Building manager calls Monday morning, says the second floor is 81 degrees. You know what that means. Here's what worked for me. First, I check the Trane RTU on the roof. I see the contactor for the compressor is pitted. That's a problem. My dad always said, start simple. So I measure the voltage at the contactor. It's 230V. Okay, power is there. Then I check the contactor coil. It reads open. That's why the compressor won't start. I replace the contactor. Then I check the system. It's running fine now. Building manager is happy. You might be tempted to skip the simple checks. Don't. Start with the basics. It saves time and money. This is what we do. We fix it.
Common Mistakes
You see a lot of mistakes in this trade. Here are some I see too often.
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Calling for a new chiller when the problem is a bad contactor. *
Not checking the basics first. *
Using the wrong tools for the job. *
Not knowing your equipment. *
Skipping the manual.
That last one is important. The manual tells you everything you need to know. Don't ignore it.
Tools of the Trade
You need the right tools for this job. Here's what I carry every day.
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Fluke 902 clamp meter *
Klein 11055 strippers *
Knipex pliers wrenches *
Yellow Jacket manifold
These are the tools that get the job done. Don't skimp on your tools. They're your livelihood.
The Contactors
Contactors are simple devices. But they're critical. Here's what you need to know.
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They're switches for high voltage. *
They can fail in many ways. *
They're easy to test. *
They're cheap to replace.
Don't overlook them. They're often the problem.
The Fix
Here's how I fixed that Trane RTU.
1.
I checked the voltage at the contactor. It was 230V. 2.
I checked the contactor coil. It was open. 3.
I replaced the contactor. 4.
I checked the system. It was running fine.
That's it. Simple. Direct. That's how we do it.
The Lesson
The lesson here is simple. Start with the basics. Check the simple things first. Don't jump to conclusions. And always, always know your equipment. That's how you fix things right. That's how you save time and money. That's how you keep the building manager happy.
The Bottom Line
You need to know your equipment. You need to know your tools. You need to know the basics. That's how you fix things. That's how you get the job done. That's what we do. We fix it.
The Caution
This advice won't work for every problem. Sometimes the issue is more complex. Sometimes you need more than a new contactor. But always start simple. Always check the basics. That's the best advice I can give you.
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