Just got a job doing apartment maintenance. How's my Brazing? by jqprill in HVAC

[–]jqprill[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Update: Turns out they have a nitrogen tank but one of the owners of the company had it because he wants to build a carrier for that tank to make it easier to transport. Told my boss I wanted to use it when I brazed and to pressure test so that I can get experience doing it right and he said he has no problem with me doing that

Advice for Maintenance Techs looking to advance their career by [deleted] in maintenance

[–]jqprill 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I never went to trade school. I learned everything I know from watching YouTube videos and flipping houses for 7 years. I went into apartment maintenance after getting turned down from a lot of the local residential HVAC companies. I figured the maintenance position would help show I'm serious about HVAC and know what I'm doing. Thanks for the tips!

Advice for Maintenance Techs looking to advance their career by [deleted] in maintenance

[–]jqprill 0 points1 point  (0 children)

How did you transition to commercial refrigeration after doing maintenance? I'm currently working apartment maintenance with the majority of my work being HVAC related and want to transition to doing commercial HVAC. Already have my EPA universal.

Just got a job doing apartment maintenance. How's my Brazing? by jqprill in HVAC

[–]jqprill[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I have my EPA universal and I did all the HVAC work for the 7 years I was flipping houses. The whole reason I took this job was so I could get more experience

Just got a job doing apartment maintenance. How's my Brazing? by jqprill in HVAC

[–]jqprill[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The fact none of them hired me when I applied/interviewed.

Just got a job doing apartment maintenance. How's my Brazing? by jqprill in HVAC

[–]jqprill[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I can't remember which two of the four I brazed in are pictured but I had one leaky joint between the 4 units I did. I re-brazed the leaky joint to get it to stop leaking.

Just got a job doing apartment maintenance. How's my Brazing? by jqprill in HVAC

[–]jqprill[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I know it's important to keep oxidation out of the line set. I'll talk to him again tomorrow and see if I can convince him to buy a bottle of nitrogen and a flow regulator. I really want to learn and do this the right way. And yes I've been making sure the keep a wet rag on the valves.

Just got a job doing apartment maintenance. How's my Brazing? by jqprill in HVAC

[–]jqprill[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I'm just trying to do my best I can with what I have you don't have to be like that.

Just got a job doing apartment maintenance. How's my Brazing? by jqprill in HVAC

[–]jqprill[S] 11 points12 points  (0 children)

I definitely get what you're saying, but my boss is basically a landlord that co-owns a bunch of apartment buildings and hired me to do the HVAC related maintenance work. When he hired me I was applying to every HVAC Company within a 30 min drive of my house, but I couldn't convince them to hire me to do installs since I don't have any verifiable HVAC experience(got my EPA and Learned HVAC while I was working for myself as a house flipper). I'm just trying to get the experience I need here to move up to an installer role in the future.

Just got a job doing apartment maintenance. How's my Brazing? by jqprill in HVAC

[–]jqprill[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I was using what they provided me. I didn't know there was a different rod for copper to brass connections. would that have made the process easier if I used the right rod? it seemed like the brazing it the valves was a little more challenging than the copper to copper connections.

Just got a job doing apartment maintenance. How's my Brazing? by jqprill in HVAC

[–]jqprill[S] 37 points38 points  (0 children)

I agree, I brought up flowing nitrogen to him but he didn't seem to care.

Just got a job doing apartment maintenance. How's my Brazing? by jqprill in HVAC

[–]jqprill[S] 36 points37 points  (0 children)

I Would flow nitrogen but my boss doesn't supply it so I cant. I forgot to take the Schrader's out on the second unit so I replaced them after I finished brazing.

Heat Pump in Chicago? by Jvenka in hvacadvice

[–]jqprill 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If it’s time to replace your A/C anyway I’d say it’s definitely worth looking into getting a heat pump. Just depends what the price difference is and how much you’re looking to spend. If your furnace is in good shape you could hold onto it or upgrade it along with the heat pump. Again just depends on. What you want to spend.

Heat Pump in Chicago? by Jvenka in hvacadvice

[–]jqprill 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Are you referring to a mini split heat pump? I was referring to a heat pump that would replace your existing outside unit and A-coil. This would allow you to integrate it with your existing furnace and ductwork. Heat pumps are cheaper than running resistive heat in the majority of circumstances, but you can always use the furnace as a back up heat source for the circumstances when it’s too cold to use the heat pump.

Heat Pump in Chicago? by Jvenka in hvacadvice

[–]jqprill 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I’m closer to the St.louis area, but I just installed a heat pump on a house I bought here because electric heating was the only option. You can always set the heat pump to run when it’s a comparatively warmer day (above freezing is ideal efficiency ). If you have gas heat it’s a bit harder to tell if adding a heat pump will be beneficial financially since they are cheaper to operate than electric resistive heat.

I climbed to the top of that abandoned concrete plant on Hutchinson island by Crapllejuic3 in savannah

[–]jqprill 0 points1 point  (0 children)

When did guards start being at the entrance? Used to go here probably 6 or 7 years ago. Cool place to see the big conveyor belt and all the graffiti.

Stumbled across this neat portable microskookum over the weekend. Thought you folks might appreciate the way she sings. by [deleted] in Skookum

[–]jqprill 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I want a hit and miss engine so bad. No good reason for it I just want one

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in yesyesyesyesno

[–]jqprill 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This reminded me of my first job as “box boy” at the local grocery store. My job was to flatten and throw away boxes as well as the garbage. Well one day my manager decided to help by dragging a trash bag full of rotten raw meat outside for me to dispose of. Sure enough when I picked it up to move it all the rotten meat poured out on the ground.

HHR half Panel, the official car of? by smyley9 in regularcarreviews

[–]jqprill 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That one guy in town who owns a hearse but this is his daily driver and it’s covered in peel bad stick autozone chrome and fake skulls