[BBeerme]

Were the pressures normal?

I'll take a shot at an answer for you. I weed them either in/out when our paths cross.

I call a contactor ,a contactor"and they CONTINUE to call it a "thing". Or I tell them to remove all 3 cond fan motor assemblies to wash the cond coil, they remove just the center assembly and then they tell me to reach my arm/hand /hose/nozzle in thru the center fan shroud. Or I tell them to slowly add freon until the SGMI is 75% full. They charge to a full glass and smile about it.Or,I tell them DO NOT STEP ON ANYTHING laying on the floor of the truck.They then proceed to walk on my extension cord/garden hose.Manifold hoses are also stepped on. Then I weed them out from working with me any further.Or they have snot bag answers to a Professional Q from me.


Or ,one guy. I asked him "what is the hi/lo side press readings" & he hands me the manifold and says "Here,look for yourself",,,,stuff like that.

 

[BBeerme]

As has already been stated, 100 hours is unlikely to do much. Money might be better spent on a good 'general' book like Modern Refrigeration and Air Conditioning. Probably can get it pretty cheap these days, what with the Internet and all. Study it at random, whatever suits your fancy for that day. It's not necessarily a book you sit down and read from start to finish; just too much information.

The school I went to was just shy of 1,000 hours, I think it was. Which was just shy of 8 hrs per day, five days a week. For nine months. First half of the day was classroom, the second half was in the shop with the equipment.

They had a method of teaching which worked. They wrote everything on the chalk board, then you copied it. That method reinforces into your memory. I was committed to a better life, so I took it all very serious, and did as I was told. Then I would also review the previous three days every day. Further reinforcing things to memory. When it was over, I was ready to hit the ground running. Keeping in mind I already had a well rounded mechanical and electrical background. Electrical is usually the most difficult for techs entering the trade.

For a reference, I carried those (over 400) written pages with me in the work truck for maybe the first three or four years. They were invaluable. Like when I needed to troubleshoot a Carrier Time Guard and no schematic was in the unit. I still have those written pages:

Hello,
I am new to the forum and hope I posted this in the appropriate area.

I am 29 yrs old. I live in Central California. I have a full time job, but due to working 12 shifts, I have 3-4 days off a week. Plenty of free time.

I been thinking of learning HVAC for awhile now. But due to my current work schedule, attending a traditional trade school has been out of the question. My work schedule changes every 3 months, I got from working 6 months nights and 6 months days.

I recently started looking online for an accelerated HVAC program. I found a couple out of Texas that charge from 1,500 to 2,500 for 100 hour course on HVAC. I imagine the course to be limited on the content to due to hour required to complete the course. The one that caught my attention is Tech Zone HVAC-R. I reside in California so I would need to travel to Texas for this.

I am really just interested in this trade as a side job, mainly repairing and maintenance to the system.

The course focuses on the folowing:
The course will be 100 hours of classroom and lab (approximately 48 hours of class and 52 hours of lab)

Heat

States of matter

Pressures

Temperature

Heat of Compression

Humidity

Basic Refrigeration Cycle

Low & High Suction Pressure

Low & High Suction Pressure

Tools of the Trade

OHMs Law

Continuity

Amp/Volt/Ohm Meters

Heat Pumps

Series & Parallel Circuits

Phases

Capacitors

Relays

Wiring Diagrams

EBTDR Boards

Transformers

Thermostats

Furnace Control Boards

Heating (Electrical Gas)

Flame Rectification

Evaporators

Condensers

Refrigerant Components

Superheat

Sub-Cooling

Charging Techniques

Refrigerants

R-410A

Metering Devices

Magnetism

Motors

Compressors (hermetic)

Recovery Techniques

Will the above course teach the foundamentals to service and maintenance a system? Is Tech Zone HVAC a good school?

Thank you. I really appreciate any help.