Simple HVAC Diagnosis Turned Into Something Serious Real Fast!
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- Опубликовано: 26 сен 2024
- In this video I visit a customer who had no AC. I found multiple problems! #hvacguy #hvac #airconditioning #hvaclife #hvactrainingvideos ##hvactroubleshooting #hvactechnician #airconditioner #furnace #heatpump #aireacondicionado #airconditionerrepair #skilledtrades #bluecollarpride #capacitor #refrigerantleak
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It's a shame repairs are so crazy expensive nowadays.
Bought my first house in 2006, it had an already old AC, don't know how old but looked older than the unit in this video. In a few years either compressor or the fan did not want to start, can't remember now. I had zero experience with ACs or electric circuits, just the basics, and did not have any money to hire a pro. The internet suggested the starting capacitor might be a problem, but the markings on it were gone. Removed it, took it to a local supplier. The guy at the counter said that one part of the capacitor was OK the other was not, he did not have direct replacement so he sold me a single value cap to replace the one on the bad side, which fixed the issue. In about a year the fan motor died, I bought a $100 motor with similar specs and replaced it. The next year one of the pressure switches that sits on the compressor failed, so I just "temporarily" bypassed it, figured this unit is old, and if compressor breaks so be it. It's been over 10 years and that thing is still working.
There are a lot of "temporarily" bypassed pressure switches out there!🤣
Doesn't help that dumb regulations on manufacturers started requiring that high pressure switches be brazed in instead of screwed onto a port with a valve core in it.
Turned a cheap job of unscrewing the old one and screwing the new one on into a whole recovery, braze, filter drier, evacuate, recharge process...🙄
Good job you just saved thousands of dollars by doing it yourself! Company's would want you to believe it's impossible for the average person to do because they're greedy and rip customers off.
3 years ago my 20yr old fridge had problems. I googled the problem and it turned out to be a fan. Bought the part on Amazon for $30 and repaired it myself and still running cool. Saved at least $1,000!
I hope you did it with the low pressure cut out. Sometimes the safeties are there for the safety of the machine and sometimes they're there for the safety of people.
It lasted 10 years so I’m guessing it was right.
The repair is pretty sim0le l. It is the freon that drives up the cost
Simply remove the remaining gas, clean the copper around hole and braze a small amount of silver solder over the hole, pump it down to verify no further leaks then recharge. Done this hundreds of times with no issues. Clean the coils and the guy will have years to save for a new unit.
Thanks for saying this. You're my kind of HVAC Specialist.
Yeah, I’m a little confused why this wasn’t done.
You are so right
I definitely like the way you think. I am sure that I am not in the minority when I say that a lot of AC contractors rip-off their customers with the various charges they come up with when making repairs. Several years ago, I had a licensed AC contractor come out and charge me over $ 300 for a tiny bit of Freon and cleaning my AC (interior) coils. Within 3 months I had another guy come out and found (I watched him do it) a ton of crap that was left behind by the other guy. Needless to say, I never used the licensed AC contractor again.
Yup. I done this for people. Just sealed up a small leak and vacuumed and refilled. One guy was told his hvac unit needed to be changed. I fixed it in 20 mins. It was just a 5 dollar relay in the control board. 😮
Some people are just curious and like to learn…and feel it a necessary thing to learn when they own a home…I knew a guy that didn’t even know he had a heat pump on his house! Ummm…really? So yeah….ehen I moved into my place, I had a pipe burst one night and I had no idea how to deal with it and being single now, I had to learn it quick…so next day as my dad was chewing me out for taking too long to shut the water off…I looked at him and told him I’ve never had to do this before! Idk where the shut offs are for the water ! So he went around and showed me how to turn the water off and the power and what to do in certain situations! The ac guy can be butt hurt all he wants but it’s one of those things home owners should know about…how to maintain the unit etc…cuz we can’t always call the pros….what happens if a home owner can’t get a pro to do the repair or install a new one? I’d like to hear the suggestions!
Watch a video. If you call the pro let him do his job dummy
If your repair guy doesn't want to talk and explain. Pay for someone who does. Most of these guys were taught short cuts and how to rip people off. This dude charged 2k for a 800 dollar job.
You need an HVAC friend, my friend 😅
When I was a plumber, after I made the repair I was called out for and went throught the bill, I would ask the customer if they knew where the.main shut off/cut off valve was, had they ever seen it, do they know how to operate it. Then we go out to verify. If it looked sketchy, I quote a price to replace it, or tell them use the water meter's valve. I'd tell them show the other family members too. Treat it as if like a fire drill.
I agree with these other comments. Solder it and be done or cut out the bad section and replace with new soldered on pipe. Replacing the entire system over that is insane.
Unless the compressor dies the next week.........
Silver solder and 1/2 a chunk of over sized copper pipe. $20 “temp fix.” Works fine until they can afford to replace the entire system.
some years ago i made a no-cool call to my guy. he found a failed cap and a rubout, same as this video. total bill was $175 for service call, cap, splice, leak test, recharge, and labor. that was about 10 years ago and the systems hasn't needed any maintenance since. even with inflation i can't see this adding up to $2k. htf do you sleep at night?
