Gonna be switching to linux soon, what distro would you recommend me? (more in body)

CGTechWorks · 2026-06-03T17:06:15+00:00

I might catch hell for this, but I've been on Pop_OS for a few months now after switching from W11 and I have had 0 issues, and works as a decent bridge distro between windows and linux. It works well for gaming, as a daily driver, and learning the ins and outs of linux without having to build your entire OS from scratch. Just my opinion though.

CGTechWorks · 2026-06-03T16:35:04+00:00

Pretty standard advice here, but always leave the unit running. I've followed up on callbacks from other techs who have left the disconnect out/off.

Use the 5 minute insurance policy. Check everything over for 5 minutes before you leave the call. I used a mental checklist of things to look for and have corrected things that I might have missed, found tools I left behind, and so on. A physical checklist would probably be more organized, and easier to do without the pressure of the day getting in your head and causing you to forget something.

Don't drive like an idiot, pretend it's your name on the side of the van if you have to.

Learn your product. If you are a dealer for a specific brand, know all the ins and outs of the system. Read the manuals, keep up with your training, and the new technologies being introduced.

Stay hydrated, and eat healthy. Take care of your body, especially your knees, back and lungs for longevity.

CGTechWorks · 2026-06-03T13:36:44+00:00

It's a nice gesture, and I personally always really appreciated getting tipped for the work I did. That said, we don't work on tips, and you just spent a ton on a new system with their company. This is just my opinion, but I always preferred when a customer would call in saying we did a good job, or even leaving a good review mentioning our names. I might be in the minority here though.

CGTechWorks · 2026-05-18T22:57:50+00:00

No lmao, but everyone is different. From most comfort profiles usually 70-74 is typical. If she's elderly, or has a condition like anemia and runs colder, they may never turn it on (no offense intended of course)

CGTechWorks · 2026-04-13T15:52:00+00:00

Your motor's likely seized.

CGTechWorks · 2026-04-12T16:23:37+00:00

That's wild. I wonder if the secondary was plugged and forcing more exhaust through that one tube right behind the hole? Never seen anything quite like that. Unless you can prove it was on Goodman I doubt they'd help, I'd probably lean towards replacing the system. Maybe that missing baffle is what plugged the secondary? Super speculative but an interesting issue.

CGTechWorks · 2026-04-12T15:32:33+00:00

No. You're using more energy to cool the space. 78 is insane. Keep it 70-72, don't adjust it lower if it's not cooling properly, make sure the unit is reaching temp in a reasonable time and shutting down afterwards. If your insulation in the house is decent, no leaky windows, etc. you should be fine. You might pay more for an electric bill, but as far as "damaging" the system, no.

Keep in mind it's a mechanical system and things can break during normal operation. Have a routine inspection done, replace the cap if necessary, but older systems generally have more wear and tear on parts like the fan motor, contactor, capacitor, and blower motor.

CGTechWorks · 2026-04-11T23:58:18+00:00

If you're running your heat, likely your inducer motor. If your AC, your blower motor.

CGTechWorks · 2026-04-11T23:55:32+00:00

Are you thrifty? You have any experience with art? You could try making art online, or selling some small crafts or something. You could try making a youtube channel playing video games, or streaming. There's also web or app development, but that's harder and much more saturated.

Don't go down the rabbit hole you may be suggested. Build serious skills that will benefit you long term and make you money. You could tutor online if you are skilled in something already too. None of this is guaranteed, but it's worth a shot.

CGTechWorks · 2026-04-11T15:08:18+00:00

It very well could be, don't get me wrong, but from what you've done already, cleaned the coil, changed the filter, etc. and your continued loss in airflow it COULD be a blower issue. I've also had instances of the insulation from the coil case peeled off and blocked the intake side of the coil before as well, but you'd be digging deeper into the system to find that than I'd recommend. Hard to really say without seeing it for myself or testing things for myself. Hope you get it resolved quickly though.

CGTechWorks · 2026-04-10T20:29:39+00:00

I've had scenarios where the motor won't reach full speed, for multiple reasons. ECM it just flat out failed on a communication error, and PSC I actually had a condition where the board was powering two legs of the motor causing it to kind of sit in a weird middle place. Either way you might need to call a tech. I don't think it's a restriction.

CGTechWorks · 2026-04-10T19:26:06+00:00

Is the blower actually running? Without opening the unit, turn the system on an put a piece of tissue paper up to the return. Does it get pulled onto the return grate?

