Fairly new to the game.. whats some dumb stuff you did

[marter]

I work for a commerical hvac company out of charlotte, nc
im 23 (almost 24 woohoo).

Ive done some of this work with my dad growing up (laying duct, new installs etc). So Ive been doing this, as a paid job for almost a year. I got my EPA Universal and was planning to take my journyman but found out you need 4 years of experience to take it.

They gave me a van, and ive been pretty much doing service inspections. So i dont feel so bad, whats some of the dumbest stuff youve f*cked up.

recently i was working on a carrier rtu. and was not getting any low voltage from the t-stat. So I had it coming outta the transformer but not into the main board. yet the high voltage in a out of the board was fine. So i call up my boss tell him its a bad board, I replace it.. Same problem

This point im like "they're gonna kick my ass when i get back to the shop".. only to find out later there was a emer. shutoff switch at the t-stat someone had switched. so the low voltage was going down to the switch and that broke its return back up


$150 board, non billable :(

[rickl]

Don’t beat yourself up over that! Like all of us in the trade, you are going to replace a lot of good parts over the years. It happens to all and the guys that say otherwise are just lying.

[maxster]

for the future when your up on the roof,cycle the unit from the low voltage terminal strip....R to G fan..R to Y cool..R to W heat if the unit runs then you can concentrate on the stat or the wires to it.

[dirtyboy103us]

i would take some time to reflect on what i did wrong,
about 15 seconds....realize that we're not super humans
and there is a certain amount of screw ups that comes with learning as long as you don't keep making the same ones over and over and get back in the game of life your just starting

as for screw ups its the easy ones that are hard to swallow like leaving a ball valve on a liquid line
off because it was past beer thirty and wanted to finally get home before dark and mow the lawn

just took the COSS class from Copeland and the teacher
said they tear down all compressor's that come back for warranty and he says they have a lot that come back
are listed NO FAILURE FOUND that means someone changed
out a comp. thats still good

I'm sure that at least one was probably mine over the years

[rickl]

I can remember one I've done. It's been long time ago, but you don't forget em. Replaced a compressor on a Brand M ice machine due to what I believed was a weak compressor, but it turns out it's was a leaking defrost solenoid! My bad. Live and learn. By the way, I no charged the job

[HeyBob]

I replaced a Honeywell fan switch on a gas furnace. I did not know enough to remove the jumper between the high and low voltage side.

Back then there was a tab that pulled out, now you cut the link with dikes.

Powered it back up and smoked the stat, xfmr and gas valve.

I thought my dad was gonna kick my butt.........that was 25 years ago.

[brybo nc]

I do stupid things all the time, but I only do them once. even though that board was a bit pricey, the lesson was priceless. you'll allways think a little harder before replacing a "bad" part.
by the way to get your licsense in nc you need two years of installation experience in the area that you want to test for (H1 is steam and water, H2 is over 15 tons, H3 is 15 tons or less)

B

[marter]

Originally posted by brybo nc
I do stupid things all the time, but I only do them once. even though that board was a bit pricey, the lesson was priceless. you'll allways think a little harder before replacing a "bad" part.
by the way to get your licsense in nc you need two years of installation experience in the area that you want to test for (H1 is steam and water, H2 is over 15 tons, H3 is 15 tons or less)

B

not contractors licsense.. mecklenburg county licsense (code books)

[dec]

I would put in some of the dumb things I have done over the years but then that would make this post loger then the whole 9MM post subject...... hummmm no Im sure you dont want to have to read all that. I get *****ed out enough for replyes to posts being too long.

[t527ed]

Originally posted by HeyBob
I replaced a Honeywell fan switch on a gas furnace. I did not know enough to remove the jumper between the high and low voltage side.

Back then there was a tab that pulled out, now you cut the link with dikes.

Powered it back up and smoked the stat, xfmr and gas valve.

I thought my dad was gonna kick my butt.........that was 25 years ago.


had a guy who USED to work for me do that. wiped out pulse control module and programable thermostat.

[MikeJ]

What do you set your meter on when you hook it up in series with the ignition spark wire? Well, no matter that first meter was toast 15 yrs ago. I keep it around just for remembrance.

