Calibrated hands?

[sonc]

I'm an average mechanic on my best days, but do you guys touch the pipes before you put the gauges on? I've been trying for a couple years to check suction, liquid, comp shell or body with my hands and then checking with the thermocouple and I'm getting pretty damn close..The old boys I used to work with (and admired) always said " how's it feel?".. rather than "what's your subcooling?" I guess it gets instinctive after awhile.

[no8no3]

I cant keep my hands off a unit. If i lost my right hand i might not be able to work on these things. Of course most of my temp guesses are wildly inaccurate, and nobody should ever shelve their thermocouple for their hands. I cant help touching everything on a compressor, or the lines. I even find myself waving my hand over my neihbors unit walking by it to get to his back door.

[absrbrtek]

80% plus of the time I can feel an absorber or a chiller and tell you whats wrong with it. I then bring out the tools for show. Makes the customer feel like they got their monies worth if I use tools besides my hands, ears, and sight.

[bruiseandy]

Originally posted by no8no3
I even find myself waving my hand over my neihbors unit walking by it to get to his back door.

heh, i bet most of us do that.

[DeltaT]

Sorry. Misread your post. Thought it was an old girl friend trying to reach me.

Anyway, I have always done the same. First thing I do is listen, look and feel. Problem is I can do the same thing while trying to enjoy dinner in some restaurant and my mind wanders to the compressor short cycling on the package unit on the roof.

Weird, ever since I got in this business I can always tell the temp of where I am almost to the degree. I think your senses get heightened when you do a lot of trouble shooting. Drives me nuts sometimes.

[badboy]

Can't remember how many times my hands have found restrictions.
Ditto abs, can't pass one without a hand scan.

[caosesvida]

all the senses come into play with refer, thats one of the neat things with it.

[Ruzac]

Originally posted by caosesvida
all the senses come into play with refer, thats one of the neat things with it.

Did you miss-spell a word? Senses can seem heightened with reefer !!