HVAC Community Hub | Benjamin | Activity https://hvachub.co/members/benking_business/activity/ Activity feed for Benjamin. Wed, 29 Apr 2026 12:59:07 +1200 https://buddypress.org/?v=2.18.0 en-US 30 hourly 2 04b394e261a672a1e1f47f50aba79257 Benjamin posted a new activity comment https://hvachub.co/news-feed/p/6617/#acomment-6699 Fri, 17 Apr 2026 02:19:27 +1200 Bad luck days.

In reply to - Cameron posted an update in the group Troubleshooting & Repairs Fix one thing and something else shows up right after… feels like some calls just don’t want to end. You walk in thinking it’s a quick job and […] ]]> 466deed944e2574070de8521927c1a89 Benjamin posted a new activity comment https://hvachub.co/news-feed/p/6568/#acomment-6577 Sat, 11 Apr 2026 19:37:51 +1200 I started checking static pressure more because gauges alone were sending me the wrong direction on a few jobs.

In reply to - Dylan posted an update in the group Troubleshooting & Repairs Ran into a system today where suction pressure looked low so it seemed like a charge issue at first, but after checking a bit more it turned out to […] ]]> 6aaf1948700dbfc69d3d7e43489e4285 Benjamin posted a new activity comment https://hvachub.co/news-feed/p/6538/#acomment-6544 Wed, 08 Apr 2026 06:17:31 +1200 Google ads + LSA.

In reply to - Fabio posted an update in the group Troubleshooting & Repairs Thinking about outsourcing SEO/marketing but hard to tell who actually delivers vs who just sends reports every month. Anyone here had a […] ]]> 927316be23523e125910c361a324a2df Benjamin posted a new activity comment https://hvachub.co/news-feed/p/6255/#acomment-6282 Wed, 11 Mar 2026 12:47:11 +1300 We use dispatch software so I can see when they start and finish jobs. That’s enough for me.

In reply to - Ethan posted an update in the group HVAC Installation Best Practices For the guys running crews out in the field, how do you handle downtime when the board gets slow? I’ve been wondering how others keep their […] ]]> 49db012a50f88c06406f4e7392eaefea Benjamin posted a new activity comment https://hvachub.co/news-feed/p/6271/#acomment-6274 Wed, 11 Mar 2026 09:45:46 +1300 Use the green if it’s spare and call it a day.

In reply to - Tyler posted an update in the group Troubleshooting & Repairs ]]> 4c318b780cf6bb0cee2acd361e049527 Benjamin posted a new activity comment https://hvachub.co/news-feed/p/6218/#acomment-6221 Sat, 21 Feb 2026 06:47:01 +1300 Older homes sometimes had remodels where walls were moved and vents just got forgotten.

In reply to - Lucas posted an update in the group Troubleshooting & Repairs Just closed on a house built in the 1920s and the furnace looks pretty new installed around 2022 from what I can tell. While walking through […] ]]> 6cf8a1dc3580a8f9ab407f8e82fa3667 Benjamin posted a new activity comment https://hvachub.co/news-feed/p/6155/#acomment-6186 Thu, 19 Feb 2026 09:26:37 +1300 Reputation is built on the jobs nobody sees the callbacks you handle quietly.

In reply to - Grayson posted an update in the group Troubleshooting & Repairs Most customers won’t remember the exact number on the invoice a year from now. But they’ll remember if you showed up when you said you would, […] ]]> f1e1dab156f828500655eccac7e57ac2 Benjamin posted an update in the group Troubleshooting & Repairs: Hi All, https://hvachub.co/news-feed/p/6169/ Thu, 19 Feb 2026 04:09:04 +1300 Hi All,

]]> 11 12c3f8d2cc395593fc17ddee7bad9535 Benjamin posted a new activity comment https://hvachub.co/news-feed/p/5847/#acomment-5861 Wed, 11 Feb 2026 04:29:46 +1300 Any chance it’s a cracked sensor lead that opens up when warm?

