the cover part rubbed/smashed aginst tube when u put the cover back on again. you did not show a repair on that one. wire hairs from wire nuts ?
on point 3; Off to the right, I noticed a couple blue crimp wire splices (hate those things) on a wire that was spliced. Possibly that wire shorted to the evap line a while back and was spliced to repair the wire. Then thermal expansion/contraction over time finishing off the thinned copper to rupturing. It's just a _s.w.a.g._ since the wires there appeared unburnt (from that angle anyways).
Thank you for another interesting video,, From work i have done in the past , i rate my self as an average AC engineer,, ,,, I had less experience in commercial refrigeration,, i rate commercial refrigeration deep freezers as one of the more difficult jobs in refrigeration/AC...Not easy to tackle multiple problems,,, and if there is a difficult customer who does not want to pay for a new compressor , then it becomes near impossible,,,, It takes years for someone to attain this lever of experience,, ...
Chris, I would say YES, that black debris seems it came from Leak sealant, I have seen that in my experiences in the past. There might be other additives that was put in the system, check the oil from the compressor, and crankcase, for sediment. But I would say definitely it was from leak sealant. NOT GOOD STUFF, If you opened compressor, and check motor winding's, you would see a coating buildup , a good reason for the higher amperage. As for oil logged evaporator, if you on a pump down, run very hot water across the Evap, several times it will increase velocity, after boiling off refrigerant and may carry the oil back, depending on Suction line size ?? and travel of the line. Good luck, can't wait for the followup of this job.
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Missed the last part earlier, but that looks like its possibly enamel from the compressor windings. After the stator is wound most of the time the completed stator is dipped in enamel or some other encapsulant to keep the windings mechanically stable. It looks like it got so hot inside that it burned it all off. This would also explain the split in amperage since the insulation on the windings is probably compromised as well. But, its hard to tell from the vid what the actual texture is.
The bottle for the powerhead is a good idea, my journeyman gave me the idea to use a can of armaflex glue, but ive used a roll of electrical tape in a pinch with smaller cap tubes.
You're not wrong, but there are a lot of problems with just generalizing it as "lazy/dumb restaurant people". Not sure you understand how razor thin a lot of these margins are. The restaurant people are constantly battling competitive pricing with the modern day insanity of minimum wage requirements.
@@FLYWHEELPRIME especially true if you talk about some of the chains or for example shopping centers where you have a full food court full of competition.
@@FLYWHEELPRIME Ture, but that was my experience. Owner would not let us repair things unless it was dire. Great example was the RTU that fed the kitchen. Never fixed it, and even let the blower motor die. Nothing like cooking when its literally 115+ degrees with high humidity. Same thing with a lot of the griddles. Took ages to finally get new ones, and you had to really fiddle with the temperatures to compensate for dead/dying heating elements.
@@FLYWHEELPRIME And I agree with the tight margins. I remember actually taking pride in saving money/reducing waste when I oversaw the line, but being cheap to the point where it risks physical safety is pushing it. Same thing with equipment and letting one thing after another die until its a crisis. But I admit that Its certainly possible that they had multiple units go down at the same time.
@@FLYWHEELPRIME Biggest problem is there are just too many restaurants per area in America that are built to have very large use. If you look elsewhere in other countries there are often lots of restaurants but they are much smaller cafes. When you have that much over supply on a limited demand you are going to end up competitively pricing some out of business which is how it should be in a free market. Paying people livable wages isn't a key issue. Especially since servers don't even get paid minimum wage due to how tips are handled in most states.
I wondered if that stuff might not be fallout from the faulty compressor, possibly varnish that got hot and flaked off some of the motor windings. The way that thing was leaking, I'm amazed you were able to charge it faster than it was escaping!
You should get yourself a quality megohm meter, you will be able to accurately test the insulation quality of the motor windings at first glance, which would save you time troubleshooting, and help you determine the integrity of motor winding insulation - near instant diagnosis of failed or failing compressor (or motor) windings. Imagine how much time you could save
But the thing that's doing my head in is that apparently, Copeland is kinda fussing about meggering a scroll compressor, I'm tryna find the actual final word on the subject, but it's kinda unclear to me so far . Like I said , it's doing my head in !
Sterling Archer the only reason they could say that, I think,is if you can’t access the coils directly, or there is a cap or some other device on the coils that would ruin your reading, IMO. The compressor would need to be disconnected from all other components that would augment a reading
@@lazerusmfh from what I understand, or at least think I understand, is that there's a thing about applying a high voltage with a Megger that scroll compressors in particular don't seem to like . Again , I would love to get the final word on it , because I love my megohmmetre as well , and I thought I had the end all be all tool , but that whole scroll compressor thing kinda cooled me down , and now it's just doing my head in . I've emailed Chris about it , hopefully he'll reply...
