ANTI DIY HVAC the name is the game. Obviously I live in Las Vegas NV and without AC here you won't make it through the summer. Also as a married father of three and supporting 2 senior citizens and 1 brother in law I had to learn how to take care of my hvac from top to bottom or I would have paid out a lot of money in parts and labor. Every dollar counted as I worked two jobs to keep us out of the red and I have never needed government assistance. So people like you have made things like that possible for families like us. Sharing your valuable knowledge helps everyone tremendously even if you don't know it. I just want to say I appreciate you and your video's. Your helping people like me keep their heads above water. Great job and keep up the great video's!
Hello from Russian "cool master" ). I have been repairing air conditioners for 15 years. we use a portable pressure washer of the Karcher type to clean the outdoor unit.
Great job. when I use to own, I use to wash out/rinse my unit at least once a month or so just to keep the coil clean and any dirt or residue that could potentially prevent any flowing of air inside of the cage. Never had any issues for the 7 years of ownership.
Hi, many moons ago, I was sent to a JOBa MDs ac unit,,I could NOT BELIEVE WHAT I WAS LOOKING AT, ON THAT ROOF WERE 20 EXHAUST VENTS FROMA COMMERCIAL LAUNDRY, I HAD TO CALL OUT FOR A CLEANINGbut my company KNEW about that job ! 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
Your a good man. Watching your video and listening to your verbal comments should be given to all schools as to show that honesty is a way of life...Regardless of ones trade. Bob
Similar quality of work on the units installed in the houses around here (just outside Columbia). New build (2012) 3100 sqft, 2-story home, 5-ton unit with insufficient return (1 - 20x20 return, 1 - 20x14 return) both upstairs. Froze over first summer after installation, installer claimed filters were too restrictive. Caused water damage in upstairs guest bath ceiling. Two summers later, unit is freezing again. Further water damage in guest bathroom. Water damage seems to be caused by a gap in the insulation over some of the piping in the attic, allowing that section to freeze over and subsequently melt straight onto the insulation in the attic and the sheet rock below. Initial installer was still servicing the unit at this point, and has determined it needs to be recharged. Never checks for leaks, continues to service as is and just top off as it loses refrigerant. At this point, I got a second opinion from a contractor that builds HVAC systems for custom homes. He performs a leak check and confirms a leaking evap coil. Recharges the system, but won't replace the coil unless I contract him to rebuild all of the duct work as well. Builder, original installer, and builder's new HVAC subcontractor all state the system is good to go except for the leaking coil, and that they're only designed to last 4-5 years tops at this point. Unit is now just a few weeks outside the initial warranty. I contracted a coil replacement with a different local HVAC shop that also confirms insufficient return, shoddy duct work. They replaced the original copper coil with a new aluminum coil. It isn't even a year old from DOM, and unfortunately this one is leaking now as well. Replacement worked fine all last year, no freezing issues. Noticed that this year it was no longer draining, so scheduled a check and service, but it froze over before they could get here. Had them come out on an emergency call for frozen unit, and they confirmed it was low and shot dye into the system to chase the leak. Warranty replacement is currently ordered, waiting for it to come in. This last company has been doing their best to correct the immediate issues, without costing us an arm and a leg. That being said, based on the interaction with almost every other HVAC tech that's been on site for this system, I could probably spend a week doing some research and studying and personally draw up a more reliable configuration and install than the local "experts". I understand there's a formal education and certification process for HVAC techs, but seeing most of these guys throw the knowledge out the window, a well researched DIY-er is probably better off on their own around here.
I had a 2 ton condensing unit that had 1/8 inch of dust, pollen and dirt on it, and rather than use a heavy, caustic mix sprayed on it, and waiting a couple of hours for it to do its magic, i just pulled the cover off, used some household cleaned and a soft brush, a warm flow of water and some careful elbow grease and had the unit absolutely sparkling clean in one hour. I suggest this to the regular homeowner.
in Las Vegas I find that most problems are in the evaporator coil, even after a company has done a service. Why? because who wants to climb into an attic in 100+degree heat?! I have found clogged coils so bad that it' was as thick as a door mat! I haven't seen any company do a service to include the evaporator on a split unit. Thanks for the info!