See all the comments.... He could have used a 35+5 cap you can go 5% up however on the repair of copper if this unit is R-22 it's expensive. Most companies now days don't even offer it it is no longer made but it's still available.
At around $1800 to $2500 per 30 lb
Iug depending on where you buy it.. so most companies charge between $150 and $190 a lb
With that being said if your at 4 lbs low at 150 a lb that's 5 hundred dollars+ cost of repairs at $200 that's brazing Rod which in my area is 25 per Rod oxygen and excetlyn
Ain't free ! Then to do this properly you need to install a filter dryer that $ 80 dollars... Then you need to pull a vacuum with a Vacuum pump plus a leak check is $125 Nitrogen ain't free... A Nitrogen tank with nitrogen is $400 for a 40 lb cylinder. That's cylinder and nitrogen which the HVAC guy has to buy. So if you wonder why things cost money it's because nothing is free.... But to do this right you need to do the repair right Filter dryer is a must/ vacuum is a must when a system is low on freon it is at that point pulling in moisture.... $2000 is a bit much but you do the math this should have cost around $1000 to $1300
@@bairyparrett your last sentence echoes my statement. $2k is too much.
but since you're talking prices, let's break it down.
first a slight correction. the manufacture of equipment designed for r-22 ended some years ago, but the manufacture of r-22 continues.
$1800 for a 30 lb bottle of r-22 is about $900 too much. i don't need it, but i can source it for $30/lb, today's price. (and r-410a, most common residential, is about $10/lb.)
if you're paying $25 per rod, you're being sucker-punched. you should be able to find a package of several rods for less than that, and you shouldn't need a whole rod.
if you're draining an entire mc set of oxy acetylene, you're doing it wrong. if you're not refilling those mc bottles for about $80 or so, you need to reconsider some life choices.
similarly, if you're not refilling your N2 bottle for less than $1 per pound of gas, you're burning through money faster than the mint can print it. you can also get an N2 generator for $2k, or a tabletop model for $750. might be worth it if you blow through N2 that fast, but i don't know how much a busy shop uses, how fast the generators work, or how much electricity they use.
a quick look for inline driers pulls up anything from $10 to $50 at the big orange store.
so, $20 for a cap, $50 for a dryer, $150 for 5lbs r-22, $5 for 2 rods in case the tech really sucks at brazing, and because i'm not a brazer or hvac guy i'll be generous and allow $20 for oxy-acetylene gasses (1/4 of the bottle) and go nuts with $50 of N2, that's $295
smarter shopping for parts and consumables comes to not more than $300 today's price. suppose the tech is super slow and takes 8 hours to do the job. at $25/hr that's $200 labor. grand total $500 bill.
15 yrs ago when things cost half what they do now it was probably more like $150 parts and consumables for the job in this vid. my system uses 410a, my guy didn't use a whole rod, probably did not consume as much gas as i'm allowing for, and only took about 2 hrs iirc. so yeah, $175 back then.
I kept thinking about that wasp nest until you dug it out… love your videos sir!
Thanks 👍
Hey Curtis, on those self drilling screws, I use the 1/2" long and they don't wonder around as much.
es kezdesnel ne nyomd teljes erovel mert ugyjarsz mint tobbszor is the !!!
I always drill a small (maybe 1/16th to 1/8th) pilot hole for self drilling screws because I’ve found that they aren’t always self drilling, or rather dull out if going through material that’s too thick. Makes it a heck of a lot easier, screw doesn’t wander, and the self drilling head generally doesn’t dull out as quick.
wander
It’s not the screw. It’s operator error. Also those Klein bits suck. I have a malco and it works great.
My guy came over for the annual checkup yesterday and got the inside and outside unit in tip top shape. Installed surge protectors on the outside unit and inside unit. cleaned, inspected, had to change a capacitor. Did an excellent job and explained everything and sent me an e mail with all the details, test of the unit, etc. A little pricey but that is reality today. When a worker comes in, I greet them, offer them a coffee, coke, etc. and LEAVE THEM ALONE! When their done I give them a tip to help them with lunch. Why? Because my father said to me many years ago "you always take care of the people that take care of you."
ez a tipusu ember mart kiveszett !!!
Yeah but how much was the service bill?
@@gtarules1The HVAC company that my parents and I use believes that you can find a bunch of things wrong with your unit if you go looking for them but you won't be saving any money by replacing the parts before they fail.
None of us have had an annual tune up in about 30 years, except for my mom, she saw an advertisement from some other company. They came out and said everything looks good. The if it ain't broke don't fix it methodology is working for us.
I 100% agree and usHVACR techs appreciate that more than you know. Even this old retired 30+ year master HVACR tech. and from all of us thank you, for being a good customer!
Alot of people don't believe in preventive maintenance.have someone go check everything once every 6 months instead of saying ,let's just wait till it messes up
A faulty thermostat caused my reversing valve to come on while trying to heat. So my electric coils were trying to compensate to get the heat temperature up. It ended up frying a board in the inside unit. HVAC guy was t sure why the reversing valve was powered so it got unplugged. Tried finding a rubbed, worn or broken wire. Came up empty handed. I switched thermostats to different location and the units powered up while the thermostats were in the off position. That’s how I found out the thermostats were bad. New thermostats now and it works great.