In your videos, I witness, 'How to manage a mess when your assumptions of how bad things were are wrong'. There's no way to make an accurate assessment without actually going into the system so surprises are normal yet always unexpected. The thing I most notice is your ability to recognize your alternatives is immediate and accurate. I think if it were possible you'd transport an entire supply house and park it right outside. Who wouldn't want that? I relate to the way you manage your way thru the obstacles it allows your human side to vent and focus more clearly on what you have to do. Great job!
You switched the red and blk on contactor. What a mess of problems for sure. Txv maybe junk on the F unit? Can you put a trap in for the oil or no? Am I wrong by saying if the Can over heats the oil may boil so you may not see all the oil in the oil sight glass? Glad you got it up and running.The shorter the cap tube the better the temp transition to the bulb.That could be a coil someone put in and didn't braze properly I would say.maybe the coating on the windings of the Can or dye in the system IMO. A big mess for sure. Good to keep your composure in this situation. Thumbs up for you Chris. Love to find out the analysis on the material in the dryer. You never hack anything. Always great to see your work. Thank you, HVACR ON CHRIS!!!
It makes me wonder if the Mitsubishi mini split systems are also subject to this problem of the compressor being under cooled/lubricated with only one station calling? It was very interesting to watch as the real world factors came into play instead of just here's tbe optimal practice and that is all.
A scroll shell WILL be hot since its the high side, where a recip is suction. Thats why a scroll works so great in ice machines, all that heat saturated in comp shell durninng freeze cycle assists in harvest. 1st time I heard a scroll run back wards thought I had a DOA. Is there a "P" trap on suction, how much of a rise to cond unit? Take that evaporator on turn it up side down or switch suction and Liquid lines. You should have evap outlet on bottom for those long evap coils. If you dont take care of oil return problem u even risk an oil slug to compressor. Maybe install an oil separator to keep oil out of evap circuit. Use that 15% silver foss braze, good shitz.Your right about the oil flashing and keeping moisture out. Always put sight glass on OUTLET of filter drier. THAT much crap in drier was probably a restriction, was direr colder on outlet when running?. SPORLAN solid core for the win! Looks like you inherited a mess. Good luck. Hope you take my criticism as positive. I know its ez to sit her and and pick. Not so ez on the roof. Asked many times to make s poorly designed system run better than when it was installed. NOTE ABOUT EXPANSION VALVES; I have found over the years that if I am having TXV issues, or a unit that has a cond unit in high ambient that I install a BALANCE PORT valve. It reacts MUCH faster, adapts to changing loads better, reduces super heat hunting and increases system efficacy enough for a pay back in energy cost. ACID TEST THAT OIL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I would even add a Sporlan HH, carbon packed suction drier. It will clean oil before it gets to compressor. The "BLACK" stuff that came out of drier will turn into a liquid (most of it) if u add refrigerant to it!!!!!!!
The black stuff might be burned oil from the overhead motor. Seen it before inside the discharge line right at the compressor. Also, low gas volume relative to capacity can produce high discharge temperatures. (Motor heat). Back in the day, the gazzilion pinhole from vinegar problem, purge the low side and charge it back up. No, you’re not a hack. If you cut the compressor open, look for marks from rotor/stator contact. The bottom bearing goes loose.
I absolutely hate when customers dont pay attention to their equipment. They call you say the box is warm and 4 of the 7 compressors arent running. Good job on this one sir.
I get that with transport refrigeration, million dollar load, the truck drive checks his truck,the trailer and the load but never checks the refrigeration system , so I get a call at 2am about a damn belt.
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Some people don't like impact driver's, but I run screws all day or most the time, and use a hammer drill often. In a busy day does a lot better than a regular drill.
a good mechanic regardless of specialty has to improvise from what they are taught, I learned that in my 42 years of the working side of mechanical engineering
I’ve had a scroll on a Protocol giving me problems for a week. kept going on overload. Amps okay-ish. I replaced DTC. Was flowing, not enough. Copeland says to check discharge line temp. Slowly overheats. Also the dirty filter, definitely carbon. Everything I do is Supermarket. And it’s old. It’s all dirty.
8:43 Even without looking back at the video, I was suspicious when the other two systems transposed red and blue but you passed them straight through. Your method makes a lot more sense to me, but I presume that something was miswired elsewhere to require that reversal. Just from the wire length and set, it looks like your top wires were reversed between legs 2 and 3 of the new contactor, then you fixed it by reversing the two lower wires as well. Not that it matters at all given that you passed the phases through appropriately.
