This article is part 3 in a 5-part series by Senior Refrigeration and HVAC Technician Jeremy Smith. Let's start with step#1 in the flowchart: Gather data. This is why we spend money on those fancy digital manifolds, shiny electrical meters, and other gadgets, widgets, and doodads. It isn't to brag about them on Facebook; it's […]

I watched an instructional video the other day where the guy kept palming his gauge manifold and CRANKING down on the valves when he closed them. I've seen techs use channel locks—and even vise grips—to tighten down their gauges “just in case” when they have a hard time finding a leak or a vacuum that […]

See the photo above? This is a unit we (my company) serviced for a commercial customer. It doesn't matter if we aligned the belt, dialed in the charge, cleaned the condenser (using THIS thorough process), and got the drain pan clean. We look like dummies because the panel fell off. Also, as you may notice, […]