On my own system, I was replacing caps every two years UNTIL I installed two separate caps. 6 years later it's still fine. I think combination fan/compressor caps are marginally rated.
What's a cap?
@jpjp9111 cap is a capacitor
Better 2 Caps than 1 Crap.👍
A neighbor replaced the cap on an est 35 yr old a/c compressor that he had had for 18 yrs. So maybe it had been replaced before, but no big deal to replace. Around that same time, the cap on his shop air pump was replace, the capacitive touch control panel on the washer kaputed, the compact fluorescent lamps died quicker than they should and the power supply on the tv died. The summer had been really hot, and my friend wondered if the supply potential may be dipping because of the neighborhood load. The household potential was 143 Vac. The neutral was not neutral, either. Weeks later, NIPSCO replaced the single phase line transformer supplying 4 or 5 houses. NIPSCO never told the locals of the problematic transformer. When another neighbor was asked about electrical appliance failures, yep, several happened about that time.
Agree.. FL & S. Africa are tied for lightning.. I find using 440v individual caps is the best solution, they are more robust.. wire in a surge protector and "delay on break" timer to the contactor.. ((btw, the 5uf would probably be fine on the fan motor, I believe +10% is the rule for substitution))
When a PSC motor runs with no load (no freon) or plugged air filter, the motor speeds up and the back emf (voltage going back into capacitor goes up). If the voltage exceeds 370 volts...it kills the capacitor.
If you check the voltage on the capacitor while a compressor is running you will see that even on a system that seems to be running well that the back emf on start windings is approx 390 volts. The manufacture has installed a 35/3 uf 370volt so they will get hot and burn out due to higher voltage than the rating. Also notice that during the summer when the electric companies manipulate the voltages lower that ohms law dictates the lower the voltage the higher the amperage on a torque deriving motor. This will cause higher heat in the motors and capacitors due to the amperage draw. Some people will try and argue it, but this is a fact. So when you are running the system with lower voltage/higher amp draw you will find an electric bill to be higher!
Fix for the system is a more expensive capacitor rated at 440 volts
Charging somebody $2000 when you can brace that tube shut and do a leak test is simply a rip off !
Yeah this wasn't a 2k job even for nyc. I paid 2k for a new coil in my furnace with freon and a new ac drier filter. This is max 500 600 bucks of work.
@@feefgcegge1678 Price out r-22 per pound installed. At least 10 lbs here.
That was a $200 repair.
But business don’t survive on $200 repairs 🤣
@@mar1video 200 repair, yes, plus r-22, maybe $500 depending on the size of the unit (you can thank the government for that), a $20 cap jacked up to $75 probably. Generously lets say the parts & r-22 was $600, that leaves $1400 in labor for at most 4 hours work.
@@Chris-ec9lc Capacitor, nitrogen for leak test, silver solder, nitrogen for brazing, oxygen and accetyline, nitrogen for leak test, and refrigerant. And I still come up with under 400 in supplies.
Used to do HVAC many many years ago but eventually walked away when refrigerant standards kept changing. About 5-7 years ago my geo-thermal central air unit began making a buzzing sound which quickly caught my attention and noticed the compressor was not turning off. With these units, everything except the underground field loops is contained in a single unit, no outdoor condenser unit as in this video. Out come my tools, panels off, and I get down in the electrical side of the system and confirmed the contactor was not cycling and had locked itself in the closed position. Cut the power, remove the contactor and was shocked to find the contact points on one side welded solid to each other. Off to United Refrigeration and bought then installed another contactor and all was well again. Sometimes the simplest and smallest things will cause the HVAC system to fail to operate normally. The other failure point of these units is a leaking field loop which require periodic recharging and sometimes resealing. Replacing multiple ground loops that run 300'ft - 400'ft deep underground is not an option. Outside of the initial investment for installation of geo-thermal, once it's up and running, there is nothing in my mind that beats it as it is extremely reliable and nothing for thieves to steal.
I ran pipes under my pond in Texas. My house doesn't go over 75F in the summer in 100F weather. People just like to waste money in yhe US
For the price of replacing the unit & recharging I think I'd rather pay my local tech school tuition, get certified so I can buy the refrigerant & do it myself.
Here's a problem with that, you would need a recovery unit to remove the refrigerant, suck out contaminants and replace the refrigerant with new. In the meantime you would need a leak detector to find the leak and repair it. Doing all that gets expensive. Hardly worth it for one repair job. A decent portable recovery machine will run you over $600, then of course there's the other equipment expenses added to that, not counting your year in school, just to fix your own A/C.
@@jimdavis6833 Having watched the video, the repair person would have pointed out where the leak is. If I were doing the repair in my own backyard, I wouldn't bother with recovery. Besides, with a hole large enough to hear it leak on the video, there is almost no refrigerant left in the system. A good enough vacuum pump from Harbor Freight is $100. A set of gauges and hoses on Amazon run about $40. Cost of repairing the leak depends on the method used. The biggest expense is the R22. Angi has the price at $50 to $150 per pound. I figure that unit takes about 3 to 4 pounds? A little researching shows that there are several drop-in replacements for R22 where the law doesn't require a license to buy them and some are as cheap as $15 per pound. I'd really like to see a break down, parts, materials, labor on the $2,000 he quoted.
