Philosophy Of Troubleshooting

[NormChris]

Here are a few things to think about. Perhaps some of you can add to these.

1) Similarity is not identity!

Because you had a previous system with similar symptoms and found and fixed the problem does not mean the next system with similar symptoms has the same cause. That is operating on the assumption that similarity is identity. That is not troubleshooting.

2) Symptoms are not the cause!

Don't confuse the symptoms of the cause with the cause of the symptoms. Treating the symptoms may make one or more of the symptoms go away but it does not remove the problem. In fact, it probably inserts yet another problem and the whole problem is compounded. Know the difference between symptoms and the cause of the symptoms. Some doctors treat the symptoms instead of finding the cause. We need to be better than that.


Got any more?

[hvac45]

1st thing in trouble shooting, understand the sequence of operation, 2nd thing, identify and understand what purpose each component in the system does and how it can affect the operation. If you know this you can fix anything, there is more but I will let someone else add to it.

[coolwhip]

Its amazing what your ears can tell you. Carpenters always get pissed when I turn off their radio to do my start up or service.

[hvac45]

I was wondering if someone would mention your senses, its amazing what you find without even picking up a tool.

[icemeister]

Communicate.....Ask questions of those who use the equipment or system before you do anything. If you get a first-hand description of what they have observed, you often can get to the cause of a problem a lot faster.

[ozone drone]

Originally posted by hvac45
I was wondering if someone would mention your senses, its amazing what you find without even picking up a tool.

Amen....smelling a cooked transformer,contactor coil or motor windings.

feeling vibrations,knocks,pulsations..temps

all senses but taste.

[rob10]

1. Feeling: Vibes from the unit.

2. Hearing: Very important. A good tech can usually know if a unit is under stress from its harmonics.

3. Smell: Phosgene gas. Burnt oil. Electrical frying.

4. Taste. Well, taste is a little far out there but it does have its place.


5. Sight. Damned hard to do it without sight. Not saying impossible.

[Shophound]

3) Gather up as much data as possible (write it down!) during your analysis to back up your conclusion.

4) Don't assume anything! Verify everything!

5) When you get stumped, back down. Hardest thing to do in a time crunch but the time spent on a break is time saved when you return to the job and nail it.

[R12rules]

KISS

[rob10]

Anticipate the worst but look for the simple stuff first.

[otto]

I always try not to look at previous service history until AFTER I have gone over the system. Many times a service history will lead you down the wrong trail and you may overlook something important.

I always start with airflow then go to the condenser.

[NormChris]

Originally posted by otto
I always try not to look at previous service history until AFTER I have gone over the system. Many times a service history will lead you down the wrong trail and you may overlook something important.

I always start with airflow then go to the condenser.

I would not go to you if you were a doctor! I want to know as much as possible beforehand. History is very useful but you need to be mature enough to continue thinking outside the box and not be easily misled by the past.

The same goes for people. It is helpful to know about their past but not let their past prevent them from moving forward.


Norm

[otto]

pretty hard on me there Norm. Notice, I said I don't look at the history until after I look at the system. Of course I know that history is important. I am saying that I like to draw my own conclusions based on information that I collect and not based on a previous service call.

PS: If I were a doctor, I would look at your history but also look at your current complaint. When you come in with a cold it is irrelevant that you had gout last year.