Roof Top Units

Doc Holliday · 09-08-2011, 04:46 PM

See? Roof top units.

And Around the corner..

And of course some more.

All the friggin' same units, too and of course the one I had to work on was not marked. Second trip out there today. owner of loft said that maintenance said there were clearly marked and thus was upset with me. I took pictures this time to prove otherwise and then called the property manager. Someone is up poo creek.

This is the set of four that were undeniably unmarked. Luckily the owner met me there and was inside the property and on the phone with me so I had her turn it on and off so I could confirm her unit.

Doc Holliday · 09-08-2011, 04:50 PM

And now not only the unit but her disconnect is clearly marked.

Not marked.

Marked.

Doc Holliday · 09-08-2011, 04:53 PM

It was low on charge but the actual property had been vacant for some months and before that the owner had never had any troubles, her living there since '06. I charged it up and told her we'll have to wait and see how long it lasts.

Jackofall1 · 09-08-2011, 04:54 PM

What an extreem waste of energy, a single chilled water system would be so much more efficient, guess the constructor didn't want to have chilled water piping running throughout the building.

Mark

Doc Holliday · 09-08-2011, 05:01 PM

The most extreme waste of energy was the lead maintenance guy and the rude young lady behind the front counter telling me with a certain airy snotty confidence that all units were clearly marked. I asked if they had been marked since I was up there a few days ago and they said no, they are marked.

And the owner was upset with me as if I lied to her. Why would I do that? It's a friggin' long haul out there with all my tools and drum of refrigerant, why would I want to do that repeatedly?

Why I called the property mananger and told her to get some new maintenance guys, these guys were worthless and lied not only to an owner of a loft in this high dollar establishment but to myself as well.

That entire scenario was a waste of energy.

Doc Holliday · 09-08-2011, 05:24 PM

Sorry, I'm really agitated over that.

You see a lot of units set like that on condos and lofts around here. Heaven forbid someone hang a picture on a wall with a long nail and cause a leak.

Marty S. · 09-08-2011, 05:43 PM

Got a few places like that myself Doc. Disconnecting G at the stat and watching to see which one frosts the suction line narrows things down quickly if it runs. I carry a paint pen in the tool pouch,markers sun fade.

hvactech126 · 09-08-2011, 06:36 PM

so, you charged it up? How low was it? You told the owner you'll just have to wait and see how long it lasts? No leak search? I mean, I understand if the owner declined the leak search, but otherwise one should have been at least suggested, IMO.

biggles · 09-08-2011, 07:45 PM

how tall is that place those are some runs,there split sytems you'll give a commercial tech a heart attack if you call them rooftops just because there on a roof....the start up tech should of taken the last 4 numbers of the serial number on the condenser and wrote it inside the stat cover...and made a diagram all billable time walking around..the majic marker will not last will bleach out...what a nightmare

Doc Holliday · 09-08-2011, 10:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by biggles

how tall is that place those are some runs,there split sytems you'll give a commercial tech a heart attack if you call them rooftops just because there on a roof....the start up tech should of taken the last 4 numbers of the serial number on the condenser and wrote it inside the stat cover...and made a diagram all billable time walking around..the majic marker will not last will bleach out...what a nightmare

I'm no stranger to true rtu's myself. I've hung 200 tons as well as various commercial split applications and installed probably around 100 actual package rtu's. The sarcasm was not only my thread title but my opening line in the thread, "See, rtu's."

As for the magic marker I'm well aware of the sun fading it, why I marked it in multiple places on the condenser: the lid, the sides of the service panel, inside the service area and on the disconnect on the under hang of the cover meaning where it slants backwards and faces downwards versus on top.

It'll fade indefinitely but hopefully well before that the retard derilect below mediocre maintenance guys will do their jobs and mark them all properly.

There was another a/c tech on the roof, showed up just as I was packing up. I made small talk with the guy and asked him if he found his condenser easily enough. He said, "This time." He ended up being an outside hvac contractor for the property and works there periodically. After I told him of my situation he said that more than a few units are completely mislabeled as well as a lot being not marked at all. We both laughed as he agreed with me when I said those maintenance guys are a joke.

It was nice to see another tech out there. Would've been cooler to see Batman though.

Doc Holliday · 09-08-2011, 10:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hvactech126

so, you charged it up? How low was it? You told the owner you'll just have to wait and see how long it lasts? No leak search? I mean, I understand if the owner declined the leak search, but otherwise one should have been at least suggested, IMO.

It was suggested as I told her that refrigerant systems are not meant to leak in any manner and more than likely this will leak out again and the leak will have to be found and repaired but she did not have the time which is why we left it as such.

She was oh so terribley cute (as well as extremely wealthy) in her horse riding gear so who was I to disagree?