@@jimdavis6833 There's nothing IN the system... What are you recovering?
@@1StanTheMan1 Had you followed the thread, you would see I was responding to another commenter, as to fixing his own system.
Yeah, because a set of gauges and a thermometer makes you an HVAC tech. Ha Ha Ha. I guess that means a Crescent wrench and a ratchet makes you a mechanic?
Those older package units are tanks man. I would honestly repair it it since the compressor sounded solid. JMO
That is how it is with some older things. They just last longer. If you have an older microwave oven still working hold onto it. It may surprise you how long it still lasts! These days things don't last as long.
And MO99 is still reasonably priced. $25 in capacitors,
@matthewellisor5835 mo99 is a compressor killer, discharge temp is crazy, better off long term recovering, changing oil to poe and charge with 407C, yes it's more labor intensive, but 407C is one of very few r22 replacements that is manufacturer approved by most compressor manufacturers
@@bmacguyver thanks for the info. I've utilized MO99 on two systems at the brewery I used to own (walk-in and glycol loop) with outstanding results over the 6 years before I left but I'll do a bit more reading before I use it again.
Again, thank you.
True, but the cost of R22 is ~50-80/lbs and getting hard to source. But if it was me, I’d patch it and put some separation between the rubbing pipes
Have you try using a spring loaded center hole punch for drilling in the self-tapping screws?
No, but sounds like a good idea
Good afternoon Curtis, I’ve been using the one from Harbor Freight for years. It’s not very expensive and it’s great to have in your main tool bag.
PITTSBURGH PRO Automatic Center Punch with Brass Handle
@@HVACGUY NEIKO 02638A 5-Inch Automatic Center Punch is a good tool to have. I use this one all the time.
I just bang the the back of the impact driver with my palm and the screw tip makes an indentation. used to do the same with drills before impacts were around.
pretty much works with any screw and most types of material.
I know what’s wrong ain’t got no gas in it!! 😂
Looks really good. Great job! I used dryer ducting after reinsulating my low pressure freon line to give it more protection. Used a heavy guage aluminum tape to seal it. If had to do it again might go your route but I'm pretty happy with it for now. But yeah, most people don't give it any thought.
I just went through this same situation with my home system. It is the same age as this system but the first problem I had was the fan inside. The bearing on that fan came apart with the fan then running against the fan housing making a lot of noise. The tech that came had to special order another fan because it's age. Then when the unit did not start cooling the tech said that we should kick the outside unit to start it. That lasted for a short time then nothing. He came back with 20,000 dollars to replace the entire unit. No explaining about what he was going to do so I found another tech who gladly explained what he was planning to and we waited through heat here in Austin for 2 weeks while I got the money together. I have experience with a/c in automotive applications on Truck cabs and R12. I had a run cap got very big before it died. That guy said I was low on R22 although he did not look for any leak and put more than 2 lbs in the unit. I'm sorry for running on like this but I can really relate to your situation here. Incidentally my a/c is putting out again and my house is holding at 73 degrees.
cant wait for the continuation of this video!!
2k for a cap and a braze is crazy! All these AC guys are crooks
Not ALL of
Refrigerant and a dryer.... as well if its R22 then its 600 a lb or more
@@glennschlorf1285lol $600 a lb for R22?? You're smoking. I can buy 10 lbs for $320 online
@@glennschlorf1285 lol no it's not. i can buy a 10 lbs jug for $320 online. where TF are you getting $600 a lb?
@@jgg204no company can stay in business selling parts and materials at cost. You can't drive around a fully stocked service van and match prices you find online. People are more than willing to pay for what they want but not what they need
Sometimes it just pays to have some drill bits on hand. Drill screws are nice but they can be a pain when they do not work like they are suppose to.
One of those magnetic parts trays would be useful when you have to take screws out. it would prevent them from shaking off the condenser housing and keep them together if accidentally knocked off.
I like the pointed self tappers. They don't walk and become knuckle busters. 😅
Nice work Curtis.
Thanks!
With money being so tight these days I’m sure many people would struggle to come up with $2k for the repair. The cost of replacement, even marginally more might just be that bridge too far.
Not only that but we’re fast approaching where all the new installations will be the A2L systems.
Idk why it’s so hard for these pros to understand….not everyone has their job security…no one lobbies to keep our jobs hush hush and everyone thinking it’s really difficult and that I need a license to buy Freon etc…just so we can charge the prices like they do….idk…maybe one day the hvac guy will need tile put in his hon and won’t know how to do it lol…or do it like a diy’er and then I can go and laugh at him and his work as I rip it out and do it right….takes talent but not rocket science…lol
@@briancarlisi2224I don't get it. What's a L2r or whatever you just said?
@@jpjp9111 A2L refrigerants. Supplanting 410a.
$2,000 for the repair is way overcharging ! The only way it should have cost anywhere near that is if r22 was used to recharge an empty unit, but it wasn't. R438a was used for the recharge.
So if you find a bad indoor fan capacitor and the filter is plugged, put in a 440 volt capacitor where that 370 volt capacitor was. Because it's going to happen again.