[refrtech]

My first month being in a van doing resteraunt service. Boss sends me on a "W/I freezer not cooling. Get there W/I is warm . Hop up onto roof and see a Mac-6 condensing unit sitting there with 4 compressors , 3 of which are running .The 4th was marked "W/I Freezer" real big with sharpie on the disconnect that was tripped , not "OFF" , tripped . I check the compressor and it is grounded . Put the gauges on it and nothing. I go to supply house , get new compressor. Installed brand new $375 compressor and filter drier. I start to pressurize the system with nitro and it is pouring out as fast as I can put it in . I climb back down the ladder into the store and am checking all over the evap section and piping. NOTHING !! Not even a trace . By this time it is dark out and I am in the hood . I try leack checking the cond and NOTHING. By this time I am frusterated as shiat , I walk over to the edge of the roof and look down onto an ICS W/I with a condenser unit sitting on top of it. I could not believe WTF I was looking @ . I was working on the wrong unit this whole time !!!!!!
Replaced cond fan motor on the right one and all was well !!!!!

What had happened was , the W/I used to be inside the store , built into it . When the compressor went bad , they chopped the lines above the ceiling tile and installed an ICS W/I that the door is inside but the box is outside .
I never said a word about it and wrote it up as having a bad compressor , fearing for my job , still being a new green guy . All was well for about a month when there was another call on the same W/I , another tech went out , manager mentioned that a new compressor was just intstalled . Tech found no new compressor and told the boss . I got chewed out but learned a hell of a lesson . It is always better to fess up and take your punishment like a man than to try to cover it up.

[dav66o]

run a brand new fluke meter through a conveyor oven.

[coolwhip]

Started a 10 ton semi herm. carlyle with no oil. It didnt run very long. It was in a brand new 20 ton carrier unit. Came from the factory with no oil though. Now, I always check.;)

[HeyBob]

Originally posted by t527ed

Originally posted by HeyBob
I replaced a Honeywell fan switch on a gas furnace. I did not know enough to remove the jumper between the high and low voltage side.

Back then there was a tab that pulled out, now you cut the link with dikes.

Powered it back up and smoked the stat, xfmr and gas valve.

I thought my dad was gonna kick my butt.........that was 25 years ago.


had a guy who USED to work for me do that. wiped out pulse control module and programable thermostat.


My Dad wasn't gonna fire me.........I was his only slave. But I never did it again.

[gonefishing]

Originally posted by HeyBob
I replaced a Honeywell fan switch on a gas furnace. I did
not know enough to remove the jumper between the high and low voltage side.

Back then there was a tab that pulled out, now you cut the
link with dikes.

Powered it back up and smoked the stat, xfmr and gas valve.

I thought my dad was gonna kick my butt.........that was 25
years ago.

Well, about two years ago, after 35 years in the service
business, I did the same thing. And I knew better.
Just in too big of a rush to get finished I rekon. Hang in
there, we all have those days, no matter how long we've
been around.


Regards.......

[marter]

What do you set your meter on when you hook it up in series with the ignition spark wire? Well, no matter that first meter was toast 15 yrs ago. I keep it around just for remembrance.


Millivolts..
how would not having your meter set right cause it to blow up like that?

[bigbaldito]

Originally posted by HeyBob
I replaced a Honeywell fan switch on a gas furnace. I did not know enough to remove the jumper between the high and low voltage side.

Back then there was a tab that pulled out, now you cut the link with dikes.

Powered it back up and smoked the stat, xfmr and gas valve.

I thought my dad was gonna kick my butt.........that was 25 years ago.
HeyBob I done the same thing the wall were the tstat was located was smoked. Furnace was in the attic when I fired that baby up It was like fireworks up in the attic.

It's funny now but it sure was'nt then.

[bigbaldito]

About 15 years ago I was working a rtu found bad 30 hp compressor. So I get dispatched to pick up a compressor at parts house first thing in the morning, and then meet co-worker at job site. So I show up with compressor, co-workers tells me the old one is ready for the crane. I jump on the roof, and of course it was the wrong unit. Needless to say that was a long busy day.

[bennytec]

I've only singned my eyebrows once. Delayed ignitinion scary.

I'm 25 now have fun.

