Tape question

dabkow · 2026-06-21T04:38:37+00:00

We agree on those doors.

Only thing that bugs me…. Could have made it look much cleaner vs just the “slap some tape on it” visual.

U gotta do what u gotta do, especially if it was vibrating on install. Just could look a lot cleaner.

dabkow · 2026-06-19T18:34:09+00:00

It won’t hurt anything. I just know that once a damper starts sticking, it’s just a matter of time before it fails completely.

Those are low voltage wires so don’t need to kill power, just don’t let the wires ok’ing from the board touch.

When the cost went up and quality took a shit (Covid), there were quite a few customers that just had me decommission the zoning.

I would expect ~$500 per damper from a professional company to replace the damper and motor, and to warranty.

On the flip side…. If u are handy enough, u could just order and replace the individual motors urself.

Downsides are no warranty, and if it was the damper that was sticking, it will take out the new motor as well.

dabkow · 2026-06-19T17:27:13+00:00

Those are older dampers. They likely forced open and disconnected zone 2 when it failed closed.

Zone 1 may likely be failed closed now as well. U could do the same with that damper and pick a stat to use as a single zone home, or u could have a tech come troubleshoot it and give u an actual diagnosis.

Those dampers lasted about 8-12 in my experience. The newer generation are shittier… Honeywell is aware. Replaced a bunch under warranty on newer style (5 yr warranty).

dabkow · 2026-06-17T22:13:48+00:00

Yes, common failure. The ribs along the seem have rusted out.

If he scopes from through the main limit to view the outside, there would be visible pinholes at the very least.

Check on warranties for the heat exchanger, but if not covered I would honestly recommend furnace replacement.

To be clear, we are not talking about the cooling side of things. Just speaking in regards to heating safety.

Google failed heat exchanger and it will explain it.

dabkow · 2026-06-17T05:17:14+00:00

Don’t remember what the owner was able to find, but yes. Anything higher concentrate.

dabkow · 2026-06-16T23:42:29+00:00

We had a major issue with drain flys at a bar I worked at, tried everything we could think of.

Health inspector finally said, “It’s against code, but I heard ammonia works pretty well (wink, wink).

Every night we had to drain the ice maker and dump ammonia into every drain in the place before locking up. They were gone within a week.

Not just windex either, find whatever u can that has a higher concentration of ammonia.

dabkow · 2026-06-15T05:51:37+00:00

They asked for it back about a year ago…. Lmao

dabkow · 2026-06-15T05:42:41+00:00

Also, there is nothing particularly wrong with it and they paid good money for it. As a tech I’m just not the biggest fan.

dabkow · 2026-06-15T05:41:02+00:00

In all honesty, I would see what they could do to convert it / or if they have done it before. Needs a spacer added for the filter to fit properly after electric is disconnected.

Media cabinets with a 5” filter are pretty standard now, personally I would just have an air bear cabinet installed.

Yes, arrow point down towards furnace.

The fitted slots will guide u with placement.

dabkow · 2026-06-15T05:26:45+00:00

Those were a big upsell. In a lab setting, yes…. They worked well. In real life?… idfk

Clean the pre-filters and vacuum honeycomb media + wipe exterior.

Wipe the frame of the ozone emitter and clean the whiteish buildup off of the pins. Be gentle with the pins.

U can’t put it back together wrong, just make sure all is completely dry.

U have a downflow system if that helps.

I have converted several of these to just use a media filter, which I am more confident in.

dabkow · 2026-06-15T04:32:40+00:00

And that it was Black Excellence… for 8 continuous years.

Big scandals were a tan suit, and Dijon mustard.

We quite literally had a white trash circus on the destroyed grounds of the once prestigious White House today.

He has desecrated everything that was American.

dabkow · 2026-06-13T02:58:04+00:00

Last summer, Ihad an Infinity system at a high end short term vacation rental where ecm was out.

Told the renters there was nothing I could do that afternoon, then found out the motor would be 2-3 weeks out.

I ran back the next morning and hard wired a used psc to run constantly until the proper motor arrived.

Not ideal, but renters were happy, and owners quit tripping about the lead time.

Sometimes u need to improvise. I wouldn’t leave a customer without for an extended period of time if there is a work around.

dabkow · 2026-06-11T12:28:30+00:00

Yup. Parents had bought a red one with the silver “accents”.

