Running service for refrigeration company we always were in the habit of using a compressor analyzer hooked directly to the terminals. I know it is tough to access when working on a AC condensing unit, but getting access to the terminals a lot of times revealed obvious electrical issues similar to what you found. Good thing you had that conversation with your technician. I’m sure the customer appreciated your honesty and good work ethic. Some guys would have swept that under the rug.
My first manager that taught me a good majority of what I know used to preach, "always check it at the compressor". Good catch Ted 👍👍. A simple video like this is a great example to help others remember why.
Ted , This is a good lesson for newbies. I had seen this before. Since then i never check compressors off wires. I always check at the terminals .great catch
Nice work. I once replaced a compressor after someone else had replaced a compressor. It was three phase so I wired it the same way they had theirs. When I finished I realized that the compressor was trying to run backwards so I swapped two leads and it ran fine. In my defense I was not the one that diagnosed the original problem but it taught me to always double check the other techs before doing the work. I did all that work to replace a compressor that was just wired incorrectly.
When I worked for Sears I was trying to fix a electronic spark igniter on a stove and got it dismantled looking for the problem for 2 hours and at the end was a bad wall outlet! so I get it Ted!
It happens!!! The one good thing is that your honest and we our humans and we get so busy and we do our best !!! Im a service tech to and in Texas it gets hot !!! Sometimes I will call one of my best friends and he's a service tech to . We both do this Sometimes together and solve the problem, I like your Videos and I been doing this for 38 years and still get hung up !!! The one thing I like to do is being able to show the customer the problem!!! Ted your a out rite Good service tech and owner of a company!!! And your honesty will build good customers
I've learned that lesson before I miss diagnosed a compressor and the problem was the harness. Now I check directly at the compressor terminal everytime
You know, it takes a big man who is most def a journeyman HVAC tech with 33 years of experience to admit he almost made a mistake! Ted is a a fav of mine personally and knows his stuff. Now he is a little eat up with Trane,but he has a fav and support them and I respect that! He could have simply NOT posted this vid and no one been the wiser. Thanks sir for this vid and all you post. I learn alot and even tho you don't support HVAC as a diy kinda thing, I thank you for your posts sir! Keep them coming.
Awesome catch and good video, both you and the customer is happy with this simple fix. Great to see honesty these days. Have a great Memorial Day Weekend.
Thanks so much for sharing, a really valuable reminder that it may not be as bad as it initially looks. I see your trademark slash cut vent pipe, very nice and functional!
My grandfather always said, "check the cheap stuff first"! "Cheap stuff breaks first because it's cheap"! That advice has saved me a lot of money in my 63 years! How many times have we seen someone fire the parts cannon at something and not fix it till they get to part number 9 or 10? A local HVAC tech here in NC told my parents that the compressor has failed and they needed a whole new R410A system. I went to look and found a bad fuse in the disconnect. It's still running! BTW, the owner of the company was a friend and he fired the tech to help keep the company's good reputation! When you find an honest tech, keep him! Not sure? A second opinion could save you thousands! Glad you're man enough to admit it when you make a mistake!
I appreciate people that show easy mistakes, It is quick and easy to check compressor at the wring end instead at the compressor , I hope this experience helps others, Many egos would had cost the customer lots of $$$$
I’m a 25 year electrician, I have seen some crazy stuff similar to this before. A few years ago, I was working a new hospital. The electrical superintendent called and told me to go up on one of the rooftops that the HVAC tech had a voltage problem on a 20 ton unit (480 volt) Mind you, EVERYTHING else in the building is working perfectly fine, so I went up there. The start up tech had the unit open and locked out. He said the voltage is wrong and fried both compressors. I asked him if he checked rotation, he said compressors aren’t rotation sensitive. He got really mad at me, called me bad names, etc. Anyway, he learned something the hard way that day, and he apologized to me. I have worked around some of the most intelligent people I’ve ever met that are HVAC techs, I told them about this and they got a big laugh out of it. It’s so easy to almost miss stuff like that, that’s something you may not see again for the rest of your career.