Generally, as long as the cap has AT LEAST as much voltage capacity as the OEM one, you're good to go. You can have a 1,000 volt capacity cap and it won't hurt anything. The critical thing is, enough voltage AND THE capacitance (uf) your unit requires.
Replacing a 370 with a 440 is not a fix its a bandaid.
My elderly moms unit also had a hole rubbed in the coils on a 3 year old unit, so I guess it's common for a manufacturer to run lines so they will rub and have to repair or replace on purpose. I asked dude to just braze the line and he did. Was finished in no time and bill was around 250 for everything done. Also I had a small air conditioner with the coil broke and crushed. Cut the bad tube out and soldered in a new 4 inch section and refilled. Think that bill was over 100 bucks but that was like 15 years ago
You are the MAN! Thanks for sharing your content! Really enjoy seeing the nitty-gritty of HVAC work!
So are you just brazing that pipe to seal the leak or replacing the pipe, or whole compressor for that price?
Most charge $1500 for leak test.
my guy would a brazed that in a heartbeat / represured it and come back at the end of the day see if it leaked off .. suck it down add stop leak and gas .. Bet $600 max iowa
Crazy a $ 20 Amazon part ,they charge $2 or 300 for. And easily installed. Just shut off all electric
2:00 Thank you for checking it dead. I’d never trust a breaker being “off”. Especially high load breakers. Seen one leg welded closed and it was still live at the unit.
10:45 - The bug flying past your microphone made me swat an imaginary bug away from my right ear. 😆
10:57 - Oh, no... No bueno...
You may suffer from tinnitus! LOL
Many years ago, I had a leak in the aluminum tubing of a Toyota van's A/C system. They wanted a fortune to replace the whole unit, so I had a local shop remove the part for me, and I made an epoxy repair with Marine-Tex grey two-part epoxy. I called the manufacturer and got an OK for the heat rating, and the guy said to clean and roughen the aluminum tube really well and mix the epoxy until my arm fell off; he said those are the two main reasons for epoxy failure. The repair lasted and was good when I traded the van 3 years later.
Marine-Tex epoxy is great stuff. I've fixed a torn oil pan, a rusted out gas tank, and a cracked lawn mower engine crank case. First, get the surface extremely clean and roughened to get some bite. I used lacquer thinner, acetone, and finished with isopropyl alcohol. All the repairs held.
@@BryanTorok So, the obvious question here is, why couldn't an epoxy repair be attempted on the hole in the copper pipe instead of a 2K repair? I understand not being able to warrant the repair. My mechanic first said he couldn't do an epoxy repair for the same reason. I countered that I was only hiring him to remove and then reinstall the part. It was my repair. You or I might have just done the epoxy repair and then asked the A/C guy to come back and test the system again. It would have been worth the attempt.
@@samTollefson I can think of at least 4 different ways to repair that pipe with solder, brazing, or even pro-press fittings. It blows my mind that folks are using press fittings for refrigerant lines, but there are videos here on YT and apparently the fittings are rated for it. Anyway, none of those should take more than one hour labor.
Pump down and recharge the system with an R22 replacement refrigerant, another one to two hours. I figure $200 to $300 for materials and a service call charge.
I don't see how he gets anywhere over $800, let alone $2,000. I asked, but haven't received a reply.
@@BryanTorok, apparently he has listened to you and others. I saw a video in my feed of him going back to the house and brazing the two rubed lines. I haven't watched it, though.
@@samTollefson He said at the end of the video that the owner OK'd the $2,000 repair, even though he recommended against it. I have no problem with people making a living, even a good living, but YT is rife with stories of people paying hundreds of dollars for having a $20 capacitor replaced. Charging $2,000 for this repair in my opinion is taking advantage of people.
Ahhhh the Rheem package unit from 2001ish. I had one of those in a Victorian that replaced another Carrier pkg that rotted out. That's why his bill is high. It was a dog. Always regretted that Rheem and the company that installed it. The mechanicals lasted even in salt air, but they overloaded capacitors, burned them out every two seasons.
I finally replaced the whole underhouse duct system with a zone minisplit (4 zones) which is 100x quieter and 1/2 the electricity.
I'd never install a package unit in any house again. Old tech and monsterously large.
You should have cut the line put a "Igloo" commercial Splicer in,he did not need a New Lline,the whole AC system is made of pieces one more makes no difference,then evac ,then pull vac,saving customer's money! AC and All HVAC units are ALL boxes with parts and pieces inside,Build your Reputation for Honesty it Lasts A Lifetime!!!
All that needed was a simple braze with silver solder a evacuation and fill. This job should not have been more then 600 bucks.
I pulled 5 of this same rtu off lawyers offic..all same issue of leaking evaporator coils, in same circuits..eleven years old.
straight up lookin like a helper trying to put that 1in zip screw in lmfao. good work, as always!
😂 that’s screw was so long I was hoping he didn’t hit nothing.
I mean he had the box containment unit and probably some zip ties :)
Great video as usual.
Glad you enjoyed it
Cant wait to see repair vidioes 😊😊😊
Very soon!