[cdn hvac]

Work van was getting messy so one friday I pulled off about every thing I could even off the shelfs and piled it all in my garage. I also pulled every thing from the cab " EVERY THING" its hard to belive that you can gather up so much stuff !

So with every thing off I take the van to a coin wash as not to make a mess on my driveway. Get back to the house and decided to put the cab back in order and leave the back until saturday.

So monday morning the boss hits me with a no heat call way the hell out in cottage land. Its a new install and I carry all the parts I would need to fix it so no problem.

So I hit the road and get to the call in just under an Hour and a half. Unlock my back door to get the usual , "tool bag and maybe bring in a igniter " when my heart almost stoped when I opend the rear van door.

I left all my tools and parts in my garage :D dumb ass.

[a\c don]

Years ago when I lived up north I was sent to check a job where the installers had just converted a horizontal oil furnace to natural gas.

They said they could not maintain a good burner flame, it kept going out.

So I get on the job, light the pilot. So far so good.

Fire main burner and flame starts to turn yellow so I opened the inspection door for a better view as I adjusted the combustion air.

Just then the flame jumps to oxygen right through the open door and hits me full in the face.

Learned the hard way that you need a power burner in that type of furnace and not an atmospheric burner.

[samtheman]

had an A/H in the attic, new addition being built. pumped down system, cut lines about 18 inches from coil connections and taped ends off since i knew it would be a week or so until it got re-connected. in process of moving unit the guys bent the suction line and damaged the service 90 at the coil connection, kinking it half-way closed. So when time comes to re-install, instead of brazing in couplings where it was simple to access, I started to un-braze the elbow from the coil connection. Lines were still taped off, and I must have done a good taping job because as the fitting heated up it created pressure in the coil and when it got red hot and i pulled the fitting off, superheated oil blew from the coil connection and ignited from the red hot pipe, creating a fireball about four feet in diameter and spraying the attic insulation with burning oil. Nice. After the initial shock wore off my helper and I grabbed handfuls of insulation and began beating at the several small fires in the attic to put them out. After the flames were out we got out of the attic because of the smoke and went out onto the street and both of us began laughing our a$$es off. All the drama and excitement that just went on, and nobody saw any of it, not the GC, not any of the other trades, not the homeowner, nobody. Nothing got ruined except 10 bucks worth of insulation and two pairs of underwear, but we both learned a valuable lesson that day: Those stickers that say "do not use torch to remove components" aren't BS.

[ozone drone]

I learned refrig/AC in the Air Force....At that time they had a separate shop and group of guys doing heating.
On my first job after getting out of the AF I was sent on a call to a greenhouse where an old Japanese guy had bought a used unit heater, installed and piped it himself but couldn't get it to fire.

I get there , the pilot is burning ok so there's natural gas. Turned on the power and turned down the stat and hear a click in the gas valve...but main burner doesn't fire.
Think to myself "must be a bad gas valve" and replace it.

Try again ....same thing...valve clicks, but no gas.
Hmmmmm wonder what this big round thing is on the gas line?
(regulator) I take the cap off and see a slotted disc at the bottom for a screw driver adjustment....give it a few turns ... turn down the stat....click .....SSsSsss ... Hey I hear gas flowing!!!! I'm watching real close to see the burner light off........BOOOOOMMMM!!! Mustache, eyebrows, eyelashes and some hair on my forhead turn from brown to black then crumble down the front of my shirt....stinks too!!

I must have looked like Wiley Coyote himself....Old Japanese guy is trying not to laugh but I see him shaking trying to hold it in. I tell him ..I'll be back and head to the van ..one look in the mirror and I scare myself...
my face feels like it's got a bad instant sun-burn.

I drive back to the shop and tell the owner what happened and try to quit saying I'm gonna kill a customer along with myself.....He's laughing at my Wiley Coyote look and hands me a manometer gauge and says set the pressure at 3.5" and it will work okay.....It did....

WATCH OUT FOR DELAYED IGNITION!!!!

[a/c-harris]

I was doing a s/u on a propane furnace a coulple of years ago and had a little flash fire. I was checking and adjusting the gas pressure when my hose came loose off the manifold. Ill tell you what, I learned that roll out switches work pretty well. It didnt do much damage, but it sure singed the hell out of my eyebrows and hair. After that scare, I promise you that the hose is watched very carefully.