I work on hydraulic equipment that uses positive displacement pumps. You always know when that’s got the phases wrong. Sounds like a bucket of marbles. Excellent catch!
I have been doing HVAC residential and Commercial since 1978, and the first week of doing HVAC I knew always to check for open windings at the compressor, because anything could happen through wires, contactors, capacitors, and switches.
I start my checks at the contactor....if i find something unusual....i then go directly to the comp terminals....it always lets you know if its the wiring or the molded plug or a true issue. Just remember kids......80% of electrical failures are actually mechanical failures. If the comp is out of warranty.....cut it open and figure out why it failed....if its in warranty.....ask for the inspection report from your supply house....if its a second or third comp under warranty......you definitely need to figure out why.....inspection reports are free for the first replacement....second and so on cost a little money.....but less than a new comp.
I just got an old window air conditioner back into operation after a mouse had made a nest in the compressor area and chewed through wiring. I used the wiring harness from a unit in my scrap pile that lost its charge last summer. A 1982 Westinghouse has been saved from the scrap pile for another year. Great by the way, always watching you on my weekends off.
I’ve never understood why these manufacturers don’t put ALL wires going into the compressor compartment in a rubber type wire loom. For what they charge for new equipment…….just all of them cheaping out more and more.
I had the same thing happen to me with a fan motor. Didn't ohm out right, changed motor, then found nick in the wire. There's no way to check a motor at the connection, but I did learn to at least check the entire length of the wire before changing a motor. One of life's tricks you never forget. :)
🙌🏼 good save! I saw something similar happen to a car I had it was a 2004 Pontiac GTO it was only 6 months old and the squirrels went in and chewed the wiring up they told me eight grand to fix it it ended up costing about five bucks...
Nice catch Theodore. You now need to take that tech out to lunch one day soon. I’ve been doing this crazy business for 46+ years and have found you can learn something everyday.👍👍🇨🇦
A dishonest man would have sold the customer a new compressor anyway. I always told my new guys, be honest. You never know if your honesty is being tested.
good catch that would have sucked..... my teacher in HVAC always beat the crap out of us telling us "isolate the component then test"..... I love your videos !!! Even veterans make mistakes we all human.... from one comfort specialist to another lol
Like that new Milwaukee screw gun! 12v FUEL even. Get yourself one of their 12 impact drivers as well. Great stuff. Nothing like good tools to make a job a little easier.
Great video I learned a little Diagnostics but what I want to know is did you inspect the other one and if it was also wrong did you offer to fix it or you going to wait until about it goes down and charge them more money
I had a similar thing happen to me about 15 yrs. Ago , in the corner of the unit it had a vertical channel in the corner that the wires ran thru , but what I found was a rat was still down in the channel and he had chewed one of the compressor wires, and believe it or not he was still alive looking up at me , sad to say he lost his life that day
I had one last yr that the wiring to the compressor was chewed in too down under the coil. Always check at the compressor. I understand this happening. we don't find the harness bad very often after 43 yrs we old timers sometimes make mistakes. The only thing is we tend to recheck things just to make sure
I think I would have taken a pair of aviation snips and carefully cut that top corner off at a 45-degree angle to prevent any possible future problems.
Nice Save ! Great Video ! Great Reminder Video for Everyone ! Allways check the compressor ohms Right at the Compressor & Do it when it cold 🥶. BEFORE Calling time of Death 💀 ! Wire Nuts are FINE ! They have been used in the Trades for 100 Years !!! no real issues. i Prefer Butt Connectors over Wire nuts these days for High Amp Connections & use Wagos Now For Everything else that is Low current ! Great Reminder / Video !!!
Thanks for sharing Ted From time to time we all need that wake up call I did learn two lessons from it I see you switch to 12 volts milwaukee never understand why guys use the 18 V large drills on 5/16 screws call me lazy but i don’t need a biggest tool for a small screw
It happens to the best of us. I’ve made it a habit regardless of how much of a pain it is which it usually is to check from one end to other end I have continuity
I once applied for a hvac job and in the interview. The interviewer asked me, " have u ever changed a good compressor?" I repied yes. I was hired. The interviewer who became my boss. Said later. " I wanted to see if u would lie".