System F definitely had leak sealant with dye put in it. The sealant cures clear though so that appears to have burnt oil on the cured sealant. Burnt oil is an indicator of acid in the system. I'd go back on that one and do an acid test. System E compressor windings eroded/eroding from acid in the system prob was in advanced stage of total burnout. I'd do an acid test on that one as well even though new compressor and decent vacuum probably cured most of that (I'd still check it). The missing 1/2 quart of oil can be attributed to burnt oil and leaks (especially long term small leaks) in the system. TXV's can operate normally in any position, doesn't really matter as I've seen them work and fail in all positions. Just sayin.
Would it make sense to have an "Oil Return Sump Pump" piped below an evap coil? Some how have it collect oil that can't make it back to the compressor. & just like a sump pump, when it's reservoir collects enough oil, it brings on a pump that directly shoots the oil around the rest of the system & right into the compressor. Maybe set it up to do this on the off-cycle, when migration to the lowest, coldest place of the system is happening. This way, on start up, the compressor is less likely to be starved of it's oil charge. IDK.....just a thought. It's probably a dumb idea!
Those Copland scrolls have alot of pot metal in them and they will only last so long! I would recommend doing time change outs on them! It may seem expensive to the customer but when you look at down time and loss of product it is not so bad because planning preventive maintenance always beats having shit happening that many times leads to cluster f that is hard to recover from!
Not sure about stationary units, but in automotive systems when you see chunks coming out of receiver/driers or stuck in screens or plugging up the TXV/orifice, its usually the compressor coming apart. Some automotive compressors had Teflon seals in them for example, and those would fail after like 8-10 years and plug up the screen. Not sure how true it is, but I heard some compressors had chrome lined walls, and those can flake off and spread around the system as well.
On the TXV bulb shouldn't they be wrapped in the tar insulation tape, I wrapped mine on a home heil 3 ton heat pump even though it wasn't from factory 20 years ago on a new install?
With calcium build-up on the sight glass, there is so many different products on the market that dissolves calcium build-up, things like Lime-Away, CLR, etc.. Spray or wipe it on, wait a few minutes, should get rid of any build-up.
We always vacuum down through gauges, we don't have time to set up a fancy expensive vaccume system, we don't even use micron gauges, fix it, pump it down and charge it, this is transport refrigeration too, for a dealer btw, all about the time, So we send it.
Great job: I noticed the voltage was low. Is this in the same area you had low voltage on a few video's back. Would love to know if the local utility can change the taps on the transformers or install new ones that can give you proper voltage. Thanks for the video's.
Looked like carbon at first to me too...but those texture lines are very suspicious!.. Never used leak seal personally but herd lots of horror stories...also most techs dont pay attention to oil return most times...u did right tho...replace the usual suspects and work backwards...nice job chris....
I was wondering if the current draw was uneven on the phases and then you checked it :) you should check voltages on all three phase to neutral at the same time and other systems in the rack, you'll probably find one leg has around normal voltage and the other two low, imbalanced upstream maybe. overload in the area or building.
I appreciate you being honest and talking out your mistakes for clarity. You could've deleted it but you didn't. Raw. Good shit. And because of that I learned - Compressors sound funny backwards lol
"Hummm" normal. "Muhhhhh" backwards. ;)
it sounds like an electrical sound
You went above and beyond to save that compressor(s), most guys would have gone "gas-n-go". My old company would say "it's old and beat up just replace the compressors and clean the coil". This is a small business and you did try your best to save them money, and that speaks volumes about you. Peace brother!
My all time favorite story is on a mall rooftop another tech was a distance away working on one store unit, found low charge then produced a really long hose which he connected to another store's unit. He was able to charge his unit without carrying a jug up on the deck. Plus he got a service call from the other store owner the very next day:) Will never forget that one.
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so.. i noticed today.. when watching your vids.. wich i found only yesterday.. that i get so into the vids i clench my hands in anticipation occasionally s you try to solve problems lol. this beats netflix anyday :)
Thanks for watching! I will be going live on TH-cam this evening 12/23/19 @ 5:PM (pacific time) to discuss my most recent uploads and answer questions from emails, TH-cam comments and the live chat, come check it out if you can th-cam.com/video/K3iG5q_Q_0U/w-d-xo.html
Lol a year later and I'm in your shoes just found his vids yesterday and I'm already super absorbed, trying to solve the problems aloud while watching. Agreed these videos are way better than anything on Netflix.
I appreciate the time you spend on sharing your knowledge and experiences.
