it's been 2 years, but i've decided to go back to school. im going to take the HVAC program. anyone here an A/C technician? what can i expect? any pointers?

 

I've been servicing and repairing residential/commercial HVAC systems for roughly 17 years now. More recently diving into commercial refrigeration.

I can think of two things you need to remember . . . .

(1) ~ One BTU equals the total energy (heat) to raise one pound of standard water one degree Fahrenheit at sea level.

(2) ~ The refrigeration process basically involves Change Of State. Add heat to change from a liquid to a gas, remove said heat to change from a gas to a liquid.

Otherwise . . ..

The word "Compressor" is misleading in terms of what it does in refrigeration (HVAC or otherwise). It's job is to reduce the vapor pressure of a given refrigerant. By doing so, we induce said refrigerant to boil or change state. The only way it can boil at that point is to have heat added. The evaporator coil provides that heat (from the indoor air). From there the compressor pumps the gas to the high pressure side of the refrigerant circuit. If it weren't for the heat of evaporation picked up from the evaporator, it'd turn back into a liquid. The condenser coil is what removes said heat (by exchange to the outdoor air) allowing it to condense back to a liquid.
The metering device (be it a capillary tube or expansion valve) is what separates the high pressure (condenser) side from the low pressure (evaporator) side. It meters the liquid refrigerant into the evaporator to begin the process again as it were.


That's the Reader's Digest version.

 

Derek,
Being of said profession for over 25 years, one of the most IMPORTANT things I can tell you, especially in this part of the country, is to ALWAYS MAKE SURE you have a CAN OF WASP KILLER with you when you open up disconnects or remove panels off of the electrical section of an A/C unit. For some reason those pesky little critters just LOVE the hum of juicetricity. Other than that, A/C work can be a real profitable business here in the Houston area, (just as long as you do not work on friends or families units). In the future I may be looking to hire some new people so keep in touch.


Gary

 

thanks scuzman, i'm getting my certificate this semester, then ill be looking for a job in the field. i figured it would be a good line of work here in houston, considering we run our a/c almost all year round.

 

Here's a pointer. You can easily work in our town and charge outrageous fees to tell someone there's nothing wrong with thier ac when it's 95 in thier living room at 10 pm.

That's about all you get in an ac tech around here.

 

i have been doing it for the past 10 years. not a bad living, and i was just about to go out on my own and get my state contractors lincense. then i started thinking about getting calls at all times of the night and i realized how much i hate deal with john Q public. i do maintenace work for a big company, and i work 8 to 5 5 days a week.

 

That brings up another good point.

With the exception of your Momma, Daddy, brother(s), and sister(s), if any one approaches you and asks if you do side work. Interrupt them mid sentence saying "Hell No!" And walk away.

They are simply trying to get out of paying what a professional commands. If they don't want to pay a professionals rate, they certainly won't pay you what you're worth (assuming you're doing top-shelf work).

Work your regular hours, then stop that crap. GO HOME! Spend quality time with your family and friends. All the riches in the world are worth nothing if you can't take time off to spend them!



. . . . . And BELIEVE that mess about the wasp spray!!!!! . . . . . . . . did we mention the spiders?

 

oh, goody, im arachniphobic . i can deal w/ wasps, dont care for them a whole lot. ever see a 250lb guy run a 4minute mile? bring a spider near me and you will.

 

Oh my.

Around NC, black widows like to hang around in the control sections and such. Find yourself a nice stick. You'll need it crawling around under houses to clear the webs. On occasion, it'll come in handy beating the stupid things.

 

stop that
sounds like i need some of this:

 

My ac guy is a friend of mine since middle school. I dont use him for discounts. I use him because I trust him. Also fire ants in the contacts is a biggy around here. Good luck.

 

Bees, wasps and spiders.

Pfft.

Ever see what happens when a diamondback gets his innards sucked into a Butch Davis basket? What happens to a rabbit's flesh after it's spent a weak in a pool? What sound a wet, desiccated nest of baby birds make as they get sucked into a 1 inch hose?

Not to mention thaem...

 

Derek,
Your new uniform as displayed will still leave too much open skin for the critters to attack. Kelley, you are right about them pesky fire ants. I have seen more than one condensing unit at a house get it's compressor single phased because the ants clogged up one side of a 220V contactor and the unit was trying to run on 110v.

Derek, seriously, take what the schools have to teach you and get a job with lots of OJT while still in school. The school stuff, from the guys I have hired from them, hits on the high spots of things. When you get into the field you will learn a WHOLE LOT MORE than what you have paid money for the training could ever teach. ALWAYS remember that 90% of the time most problems are caused by the most simple stuff. Most techs start out over diagnosing problems and get themselves totally cornfused. The KISS (keep it simple stupid) method of diagnosis usually will get it fixed faster. And STAY away from working for the A/C companies that are of the Consolidated variety (previous contractors bought by Comfort Systems, ARS, AMS, etc... They usually send a plumbing tech to work on A/C initially cause the plumbing guy is closer to the call initially.


Gary

 

And BEWARE the HVAC service companies who pay the service techs by commission. They are usually crooks.

I hate to say it but, an alarming amount of my work involves fixing the results of a past service tech.



I am so glad to see the TV investigative shows hide cameras in bedroom windows just to call companies to come service a known good machine. It tickles me to see the thieves busted. Such companies depend on the customers ignorance to make a dishonest living. Shame on them.

 

i got your pfft right here!