You have my respect sir. I know a lot of techs who wouldn't post a video like this where such a huge mistake was nearly made. GREAT save. Excellent display of humility. Takes a smart and confident man to admit his mistake. Very well done 👍👍
A lot of HVAC guys would have just changed the compressor anyway and billed for it. My neighbors got screwed for a whole system. My mother got screwed for a compressor unit, although they ended up doing her a favor because the old one was such an energy hog.
This would pop up as a suggestion shortly after my Trane was stopped by a short. I thought my thermostat was toast as it kept rebooting, nope! HVAC tech comes out and finds a mess of hot exposed wiring in the air handler and condenser unit outside..install company gave us the shaft. A rewire and new 5 amp fuse later, system is back to normal.
In automotive, we see wiring harnesses wrapped in electrical tape and covered with that black tubing, or wrapped in that heavy-duty black textile tape. We see rubber grommets where it passes through sheet metal. There's countless wiring harness brackets and clamps that prevent movement and damage by vibration. And it's only 12V. In HVAC, we see unprotected wires just dangling freely over the edge of some sheet metal, with 120V on them. That just cannot be the OEM's way of routing those wires. Seriously?
That wire nut is a perfect repair I wouldn’t have fished a new harness in there! The folks at Trane can stop a Trane……….Saved the customer some money also!
I would think this is why you should always ohm the compressor motor windings directly at the compressor terminals even though it's more hassle
Running service for refrigeration company we always were in the habit of using a compressor analyzer hooked directly to the terminals. I know it is tough to access when working on a AC condensing unit, but getting access to the terminals a lot of times revealed obvious electrical issues similar to what you found. Good thing you had that conversation with your technician. I’m sure the customer appreciated your honesty and good work ethic. Some guys would have swept that under the rug.
assuming gets ya in trouble !!!
Exactly this.
Always
Totally agree,if in doubt
My first manager that taught me a good majority of what I know used to preach, "always check it at the compressor". Good catch Ted 👍👍. A simple video like this is a great example to help others remember why.
Ted ,
This is a good lesson for newbies. I had seen this before. Since then i never check compressors off wires. I always check at the terminals .great catch
Nice work. I once replaced a compressor after someone else had replaced a compressor. It was three phase so I wired it the same way they had theirs. When I finished I realized that the compressor was trying to run backwards so I swapped two leads and it ran fine. In my defense I was not the one that diagnosed the original problem but it taught me to always double check the other techs before doing the work. I did all that work to replace a compressor that was just wired incorrectly.
You have to treat EVERY call as a NEW call. Forget who was there. You are the expert and your customers count on you.
I would've died inside if I changed that out and found the real issue.
When I worked for Sears I was trying to fix a electronic spark igniter on a stove and got it dismantled looking for the problem for 2 hours and at the end was a bad wall outlet! so I get it Ted!
It happens!!! The one good thing is that your honest and we our humans and we get so busy and we do our best !!! Im a service tech to and in Texas it gets hot !!! Sometimes I will call one of my best friends and he's a service tech to . We both do this Sometimes together and solve the problem, I like your Videos and I been doing this for 38 years and still get hung up !!! The one thing I like to do is being able to show the customer the problem!!! Ted your a out rite Good service tech and owner of a company!!! And your honesty will build good customers
I've learned that lesson before I miss diagnosed a compressor and the problem was the harness. Now I check directly at the compressor terminal everytime
At least you weren't in the process of recovering when you figured it out, nice easy fix
Great job - Keep the compressor for the next one - we always needed when everything is closed
The best thing about an oversight like this is remembering it. Learning from it it even if you knew better in the first place.
You know, it takes a big man who is most def a journeyman HVAC tech with 33 years of experience to admit he almost made a mistake! Ted is a a fav of mine personally and knows his stuff. Now he is a little eat up with Trane,but he has a fav and support them and I respect that! He could have simply NOT posted this vid and no one been the wiser. Thanks sir for this vid and all you post. I learn alot and even tho you don't support HVAC as a diy kinda thing, I thank you for your posts sir! Keep them coming.