I used to use a product that was as brown as syrup. It was as strong as anything Ive seen. Bad for a unit that Young to already have issues.You did a great job for sure.
As long as they offer a neutralizer of some kind !! I'm fairly sure a bucket mixture of water and baking soda will stop any of the acid activity with that foam brite. We use that on vehicle batteries in the event there is acid activity on or around them. I can also see that most of the homes being worked on do not have great water flow/pressure on their hose bibs. My guess is, if there is a decent pressure washer that can be adjusted or doesn't have enormous damaging spray pressures, in the hands of Ted or skilled folks, a weak solution of cleaner and a good push of water will clean those coils much better than any garden hose.
I just use water and never use chemicals. My Air condioner is almost 20 years old it's only been charged one time. Only because the tech convinced me to add a tiny bit more.
If it dissolves paint like that must have some potash lye in it! When I cleaned rail cars we used a 3-step process, an acid mix to start, a potash lye mix next (took the paint right off) and water rinse. The RR company liked it, as it saved sandblasting time. Wore a full-length Weather suit, as that lye would burn holes in your skin if it got on you!
Damn. That is ripping that crap off that thing. Noice. I need to vacuum out the leaves and junk in mine. TLC said its fine but I want to eat off that thing on the inside if I need to.
That orange Triple D cleaner is what we use at our outfit. It has a PH above 13 and contains potassium hydroxide so keep it from your eyes and any pets or kids.
Curious what kind of finish that black stuff was - vinyl, powdercoat, enamel,...??? BIG difference as to what. Have NO idea why a manufacturer would put a plastic-like finish on a coil.
Sounds funny to say this but this is why I use the evaporator cleaner on the condensers which is non-acidic so it does not have this effect on the coilas far as the paint job Especially if it is one of my annual customers that I know the coil stays clean yearly
I’m going to try all the stuff at home.....After I get my journeyman’s. I probably could as a first years apprentice, I have a couple epa certs and a good grade in trade school, but there’s still a lot to learn.
Love your videos, you may have made a serious error when charging this condensing unit as your SMAN was using degrees celsius.. not fahrenheit 😟 the subcooling was likely too high already as 0C is 32F, I wonder it was a TXV or piston on the evap, oh well this video was from a while back and the condensing unit is probably toast now anyway
I just cleaned mine (second time in like 15 years). Lot of gunk came out between the slats, used some foam cleaner and a water hose. Also put some more insulation on the drainage pipe since the old one had almost rotted off. Temps have been like 95 every day and the AC usually runs like 15 hours straight, and at the peak of the day, it has trouble maintaining temperature in the house. Didn't really make any difference that I could see.
@@kevinfinnerty3754 I had a guy come out after that and he said it was down on charge. Once he put more in, the AC got noticeably cooler. I wish I'd got him to come out at the start of the summer, probably would have saved enough money to pay for his visit since the AC basically ran from about 8 am to 2-3 am every day. It wasn't super low, and this is the 2nd time I've had him come out to put more coolant in, in 16 years. Seems like it needs a recharge about every 6-8 years.
A lot of people DIY because of excessive service charges. I had an AC repair man come out and charge me $350 in parts, $200 in labor along with $75 service call to replace a burned board in my air handler. Repair man came out and swapped the board in 20 minutes and left. Later I did simple google search for a neighbor that was having the same problem and found the board he replaced on amazon $23. This should of been a $200 fix with time and labor not a $625 repair.
Welcome to free market capitalism. The man has to make his money, the company still has to make their money. Pay for shop bills, the trucks, ads, gas, supplies, insurance for employees. So much more goes into it.
Steven is right. Raw ingredients cost pennies on the dollar but people can accept a $10 pub burger with no fries. Guys working out of their garage will always be cheaper
@@richardlafleur2864 True enough, but you can't fault people for cooking at home. Same way can't fault DIYers from researching and attempting their own repairs. Just like changing your own oil, learning to do a little routine maintenance can save you a ton over time.
yeah our ac went out and i know many hvac technicians and basically they all say since our ac is to old people wont work on it so im not about to pay 10k for a new air conditioner when i can spend $40 and fix it however i do understand thats how these people make money
Appreciate the video; good experience without having to go through the ordeal, a little something to keep in the back of my mind - we sell Day and Night, so very relevant.
