2565 air conditioners

[LouNY]

My multimeters are not inexpensive my good one was a Fluke 8060 till it took one to many falls.
Now it's a Fluke 87 as well as a couple of less expensive digital true RMS meters.
My AC troubleshooting equipment is minimal a set of gauges with adapters I forget what they cost but it was less then a service call,
my vacuum pump was a a couple of hundred and has only been used a few times on systems that got completely open to atmosphere for a period of time.

 

[Eagle1]

My multimeters are not inexpensive my good one was a Fluke 8060 till it took one to many falls.
Now it's a Fluke 87 as well as a couple of less expensive digital true RMS meters.

I think I still use a Fluke 77 from the mid 80's. It's been through hell and back but works. Need buy some good probes again, using some crap ones right now.

 

[LouNY]

It's a life time of tools, a little at time. Reality is when I needed an AC compressor replaced the local shop was wanted $800-1200 for a 15 year old truck. I bought gauges, a vacuum pump, a used compressor, some AC Oil and some 134a under $400 all shipped to door. Crash course on line, never trust on source for anything in life. Swapped the compressor, pulled vacuum made sure there were no leaks. Added some oil and charged the system to factory spec per the official oem service manual. Been working for 5 years no recharge needed. My son't truck went out the next summer same deal, same type of truck. Only had to buy parts less than 100 and spend a couple of hours. Had to repair a few front end collisions from my wife and daughter, bought the wrecks and rebuilt.
I had multiple vehicles the pros had for months with out fixing, had them towed to my house and fixed them using the same manual they have.
Now I have been a techie on the clock working all over the county for most of my life. I walked away from a high end gig ( 1 of 5 in the USA) because I had enough. I've taken more training courses for different things than I care to remember. A lot of them in my "spare" time because I want to know. I stayed in "school" while working 60-80 weeks for 20+ years because tech moves fast and you have to keep up or become outdated. I started as Motorcycle mechanic, enlisted and became Aircraft electrician and the moved into the industrial world. Along the way I picked up a working knowledge of all kind stuff. I can write code, debug code (much harder) and fix most anything worth repairing. These days my time is mine and free for me to use but not collecting $300+ per hour from some big corp.
I'm not your average tractor jockey but way more redneck than most farmers and not afraid to work hard and get dirty. I've get a lot more done now that don't work on other peoples stuff, and learn new skills like welding, butchering , hunting and raising livestock.
I still have my Fluke multimeter from 30+ years ago and it works just fine, pretty sure it was well over $200 in today's dollars back in the 80's

Now to AC here not much you can do with out a set of AC gauge.

Dang you been reading my mail?
Grew up farming, Marines Avionics, Industrial Instrumentation and Control which included programmable controllers the original PC, Calibration.
Ran and maintained a stock car on dirt tracks and farm tractors and equipment on the side all my life.
More schooling and tech manuals then you can shake a stick at.
71 and still learning and working

 

[Eagle1]

Dang you been reading my mail?
Grew up farming, Marines Avionics, Industrial Instrumentation and Control which included programmable controllers the original PC, Calibration.
Ran and maintained a stock car on dirt tracks and farm tractors and equipment on the side all my life.
More schooling and tech manuals then you can shake a stick at.
71 and still learning and working

Well sir thank you for your service, you've got a couple of years of experience on me.
I'll never quit learning there is always something. My kids know how to kick start my brain and send me on a research mission to learn. When I quit the tech business I supported my customer base and techs for almost year for free. Then I filled a dumpster with manuals, prints, notes and stuff. I actually still have a few one of things under my desk just in case.

 

[jaxs]

You two imposters came here for no reason other than strut,fluff and preen while Mookey waits for you to tell him how to work your brand of magic on his tractor. Pitiful.

 

[LouNY]

You two imposters came here for no reason other than strut,fluff and preen while Mookey waits for you to tell him how to work your brand of magic on his tractor. Pitiful.

Better then a disgruntled so called professional crying the blues.

 

[SimpleSimon]

Not trying to be a smarty pants, but take off the cab, put on a straw hat, and enjoy the fresh air
-Simon

 

[5030]

I finally got 2 cans in it, still don't work. I have clean radiator, condenser,air filters and everything with no avail. I haven't got the money but guess have to call mechanic

Should have done that or contacted your local dealer in the first place. Obvious to me you don't have a clue about AC. All you are going to do by screwing with it is incur additional cost.

 

[mookey]

I hated to but called mahindra mechanic, and he had gauges which I didn't he pulled it down pull a vacuum and filled it back up with refrigeration. It works fine now. Don't know what was wrong to start with, he did not either! But working fine now. Thank you all very much!!!!

 

[grsthegreat]

bet mechanic didnt wait to see if it held the vacuum. When the pull a vacuum on home units, it HAS to hold the vacuum for a certain length of time. If theres a leak, it will stop again. Did he add any leak stop?

 

[jigs_n_fixtures]

OR learn the skill you do not currently have, buy the tools needed and take care of the problem. Many things I learned cost me more than having it "professionally" fixed but the next failures were covered. I like learning......

My Daddy told me many years ago, that I have teh mechanical aptitude to fix just about anything, and I would almost always be better off buying any special tools I need and doing it myself. And, for teh most part it has been true.

Today, with the help of some very good videos on YouTube, it is even more so.

My 12-year old daughter replaced the cartridge in her shower by watching three different guys do it on YouTube, and then borrowing her Mom’s iPad to FaceTime me.

There are videos for just about everything on YouTube Which will walk you through step by step. 50-hr service on my tractor, yep watched. Let me know I was not going to get at the mesh filter on the intake line to the hydraulic pump with the left rear wheel on.