Awesome catch and good video, both you and the customer is happy with this simple fix. Great to see honesty these days. Have a great Memorial Day Weekend.
It happens, good catch.
Appreciate your humbleness and honesty. Whenever I suspected an open winding I always checked on the compressor. Great stuff Ted.
Thanks so much for sharing, a really valuable reminder that it may not be as bad as it initially looks. I see your trademark slash cut vent pipe, very nice and functional!
My grandfather always said, "check the cheap stuff first"! "Cheap stuff breaks first because it's cheap"! That advice has saved me a lot of money in my 63 years! How many times have we seen someone fire the parts cannon at something and not fix it till they get to part number 9 or 10? A local HVAC tech here in NC told my parents that the compressor has failed and they needed a whole new R410A system. I went to look and found a bad fuse in the disconnect. It's still running! BTW, the owner of the company was a friend and he fired the tech to help keep the company's good reputation! When you find an honest tech, keep him! Not sure? A second opinion could save you thousands! Glad you're man enough to admit it when you make a mistake!
I appreciate people that show easy mistakes, It is quick and easy to check compressor at the wring end instead at the compressor , I hope this experience helps others, Many egos would had cost the customer lots of $$$$
I wish you were in my area. I'd love to find an HVAC tech I could trust.
I’m a 25 year electrician, I have seen some crazy stuff similar to this before. A few years ago, I was working a new hospital. The electrical superintendent called and told me to go up on one of the rooftops that the HVAC tech had a voltage problem on a 20 ton unit (480 volt) Mind you, EVERYTHING else in the building is working perfectly fine, so I went up there. The start up tech had the unit open and locked out. He said the voltage is wrong and fried both compressors. I asked him if he checked rotation, he said compressors aren’t rotation sensitive. He got really mad at me, called me bad names, etc. Anyway, he learned something the hard way that day, and he apologized to me. I have worked around some of the most intelligent people I’ve ever met that are HVAC techs, I told them about this and they got a big laugh out of it. It’s so easy to almost miss stuff like that, that’s something you may not see again for the rest of your career.
I work on hydraulic equipment that uses positive displacement pumps. You always know when that’s got the phases wrong. Sounds like a bucket of marbles. Excellent catch!
As A HVAC instructor you Are Very Correct. Good call on this video.
Damn thought everyone knew that, no way he was a 25year tech I call bs
Always respect a guy who admits his mistakes. I have 35 years in the trade. Always learning.
So nice to see an honest HVAC guy!
I have been doing HVAC residential and Commercial since 1978, and the first week of doing HVAC I knew always to check for open windings at the compressor, because anything could happen through wires, contactors, capacitors, and switches.
I start my checks at the contactor....if i find something unusual....i then go directly to the comp terminals....it always lets you know if its the wiring or the molded plug or a true issue. Just remember kids......80% of electrical failures are actually mechanical failures. If the comp is out of warranty.....cut it open and figure out why it failed....if its in warranty.....ask for the inspection report from your supply house....if its a second or third comp under warranty......you definitely need to figure out why.....inspection reports are free for the first replacement....second and so on cost a little money.....but less than a new comp.
I bet your customer was happy how much that just saved them.
I just got an old window air conditioner back into operation after a mouse had made a nest in the compressor area and chewed through wiring. I used the wiring harness from a unit in my scrap pile that lost its charge last summer. A 1982 Westinghouse has been saved from the scrap pile for another year. Great by the way, always watching you on my weekends off.
Nice resourceful fix Mr
Ardie McLelland!
I’ve never understood why these manufacturers don’t put ALL wires going into the compressor compartment in a rubber type wire loom. For what they charge for new equipment…….just all of them cheaping out more and more.
ALWAYS check for an open winding at compressor to confirm before condemning, good catch
Good job! Just recently had my compressor die on a 90+ degree week. I bet you and the customer are both happy to have an easy Saturday.
I ALWAYS check the terminals on the side of the compressor. Never rely on the wires to check for a bad compressor.
