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Learn the refrigeration cycle. You are working on something interesting, a VRF system. What do all the valves and chambers in that box do? Figure it out. Learn the PE graphs, pressure enthalpy, it tells you everything you need to know about what the refrigerant is doing, temperature, density, at all points of the refrigeration cycle. If you get it down pat, you will know what should be happening at every point of the system, what temps and pressures, and then be able to figure out what is not right.

Learn motors. Why do they turn? How do they start? What do capacitors do? Motor theory. There are good books on this.

Learn flow controls. Tx valves, all the pressure control valves and their application.

As for skills, good piping practice. Learn to control your flame and temperature when welding; nothing like changing a tx valve, sweat, in a hole where you have 4" of room. It takes a couple of years of welding practice to be able to do it quickly and without problems.

HVAC is about keeping people or equipment comfortable. Product refrigeration is more complex. Meat, vegetables, frozen products, all have characteristics that need to be accommodated. There are great engineering books from manufacturers that detail this.

It takes a while to learn all this stuff. Another thing to remember is that when the freezer quits you have to fix it. Air conditioning only needs to work when there are people there. The exigencies of product refrigeration are quite different.

Originally Posted by timebuilder

Amen to that.

We used to do the Philadelphia-area chain of gas stations that are the stepchildren of a large Philly refinery with the name of that large burning object in the sky as part of the business name.

There was a guy in charge that thought our trade should work for nothing, and that he knew as much as any tech. FINALLY, we jettisoned him, by going from reasonable estimates to sky-high prices, and he got so disgusted he stopped calling.

Blessed relief for ALL of us!!!!

I'm from Philly area. In fact I worked in that refinery many times when I was in the industrial gases business. I hate wearing nomax in the summer! Working the refrigeration trades in commercial settings is sooo much easier than work in any of the industrial plants whether it be oil or chemical. I don't miss it for a minute. I worked in every oil refinery from Delaware City, DE to Newark, NJ. And they are all old, especially Sun. Nuclear power plants are an entirely different animal.

Originally Posted by timebuilder

Amen to that.

We used to do the Philadelphia-area chain of gas stations that are the stepchildren of a large Philly refinery with the name of that large burning object in the sky as part of the business name.

There was a guy in charge that thought our trade should work for nothing, and that he knew as much as any tech. FINALLY, we jettisoned him, by going from reasonable estimates to sky-high prices, and he got so disgusted he stopped calling.

Blessed relief for ALL of us!!!!

I'm from Philly area. In fact I worked in that refinery many times when I was in the industrial gases business. I hate wearing nomax in the summer! Working the refrigeration trades in commercial settings is sooo much easier than work in any of the industrial plants whether it be oil or chemical. I don't miss it for a minute. I worked in every oil refinery from Delaware City, DE to Newark, NJ. And they are all old, especially Sun. Nuclear power plants are an entirely different animal.

Jump right in head first and fake it till you make it! Goodluck

Originally Posted by cavalieri85

Best advice dont get into gas station work. There are to many of them and open 24 hrs with 1 guy there with nothing to do but look for problems. And they don't care to call you out for something stupid cuse there not paying the bill. Lucky me the chain we did got bought out and we don't do it any more. Best day if my life!!!!!!!

Amen to that.

We used to do the Philadelphia-area chain of gas stations that are the stepchildren of a large Philly refinery with the name of that large burning object in the sky as part of the business name.

There was a guy in charge that thought our trade should work for nothing, and that he knew as much as any tech. FINALLY, we jettisoned him, by going from reasonable estimates to sky-high prices, and he got so disgusted he stopped calling.

Blessed relief for ALL of us!!!!

Best advice dont get into gas station work. There are to many of them and open 24 hrs with 1 guy there with nothing to do but look for problems. And they don't care to call you out for something stupid cuse there not paying the bill. Lucky me the chain we did got bought out and we don't do it any more. Best day if my life!!!!!!!

Originally Posted by mechAK47

Thanks,

I've heard its challenging to stay up to date with equipment. Do you have any method?

I had a similar training regiment; while working as an apprentice I took each and every part replaced by my boss home and disassembled the part noting how the part actually functioned. Yes I even took gas valves apart and cut a compressor open with a torch. When you do this and realize what these parts are doing inside and how or why they failed and then you will begin to get a handle on how the system in total functions. I remember on of the first compressors I cut open was replaced because as a 5 ton compress it was only drawing 10 amps and the pressures were equal. I found the connection to the piston snapped off, and the piston stuck in the cylinder. I figured it was just like a car I once owed that had a lubrication problem. That is how understanding starts, which leads to learning.


This was before electronics enter the market place, but in my opinion electronics made things easier to figure out. If don't think so maybe some day you will get a chance to work on a 25 ton Carrier roof top, all the wires are yellow with different paint strips which after time fade into different colors or no colors, the wiring diagrams always wore off the electrical door as some point or not so nice mechanics spray painted them over.

The way I stay abreast of new changes is via the manufacturers web sites and free training through distributers. Manufacturers also offer training at a cost, well worth it. You could also look up RSES as a source.