I would be EXTREMELY careful if you intend on using Foam-brite on engine bay. You'll 100% want to cover and seal up all electrical components from it's war path and also I wouldn't let it sit on anything rubber for more than a few seconds at a time. If you're going to agitate it after applying it, go area by area with application, agitation, and rinsing. Just my 2 cents as a pro detailer. Super clean nondiluted will work just as well.
it doesnt matter if the condenser says its suppose to be 12 subcooling. You go inside and look to see if there is an actual txv installed. then you can for sure use subcooling
I have had good luck with 407C.Some folks can not afford a new system.I will cross out R22 with a permanent marker and scratch 407 next to the label for the next guy.It is a burden to keep a reclaim bottle for every R22 replacement under the sun .
Thanks for the telling about the foam brite being a good engine degreaser. I plan on rebuilding the engine on my 95 f150 soon and it and its surroundings are covered in oil from a leaky front seal. Typical of any vehicle with 250,000 + miles on it.
On the coil cleaning, Good tip, although I don’t see many units where the coil is completely exposed like this one, most other brands are covered with slotted grills that make it difficult to apply and rinse the cleaner. Goodman and Trane are two that come to mind.
Who knows the real story. The counter guys may have refused him the sale and he could have gotten someone in the parking lot to buy it for him.Good video.
Just rinsing off with water from opposite the air flow will take you a long way to get rid of the worst dirt. Doesn't matter if it's an air conditioner or a car radiator.
Why would you put a black finish on a radiator coil to begin with? I would think that would be the LAST color to paint something that will be transferring heat.
Just a hose wand and water. Careful if you have high pressure, you can bend the fins if you're not careful, just use the shower setting. I would only use a cleaner if it is exposed to crap on a regular basis, like some sort of grease/oil/dust buildup. My unit can get dusty but that's just loose dust and doesn't hurt anything. I've used compressed air but that can also bend fins if not careful.
You never pointed out the reason why the paint was put on the coils in the first place. It's there on purpose!!! NEVER EVER USE FOAMING AGENTS ON COILS. You might disagree but this is the result of using them ignorantly.. Who ever did this first cleaning didnt do their homework and really messed up the coils. The black epoxy paint is put on the coils to help the air flowing thru the fins to heat and cool more efficiently and help the water to drain off more quickly after the defrost cycle. Whenever you make a mistake like this you need to buy a whole new unit because the purpose of saving money by using a heat pump to heat and cool a house has been shit canned.. may even voided any warrenty as well. A water dilution of Simple green is more user friendly when doing this..
I know this video is now 4 years old but I have to disagree with the simple statement of "Anti-DIY-HVAC" in that simple things can be fixed with common sense. I learn very quickly and can fix just about anything in my house, there are a few things I won't touch, mainly HVAC major problems, I can replace CAPs, clean my own coils, and other stuff like that. If the system is leaking, I won't touch it, I'll call someone out. My current system is an R22 system which is going to be replace with an R410 system soon. Doing research, I have learned that using Nu-Brite straight will kill your system, it needs to be diluted. I cleaned my coils this year because it had been 2 years since I moved in and didn't do any type of maintenance on it. That being said, I won't use anything that strong unless it is needed.
Try reducing the mix to six to one or even 10 to 1. So you dont strip the protective coating from the fins..this is installed on units for coastal regions so that salt spray from the ocean doesnt pit and destroy the coil.also for any harsh industrial chemicals that maybe in the invirement.sure most units will not have these condition how ever if you have to replace the condenser coil under warenty. You may avoid the warenty after the fact.try to collect 900 more dollars a month after you finish the job and the manufacturer sends you a bill for a declined warenty. Carrier will do that these day or any other manufacturer has the rite to. Then you may have to suck it up butter cup..I do know a case this happened. Becarefule.it will destroy your 180 dollar hoses on you gages. Just saying.
I use a common garden hose jet spray nozzle using my 80 psi water feed. It seems to clear out all the gunk without any need for chemicals (can clearly see through coil fins after cleaning). Is there something in this environment that requires a caustic chemical? Even then, I'd be tempted to use a pressure washer with a wide angle tip and keep it a few feet from the coil.