I had the same thing happen to me with a fan motor. Didn't ohm out right, changed motor, then found nick in the wire. There's no way to check a motor at the connection, but I did learn to at least check the entire length of the wire before changing a motor. One of life's tricks you never forget. :)
Great catch!!! I thoroughly enjoy your vids. Very happy customer.
Thank you for not letting your ego get in the way of being honest!! We are all human and allowed to make mistakes. Live and learn.
I know nothing about HVAC, but these videos are always fascinating to me. Very entertaining, keep it up!
AND I AM SURE U WILL HAVE A SATISFIED DEALER FOR GOING THE EXTRA STEP CHECKING EVERYTHING ... THANK U FOR THE VIDEO SIR..
Being the honest person your are someone is looking out for you. Thxs for the vids!
Great you saved the customer money! Great job We always learn. Thx for content.
Good job in Troubleshooter the big picture diagnosis… double and triple check…👍👍👍
Whenever I hear service techs talk about their job, I feel better about being an installer
Most good lessons are learned the hard way.
Reason being is that they won't be easily forgotten.
🙌🏼 good save! I saw something similar happen to a car I had it was a 2004 Pontiac GTO it was only 6 months old and the squirrels went in and chewed the wiring up they told me eight grand to fix it it ended up costing about five bucks...
Nice catch Theodore. You now need to take that tech out to lunch one day soon. I’ve been doing this crazy business for 46+ years and have found you can learn something everyday.👍👍🇨🇦
Always love the videos. Keep it up
Nice job. Saved the customer lots of money
I always check at the compressor, but I do more refrigeration than a/c, so I got in the habit because it’s more accessible
33 Years in the business is exactly why you even considered checking the harness.,... Great vid, 👍 You saved that customer some cash.
Good Catch.. we all make mistakes. Especially when Busy. Like in construction. Measure twice, you know the rest.
That takes quite the set of balls to balance your screw tray on that pvc like that. Bravo sir.
A dishonest man would have sold the customer a new compressor anyway. I always told my new guys, be honest. You never know if your honesty is being tested.
Wow! Outstanding last minute catch!
Always best when someone catches a potential mistake instead of making the customer pay for something they didnt need.
Good thing you found it before you unsweat the lines!
good catch that would have sucked..... my teacher in HVAC always beat the crap out of us telling us "isolate the component then test"..... I love your videos !!! Even veterans make mistakes we all human.... from one comfort specialist to another lol
This is why I always ohm the computer at the plug not the wires.
Like that new Milwaukee screw gun! 12v FUEL even. Get yourself one of their 12 impact drivers as well. Great stuff. Nothing like good tools to make a job a little easier.
I was always taught to check compressor at terminals not just the harness. Sometimes harnesses go bad.
That notch where the black wire was at is probably a burn mark from pinching the wire between the lid and the edge of the cabinet.
Good video! You got the drill out!
Also when working on comercial sometimes I found compressors running backwards. Switched one of the three legs and back to normal.
Great video I learned a little Diagnostics but what I want to know is did you inspect the other one and if it was also wrong did you offer to fix it or you going to wait until about it goes down and charge them more money
I had a similar thing happen to me about 15 yrs. Ago , in the corner of the unit it had a vertical channel in the corner that the wires ran thru , but what I found was a rat was still down in the channel and he had chewed one of the compressor wires, and believe it or not he was still alive looking up at me , sad to say he lost his life that day
Wonder if someone had the top off for cleaning and that wire got stuck over there when the top went back on.
I bet that’s the case.
Most likely the case. That hole Ted found the common wire is not there from the factory.
the wires should have been in a 3 cent length of loom but that would cost the corporation 3 cents profit but that is unamerican
good find...great job
Good find. Thanks for sharing
Hello from the great state of Michigan Ted you’re the best.
Excellent tech diegnostic work
that's why i always check the windings at the compressor at the terminals before i condemn a compressor.
I had one last yr that the wiring to the compressor was chewed in too down under the coil. Always check at the compressor. I understand this happening. we don't find the harness bad very often after 43 yrs we old timers sometimes make mistakes. The only thing is we tend to recheck things just to make sure
Nice job thanks for sharing!
Same thing happened to me with a brand new Lennox, but it was a fan motor wire that was pinched.