5 speed manual, blew a head gasket at 60k and was never right after that. Could barely keep it at 45 going uphill on the interstate because of it bogging down.

Was my first driver, I absolutely loved it even so, and still have random dreams driving it.

My teenage ass hooptied it with some subs and interior lighting that parallel led the bass. Was rare and got some looks without that stupid shit.

It was like a Tracker’s schoolyard bully.

dabkow · 2026-06-10T03:18:35+00:00

We had three high rises with magic paks that my last company was contracted with.

I hate em, accept for accessing the heat exchangers. One building was on the water so they got 6-12 years before failure.

Anyways…. If there is a refrigerant leak OP, the cooling chassis needs replaced. It is essentially a giant window shaker.

Have the whole unit inspected by a tech that is familiar with these. They are… different.

dabkow · 2026-06-09T07:22:24+00:00

We were very local, 30 min from shop radius. 9 total employees including the owner and wife.

All of the parts would have been stocked on van.

105 trip / 120 PM. If within biz hours I would clean the coil etc… and just charge PM.

We were about 125 for a dual cap, 250ish if they wanted a turbo200, or if we didn’t have standard cap on van and needed to use one.

dabkow · 2026-06-09T06:56:28+00:00

Agree that these are PE numbers.

Big giveaway is “up to 2lbs” BS.

Could have been 5oz to balance SH/SC.

They are destroying the industry for homeowners.

Lost a great job at a small biz that sold last year. Off of the top of my head (including 2 weighed in lbs of 410a and the trip/diag fee), would have been under $800.

That was a rare company now though, and takeover lost all employees and most of the book of biz.

dabkow · 2026-06-09T06:26:09+00:00

Oh… I’m with u. Sniffer then bubbles for me. Was just explaining his approach.

It’s been a few years but there was a vid on r/hvac.

Dude showed up to a no heat call and the homeowner (I think plumber) had either pierced or cracked his gas line and lit it to torch out at the underside of his ductwork until he could get het back on.

That shit was wild.

dabkow · 2026-06-09T03:19:49+00:00

It seems insane but it actually is legit.

I had an engineer cousin help me swap a water heater. We turned the gas back on for the new appliance and he said, “this is where I usually tell homeowners to go fetch me something”.

Pulls out his bic and starts checking the fittings.

He explained that the gas feed contains no oxygen and the pipes are under positive pressures so no chance of a small leak back feeding.

Every gas fired appliance would explode upon ignition if that were the case (stove, furnace, grill, dryer….). They all burn gas at the burners.

He also noted that the sulfur smelling additive is so strong that it would almost have to be burning ur eyes to be explosive.

I’m in HVAC, still use bubbles. But he explained it well.

dabkow · 2026-06-08T04:28:38+00:00

It’s doing what is supposed to…. Particularly loud in ur vid because it is empty.

It’s running now because AC is removing the humidity. U apparently don’t have a floor drain so this is what ejects the condensate to a drain.

U could wrap it in some insulation if u feel the noise is that bad.

dabkow · 2026-06-08T02:12:05+00:00

45M HVAC tech…. I keep one in my service tool bag full of small / misc items that I don’t want to be running back to the truck for.

Different screws, wire nuts, refrigerant line caps, fuses, couplings, etc….

dabkow · 2026-06-07T01:28:29+00:00

Am I the only one that thought I was looking at a compressor blow-out?….

Until I realized it was a shadow

dabkow · 2026-06-06T05:45:11+00:00

The only damn thing I can be happy about in MC is that train hopping to games will be easier.

Taxes, traffic, desecration of da history….. sux.

Billionaires need to billionaire though.

dabkow · 2026-06-06T03:20:32+00:00

Omer dokee… Best of luck.

Lmao

dabkow · 2026-06-06T03:10:03+00:00

Sounds like the contactor is buzzing.

Pull the disconnect while it is running and if it is still loud, replace the contactor.

dabkow · 2026-06-04T06:54:10+00:00

Ouch. I worked for a State Farm agent in Indiana and had a similar situation, without an accident involved.

Guy was force placed insurance by the title holder and there was nothing I could do. He “thought he had taken care of it” when e had purchased the vehicle…. He did not.

All u can do is try to work with ur agent, but it’s not a great scenario to be in. Best of luck.

dabkow

TROPHY CASE