I was just thinking i do service and i keep a specific hose nozel on my truck that i can use on anyones water system to make a high pressure stream and i have never had to use chems for cu coils.. Though i would not use a pressure washer, the fins are strong but not that strong. With just the weight of the coil, when i replace these i always bend fins being as careful as possible.
Worlds strongest coil cleaner . . . and the best engine degreaser you will ever see . . . Wouldn't it had made sense to hit it with some compressed air after the first application/rinse to manually remove the loose paint rather than additional caustic cleaner applications?
I have same ac unit just r22 and i had to fill it every 3 months which cost me 250 each time and it works for a while rhan pipe starts freezing by the unit outside i never really looked at cleaningnes of mine would this be the cause if mine does what it does guy checked it with leak detector and couldnt find any leaks i really dont want to spend 7k if i dont have to so any help would be gladly accepted
What is that black finish on these units? I live by the ocean and have a icp coastal unit condensor and even that one has silver/bright fins (not black)
Andy Chavez timestamp 11:25 explains it. That homeowner got bent over by the original contractor, then apparently a supply house sold the homeowner the most aggressive acidic coil cleaner on the market AKA “yellow death.” That warranty was long gone
![เปิดใจ พี่ญา คนรุม หลังทัวร์ลง หนักสุดในชีวิต!! l [Nickynachat]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/2-OJZRtclro/mqdefault.jpg)
ANTI DIY HVAC the name is the game. Obviously I live in Las Vegas NV and without AC here you won't make it through the summer. Also as a married father of three and supporting 2 senior citizens and 1 brother in law I had to learn how to take care of my hvac from top to bottom or I would have paid out a lot of money in parts and labor. Every dollar counted as I worked two jobs to keep us out of the red and I have never needed government assistance. So people like you have made things like that possible for families like us. Sharing your valuable knowledge helps everyone tremendously even if you don't know it. I just want to say I appreciate you and your video's. Your helping people like me keep their heads above water. Great job and keep up the great video's!
Favorite phrase of this video - CRAPPY CONTRACTOR!!! AINT THAT THE TRUTH! Sometimes you gotta KNOW what you're doing!!!
Hello from Russian "cool master" ).
I have been repairing air conditioners for 15 years. we use a portable pressure washer of the Karcher type to clean the outdoor unit.
Cleaning condensers is so satisfying
satisying?
Great job. when I use to own, I use to wash out/rinse my unit at least once a month or so just to keep the coil clean and any dirt or residue that could potentially prevent any flowing of air inside of the cage. Never had any issues for the 7 years of ownership.
Great job, I like the honesty. You're one of very few who actually do a great job. Thank you.
Hi, many moons ago, I was sent to a JOBa MDs ac unit,,I could NOT BELIEVE WHAT I WAS LOOKING AT, ON THAT ROOF WERE 20 EXHAUST VENTS FROMA COMMERCIAL LAUNDRY, I HAD TO CALL OUT FOR A CLEANINGbut my company KNEW about that job ! 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
Your a good man. Watching your video and listening to your verbal comments should be given to all schools as to show that honesty is a way of life...Regardless of ones trade. Bob
Similar quality of work on the units installed in the houses around here (just outside Columbia).
New build (2012) 3100 sqft, 2-story home, 5-ton unit with insufficient return (1 - 20x20 return, 1 - 20x14 return) both upstairs. Froze over first summer after installation, installer claimed filters were too restrictive. Caused water damage in upstairs guest bath ceiling. Two summers later, unit is freezing again. Further water damage in guest bathroom. Water damage seems to be caused by a gap in the insulation over some of the piping in the attic, allowing that section to freeze over and subsequently melt straight onto the insulation in the attic and the sheet rock below. Initial installer was still servicing the unit at this point, and has determined it needs to be recharged. Never checks for leaks, continues to service as is and just top off as it loses refrigerant.
At this point, I got a second opinion from a contractor that builds HVAC systems for custom homes. He performs a leak check and confirms a leaking evap coil. Recharges the system, but won't replace the coil unless I contract him to rebuild all of the duct work as well. Builder, original installer, and builder's new HVAC subcontractor all state the system is good to go except for the leaking coil, and that they're only designed to last 4-5 years tops at this point. Unit is now just a few weeks outside the initial warranty.