I live a chill life, work my 8 to 5 job in the hvacr industry then get home, see Chris uploads a new video and my attention is here for the next hour lol
Thanks bud
@@HVACRVIDEOS you're welcome, and thank you for taking the time to make these awesome videos.
I love when you say: ,,sometimes this is what you have to do'' because it's true, on the residential side when we deal with 7-8 calls a day in the summer months it's impossible to be perfect every single time because the bottom line is to get them up and running.
Not an HVAC tech but somehow this is still one of my favorite Channels.
Thanks bud
@@HVACRVIDEOS anytime. Love getting notifications that you posted a new video.
Same here also a love the troubleshooting stuff the skills in the premise behind the workings is also useful for anything electrical in mechanical even if not Refrigeration learn a lot this way I'm sure I'm not the only one that would say this for sure and a lot of things even though it's not Refrigeration troubleshooting works the same way it's the inner workings and more that is just transferable to other fields and also just general troubleshooting Knowledge and Skills just works well
Occasionally need to help troubleshoot HVAC issues or otherwise makes a difference when you know how the law that suffered myself as well
I didnt think, I would ever see an AC leak that bad...........what a geyser!
For a motor it is usually in the 10 to 15% range. If you suspect that it is the motor try this test, Move all of the phase connections one step ahead. A to B, B to C and C to A. This will not change the rotation of the motor but it will show you if the unbalance moves ahead with the new connection.
Love when you said “FIRE” can’t tell you how many times I’ve lit em up inside McDonald’s and forgot to mention it and it scare the crap out of them lol.
Yah, I make a habit of saying "TORCH ON" and "Vacuum Cleaner"!! Had way too many times that it's either the crap, or something else scared outa them!! One woman dropped a cake! Wish I had that one on video!
My boss was taking a leak behind the truck at our construction yard and I threw down a pallet front he back of a truck and the super loud clap made him audibly stop peeing instantly. We gave him shit for days xD
@@dougmapper3306 , yah, I could see that happening. Not really on topic though. The topic was to try to give customers a heads up when making a noise that could frighten them.
I ended up here three days ago from a random recommendation, I have not watched any other videos. I knew very little about HVAC but learning all of this has been super awesome.
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we've been blessed with a 50 min video fellas let us say thanks
Loved the way you put on that power head like a recoil pull start! I'm always learning something handy from your vids. Got other techs at my shop watching you too.
I'd be honest, this is the 1st video that's 1hr+ that got my attention!! I've done reefer work before and we all find weird stuff so I've seen cluster f's a lot!! Had one with a a.c. system yesterday and at the end got it running up again!! Like the videos but miss the short ones!!
You and Curious are too honest and everyone should appreciate that since we have all dealt with the same bullshit. Great video!
My company here in Bermuda has been shut down for a month now. I just found your channel and have been binge watching your vids and they have me itching to get back in my truck.......and I never even enjoyed the restaurant side of the trade. Good work though my friend.
Good stuff. As someone who has been in the HVAC/R service industry for 30 plus years, its refreshing to see someone who actually works on this crap and calls it what it is, Crap.
Not trying to take a stab at you because you have taught me alot, but when you change contacts it is worth looking at the 2 over to the left and try to keep colors and everything organized for the next guy. Everything was perfect before and now it's just all over the place. I've followed this kind of work before and change it all back out of frustration. I just mentioned this because I know how adamant you are about keeping things professional and top notch. Plus it's a good practice to get into doing. Nice video, here is a like. 🙂
I used to rewire equipment and draw a new diagram that I hid. It's great for customer loyalty:) I could give a shit less about "professionalism". Especially when they don't give a shit about me.
Multiple leaks and problems that are caused by them,,,.. You have the patience of a Saint.
As Sister Hazel would say , I hope you realize how much your knowledge helps not only the younger guys in the trade but the older guys as well ... You rock Chris ...
At the end of the vid, it's a clear example of theory textbook vs. real life practice. I'm a long time computer systems administrator. The same argument applies. As the on-site repair person, your knowledge of the principle of operation will always get you though the issue, and sometimes you got to color outside of the lines to make the magic happen.
Great job man. I love your honesty. Things are not perfect all the time. We have to do what we have to do. I dont do a ton of refrigeration, but I would imagine its stressful, especially with call backs. I can see a customer saying, " you owe me for $500 dollars worth of product, because you were just here" and stuff like that. Again, great job man. You're officially my favorite you tube guy!
This video ably demonstrates the pressure your under to keep these business running.. Well done .
Man I really enjoy your videos! As techs it’s always nice to “rub elbows” with other techs and share knowledge. Iron sharpens iron!