I Bought a new home in 1973. Never had the air conditioner serviced. In 2003, it quit. I walked outside and there was oil on the concrete under the compressor. It was 30 years old, and needed a new compressor. It had never even had freon added! OK... so I opted for all new unit, after 30 yrs... :) And, to be honest, my electric bill DID drop, approximately $50/month! I guess there is a time, but IF IT CAN BE FIXED by just plugging up a small hole, ..... doh! This $2,000 repair, seems SCAMMY! :(
great work curtis
After reading the comments and being a senior citizen, I am afraid to call the HVAC company out, afraid they may take advantage of me😢
A couple (7) years ago, here in Thousand Oaks, CA my mom called an AC company our unit wasn't working, by the time i got home from work (it was a friday) she said they will be installing a new unit the folowing monday morning.
The technician told my Mother that it had a leak and he will put refrigerant in eough to get her through the wekend, that alone he charged $350
I was suspicious of the $5000 on the work order which only specified replacing the outsode portion of the system and he did not actualy identify where any leak was.
I asked my Mother to cancel the conteact that he rushed her into.
I myself (with the help of God) determined it was only a $30 capacitor which needed replacement. Not sure and i seriously doubt he actualy added more regrigirant at all.
Unit still works fine 7 years later.
I just serviced three of these this week fan motor, leak repair and 8lbs of 22 it costs the homeowner just under 2k
Great job Curtis in for 2000. Then next year fan motor or compressor goes out not worth it thanks for the video
People in trades act like they're so valuable. I'm a mechanic and electrician. Plumbing and HVAC too. I only call for backup if it's a big job like pouring concrete or re level a house. I ripped out the terrible central air and replaced it with heat pumps. I've saved tons of money and the heat pumps are dehumidifiers as well, much needed in the swamps
Most techs are forced to sell or lose job unfortunately
Plumbing strap is much better for the capacitor straps.. 😅😊
I like working on the mobile home units everything is outside, no crawling around crawl spaces, basements, and attics.
How you didn’t lose your cool when the screw walked out after the 3rd time was impressive. Hats off to you sir
I actually found myself swearing at that! 😂
seen it before just a bad screw. tip is junk. just grab a new screw after 2 or 3 times it won't go. works like a charm. occasionally you just get a bad screw.
Darn it. When you work on package units I don't get my fix for hearing smoke detector beeps.
lol. *BEEP* *BEEP*
Our condenser fan, I guess, had slowly been slowing down without us knowing till it finally stopped. The lower sealed bearing had lost the oil. Replaced the fan motor, and our light bill dropped $40 bucks.
That's a shame the two lines were so close to each other, I wonder if that unit had ever been opened since new. I'd braze up that hole in the line, pump it down, check for leaks, refill it with refrigerant and call it good.
I don't know about HVAC systems, but I don't trust insurance companies after seeing the cars they've totaled. A simple run to a junkyard, $300 in parts, and that car was running as good as new. Which is cheaper? Repairing an existing platform or buying new??
🤣👍
I know, crazy. To think the repair on this AC unit was only the capacitors and a leaky line needing some silver solder or I guess brazed. Can buy all the tools and parts needed to make the repair for under a buck fifty.
I would definitely replace a twenty year old system that needs that expensive of repair.
Sure replace old trusty for some chinese junk
@@1marcelfilms How can you call a broken system old trusty? Even if it were you would be replacing the parts with "Chinese junk". At least the new one should come with a ten year warranty.
@@l4xx03luyf6l0to oh no thing need maintenance...
That Rheem package unit is not Old Trusty. Had the exact one in an old house on piers. It broke down every year or two I owned it. Leaked down twice. Needed a blower once. Needed a top fan once. Burned out capacitors regularly. Drew power horribly. Loud as shi+.
Problem is a package unit replacement is another bad pkg unit or a complete re-ducting for a proper unit with the indoor handler/outside compressor.
He would be better served with a modern minisplit and abandon the old underhouse ducts which are likely rotting out by now.
DISHONESTLY
EXPENSIVE REPAIR,
you mean.
It takes solder patch to fix the leak, pull vacuum, recharge with a modern R22 REPLACEMENT FREON, and bill for a pair of capacitors...
TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS !
YIKES !
THAT'S WHAT I CALL A ROBBERY...
I totally understand that this is an old unit, and will explain the fact and the customer no waranty and quote the install of a new unit in case they will consider.
Oouuutttooo Curtis said, that means trouble when he says Lovely. He said it twice, big trouble 😭.
Ninety five degrees out and my condenser stopped cooling. Had to call a service tech because the parts store didn’t have a run capacitor. I was shocked at $120 repair. The service tech didn’t have the exact part, so was going to bend and drill the hanger to install it; however, I gave him a cable tie to secure it instead. I ordered a spare, original capacitor for $10 from Amazon.
Shocked? $120 is cheap.
Labor to access cut , clean , braze 2 pc pipe / leak test again hope nothing else blows out / good vacuum & recharge with gold R 22 & still hope compressor & the rest of the 2 coils , blower & fan all Hold up also .. yes Hard call on an 03 unit
Ay, I would recommend at least a pressure test...and a nitrogen/r22 mix for an electronic leak check.