I contracted a coil replacement with a different local HVAC shop that also confirms insufficient return, shoddy duct work. They replaced the original copper coil with a new aluminum coil. It isn't even a year old from DOM, and unfortunately this one is leaking now as well. Replacement worked fine all last year, no freezing issues. Noticed that this year it was no longer draining, so scheduled a check and service, but it froze over before they could get here. Had them come out on an emergency call for frozen unit, and they confirmed it was low and shot dye into the system to chase the leak. Warranty replacement is currently ordered, waiting for it to come in.
This last company has been doing their best to correct the immediate issues, without costing us an arm and a leg. That being said, based on the interaction with almost every other HVAC tech that's been on site for this system, I could probably spend a week doing some research and studying and personally draw up a more reliable configuration and install than the local "experts". I understand there's a formal education and certification process for HVAC techs, but seeing most of these guys throw the knowledge out the window, a well researched DIY-er is probably better off on their own around here.
Idk why but coulmbia has shit installers
How you called it a Comfort "Taker" at the beginning was accurate as it wasn't making any comfort!
Man with a job like that I bet ice cubes are gonna be falling from the ceiling! Job well done sir!
That yellow death is some killer stuff !!
I always use pure concentrated foam-brite on all kinds of coils with no ppe except safety glasses and they always come out new
I had a 2 ton condensing unit that had 1/8 inch of dust, pollen and dirt on it, and rather than use a heavy, caustic mix sprayed on it, and waiting a couple of hours for it to do its magic, i just pulled the cover off, used some household cleaned and a soft brush, a warm flow of water and some careful elbow grease and had the unit absolutely sparkling clean in one hour. I suggest this to the regular homeowner.
in Las Vegas I find that most problems are in the evaporator coil, even after a company has done a service. Why? because who wants to climb into an attic in 100+degree heat?! I have found clogged coils so bad that it' was as thick as a door mat! I haven't seen any company do a service to include the evaporator on a split unit. Thanks for the info!
The cleanest that coil has been in years!
Wow, that coil cleaner is aggressive. Nice job.
I used to use a product that was as brown as syrup. It was as strong as anything Ive seen. Bad for a unit that Young to already have issues.You did a great job for sure.
The service performed was perfect. There is diyers that do really great work also, they watch your work and learn from it lol.
Good clean, seen allot of old Goodmans like this had to use heavy cleaner to remove primer/paint. Good job,Ted
As long as they offer a neutralizer of some kind !! I'm fairly sure a bucket mixture of water and baking soda will stop any of the acid activity with that foam brite. We use that on vehicle batteries in the event there is acid activity on or around them. I can also see that most of the homes being worked on do not have great water flow/pressure on their hose bibs. My guess is, if there is a decent pressure washer that can be adjusted or doesn't have enormous damaging spray pressures, in the hands of Ted or skilled folks, a weak solution of cleaner and a good push of water will clean those coils much better than any garden hose.
I just use water and never use chemicals. My Air condioner is almost 20 years old it's only been charged one time. Only because the tech convinced me to add a tiny bit more.
When in doubt that is always the safest way. I like Nucalgon Special HD Calclean for the outdoor coil and EvapFresh for the indoor coil
Odd seeing a sidewalk on only one side of a neighborhood street. That was a whole lot of cleaning you did, good job.
If it dissolves paint like that must have some potash lye in it! When I cleaned rail cars we used a 3-step process, an acid mix to start, a potash lye mix next (took the paint right off) and water rinse. The RR company liked it, as it saved sandblasting time. Wore a full-length Weather suit, as that lye would burn holes in your skin if it got on you!
The pink stuff was actually mirrattic acid, and if you have got it on you hands teal good, you haven’t experienced pain!
👍Some caustic stuff! It’ll sure sting when it hits the arms and/or face! Good job✌️& leave it to the pros!
Damn. That is ripping that crap off that thing. Noice. I need to vacuum out the leaves and junk in mine. TLC said its fine but I want to eat off that thing on the inside if I need to.
That was some valuable lessons on coil cleaning.
You are so very helpful! Thanks!
Great video. Thanks. Watching this at 1,45 am on july 2, 2022 and look at the price of gas seen 13:46. It's $2.44/gal. Great times.
I love seeing filth ooze from the coils!
That orange Triple D cleaner is what we use at our outfit. It has a PH above 13 and contains potassium hydroxide so keep it from your eyes and any pets or kids.