No need to second guess or explain your work .We know that you do the best job possible. Thanks for the sharing of your knowledge.
I worked in a restaurant back when I was in Engineering school. Refrigeration Techs keep our food safe. I'm cracking open a frosty cold beer with thanks to you and your amazing trade.
We definitely try our best to pull perfect vacuums, braze with nitro etc. but the main thing we need to do is get the customer back up and running. Had plenty of jobs like that one. Great vid
I want to be like you when I grow up. Great video Chris. 💪🏼💪🏼💪🏼
Your the one working on the big stuff I'm just working on the tiny stuff :-)
These videos are awesome keep doing what you do! I really enjoy watching them. Now I get to see what its really like and the pressure you’re under to diagnose and repair a problem to get your customers up and running! Looking forward to another video
YOUR OLD CONDUCTOR WAS BLACK,BLUE AND RED... AND THEN YOU PUT IT BLACK, RED AND BLUE... WE ARE NOT PERFECT BUT WE LEARNED ... GREAT VIDEOS...
Best way to end a Friday
We are into hvac compressor business mainly reciprocating comp. Learning a lot from your videos.
These videos are great. I learn a lot more from seeing what to do.
Can you cut the top off of the old compressor?
If so, maybe that black stuff is in the compressor.
I think compressors have a mesh screen at their suction opening. If that screen is clear, but that black stuff is also found in that compressor, then it may have originated from the compressor.
A chemical analysis of that black stuff is probably the only sure way to identify it.
Thanks for bringing us along!
Great video as always. These are starting to get me interested in the HVAC field
I like your thought process.keep up the good work.
Once again a brilliant job and video. I noticed the fusible plug on reciever F was more than half way out,( watch it at 0.38 sec ), definitely a refrigerant leak on that...as I've had them on jobs which are flush but still leaking...Javac D-tek is just the best.
Good Vid Chris ! no, you're not a hack. you do above average repairs. some times awesome repairs , sometimes not. i live in the real world. you do the best u can do for the job that presents itself. Life is not perfect.
1) That Debris in the Drier is Compressor winding stuff. i'd put money on it. visit a compressor rebuilder and bring that stuff with you. they wrap the compressor windings in paper with lines on it,. rope wraps the windings together etc. varnish from windings. When compressors are coming apart they blow thier guts downstream into the driers. Thats why its allways a good idea to cut a drier open on a system with issues to see if compressor is comiing apart.
2) on that contactor replacement --- you broke 3 Golden Rules, thats why u got the rotation wrong way. 1) Allways take a picture of the Contactor wring with your phone or on a notepad. 2) double check wiring with your phone picture and / or notebook / or notes section on your phone. 3) in a rush from rain etc - very dangerous. dont do this. you have family. not worth it. no equiptment is worth it. put a pop up on the roof if u need to work in the rain or hot sun. take care of YOU FIRST ! YOu will live to fight another day. and repairs will be better.
3) the hole in the pipe spewing refrigerant --- thats the Classic - HOT WIRE SHORTED TO COPPER TUBE. blowing a hole in it . i just did one of those . one of the evap fan wires from the cover part rubbed/smashed aginst tube when u put the cover back on again. you did not show a repair on that one. wire hairs from wire nuts ?
from your video's you are far from a good mechanic.. sometimes your rant of pipe sizing is sad.
on point 3; Off to the right, I noticed a couple blue crimp wire splices (hate those things) on a wire that was spliced. Possibly that wire shorted to the evap line a while back and was spliced to repair the wire. Then thermal expansion/contraction over time finishing off the thinned copper to rupturing.
It's just a _s.w.a.g._ since the wires there appeared unburnt (from that angle anyways).
There is just soo much with refrigeration so always going through everything. Great video from a true mechanic! Just takes a lot of time n effort
Been learning alot just from watching and listening thank you
Thank you for another interesting video,, From work i have done in the past , i rate my self as an average AC engineer,, ,,, I had less experience in commercial refrigeration,, i rate commercial refrigeration deep freezers as one of the more difficult jobs in refrigeration/AC...Not easy to tackle multiple problems,,, and if there is a difficult customer who does not want to pay for a new compressor , then it becomes near impossible,,,, It takes years for someone to attain this lever of experience,, ...
Not even close to being a hack bro your one of the good ones and I'm sure your customers appreciate that about you
Chris, I would say YES, that black debris seems it came from Leak sealant, I have seen that in my experiences in the past. There might be other additives that was put in the system, check the oil from the compressor, and crankcase, for sediment. But I would say definitely it was from leak sealant. NOT GOOD STUFF, If you opened compressor, and check motor winding's, you would see a coating buildup , a good reason for the higher amperage. As for oil logged evaporator, if you on a pump down, run very hot water across the Evap, several times it will increase velocity, after boiling off refrigerant and may carry the oil back, depending on Suction line size ?? and travel of the line. Good luck, can't wait for the followup of this job.
