First solo service call on a Trane XR16 and I totally botched the superheat

ACWhisperer

·1mo·28 replies·27 participants

ACWhisperer🏆 MasterOP1mo

Day 3 as a newbie tech and boss sends me out alone to a residential tune-up in the burbs. Customer's got a Trane XR16 that's been acting up, pulling 14.5 amps when it should be around 10. I tried adjusting the superheat but ended up flooding the compressor with liquid - had to call for backup and the whole thing cost us $450 in evac and recharge time. Watched a video from HVAC School on YouTube last night but damn if it didn't stick in the moment. Anyone got tips for not screwing up refrigerant handling on your first solo?

PipeDreamer25⚒️ Journeyman1mo

dude never eyeball superheat without a chart and gauge set, i saw a guy flood his compressor on a similar trane job and it cost 2k to replace the whole damn thing.

SpringSpecialist10⚒️ Journeyman1mo

man, first solo calls always sneak up and bite you in the ass, been there with superheat adjustments that turned into a total cluster.

FlushMaster3⚒️ Journeyman1mo

dude, my first solo trane call had me flooding the damn compressor too, felt like the biggest idiot on the block til the boss bailed me out with a laugh.

ComboBreaker⚒️ Journeyman1mo

bosses are total assholes sending green techs solo on refrigerant jobs like that, its a recipe for disaster and they dont give a damn about the cleanup costs.

JointJuggler⚒️ Journeyman1mo

man i did the exact same thing on my first solo last month, flooded a compressor and had to evac like 3 pounds of r-410a, felt like a total idiot calling the boss back out.

RoachRidder⚒️ Journeyman1mo

don't rush the superheat calc solo without double-checking your pressure readings first - saw a new guy seize a compressor that way and we're out $2k on parts.

PipeLord4203⚒️ Journeyman1mo

been there on my first solo too, flooding that compressor sucked and i felt like an idiot calling for backup, you'll get the hang of superheat with more reps.

KeyMasterKev3⚒️ Journeyman1mo

bosses are idiots for sending green techs solo on a trane xr16, you're gonna flood that compressor every time without a real mentor watching your ass. screw the youtube bs, get hands-on with a subcool gauge or you'll be calling backup forever.

V3925🔧 Apprentice1mo

first off, always double-check your subcooling before tweaking superheat on that trane, i learned the hard way it keeps you from flooding the compressor. use a thermistor clamp on the suction line for more accurate readings, aim for 8-12 degrees superheat depending on ambient temps. and yeah, watch those hvac school vids a few times before your next solo, shoulda done that myself.

PanelPusher3⚒️ Journeyman1mo

botched my first trane superheat too, ended up with refrigerant hissing like a pissed-off cat on the suction line. next time i just blame the ambient temp and call it a day.

RoachRidder⚒️ Journeyman1mo

superheat's overrated anyway, i just eyeball the frost line and charge by subcool on trane units like the xr16 and it never comes back to bite me.

FloorFixer⚒️ Journeyman1mo

man, bosses sending green techs out solo on trane xr16s is the real crime here, flooding compressors left and right while they sit in the office counting the evac bills.

V6158🌱 Newcomer1mo

man i been there, first solo on a carrier and i flooded it bad, had to evac the whole damn thing and boss wasnt happy...

SparkPlugFail⚒️ Journeyman1mo

first solo? welcome to the club where you turn a simple tune-up into a $450 refrigerant rodeo. next time just breathe deep and remember: superheats a bitch til you nail that charging chart, then its smooth sailin.

BreezeBoss⚒️ Journeyman1mo

superheat's like that first ex who ghosted you - chase it too hard and youre left with a busted wallet and a pissed off homeowner.

SpraySavant⚒️ Journeyman1mo

dude, always triple check your superheat readings before tweaking that valve or you'll flood the damn compressor like i did once and end up with a $2k repair bill that the boss wasnt thrilled about.

ACWizard⚒️ Journeyman1mo

never guess superheat on a Trane XR16 without measuring ambient and indoor temps first, i saw a kid flood one just like you and it seized the compressor costing 2k to replace.

PackRatMover⚒️ Journeyman1mo

been there on my first solo, flooded a compressor and felt like the biggest idiot, dont beat yourself up too bad.

Insul8r⚒️ Journeyman1mo

yeah man, i flooded a compressor on my first solo too and spent the next week kicking myself for it.

RustyNailBob5⚒️ Journeyman1mo

first solo? i once charged a carrier with straight 410a like it was a damn water balloon, flooded the compressor so bad the boss made me sleep in the van that night.

PestPatrol⚒️ Journeyman1mo

hey man what kinda gauges were you using to check that superheat? i keep messing mine up too and could use some pointers on the right setup.

PanelPusher6⚒️ Journeyman1mo

Don't touch refrigerant solo until you've done 50 supervised calls - I saw a guy lose his cert over a similar flood.

PipeDreamer25⚒️ Journeyman1mo

exactly, the paperwork after is a nightmare and inspectors are brutal if you vent even a puff.

ShingleShark3⚒️ Journeyman1mo

yeah, had a buddy get fined $2k for improper handling on a Goodman unit last year.

BlowerBandit⚒️ Journeyman1mo

Man, that sounds rough - my first solo was a disaster too, froze the line set on a Carrier and had to thaw it with a torch.

WrenchWiz2⚒️ Journeyman1mo

Practice on scrap coils first, get your gauges dialed in cold. Use a digital manifold like the Fieldpiece SM480V - makes superheat calcs way easier and less error-prone.

DuctTapeDave4🔧 Apprentice1mo

Proud of you for owning it though, most newbies blame the equipment. You'll laugh about this in a year when you're slinging R-410a like a pro.

CoilCleaner2⚒️ Journeyman1mo

Felt that, bro. My early days were full of these Ls but now I charge $150/hr without breaking a sweat.