Curious what kind of finish that black stuff was - vinyl, powdercoat, enamel,...??? BIG difference as to what. Have NO idea why a manufacturer would put a plastic-like finish on a coil.
Short answer? Carrier/ICP are stupid.
Sounds funny to say this but this is why I use the evaporator cleaner on the condensers which is non-acidic so it does not have this effect on the coilas far as the paint job Especially if it is one of my annual customers that I know the coil stays clean yearly
@antidiyhvac if you want to neutralize that a is spray , mix some warm water and some arm and hammer in a sprayer , that neutralize the acidity .
I’m going to try all the stuff at home.....After I get my journeyman’s. I probably could as a first years apprentice, I have a couple epa certs and a good grade in trade school, but there’s still a lot to learn.
Love your videos, you may have made a serious error when charging this condensing unit as your SMAN was using degrees celsius.. not fahrenheit 😟 the subcooling was likely too high already as 0C is 32F, I wonder it was a TXV or piston on the evap, oh well this video was from a while back and the condensing unit is probably toast now anyway
I just cleaned mine (second time in like 15 years). Lot of gunk came out between the slats, used some foam cleaner and a water hose. Also put some more insulation on the drainage pipe since the old one had almost rotted off. Temps have been like 95 every day and the AC usually runs like 15 hours straight, and at the peak of the day, it has trouble maintaining temperature in the house. Didn't really make any difference that I could see.
It’s probably low on charge
@@kevinfinnerty3754 I had a guy come out after that and he said it was down on charge. Once he put more in, the AC got noticeably cooler. I wish I'd got him to come out at the start of the summer, probably would have saved enough money to pay for his visit since the AC basically ran from about 8 am to 2-3 am every day. It wasn't super low, and this is the 2nd time I've had him come out to put more coolant in, in 16 years. Seems like it needs a recharge about every 6-8 years.
A lot of people DIY because of excessive service charges. I had an AC repair man come out and charge me $350 in parts, $200 in labor along with $75 service call to replace a burned board in my air handler.
Repair man came out and swapped the board in 20 minutes and left. Later I did simple google search for a neighbor that was having the same problem and found the board he replaced on amazon $23.
This should of been a $200 fix with time and labor not a $625 repair.
Welcome to free market capitalism. The man has to make his money, the company still has to make their money. Pay for shop bills, the trucks, ads, gas, supplies, insurance for employees. So much more goes into it.
Steven is right. Raw ingredients cost pennies on the dollar but people can accept a $10 pub burger with no fries. Guys working out of their garage will always be cheaper
@@richardlafleur2864 True enough, but you can't fault people for cooking at home. Same way can't fault DIYers from researching and attempting their own repairs.
Just like changing your own oil, learning to do a little routine maintenance can save you a ton over time.
yeah our ac went out and i know many hvac technicians and basically they all say since our ac is to old people wont work on it so im not about to pay 10k for a new air conditioner when i can spend $40 and fix it however i do understand thats how these people make money
Everything is expensive in the U.S in Europe a new medium quality unit cost that...
Appreciate the video; good experience without having to go through the ordeal, a little something to keep in the back of my mind - we sell Day and Night, so very relevant.
Good info, I didn't know that about those units.
I would be EXTREMELY careful if you intend on using Foam-brite on engine bay. You'll 100% want to cover and seal up all electrical components from it's war path and also I wouldn't let it sit on anything rubber for more than a few seconds at a time. If you're going to agitate it after applying it, go area by area with application, agitation, and rinsing. Just my 2 cents as a pro detailer.
Super clean nondiluted will work just as well.
it doesnt matter if the condenser says its suppose to be 12 subcooling. You go inside and look to see if there is an actual txv installed. then you can for sure use subcooling
I have had good luck with 407C.Some folks can not afford a new system.I will cross out R22 with a permanent marker and scratch 407 next to the label for the next guy.It is a burden to keep a reclaim bottle for every R22 replacement under the sun .
Thanks for the telling about the foam brite being a good engine degreaser. I plan on rebuilding the engine on my 95 f150 soon and it and its surroundings are covered in oil from a leaky front seal. Typical of any vehicle with 250,000 + miles on it.