What? Leak was already found. Didn’t look that hard to access. Tubing rubbed together. No need to cut it out. Meg test the compressor before the nitrogen is released. If good and the rest of the tubing isn’t corroded, seal leak up with silflos. Change drier if it has one or maybe add one if it doesn’t. Evacuate and recharge it. A new 410 unit will probably have a micro channel that will fail within 5 years. By then 410 will probably cost more than 22.
What are you doing that costs $2,000 to repair? It's a simple leak. You probably charged him what? $500 to replace a capacitor that costs $30.
I'm not an HVAC Tech but bought the equipment to do some troubleshooting and to install a Mini Split. Neighbor was quoted over $4k to replace the condensor unit. I looked around and my leak tester found a crack. I didn't have a brazing outfit so sanded the copper line and soldered it. Vacuumed it down, let it sit overnight. No leaks. Charged it with R410A and it's been running perfectly for over 2 years. The unit was from 2011 I believe. Bryant. Wish I could have fixed the unit inthus video.
Sand paper and some JB weld
$10 max plus a recharge
Worked on my 97 dodge Diesel can work there
On low side Possible. Not on high side. Plus R-22 is crazy expensive.
If it was anything else, like a transmission line on a 7.2 powerstroke you could use a compression coupling top off done. My friend was charged 15000 to replace a unit similar.
Capacitors go can all the time Because a lot hvac guys install the worst capacitors. Here locally where we have 2 months of 100 degree weather each year, it's become a racket. They charge $300 to come out and replace the capacitor with the cheaper $7 one they can get, knowing it will pop next year or sooner.
Watching you use that milwaukee makes me glad I binned them all years ago
Gotta add my 2 cents. I've come across several units with similar leaks. Instead of replacing whole system I just cleaned the pipe up braze the leak do a pump down.Charge system up and it worked every time!!! there are plenty of old systems still running but eventually they gotta be replaced
I like and subscribe way early I know how important it is.
Good video. old unit like that. Just weld up the hole with some 15%. evacuate & recharge. send it down the road.
done it millions of times. works just fine.
i only change driers when im replacing a major component. comp , txv or coil.
You should get a small container with a lid to put fasteners in. I have lost so many nuts or bolts or pins because the accidently fell in the grass.
My friend use to say he charhed more when the customer wouldn't leave him to his work because the job almost always took longer. It was like a service call and a tutorial all in one. Backed him up on his next call and when a heat wave hits, you just have to bustle.
Thank you for the video!!!
That guy might be able to steal an air conditioner from one of his neighbors
7:30 Use a long PUNCH to strike a divit for that screw to catch in.
😂😂 that's what I was thinking 🤔🤔
$2000 to patch a hole? Obscene.
Keep in mind the recharge of R-22 , don't know anymore what the price is , but it has to be high. ( I would have went with a new unit since this unit is about 20 years old .
@@GabrielSBarbaraS New unit cost a LOT. If raw price is $3000 for unit, then replacement is going to be $12k.
You really should comment as to what you're doing especially for the newbies joining your channel... I'm watching you and not sure exactly what you're doing, it would be educational and draw more... Just my two cents for a do-it-yourselfer that wants to learn more about HVAC
this is why I just learn to do it all myself. i can buy all the tools i need and still have money left over. just have to have patience and make sure not to do it wrong and fuck up. thats the hard part is not fucking up.
Fix the leak and put some r 407c in it . Give him time to get the money up. Residential hvac is getting way to expensive for the common man.
407C requires an oil change. If the tubing is in otherwise good shape, fix the leak, charge with 22 and move on. In a couple years, 410 will cost as much as 22.
Excellent video!
Just a quick question to enhance my knowledge!.
When you added the additional capacitor for the fan (3 mfd): You use the brown wire that was connected to the old dual capacitor and jumped a wire from C from new capacitor to other side of the new fan capacitor?
Thanks just learning! what happens when is the other way around ( eliminating fan capacitor)? Just eliminate the jumper wire from C and connect straight to the dual capacitor???
Correct
If he just hooked up a 3 MFD fan to a 5 MFD cap it would burn out in little to no time. I've been having to the same thing cause there is apparently a shortage of 45/5 MFD caps in my area so I have to use a 45/7.5MFD cap along with a separate 5 MFD cap,
With the cost of equipment these days that really sucks. Leak could have been prevented if someone was aware of those lines being close. When I work on window units I always ziptie the cap tubes together.
I would check pressures first thing. Seems it would save unnecessary work.
It can save time potentially but the thing is you lose a little bit of charge every time you hook up so a lot of people find it best to check for airflow/electrical issues initially
@@everythingends0he uses probes. No hoses. A miniscule amount of charge is lost, if any.
Just curious sir, how can he check the pressures correctly if he didn't replace the capacitor to make the compressor run? TIA
@@filhvac you can check standing pressure. If it's very low, you know the system is either empty or below specs.
@@realSamAndrew thank you!
I love your van! Would love to see a van video!
Alot of big companies want they're service tech to be parts changers or condem a system thats repairable . On big items if give them options i don't force the customer.
Thank you so much for the video it looks great thank you
Curtis couldn't hear you over the hovering helicopter. LOL 😂😮
Man gets to see what he paying for,Curtis might be honest but that’s rare
Curtis handles helicopters well. Agree it's time for replacement. Could be the compressor next or blower motor or condenser fan motor etc. It might end up costing more than replacement. Feel sorry for some customers in this position.
