chiller work ?

[newbe0507]

it seems that chiller work is a alot more complicated than your typical rtu split a/c work , the controllers logic and programming is definitely more sophsticated, i've been studing IOM's, you have rerfrig. economizers, interstage cooling, external olil pumps, obviously bigger compressors and such, oil seperator, the safety protocals are enormous and the centrfical's well it's a machine i've only seen a hand full of times, is chiller guys considered the best of the best and the work as well, can you make top dollar doing the other stuff, i've heard it's alot of rigging involved, so what do the chiller mechanic's think, if i guy who's been in the trade awhile how long would it take to be proficient with the work ?

[DFZ]

personally I love chiller work,

each person is different

making top dollar is dependent on ability
even chiller crews have dead weight

if you are mechanically inclined, like using your brain, you may enjoy it

becoming proficient depends on the person,
I picked it up quick, but I'm not normal, lol

[coolerinfrederick]

I guess you're right, to each his own, and if you are happy with what you are working on then I guess it doesn't matter, I'd like to work on them a bit more thoughat the same time I'm good with what I'm doing now, just not sure about the big sh** yet, I mean walking up to a 400 ton air cooled chiller can be intimadating with little experince on those kind of machines but I guess it was kinda like that when I first moved into a van from appertinceship

[CumulusMech]

personally I love chiller work,

each person is different

making top dollar is dependent on ability
even chiller crews have dead weight

if you are mechanically inclined, like using your brain, you may enjoy it

becoming proficient depends on the person,
I picked it up quick, but I'm not normal, lol

And sometimes the ego goes with the size of the machine , lol .

[klove]

if i guy who's been in the trade awhile how long would it take to be proficient with the work ?

Depends on what you consider proficient. I'm going on 35 years at it, and I've gotten to the point that my week just ain't complete unless at least once in that time period it feels like somebody took my brain out, turned it around, and left the dumb part in the front.........

[york56]

I always enjoyed working on Chillers you will have to think more about why things do what they do and why they do it , more electronics more problems most people are afraid of the larger equipment one thing I have learned over the years is respect what your working on no matter what size it is it can kill you either way.

[maxster]

chillers come with building engineers so you know somebody is meeting right in the door and has tried resets and checking of towers for the techs info.then when they have stand-by chillers and they won't let you start one, and want the tripped unit fixed that is a head trip....as they say chiller guys are the best "cheaters" when getting a machine back up on line you learn the machine pretty fast being in that type of enviorment thru a summer.

[Doesn'tPhaseMe]

If my office called and said they have 2 service calls, a 1000 ton centrifugal or a 10 ton rtu and take your pick. Without any hesitation at all it would be the centrifugal.

It's more challanging work that keeps your brain from turning into baby food. You work on the same accounts and machines for years, learn the sites and their quirks. Then most of the time you know what is wrong before you get there.

[heavymetaldad]

You work on the same accounts and machines for years, learn the sites and their quirks. Then most of the time you know what is wrong before you get there.

heh heh heh.................

[york56]

Chillers by far would be my first choise but as we all know there are Chiller guys that don't know other smaller pieces of equipment and also guys that only work on smaller pieces of equipment that don't work on Chillers. That doesn't make them any less of a technician it could be as simple as not being exposed to what there working on or familiar with that piece of equipment anyone who knows it all should send a signal to that person to beware. Because I know we have all ran into this guy at one time in our career.

[Traneguy1]

i prefer to work on chillers, high and low pressure, over rtus any day of the week. ive seen our top techs get stumped on a small precendent unit cuz they never work on them. luckily ive been fortunate to have worked on evrything from a ptac to a 2500 ton low pressure duplex, and everything in between. like everything its gonna take time to be proficient on a certain piece of equipment. if you have the opportunity, get out there and do it.

[chillerguy81]

I think the mechanical aspect of chiller work is wat draws me to it. I'd love to have enough chiller work that I wouldn't have to do anything else, but in my small town the factory guys get most of it, and there isn't that much to go around. I do probably 90% "heavy commercial work", and would probably get my ass kicked if I had to troubleshoot a mini split or something like that. On the other hand, some of the other guys at my shop would probably pee there pants if they walked into one of my mechanical rooms just because of the size of the equipment. No one knows it all, you just have to find your nitch and get comfortable with it I guess.

[turbovac]

it is probably my age showing but i still perfer low pressure chillers, use to go
from tear down to tear down but now i like a rpm or two between them, what-
ever you do be the very best at it. when your customer says we will wait until he is available or the office sends you a $100.00 gift slip to Lowe`s after a jobis done, it helps