On the coil cleaning, Good tip, although I don’t see many units where the coil is completely exposed like this one, most other brands are covered with slotted grills that make it difficult to apply and rinse the cleaner. Goodman and Trane are two that come to mind.
Not an icp coil around me or next to no knowledge of this but can say i know more now
Vinegar will neutralize the degreaser.
You did a great job!
Nice job ted....well done
Who knows the real story. The counter guys may have refused him the sale and he could have gotten someone in the parking lot to buy it for him.Good video.
True.
Digging your channel man. Wish TH-cam was a thing when I was running a truck. Have you ever considered a GoPro headband?
I was thinking the same thing! 😁
I had a customer spraying her condensor with oven cleaner. I said no thanks & walked away quickly.
Well, if you're going to use lye such as Foam-brite, why does it matter if she used lye that many oven cleaners contain?
Just rinsing off with water from opposite the air flow will take you a long way to get rid of the worst dirt.
Doesn't matter if it's an air conditioner or a car radiator.
I couldn't agree anymore
The yellow stuff is a non acid high alcolin(sp) coil cleaner
Well, by definition, alkalies cannot be acidic so that's a superfluous adjective.
I love foam brite
Did you guys notice? He ran a stop sign over a video🙈😀
I saw that too!
He's notorious for rolling thru stop signs. Almost every video shows him rolling thru at least one.
Known as a calif stop. I get honked at when i come to a full stop !
Can’t even stop at stop signs nowadays, people get all shit faced and butthurt cause you stopped for longer than half a second
11:40
Only suppose to use water to clean those coils
Good job
10:43 12.1* Celsius of subcooling?!?! Holy crap that thing is wayyyyyyy overcharged. RIP.
Baking soda. Baking soda is great at killing acidity. I guess, to apply it in this application, one can dissolve it in water or just use it as powder.
Why would you put a black finish on a radiator coil to begin with? I would think that would be the LAST color to paint something that will be transferring heat.
What a shame. We can sure see from this one where "Anti" gets his name.
that coil is probably gone by now,that stuff eats it away
Not really sure that painted fins cool better or what the reason is for paint.
So my question after this video is, what SHOULD you use for a routine cleansing of an ICP unit? Mine never gets real dirty any way.
Just a hose wand and water. Careful if you have high pressure, you can bend the fins if you're not careful, just use the shower setting. I would only use a cleaner if it is exposed to crap on a regular basis, like some sort of grease/oil/dust buildup. My unit can get dusty but that's just loose dust and doesn't hurt anything. I've used compressed air but that can also bend fins if not careful.
I love blue death.
Those painted coils, half black/ aluminum after the nubrite, I’ve had customers complain
21 Delta - and I'll see ya !!!!!
Exactly.
You never pointed out the reason why the paint was put on the coils in the first place. It's there on purpose!!!
NEVER EVER USE FOAMING AGENTS ON COILS. You might disagree but this is the result of using them ignorantly..
Who ever did this first cleaning didnt do their homework and really messed up the coils. The black epoxy paint is put on the coils to help the air flowing thru the fins to heat and cool more efficiently and help the water to drain off more quickly after the defrost cycle.
Whenever you make a mistake like this you need to buy a whole new unit because the purpose of saving money by using a heat pump to heat and cool a house has been shit canned.. may even voided any warrenty as well.
A water dilution of Simple green is more user friendly when doing this..
That would be LYE:
Sodium hydroxide - 15~20% (LYE)
The old pink stuff took aluminum and all off
I know this video is now 4 years old but I have to disagree with the simple statement of "Anti-DIY-HVAC" in that simple things can be fixed with common sense. I learn very quickly and can fix just about anything in my house, there are a few things I won't touch, mainly HVAC major problems, I can replace CAPs, clean my own coils, and other stuff like that. If the system is leaking, I won't touch it, I'll call someone out. My current system is an R22 system which is going to be replace with an R410 system soon.
Doing research, I have learned that using Nu-Brite straight will kill your system, it needs to be diluted. I cleaned my coils this year because it had been 2 years since I moved in and didn't do any type of maintenance on it. That being said, I won't use anything that strong unless it is needed.
I'm surprised they even sold him anything without a contractors license
Hey Gene, no offense taken. I was just saying that because in my area some of the supply houses won't let you buy anything unless your licensed
the internet is a wonderful place
Thank you.