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Missed the last part earlier, but that looks like its possibly enamel from the compressor windings. After the stator is wound most of the time the completed stator is dipped in enamel or some other encapsulant to keep the windings mechanically stable. It looks like it got so hot inside that it burned it all off. This would also explain the split in amperage since the insulation on the windings is probably compromised as well. But, its hard to tell from the vid what the actual texture is.
Good point!
Good job Chris
The bottle for the powerhead is a good idea, my journeyman gave me the idea to use a can of armaflex glue, but ive used a roll of electrical tape in a pinch with smaller cap tubes.
i use the tube from a empty tube of m & m candies when i need smaller wrraps.
Typical in the restaurant industry. When one thing takes a dump, they just move to the next piece of equipment until it breaks, and so on.
You're not wrong, but there are a lot of problems with just generalizing it as "lazy/dumb restaurant people". Not sure you understand how razor thin a lot of these margins are. The restaurant people are constantly battling competitive pricing with the modern day insanity of minimum wage requirements.
@@FLYWHEELPRIME especially true if you talk about some of the chains or for example shopping centers where you have a full food court full of competition.
@@FLYWHEELPRIME Ture, but that was my experience. Owner would not let us repair things unless it was dire. Great example was the RTU that fed the kitchen. Never fixed it, and even let the blower motor die. Nothing like cooking when its literally 115+ degrees with high humidity. Same thing with a lot of the griddles. Took ages to finally get new ones, and you had to really fiddle with the temperatures to compensate for dead/dying heating elements.
@@FLYWHEELPRIME And I agree with the tight margins. I remember actually taking pride in saving money/reducing waste when I oversaw the line, but being cheap to the point where it risks physical safety is pushing it. Same thing with equipment and letting one thing after another die until its a crisis. But I admit that Its certainly possible that they had multiple units go down at the same time.
@@FLYWHEELPRIME Biggest problem is there are just too many restaurants per area in America that are built to have very large use. If you look elsewhere in other countries there are often lots of restaurants but they are much smaller cafes. When you have that much over supply on a limited demand you are going to end up competitively pricing some out of business which is how it should be in a free market. Paying people livable wages isn't a key issue. Especially since servers don't even get paid minimum wage due to how tips are handled in most states.
You're the man bro I've said it before 👍
Keep up the good work brother you're a gem to the trade, thanks for the sharing
You do a fantastic job! I'm learning a lot from your videos. Thank you for sharing. Blessings
I wondered if that stuff might not be fallout from the faulty compressor, possibly varnish that got hot and flaked off some of the motor windings.
The way that thing was leaking, I'm amazed you were able to charge it faster than it was escaping!
Brilliant video mate !! Had my fair few of cluster F's this week also !!
Meant to ask also chris did you manage to sort a t-shirt to the UK?
You should get yourself a quality megohm meter, you will be able to accurately test the insulation quality of the motor windings at first glance, which would save you time troubleshooting, and help you determine the integrity of motor winding insulation - near instant diagnosis of failed or failing compressor (or motor) windings. Imagine how much time you could save
But the thing that's doing my head in is that apparently, Copeland is kinda fussing about meggering a scroll compressor, I'm tryna find the actual final word on the subject, but it's kinda unclear to me so far .
Like I said , it's doing my head in !
Sterling Archer the only reason they could say that, I think,is if you can’t access the coils directly, or there is a cap or some other device on the coils that would ruin your reading, IMO. The compressor would need to be disconnected from all other components that would augment a reading
@@lazerusmfh from what I understand, or at least think I understand, is that there's a thing about applying a high voltage with a Megger that scroll compressors in particular don't seem to like .
Again , I would love to get the final word on it , because I love my megohmmetre as well , and I thought I had the end all be all tool , but that whole scroll compressor thing kinda cooled me down , and now it's just doing my head in .
I've emailed Chris about it , hopefully he'll reply...
Sterling Archer seems odd, I mean the current involved is.... nonexistent I just don’t see the problem. Reply if you hear a good reason
In your videos, I witness, 'How to manage a mess when your assumptions of how bad things were are wrong'. There's no way to make an accurate assessment without actually going into the system so surprises are normal yet always unexpected. The thing I most notice is your ability to recognize your alternatives is immediate and accurate. I think if it were possible you'd transport an entire supply house and park it right outside. Who wouldn't want that? I relate to the way you manage your way thru the obstacles it allows your human side to vent and focus more clearly on what you have to do. Great job!