I really love those WALKER screws
Hola amigo que Dios te bendiga gracias por compartir tus ideas te lo agradezco mucho
Some of the crap tossed out drives me nuts. Like I told my wife, our HVAC is just a box of components, wiring, tubes and a heat pump. If one or more of the auxiliary heating elements dies (opens), a replacement makes IT as good as new and ready for another twenty or thirty years.
Yes, other components get tired too, but, if all the wiring and plumbing is good, and the box is not all rusted out, replacing components can, essentially, get it back to new.
When I learned my wife paid 10k (before I was in her life), I was shocked. I did a customer remodel and my contractor price was 4k. That was for a house twice the size. It included the UV lights for the cooling fins, a quality electronic filter, 4" thick filter and a DC motor.
My wife's unit was just a standard unit (it did have 5" filter) and I had to pull one of the crap ducts and cut the wall out because the idiots installing the system crushed the flex duct so bad no air was flowing to the register.
In the end, that's one hell of a mark up.
I love to see you struggling with screws, makes me feel less of of dolt
My knees hurt every time yours crack
I had an all in one unit decades old it died to to no maintenance of the evaporator and condenser coil also there was no filter on the return duct . New unit was not cheap but way more efficient . Only draw back the installer taped all ducting together and it eventually fell apart . After another $200.00 in duct fix and not to mention my time unit is running great .. I will be cleaning the evaporator and condenser coils when weather permits shutting unit down .
Cut it, flare it. Compression fittings. Charge it. $ 6 in parts plus Freon and time.
I'll just say that when an AC tech shows up, my smile goes away😂.
I just pay monthly home warranty that covers the whole house and let them deal with all this.
Despite that one installer told me the warranty company is putting unreliable parts and for me to use them to install a brand new unit. I said quote me. Dude had a questionnaire session just to go over what i wanted in the hvac😂😂😂😂. Do you want precision heat, cool air bla bla bla. I told him i wanted ac and heat in the property suitable for the home size period. The dude gave me a quote for $19K and $21K 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂.
I told him thanks bud, but I'll pay $100 monthly to warranty the whole house. As you can hear from this tech, even me units are no guarantees, and mfg and resellers will pay gymnastics before replacing parts or units. I've found the warranty to be the best peace of mind as it covers from minor roof leaks to appliances and water blockages.
Thanks. That self tapper was slippery.
it’s always when the customer is watching too
@@jaredcumbie6033 Never fails. Maybe a center punch would help with starting the self-tapper.
Replace bad capacitor: $100
Repair leak: $300
Remove wasp nest: $1,600
Thank you for telling us the price. Another useful tip would of been a guess on how much a new system would of been and how much to install it. I imagine it would of been 4-k for that? Time to go and make sure my pipes are not rubbing, that is a hefty cost. Great video.
I have been an HVAC tech since 1987 to date. That is not the bad of a repair.
Many times, you can just braze over that spot , pump it down , recharge it , after installing a drier and be on your way. In the past we could do multiple deep vacs and clean up the moisture in the system. Now, with the oils used, you have to install a filter drier.
I have done these repairs hundreds upon hundreds of times.
I learned to go over and make sure I did not have things rubbing on each other, even on brand new units. I also learned to use silicone to help cushion vibration flex and rubbing.
32 year old ac, never did anything to it, runs great! fingers crossed this year, very hot.
I hope you've budgeted for a new one? can't expect it to last. And a new unit will be more energy efficient saving electricity
Curtis, will you please buy you a roll of plumbing strap
They are showing my latest video with your video, so I came by to watch and say hello! 😊
Thanks for being willing to mention you price on a braze repair job. I'm often writing up invoices around that amount to do leak repairs and people lose their minds on the cost. When I go onto a roof to do a repair it's often double that. This is the new world of HVAC. Folks will have to have money if they want AC. I just worked up a new coil and SEER 2 unit and came in around $5000. I was laughed at. After a few days I got a call back and got the job. Buying an AC is going to end up like financing cars moving foward. Great work out there Curtis!
This is why Hispanics are dominating construction and will takeover trades, Stop charging $1000 a hour for a simple braze repair.
I have heard a typical new residential unit is between $15,000 to $20,000. Is this true?
@@Chris2745100 They don’t have to be quite that high, but $8000 is starting to become the low end of a residential unit. You can easily get some high end equipment that runs $15K - $20K.
@@Chris2745100 just get a Hispanic to do it half price labor
DIY units like mr cool are going to get more popular no doubt.
A unit that old should have been cleaned, and still should be cleaned after the repair, but almost no one will think to clean the unit. All AC units need cleaning yearly, if not cleaned, the efficiency goes down every year until it won't blow at all. That technician did not even think to clean it, and that's very important because you cannot charge a dirty unit accurately.
Hey Mr Curtis, I gotta question for you, how are you excepting payments from people?Of course cash and check but as far as digitally? What would you suggest for a small company like yours?
Do it all through QuickBooks
How are you liking the open top tool bag?
The electric bill high because it's a non efficient system. They need a newer unit.