How to change the starter on a Chrysler Minivan. Watched that one after spending several hours trying to get wrenches on the start from below like the factory and Chilton’s manuals say. The video showed removing the radiator support, and lifting up the radiator, with the hoses attached and moving and leaning it forward. Right there is the starter, both bolts and the wiring easily accessible, took me fifteen minutes to install the starter, and another fifteen to put the radiator and supports back in place.

Lesson learned: Check YouTube first even if you have all the manuals.

 

[jaxs]

Show of hands,how many u-tubes do people need to watch in order to land a job where you work,doing what you do? Please post a link for those that might be interested right now or in the future.

 

[Eagle1]

Not youtube per se, but I became MS System engineer, Cisco, Dell. Compaq, Network, etc certified using nothing but free on-line sources and hours building, testing stuff at home. That effort opened many doors for me and paid off quite well.
Also learned a lot tractor stuff from this site and others. You tube can be handy to visualize things before you tear into something.
I did learn how to complete rebuild my Grasshopper HST pumps from a youtube video, worked out well and saved a couple of grand.

 

[grsthegreat]

when my ice maker dispenser failed in my GE monogram built in ref/freezer, ge service told me its a known issue, have to replace entire freezer door and gave me an estimate of close to 2 grand.

unit was out of warranty/. i went onto youtube and internet and did search. found a service tech on youtube that explained its just a circuit board. showed where it is and how to swap.

ordered board for about $25 on ebay, replaced it in 15 minutes watching youtube video. that was several years ago. still works great.

 

[jaxs]

Not youtube per se, but I became MS System engineer, Cisco, Dell. Compaq, Network, etc certified using nothing but free on-line sources and hours building, testing stuff at home. That effort opened many doors for me and paid off quite well.
Also learned a lot tractor stuff from this site and others. You tube can be handy to visualize things before you tear into something.
I did learn how to complete rebuild my Grasshopper HST pumps from a youtube video, worked out well and saved a couple of grand.

Yea online trade school isn't new, what I'm talking about is to learn it when we need it and we need it right now. We don't have time nor patience for hours building,testing stuff.

 

[Eagle1]

Not trade school .... but I was learning a trade and getting professional certs for free (except the testing). You asked about professional jobs not learning to a single repair,etc. In that case most people I worked with learned some things via youtube or forums. Trade school gives you a base, then you learn from others or figure it the hard way.

If have no patience to take time to understand things you will always limit your learning. First time you do something it takes a lot longer than the 100th time. In the mechanic world you tend make a lot less until you fast at things. Get paid by the job not the hour, per job rate.

 

[jaxs]

when my ice maker dispenser failed in my GE monogram built in ref/freezer, ge service told me its a known issue, have to replace entire freezer door and gave me an estimate of close to 2 grand.

unit was out of warranty/. i went onto youtube and internet and did search. found a service tech on youtube that explained its just a circuit board. showed where it is and how to swap.

ordered board for about $25 on ebay, replaced it in 15 minutes watching youtube video. that was several years ago. still works great.

You ice maker is a fine example of something the average homeowner can repair with a little outside help. Had Mookey asked for help with his ice maker I would be right there to offer as much help as I'm qualified for. But after I gave good advice regarding air conditioning in post #14, Eagle immediately chose to cloud things up which could easily be interpreted to egg Mookey on to add refrigerant. I reiterated in post #16 that some things lend themselves to diy but air conditioning has limitations. Why Eagle and Lou thought they should boost and brag about their abilities isn't clear. In doing so they went out of their way to imply adding refrigerant is ok after watching u-tube or scant online advice.
Certainly no reflection on you G-the-great,only playing off your words above had someone related results of attempted air conditioning repair,
Bought a can of freon with hose for about $25, watched 15 minutes youtube then hooked hose to the ac. That was several years ago. I'm still missing an eye,have less than 25% vision in other eye and a scared face that frightens my Grandkids from playing with me.

I want to help people as much as I can and telling them when they might be better off leaving it alone is sometimes the best advice they will get.

 

[Gator6x4]

Clearly I should be content wearing the dunce hat and deferring to Lou and you instead of offering advice on these things. To show what a push over I am,they charged me over $200 for a multimeter and after hearing what you spent to outfit your garage for all those trades I'm embarrassed to say what I spent on ac specialty tools alone.
I'll get out of the way while you and Lou walk mookey through the process of getting his ac up and cooling.

Welcome to the club Jax. I had a friend who ran a large full service garage. He stopped working on AC’s because of people telling him what a neighbor said was wrong with the system and he was robbing him on repairs.

 

[LouNY]

You ice maker is a fine example of something the average homeowner can repair with a little outside help. Had Mookey asked for help with his ice maker I would be right there to offer as much help as I'm qualified for. But after I gave good advice regarding air conditioning in post #14, Eagle immediately chose to cloud things up which could easily be interpreted to egg Mookey on to add refrigerant. I reiterated in post #16 that some things lend themselves to diy but air conditioning has limitations. Why Eagle and Lou thought they should boost and brag about their abilities isn't clear. In doing so they went out of their way to imply adding refrigerant is ok after watching u-tube or scant online advice.
Certainly no reflection on you G-the-great,only playing off your words above had someone related results of attempted air conditioning repair,
Bought a can of freon with hose for about $25, watched 15 minutes youtube then hooked hose to the ac. That was several years ago. I'm still missing an eye,have less than 25% vision in other eye and a scared face that frightens my Grandkids from playing with me.

I want to help people as much as I can and telling them when they might be better off leaving it alone is sometimes the best advice they will get.

You are most certainly quite full of your self aren't you.