I have been watching a lot of your videos recently. I have come to the conclusion you are part contortionist and squirrel the places you get in to :).
I agree, you will never get a great vacuum on a pumped down system. Great work bro.
0:21 I was like: I've never heard my phone make that noise wtf?
Legit looked at my phone when I heard that haha!
Sounded like something i used to hear in Windows 2000
everything is built to a price, that is your starting point - a wise person once said"you just have to deal with it"
It amazes me how untidy all the cable routing is. Trunking is easy to use and would often stop and cable sheaths to rub through and short
You switched the red and blk on contactor. What a mess of problems for sure. Txv maybe junk on the F unit? Can you put a trap in for the oil or no? Am I wrong by saying if the Can over heats the oil may boil so you may not see all the oil in the oil sight glass? Glad you got it up and running.The shorter the cap tube the better the temp transition to the bulb.That could be a coil someone put in and didn't braze properly I would say.maybe the coating on the windings of the Can or dye in the system IMO. A big mess for sure. Good to keep your composure in this situation. Thumbs up for you Chris. Love to find out the analysis on the material in the dryer. You never hack anything. Always great to see your work. Thank you, HVACR ON CHRIS!!!
Awesome work and clear explanation I like it.
It makes me wonder if the Mitsubishi mini split systems are also subject to this problem of the compressor being under cooled/lubricated with only one station calling? It was very interesting to watch as the real world factors came into play instead of just here's tbe optimal practice and that is all.
Thanks a lot for your videos, I’ve learned soo many things from you, god bless you
Love your videos they are very informative and have taught me a lot thanks.
THANKS FOR WATCHING
A scroll shell WILL be hot since its the high side, where a recip is suction. Thats why a scroll works so great in ice machines, all that heat saturated in comp shell durninng freeze cycle assists in harvest.
1st time I heard a scroll run back wards thought I had a DOA.
Is there a "P" trap on suction, how much of a rise to cond unit? Take that evaporator on turn it up side down or switch suction and Liquid lines. You should have evap outlet on bottom for those long evap coils. If you dont take care of oil return problem u even risk an oil slug to compressor. Maybe install an oil separator to keep oil out of evap circuit. Use that 15% silver foss braze, good shitz.Your right about the oil flashing and keeping moisture out.
Always put sight glass on OUTLET of filter drier. THAT much crap in drier was probably a restriction, was direr colder on outlet when running?. SPORLAN solid core for the win!
Looks like you inherited a mess. Good luck. Hope you take my criticism as positive. I know its ez to sit her and and pick. Not so ez on the roof. Asked many times to make s poorly designed system run better than when it was installed.
NOTE ABOUT EXPANSION VALVES; I have found over the years that if I am having TXV issues, or a unit that has a cond unit in high ambient that I install a BALANCE PORT valve. It reacts MUCH faster, adapts to changing loads better, reduces super heat hunting and increases system efficacy enough for a pay back in energy cost.
ACID TEST THAT OIL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I would even add a Sporlan HH, carbon packed suction drier. It will clean oil before it gets to compressor.
The "BLACK" stuff that came out of drier will turn into a liquid (most of it) if u add refrigerant to it!!!!!!!
Another great and informative video! Thanks Chris!
The black stuff might be burned oil from the overhead motor. Seen it before inside the discharge line right at the compressor. Also, low gas volume relative to capacity can produce high discharge temperatures. (Motor heat). Back in the day, the gazzilion pinhole from vinegar problem, purge the low side and charge it back up. No, you’re not a hack. If you cut the compressor open, look for marks from rotor/stator contact. The bottom bearing goes loose.
i agree i have seen the same burnt oil with some insulation rezen from the windings surfaces
What a mess.This has been a very entertaining video
That problem compressor was making a bad noise while it was running right near the end of the 16:06 jump cut
I absolutely hate when customers dont pay attention to their equipment. They call you say the box is warm and 4 of the 7 compressors arent running. Good job on this one sir.
I get that with transport refrigeration, million dollar load, the truck drive checks his truck,the trailer and the load but never checks the refrigeration system , so I get a call at 2am about a damn belt.
@@graywolf2694 you know the deal then. So annoying
Wish all this stuff was out there in 2013. I really enjoy watching the struggles without having to live it.
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We thank you for that video!
I think the best part of the video is the pressure control. Percussive maintenance. "I think it's stuck" "maybe not" *whack*.
WOW, what a mess! hope you can get that beast fixed and running correctly..