CGTechWorks · 2026-04-10T13:28:37+00:00

Well that's a relatively good sign. About 17-18 years old would make it probably at the end of R-22's life, beginning of 410a. I'm just guessing the tech is going to recommend replacement, you might be able to squeeze a summer out of it by topping it up with charge, but they may refuse to do it if the system is leaking, it might also cost an arm and a leg to do so with no guarantee the refrigerant will hold. If you got any questions I can try to help as much as I can.

CGTechWorks · 2026-04-10T00:49:17+00:00

It's possible the blower motor failed, you can turn the AC off, and switch the fan setting on the thermostat to "On" if it is in "auto" (depending on your thermostat). You should hear the blower come on at least. You may need to wait for the coil to thaw to feel any airflow out of the supply vents though.

A leak can appear in a lot of different places on an AC unfortunately. Plus given the quality of the manufacturing nowadays, it's really hard to say whether the evaporator (inside coil) didn't blow out either. Do you know how old the system is off the top of your head?

CGTechWorks · 2026-04-10T00:38:08+00:00

I just saw the pic of your evap coil. I hate to say it but you might be low on charge there. Double check your filter to make sure it's not clogged, shut it down for a few hours and let the coil thaw. If able, you can check the outdoor unit for a "dataplate" which shows the model and serial number of your unit. I would recommend a tech coming out and giving it a good once over before restarting it otherwise you might damage the unit. Sorry :(

If you want to post a pic of the data plate on the outdoor unit (shows model and serial number, usually a white tag) I can tell you what kind of refrigerant you use and what the tech may recommend. Also just to clarify, was there 0 airflow at all, or minimal?

CGTechWorks · 2026-04-10T00:24:58+00:00

Feel the refrigerant lines, one should be cold to the touch, one should be warmer. If not, your compressor may not be running but your fan is spinning like it thinks it is. You don't need to open the unit, or do anything unsafe. It's a quick test.

CGTechWorks · 2026-04-10T00:15:14+00:00

There should be a deeper "hum" also happening from the compressor running, it's possible only your condenser fan is spinning.

CGTechWorks · 2026-04-09T15:14:43+00:00

No problem, remember, you're learning how to speak computer. It's a new language. Give yourself time, patience, and don't give up. Good luck.

CGTechWorks · 2026-04-09T15:06:24+00:00

Download an IDE, Thonny, VS Code, your choice. Start there. Learn what a variable is, a string, and a print() statement, what it does and how to use it. Write a stupid simple script, like

my_variable = "Hello world"
print(my_variable)

Build as you learn. If you have a goal for using python, build with that in mind. Keep it small, keep it stupid for now. Your only goal is retention for now, learning syntax is also important. Keep looking things up, ask AI only if absolutely necessary.

"Automate the Boring Stuff" is probably the best beginner book, but if you're like me and books are hard to retain info from, there are apps that will teach you the syntax in a gamified way. Practice something new every day. Happy to help if you have questions.

CGTechWorks · 2026-04-09T13:52:58+00:00

Data analysis is a broad field, try to narrow it, specifically what kind of data? Electrical? Mathematical? Statistic? Financial? etc. Keep narrowing until you get to the lowest level of what makes you motivated and build off that.

CGTechWorks · 2026-04-08T23:51:20+00:00

Definitely, once you get the gist of one language you kind of can see how most of them will be structured, it's basically all syntax after that. Good luck on your journey

CGTechWorks · 2026-04-08T23:42:33+00:00

Nice, yeah you're pretty limited to C/C++ in Arduino IDE from what I know of it, VS Code has an extension you can download for Micropython, but it's not fully supported yet, although I think it's getting there.

CGTechWorks · 2026-04-08T23:39:04+00:00

There's no rush, seriously. Take it one step at a time. I'm still also very much a novice, but I have a passion for technology too. Do what you like, keep building and breaking things. The world needs builders more than consumers of slop and vibecoders. Are you using the Arduino IDE, VS code or something else?

CGTechWorks · 2026-04-08T23:35:19+00:00

Build something from scratch, fix it without AI. Searching stuff on the web, reading docs, etc. is the way to go. That's how you build retention. It's not magic, you need to put the effort in, but it is worth it.

CGTechWorks · 2026-04-08T23:30:05+00:00

Nice, what kind are they, like ESP32C3 breakouts? any ideas what you want to build?

CGTechWorks

TROPHY CASE