In reply to - James posted an update in the group HVAC Installation Best Practices Flame rectification dropping below spec once cabinet temp rises past 120°F. Runs fine cold, problems show up after it’s been on a while. ]]> 165d878ff6f5a9051ebca89120ad3d6f Benjamin posted a new activity comment https://hvachub.co/news-feed/p/5747/#acomment-5767 Sun, 08 Feb 2026 08:28:37 +1300 That thing’s been choked for a long time. Amazing it ran at all with that coil.

In reply to - Jules posted an update in the group HVAC Installation Best Practices I’m sure this thing cooled great… before the coil turned into a dust blanket and airflow became optional. ]]> c03423cb431b30fb174544fe23284489 Benjamin posted a new activity comment https://hvachub.co/news-feed/p/5627/#acomment-5655 Thu, 05 Feb 2026 21:02:35 +1300 Yeah, that’s what it’s starting to look like now.

In reply to - Benjamin posted an update in the group HVAC Installation Best Practices Hello All, ]]> 12fdc81ae8f4b8328efb4bf4c4d2e160 Benjamin posted a new activity comment https://hvachub.co/news-feed/p/5627/#acomment-5651 Thu, 05 Feb 2026 17:07:21 +1300 Exactly.

In reply to - Benjamin posted an update in the group HVAC Installation Best Practices Hello All, ]]> 926081207eb5de42ab8b9de6415825a5 Benjamin posted a new activity comment https://hvachub.co/news-feed/p/5627/#acomment-5641 Thu, 05 Feb 2026 12:51:54 +1300 Hope so. Right now it just feels like starting over overnight.

In reply to - Benjamin posted an update in the group HVAC Installation Best Practices Hello All, ]]> 80e58991d700f5498a278f8dfa843178 Benjamin posted a new activity comment https://hvachub.co/news-feed/p/5627/#acomment-5633 Thu, 05 Feb 2026 11:17:05 +1300 Gonna slow it down before I break what’s left.

In reply to - Benjamin posted an update in the group HVAC Installation Best Practices Hello All, ]]> cc5fa11d81994a120eb3ffdd7d2edc3f Benjamin posted an update in the group HVAC Installation Best Practices: Hello All, https://hvachub.co/news-feed/p/5627/ Thu, 05 Feb 2026 09:32:14 +1300 Hello All,

]]> 12 8844a143d729823f8178dbce94c9eecc Benjamin posted a new activity comment https://hvachub.co/news-feed/p/5439/#acomment-5441 Sat, 31 Jan 2026 01:11:48 +1300 We looked into outsourcing takeoffs early on but honestly the back-and-forth killed it for us. By the time revisions were done, I could’ve finished it myself.

In reply to - Juan posted an update in the group HVAC Installation Best Practices Hello ]]> 31695d6a2dacba6fbecf6bd36d5d3b41 Benjamin posted a new activity comment https://hvachub.co/news-feed/p/4739/#acomment-4763 Sat, 17 Jan 2026 07:05:13 +1300 We started tracking callbacks per unit age. Once a system crosses a certain line, we stop pretending it’s maintenance and start calling it risk management.

In reply to - Liam posted an update in the group HVAC Installation Best Practices Opened this unit up today to see how far we can push it. It’s working, but if it drops mid-week the downtime will hurt more than the repair […] ]]> 64cd616c292bc128158f682a390b202c Benjamin posted a new activity comment https://hvachub.co/news-feed/p/4633/#acomment-4662 Wed, 14 Jan 2026 19:07:02 +1300 Oil doesn’t travel alone. If it’s outside the system, refrigerant made the trip with it.

In reply to - Benjamin posted an update in the group Troubleshooting & Repairs Had this condenser open today while chasing a capacity issue. Pressures weren’t screaming low, superheat was borderline acceptable, but something […] ]]> 029c61efefa56a1d7fca6dd3955e76ab Benjamin posted a new activity comment https://hvachub.co/news-feed/p/4633/#acomment-4660 Wed, 14 Jan 2026 17:07:05 +1300 Nitrogen first. If it holds cold but drops hot, we’ll isolate the joint and rework it. No sense guessing.

In reply to - Benjamin posted an update in the group Troubleshooting & Repairs Had this condenser open today while chasing a capacity issue. Pressures weren’t screaming low, superheat was borderline acceptable, but something […] ]]> 81c39660aaaeb372d2527b575ce936d2 Benjamin posted a new activity comment https://hvachub.co/news-feed/p/4633/#acomment-4658 Wed, 14 Jan 2026 15:11:13 +1300 Gravity and time… undefeated duo in HVAC.