I also know that everyone has been zapped by a few capacitors. It sucks when you forget to short them out.

[R12rules]

I was in an old Safeway Market. I mean O L D!

I was working with a buddy fixin' some stuff and I had this condensor circuit to trace out and move over in the Evap condensor.

I was POSITIVE I have the right line picked out to cut.


By the way ... jus so you knew guys will nt make the same error, "Ductape does NOT seal refrigerant leaks!!!"



Most of the rest of the stuff you guys shared ... been there/ done that.
Scary to think back on those incidents now and realise I walked away from all of them.

Amazing Grace ...

[alpha480v]

I was 1 year out of trade college.Was wiring in intake/exhaust fans for a bakery.I found out the expensive way(for my boss),what a "wild leg" is.A 120 volt motor doesn't run too long on 208 volts,lol!Burned up 2 motors that day.From that day on,I allways checked each phase to ground in a electrical panel before connecting!

[always learnin]

Did you ever see the sticker on a gas valve that says " don't short terminals on gas valve..... anticipator will burn out." Or words to that effect. Yep, they're right, been there done that!

[coldsnap]

Service Tech Law: if and when you unplug a freezer or sump pump to plug in a drop light, tie the cords together so you don't forget to plug it back in.........not that I've ever left one unplugged...ya know?

[thoglow]

I seen a guy use silver tape to repair an extention cord.Yes it does conduct electricity!

[madhat]

Was working on a RTU rebuilding a HW valve, in light rain. It started to pour, so I closed the unit up with tools inside the valve compartment. Go down the roof hatch. This piece of crap is hard to latch, so I give it a good slam so I don't have to swing it back open. Latched it the first time,

Right on the top of my head, was seeing stars two stories up.

[crab master]

Toasted more than one transformer, therefore I try to only buy ones with built in circuit breakers and try to make sure I have at least a spare. Also alot of times when doing PM's I would add an inline fuse if the transformer didn't have one. Too many jumpers just slipped off.

Working on a Honeywell Electronic Air Cleaner, homeowner said it wasn't popping anymore. Not light and no snap when I pushed the test button - Pulled it apart and made a few checks with my meter, incoming power was off, no voltage with a few other readings and as I looked closer I noticed a loose/disconnected wire so I reached in and pushed it on and KABAAAM! It felt like I just had been hit by a Defibrillator (as least as it looks on TV). I couldn't breathe for a few seconds and luckily I was squatting at the time, kind of sitting on my heals, cause then I saw stars and I know it took me at least a couple of minutes to even recover. That really friggin' hurt! Put the EAC back together, and it worked and found the test button didn't work as the metal shorting piece was bent, fixed that as well, but from then on I always short EAC's whether I hear them snap or not. An insulated screwdriver shorting the capacitor(s) to ground is now my final check.

[madhat]

Got hit like that by a smoke eater, it was in a bar. The loaned me their aluminium step ladder. Since my Fibreglass was plastered with snow. Didn't tell me one of there drunks had bypassed the service switch, which was incredibly easy to do. It actually felt like my nerve endings extended down the ladder to the floor.

[Juleous]

One time I was servicing a Magic Pack unit by Armstrong, had the burner out and cleaned it put it all back together and forgot to do up the union. Turned on the unit and the gas actually lit off right out of the valve with me looking through the inspection hole. Holly crap I freaked hit the wall switch and thanked my lucky stars I didn't blow myself and the homeowner up.

Other time changed out a compressor on a multistage unit, at the end went to cut in the suction filter and put the tubing cutter on the wrong line. I caught myself just before I went through the line, then I thought is it gonna hold while I silfos over the groove I put in the pipe. It held fine while I brazed over the accident and no one ever knew.

[ChuckHVAC]

Two things I learned the hard way in my first year...first, Tie off your extension ladder! before cell phones on a cold, windy, winter night I was up there a couple hours before I got anybody to notice!
second, get the address, I spent a couple hours trying to find something wrong with a walk-in at the wrong Long John Silvers.

[Evogreen]

When digging a trench for a geothermal installation be sure to not bust open the septic tank. This happened to me and my crew the septic tank then leaked out into our trench and we had to work in it. It wasn't pretty.