Some people don't like impact driver's, but I run screws all day or most the time, and use a hammer drill often. In a busy day does a lot better than a regular drill.
a good mechanic regardless of specialty has to improvise from what they are taught, I learned that in my 42 years of the working side of mechanical engineering
I’ve had a scroll on a Protocol giving me problems for a week. kept going on overload. Amps okay-ish. I replaced DTC. Was flowing, not enough. Copeland says to check discharge line temp. Slowly overheats. Also the dirty filter, definitely carbon. Everything I do is Supermarket. And it’s old. It’s all dirty.
True.
Excellent practices.
It is what it is.
Great video bud. Thanks as always
8:43 Even without looking back at the video, I was suspicious when the other two systems transposed red and blue but you passed them straight through. Your method makes a lot more sense to me, but I presume that something was miswired elsewhere to require that reversal. Just from the wire length and set, it looks like your top wires were reversed between legs 2 and 3 of the new contactor, then you fixed it by reversing the two lower wires as well. Not that it matters at all given that you passed the phases through appropriately.
System F definitely had leak sealant with dye put in it. The sealant cures clear though so that appears to have burnt oil on the cured sealant. Burnt oil is an indicator of acid in the system. I'd go back on that one and do an acid test.
System E compressor windings eroded/eroding from acid in the system prob was in advanced stage of total burnout. I'd do an acid test on that one as well even though new compressor and decent vacuum probably cured most of that (I'd still check it). The missing 1/2 quart of oil can be attributed to burnt oil and leaks (especially long term small leaks) in the system.
TXV's can operate normally in any position, doesn't really matter as I've seen them work and fail in all positions. Just sayin.
Really good job
Would it make sense to have an "Oil Return Sump Pump" piped below an evap coil?
Some how have it collect oil that can't make it back to the compressor. & just like a sump pump, when it's reservoir collects enough oil, it brings on a pump that directly shoots the oil around the rest of the system & right into the compressor.
Maybe set it up to do this on the off-cycle, when migration to the lowest, coldest place of the system is happening.
This way, on start up, the compressor is less likely to be starved of it's oil charge.
IDK.....just a thought.
It's probably a dumb idea!
Those Copland scrolls have alot of pot metal in them and they will only last so long! I would recommend doing time change outs on them! It may seem expensive to the customer but when you look at down time and loss of product it is not so bad because planning preventive maintenance always beats having shit happening that many times leads to cluster f that is hard to recover from!
Not sure about stationary units, but in automotive systems when you see chunks coming out of receiver/driers or stuck in screens or plugging up the TXV/orifice, its usually the compressor coming apart. Some automotive compressors had Teflon seals in them for example, and those would fail after like 8-10 years and plug up the screen. Not sure how true it is, but I heard some compressors had chrome lined walls, and those can flake off and spread around the system as well.
Great video bud! I don’t have but a few racks, always fun to work on though.
On the TXV bulb shouldn't they be wrapped in the tar insulation tape, I wrapped mine on a home heil 3 ton heat pump even though it wasn't from factory 20 years ago on a new install?
It's good you show your screw ups! You are just like me. I have reversed compressor windings before. Lol
With calcium build-up on the sight glass, there is so many different products on the market that dissolves calcium build-up, things like Lime-Away, CLR, etc.. Spray or wipe it on, wait a few minutes, should get rid of any build-up.
Should quote to fit an oil separator when you get a compressor failure like that?
We always vacuum down through gauges, we don't have time to set up a fancy expensive vaccume system, we don't even use micron gauges, fix it, pump it down and charge it, this is transport refrigeration too, for a dealer btw, all about the time, So we send it.
Great job: I noticed the voltage was low. Is this in the same area you had low voltage on a few video's back. Would love to know if the local utility can change the taps on the transformers or install new ones that can give you proper voltage. Thanks for the video's.
Did you check liquid injector, sometimes they gone bad . Last time I changed it and compressor run no call back .
Looked like carbon at first to me too...but those texture lines are very suspicious!..
Never used leak seal personally but herd lots of horror stories...also most techs dont pay attention to oil return most times...u did right tho...replace the usual suspects and work backwards...nice job chris....
Thanks bud
I was wondering if the current draw was uneven on the phases and then you checked it :)
you should check voltages on all three phase to neutral at the same time and other systems in the rack, you'll probably find one leg has around normal voltage and the other two low, imbalanced upstream maybe. overload in the area or building.
Love your videos man, keep at it. Happy Friday 🤙
Great video Keep them coming
18:17 Sticky pressure control -> Whac-A-Switch a new game for HVACR technicians!
What a marathon. 👍