Man i wish you could fix mine....im on my 3RD HVAC crew....no one can fix mine.
Kleen brite pink death. But I miss con coil
Any polymath customer can change a cap and 90% wont screw it up.
Great Job cleaning that coil ! Where are you located ? That road at the end sure does look familiar!
Was thinking the same thing. Every tract housing development probably does.
Am I the only one or does others have a hell of a time getting them damn guards back on.
Chad Brackin Only slightly worse than the wire guards are the Goodman louvered garbage.
@@sivalley goodman is the worst with that.. even just putting the blower and coil panels back on is a pain in the ass
Try reducing the mix to six to one or even 10 to 1. So you dont strip the protective coating from the fins..this is installed on units for coastal regions so that salt spray from the ocean doesnt pit and destroy the coil.also for any harsh industrial chemicals that maybe in the invirement.sure most units will not have these condition how ever if you have to replace the condenser coil under warenty. You may avoid the warenty after the fact.try to collect 900 more dollars a month after you finish the job and the manufacturer sends you a bill for a declined warenty. Carrier will do that these day or any other manufacturer has the rite to. Then you may have to suck it up butter cup..I do know a case this happened. Becarefule.it will destroy your 180 dollar hoses on you gages. Just saying.
Happy 4th Mr Ted........
That Foam-Brite is expensive stuff!
Why don't you ever torch the fins? That's what I see the HVAC companies around here do to maintain them and keep them clean.
The last thing you’d want is to burn stuff into the coil, that will never come out!
I use a common garden hose jet spray nozzle using my 80 psi water feed. It seems to clear out all the gunk without any need for chemicals (can clearly see through coil fins after cleaning).
Is there something in this environment that requires a caustic chemical? Even then, I'd be tempted to use a pressure washer with a wide angle tip and keep it a few feet from the coil.
I was just thinking i do service and i keep a specific hose nozel on my truck that i can use on anyones water system to make a high pressure stream and i have never had to use chems for cu coils..
Though i would not use a pressure washer, the fins are strong but not that strong. With just the weight of the coil, when i replace these i always bend fins being as careful as possible.
Worlds strongest coil cleaner . . . and the best engine degreaser you will ever see . . .
Wouldn't it had made sense to hit it with some compressed air after the first application/rinse to manually remove the loose paint rather than additional caustic cleaner applications?
In my opinion, once committed, you need to remove all of the paint or as much as possible. So I kept going with it until as clear as possible.
could you have not taken the cage off ??
Condenser coil ruined, unit overcharge, be replacing it real soon
I have same ac unit just r22 and i had to fill it every 3 months which cost me 250 each time and it works for a while rhan pipe starts freezing by the unit outside i never really looked at cleaningnes of mine would this be the cause if mine does what it does guy checked it with leak detector and couldnt find any leaks i really dont want to spend 7k if i dont have to so any help would be gladly accepted
can u use a degreaser to clean the fins
That cleaner is a completely knockout to grease!
Id have used that heavy stuff out the gate. It works good
Wtf is that condensor coil even painted??? Was that some “genius” engineer’s piss poor design???
to stop it from oxidizing i guess, also paint does not affect the performance
What are the readings for blue and red gauges for R22
This is funny lol
What is that black finish on these units? I live by the ocean and have a icp coastal unit condensor and even that one has silver/bright fins (not black)
Guys that don’t know depend on guys working at a parts desk. Not a good combination.
I am surprised that you don't carry a small pressure washer in the truck instead of a garden hose.
If you like bending condenser coil fins over a pressure washer is a nice way to do it
@@851995STARGATE I was talking of the cheap $150 models using a flat fan spray. I've never had an issue with them.
It looks like your condenser is in defrost. I guess the video just slows the fan blade down
FYI: Taking that black coat of paint off the coil, voids the warranty on it.
LoL
@@TedCookHVAC whats so funny.
Andy Chavez timestamp 11:25 explains it. That homeowner got bent over by the original contractor, then apparently a supply house sold the homeowner the most aggressive acidic coil cleaner on the market AKA “yellow death.” That warranty was long gone
Correction, the most caustic cleaner. Yellow NuCalgon in caustic, not acidic
I got a cleaner from where I work in the oilfield with Caustic in it that may do that work huh? Lol