Evan Bertrand
Green Living Supporter
http://evogreen.ca

[Joe Harper]

I changed the compressor on a 20 ton trane pkg unit. Got everything up and running. As I was removing my high side hose I found out that I had forgotten to put the schrader back in.

[Juleous]

I changed the compressor on a 20 ton trane pkg unit. Got everything up and running. As I was removing my high side hose I found out that I had forgotten to put the schrader back in.

That would have hurt, did you get burned? I had a schrader blow out on me one time burned my hand pretty good.

[ACFIXR]

Installing new ac for an elderly couple,while i'm doing the furnace they ask me to look at some outlets that are not working. Found a bad breaker. Well i was also in the panel putting in a breaker for the cu . Some how I put the new single pole breaker on the wrong leg of the panel and when i fired the furnace it fried everything. Seems that the circuit for the wall outlets and the circuit for my furnace shared the same common.oops.

[Texanna Slim]

Cleaning evaporator coil on rtu. "What the heck is this aluminum tube for?". Splish splash. "Man, I am doing a great job. Look at all this crud I'm getting out of here!"
Meanwhile, All heck is breaking lose downstairs.

Cover or dis-able smoke detector. Lesson learned.

Worst thing I've done (that I know of).

[73Stingray]

run a brand new fluke meter through a conveyor oven.

Cool...and I thought running my adjustable wrench thru one and burning the rubber grips of it was bad..lol

[houtonjr]

Was working on a hp in tbar once disconnect was across attic and didnt want to move ladder (mistake #1) took off service door went to reach in (mistake #2) to check for voltage one arm was on a light fixture other arm hit a 65 mfd cap held me as i screamed like a lil girl (mistake #3) cuz now everytime i go in supply house my names gone from don to donna

Always disconnect power

[73Stingray]

Was working on a hp in tbar once disconnect was across attic and didnt want to move ladder (mistake #1) took off service door went to reach in (mistake #2) to check for voltage one arm was on a light fixture other arm hit a 65 mfd cap held me as i screamed like a lil girl (mistake #3) cuz now everytime i go in supply house my names gone from don to donna

Always disconnect power

I always try to remember to check even after the breaker is off, as someone once told me that they had a faulty breaker on a 3 phase line and one phase was still live even after the breaker was off.:eek2:

[madhat]

Have a job with six RTU, last year we made over a dozen calls there, from t-stat settings, plus they were 1 stage heat, hooked to 2 stages. After a weekend call, from security of 85 degrees in building, yes all the t-stats were set there. Boss agreed we need to do something, told him to tell me, so I can get the stats and pre-program them. Also do a specific user guide, and tech programming guide. He ordered the T-stats, and sent me out like it was a "Cold" call, wanted maint. done too, all in eight hours. Was rolling right along on the job, one Government worker kept telling me to come back, he was busy. Called the boss on him, as I needed to finish and the guy copped an attitude. Also he had the auto light switches taped over, I'm installing the stat in the dark, go to the unit and re- wired it, turned the disconnect on, tranny goes up in smoke. I'm like WTF, had done five already. Looked and the t-stat cable was slightly different from the others, yep, I'd wired the t-stat up wrong, miss read the colors. Needless to say it was 9.5 hours instead of 8. I was chomping at the bit to get done, so I could go out of town.

[marter]

woah this must have been my first post :O
im 27 now

[overhaul]

Screw ups are how you learn. I aways tell the apprentices that you just get better at covering up your mistakes as you get more experiance. The one that stand out the most in the early years to me are the mall repairs. Miles of units all the same, I remember replacing a compressor in the wrong unit. Yes the compressor was faulty but it was another tenents unit LOL. I laugh' feeling good about doing a great job and getting the call the next day saying "we don't see any difference since your guy was here".

[hvac4$]

I do this at least once a year. Make a nice beautiful flare connection then realize I forgot to slide the flare nut on first. :(
Another time I had a Mammoth 60 ton hp with a bad smoke detector tied to a smoke relay. Ill just jump out the relay til I get a new smoke head...Jumped out the coil side of the relay...Had to come back to the unit with a new smoke head and a new control fuse.