Read and learn. Some advice lost on most of the tradesmen who feel like they are becoming dinosaurs. When you are learning something new, your mind will fill with confusion, so many will say I can't learn this or too complex for me. With a little more thought and effort a bulb will go on in your head and the confusion will disappear, you have now learned something new. As one of my business mentors once told me "There really is no such thing as teaching, the student must learn for information to be passed to the next generation".

My best learning happened with OJT (on the job training) nothing like making mistakes you can get paid to make and paid to fix. Just don't ever tell the customer you made a mistake, if they are foreigners you will be getting calls a year later telling you that the case still isn't working right because of the mistake.

Originally Posted by mechAK47

Thanks,

I've heard its challenging to stay up to date with equipment. Do you have any method?

I agree with timebuilder. First thing I do is take a pic of the data plate with the phone or whatever I'm looking at. Google said item and download the book and read it over. If something I don't understand, I call someone who might know or come here. I have an hour and 15 minute drive in, so I have a lot of time to think things over.

First time seeing something, I will take 10-15 minutes to familiarize myself of what is where and what does what. Where line voltage is, secondary, relays, contactors, etc etc. Beyond that I just think of my feet a lot.

Don't be nosey but it you listen to/talk to the guys you work with a lot about stuff, you'd be surprised what kind of stuff you can hear and pick up on. Prior history if there is any is a great asset, so if possible keep a log of dates of things you've had problems with.

Originally Posted by mechAK47

Thanks,

I've heard its challenging to stay up to date with equipment. Do you have any method?

The first time you see something you have not seen before, get as much info as you can on it. Any literature or pdf's you can find. Go through it to see what, if anything, is new or different, such as methods of defrosting, head pressure control, box temp, etc.

Originally Posted by ryan1088

Just when you think that you have caught up and up to speed, something new comes out or you get tripped up and humbled. Never let it get you down and never forget how many times you've been humbled.

That is a reasonable and achievable goal, if you put the time and effort in.

Thanks,

I've heard its challenging to stay up to date with equipment. Do you have any method?

Originally Posted by mechAK47

I plan/hope within 5-10 years to have the experience and knowledge to know the systems inside out backwards and forwards that the next few decades I can be an expert that my clients will rely on. I don't think I would want to start a business myself but I would definitely want to be a partner.

Next few decades?

{sigh}

Well...don't mind me. Just jealous.

I suggest to start drinking coffee if don't already and a lot of it, prepare for sleepless nights.

Originally Posted by mechAK47

I plan/hope within 5-10 years to have the experience and knowledge to know the systems inside out backwards and forwards that the next few decades I can be an expert that my clients will rely on. I don't think I would want to start a business myself but I would definitely want to be a partner.

Just when you think that you have caught up and up to speed, something new comes out or you get tripped up and humbled. Never let it get you down and never forget how many times you've been humbled.

That is a reasonable and achievable goal, if you put the time and effort in.

I plan/hope within 5-10 years to have the experience and knowledge to know the systems inside out backwards and forwards that the next few decades I can be an expert that my clients will rely on. I don't think I would want to start a business myself but I would definitely want to be a partner.

Our restaurants close after 10 pm, and the Co that owns them is 100% adverse to OT.

I was asked if I worked on impingers, and I said, "nope."

Originally Posted by hurtinhvac

Why on earth would you want to get called to a Taco Bell at 2:00 in the morning and wallow around on a greasy floor while wrestling with unmaintained equipment with a still pubescent "manager" getting upity and insisting that he/she needs this equipment yesterday...?

Hang on there ...... been at it almost 30 years...... i know about 50% of what I need to know..... trade changing fast... as far as taco bell ..... well i do not like tacos.....

Originally Posted by hurtinhvac

I guess I started way too late. If I was well versed in "R", icemakers, fryers etc...having started in my twenties; I guess I could run a call in the wee hours now and again. Being able to work smarter and not harder and all that...

I'm too old for that stuff at this point and am ok with it. I've long since acquired the house, trucks, nice cars for the Mrs. and the other spoils we enjoy...

Certainly didn't mean to knock the folks who do it or anyone who wants to take it on. More power to you, by all means; and I regret my previous post appears kind of flip upon further review.

Don't sweat it. For me, work is work. I used to get upset when I was younger about having to go out in the middle of the night. Don't bother me anymore and I make sure it's worth my while

I guess I started way too late. If I was well versed in "R", icemakers, fryers etc...having started in my twenties; I guess I could run a call in the wee hours now and again. Being able to work smarter and not harder and all that...

I'm too old for that stuff at this point and am ok with it. I've long since acquired the house, trucks, nice cars for the Mrs. and the other spoils we enjoy...

Certainly didn't mean to knock the folks who do it or anyone who wants to take it on. More power to you, by all means; and I regret my previous post appears kind of flip upon further review.

The guys with thousands in product on the line are usually able to pay you, too.

It's the old phrase "if they call, you gotta go". If you don't, someone else will an then you might have lost a customer. Saving thousands of dollars of product is pretty high on the list too.