Great catch Ted! 👍😊
It's ok. Your second day in the hvac industry will be better.
Great video. Thanks
I think I would have taken a pair of aviation snips and carefully cut that top corner off at a 45-degree angle to prevent any possible future problems.
I like your honesty
grate video. i have one on my own AC that is going out the rot is working it's way up the red wire.
Nice catch and good fix ... You never know do ya ... Thx for posting ...
Nice Save ! Great Video ! Great Reminder Video for Everyone ! Allways check the compressor ohms Right at the Compressor & Do it when it cold 🥶. BEFORE Calling time of Death 💀 !
Wire Nuts are FINE ! They have been used in the Trades for 100 Years !!! no real issues. i Prefer Butt Connectors over Wire nuts these days for High Amp Connections & use Wagos Now For Everything else that is Low current !
Great Reminder / Video !!!
Thanks for sharing Ted
From time to time we all need that wake up call
I did learn two lessons from it
I see you switch to 12 volts milwaukee never understand why guys use the 18 V large drills on 5/16 screws call me lazy
but i don’t need a biggest tool for a small screw
Well Ted your still the best diagnostic guy I know good catch id use you in a minute extremely impressed
It happens to the best of us. I’ve made it a habit regardless of how much of a pain it is which it usually is to check from one end to other end I have continuity
It's as if they design the product to fail in the most stupid way possible.
I once applied for a hvac job and in the interview. The interviewer asked me, " have u ever changed a good compressor?" I repied yes. I was hired. The interviewer who became my boss. Said later. " I wanted to see if u would lie".
You have my respect sir. I know a lot of techs who wouldn't post a video like this where such a huge mistake was nearly made. GREAT save. Excellent display of humility. Takes a smart and confident man to admit his mistake. Very well done 👍👍
Would like to hear a conversation with the homeowner here, "btw we're saving $$$ today"
Everybody is human and makes mistakes! If you don't make mistakes, you ain't doing anything!
A lot of HVAC guys would have just changed the compressor anyway and billed for it. My neighbors got screwed for a whole system. My mother got screwed for a compressor unit, although they ended up doing her a favor because the old one was such an energy hog.
High voltage passing through a metal cutout without a $0.25 plastic grommet.
That hole wasn't factory, the pinched wire cut it in as it was arcing. Seen it many times
It's rolled metal, doesn't need a grommet. The wire shorted because it was pinched.
Excellent teaching moment.
This would pop up as a suggestion shortly after my Trane was stopped by a short. I thought my thermostat was toast as it kept rebooting, nope! HVAC tech comes out and finds a mess of hot exposed wiring in the air handler and condenser unit outside..install company gave us the shaft. A rewire and new 5 amp fuse later, system is back to normal.
Good idea after cleaning condenser with lid removed to check around perimeter for loose wires that can become pinched when replacing lid.
Who diagnoses a open winding bad compressor and does not check it at the compressor terminals ?
This is why I was taught to always ohm out your compressor at the compressor.
Thanks for your videos buddy
It's hard to fool a seasoned technician😉
Great video. That was a close one....
The ones that got me sometimes was a difficult double issue.
Is that the dryer vent jutting out of the wall and blowing directly in to the AC unit?
Talk about a wonderful feeling! It would have been a really bad day if You had changed the compressor for nothing. It pays to be thorough Good catch!
In automotive, we see wiring harnesses wrapped in electrical tape and covered with that black tubing, or wrapped in that heavy-duty black textile tape. We see rubber grommets where it passes through sheet metal. There's countless wiring harness brackets and clamps that prevent movement and damage by vibration. And it's only 12V.
In HVAC, we see unprotected wires just dangling freely over the edge of some sheet metal, with 120V on them. That just cannot be the OEM's way of routing those wires. Seriously?
You would be surprised how often those rubber grommets are never in place
220 my friend not 120.
@@AllTattedUp13 technically hes not wrong. Each leg carrying 120 to make 208/230 or 277 to make 460/480.
That wire nut is a perfect repair I wouldn’t have fished a new harness in there! The folks at Trane can stop a Trane……….Saved the customer some money also!