[ACFIXR]

Screw ups are how you learn. I aways tell the apprentices that you just get better at covering up your mistakes as you get more experiance. The one that stand out the most in the early years to me are the mall repairs. Miles of units all the same, I remember replacing a compressor in the wrong unit. Yes the compressor was faulty but it was another tenents unit LOL. I laugh' feeling good about doing a great job and getting the call the next day saying "we don't see any difference since your guy was here".


LOL, I had alot of units on top of a car dealearship and would frequently fix a different unit that wasnt working. It really is pretty humiliating to hear that it still isnt working the next day.

[hmscool]

wokn in the ghetto in the dark. went on a no heat call. charge call.......fixed heat in wrong apt....we had to call cust first when en route. after an hour and a half dispatch calls and says customer in apt e cwaitng for me to arrive. i was finishing replacing gas valve and lead in apt f...oops. to make it worse,i needed a gas valve for the original call and was out of truck stock....oops again.:eek2::oops:

[wwa-crazymofo]

ya try changing out the wrong condenser and the crane already gone with there old dead condenser omg

[knewguy]

Toasted more than one transformer, therefore I try to only buy ones with built in circuit breakers and try to make sure I have at least a spare. Also alot of times when doing PM's I would add an inline fuse if the transformer didn't have one. Too many jumpers just slipped off.

Working on a Honeywell Electronic Air Cleaner, homeowner said it wasn't popping anymore. Not light and no snap when I pushed the test button - Pulled it apart and made a few checks with my meter, incoming power was off, no voltage with a few other readings and as I looked closer I noticed a loose/disconnected wire so I reached in and pushed it on and KABAAAM! It felt like I just had been hit by a Defibrillator (as least as it looks on TV). I couldn't breathe for a few seconds and luckily I was squatting at the time, kind of sitting on my heals, cause then I saw stars and I know it took me at least a couple of minutes to even recover. That really friggin' hurt! Put the EAC back together, and it worked and found the test button didn't work as the metal shorting piece was bent, fixed that as well, but from then on I always short EAC's whether I hear them snap or not. An insulated screwdriver shorting the capacitor(s) to ground is now my final check.

Been there done that. Went out on a furnace clean and check. I always
started by pulling the filter, in this case it was an EAC. I was told to always
short them out with a screw driver,(cell to case) never had a problem before.
I did notice 2 things, strange the cell was in backwards and it didn't discharge when I ground the cell, so I thinking that the EAC is not working.
BOY was I wrong felt like a horse kick me in the head, saw stars for a good 5 minutes. Learned a important lesson always treat EAC's with respect.

[smokies]

Everyones done something stupid. When our younger guys get upset with themselves, I give them one of my stories. They usually say "yeah, at least I didn't do that."

Here's one -
I met my buddy at a small job. We were to change out one low tonnage unit on a roof. We got the unit down and this older guy asked if he could have the unit. We didn't want to mess with it so, sure.We were out of our normal working area. Did a good job and got the unit up and running. My buddy looked over at another unit and asked, "why is the disconnect off on that other one?" Yep, changed out the wrong unit. The good unit was long gone in the back of some dude's truck. Had to buy new unit, pay for crane to travel again, and gave everyone a good chuckle.

Its times like these that you appreciate working for a good company.

Stories are priceless; you can't make this stuff up.

This trade will make you laugh or cry, the choice is yours.

[blue beast]

this is a great thread lmao! needless to say I have done most of the fu s talked about here.If u never make any mistakes u must not be doing anything , right.

[deux]

Rebuilt 180 ton centrifugal with helper. Packing up cannot find feeler gauge. Helper or myself have lost feeler gauge. Tear unit apart again. No gauge in unit. Get a few guys to come down and look. Nothing, no feeler gauge. Put chiller back together. Hmmm...... startup chiller. 3 weeks later chiller crashes. Found feeler gauge in chiller. Thank goodness I had a job when that happened!

[zgibson]

This happened earlier this week. Replaced two pretty old Norsaire rtus with new Seasons 4 units at one of our middle schools. Unknown and unseen by anyone, the ceiling grid in a hallway was actually anchored to one of the old units. Crane lifted the unit, there was a loud twaaaannnng, down came the ceiling. See the results in the two attached pictures. The facial expressions are priceless.. and all too familiar. :gah:

[ACFIXR]

zgibson

Looks like some of my ceilings after I fall of off my ladder.


They probably always had a noisey vibration in that hall and could never fiqure out where it came from!

[ChuckHVAC]

This happened earlier this week. Replaced two pretty old Norsaire rtus with new Seasons 4 units at one of our middle schools. Unknown and unseen by anyone, the ceiling grid in a hallway was actually anchored to one of the old units. Crane lifted the unit, there was a loud twaaaannnng, down came the ceiling. See the results in the two attached pictures. The facial expressions are priceless.. and all too familiar. :gah:

:LOL: Now that's funny! Only laughing with you, we've all been there! Maybe not exactly like that though!:LOL:

[fcs]

This happened earlier this week. Replaced two pretty old Norsaire rtus with new Seasons 4 units at one of our middle schools. Unknown and unseen by anyone, the ceiling grid in a hallway was actually anchored to one of the old units. Crane lifted the unit, there was a loud twaaaannnng, down came the ceiling. See the results in the two attached pictures. The facial expressions are priceless.. and all too familiar. :gah:

That is classic

[Danimal535]

R22 in a old residential condenser that was r501 semi hemi compressor had a hart attack

[thrashme]

for the future when your up on the roof,cycle the unit from the low voltage terminal strip....R to G fan..R to Y cool..R to W heat if the unit runs then you can concentrate on the stat or the wires to it.

Yeah, but...what about the t-stats that still have heat anticipators? Anybody else jumped a stat at the furnace or control panel and burned up a heat anticipator? .

Condemned a board on a neighbors furnace this summer, got a new one, put it in, still no fan. I went and checked the stat n& the G lead had snapped. No charge call, but felt pretty silly. No hard feelings, he later called me to change a system in a rental house of his.

Worse one I can remember...3 comps out, 2-20hp, 1-7.5hp, changed 1-20hp & 7.5hp same day, 3rd comp not available till next day. Started late, ended early in the morning. Told customer that they "would probably be ok till I got 3rd compressor". Forgot to tighten phase monitor on 20 hp. It tripped & locked out overnight & had a $24,000.00 loss on meat counter. Got a call early next morning & had a few choice words to say. Lesson learned ... always put oon invoices that "not responsible for product loss until all items listed as need to be fixed are corrected".

[blue beast]

was replacing and old carrier multizone gas fired rtu,disconnected gas piping inside unit expecting it to just slide out when the crane picked it,unknown to me was that the pipe had a set screw tightened to the pipe behind a panel that didnt look like it came off,when the crane grabbed it the pipe broke off at an elbow in the ceiling below and the unit looked like it was bungee jumping for about 15 secs.I just stood there with my jaw dropped,luckily no damage to bldg or occupants or us.I try never to assume anymore as u know what that makes u n me

[Big Unit]

I was a second year apprentice sent to program the controls on a cooling tower. I got mixed up on what tower was #1 and which was #2 and I accidentally programmed the valve to the #2 holding tank too open for either one of the towers. When I drained the towers all of the water went into one tank (No equalizer installed between the two) and flooded the whole mechanical room. Oh yeah, and we were on the 39th floor! I'm sure glad the plumber did his job right on that drain.

Also, be sure not to solder right next to a fire sprinkler!:eek2:

[blitz]

I dropped a brand new out of the box vanEE HRV from the ceiling. try to level it out, and one of the spring came off the hook and too the unit out of my hand. it did two pendulum swing, and drop of the ceiling before I can get down my ladder trying to save it. that unit cost $650 + time delay for the company... :( my boss wasn't a happy camper that day.

[Charlie Coy]

Put a 230V compressor in a 460V unit.

[ksagert]

The first one that came to mind was one that happened about a month ago. I had been sent about 1.5 hours out of town to install a bunch of equipment into a potato storage. The sparky had pulled some extra wire for me, and being the effecient guy I am, I eliminated some of the "extra wire". I began to test the equipment that I had installed, the sensors were reading properly, but I had a 24 VAC circuit that was messed up. I was thinking a staple was through the wire, or there was a short somewhere...don't forget about the "extra wires". Turns out after three trips out, two with my boss, about an hour on tech support, and a meeting with the electrician and owner of the building, I eliminated the wrong wires. It was a loooonnnngggg quiet ride back to town that night!