In reply to - Benjamin posted an update in the group Troubleshooting & Repairs Had this condenser open today while chasing a capacity issue. Pressures weren’t screaming low, superheat was borderline acceptable, but something […] ]]> 5087692dfb0489176b339c66c04603c5 Benjamin posted a new activity comment https://hvachub.co/news-feed/p/4633/#acomment-4656 Wed, 14 Jan 2026 13:16:38 +1300 And somehow always the ones that just needed a top-off the last three summers.

In reply to - Benjamin posted an update in the group Troubleshooting & Repairs Had this condenser open today while chasing a capacity issue. Pressures weren’t screaming low, superheat was borderline acceptable, but something […] ]]> 989eca4aae3a1c19ce53a9a2311b8857 Benjamin posted a new activity comment https://hvachub.co/news-feed/p/4633/#acomment-4648 Wed, 14 Jan 2026 10:57:42 +1300 That’s why I stopped trusting one-time pressure tests on older installs. Heat cycles expose everything eventually.

In reply to - Benjamin posted an update in the group Troubleshooting & Repairs Had this condenser open today while chasing a capacity issue. Pressures weren’t screaming low, superheat was borderline acceptable, but something […] ]]> 4c995ac3c6e04018a448f073d1130a1e Benjamin posted a new activity comment https://hvachub.co/news-feed/p/4633/#acomment-4640 Wed, 14 Jan 2026 09:21:52 +1300 Gauges were fine enough but the unit history wasn’t. Numbers don’t show what time does.

In reply to - Benjamin posted an update in the group Troubleshooting & Repairs Had this condenser open today while chasing a capacity issue. Pressures weren’t screaming low, superheat was borderline acceptable, but something […] ]]> a0c84d4f9123992ecfb557c292a00490 Benjamin posted an update in the group Troubleshooting & Repairs: Had this condenser open today while chasing a […] https://hvachub.co/news-feed/p/4633/ Wed, 14 Jan 2026 07:39:05 +1300 Had this condenser open today while chasing a capacity issue.
Pressures weren’t screaming low, superheat was borderline acceptable, but something didn’t sit right.
Noticed light oil staining around the service valve and flare area – nothing dramatic, no active bubbling, but enough dust stuck to it to know it’s been there a while. One of… Read more

]]> 12 9741abc5415255e81c8edefacf60b669 Benjamin posted a new activity comment https://hvachub.co/news-feed/p/4370/#acomment-4381 Thu, 08 Jan 2026 05:16:59 +1300 If the numbers look good but your gut doesn’t, trust the gut.

In reply to - Davida posted an update in the group HVAC Installation Best Practices

The hardest issues are the ones where nothing is technically wrong.

]]> 823334d6edf2c22302f9066a3afdc1e1 Benjamin posted a new activity comment https://hvachub.co/news-feed/p/4334/#acomment-4345 Wed, 07 Jan 2026 01:16:49 +1300 Yep. It’s running the version it prefers.

In reply to - Benjamin posted an update in the group HVAC Contractors & Subcontractors Spent time looking at a dual-circuit water-cooled chiller where, on paper, both circuits should behave the same. Same room, same water […] ]]> b78ef048fff1ab615d585f854622d4c6 Benjamin posted a new activity comment https://hvachub.co/news-feed/p/4334/#acomment-4343 Wed, 07 Jan 2026 00:36:10 +1300 Mechanical issues don’t announce themselves-they just shift behavior.

In reply to - Benjamin posted an update in the group HVAC Contractors & Subcontractors Spent time looking at a dual-circuit water-cooled chiller where, on paper, both circuits should behave the same. Same room, same water […] ]]> 17d8108cd0d934fed8183ce831687217 Benjamin posted a new activity comment https://hvachub.co/news-feed/p/4334/#acomment-4341 Wed, 07 Jan 2026 00:14:01 +1300 Pretty much. Same job title, very different effort.

In reply to - Benjamin posted an update in the group HVAC Contractors & Subcontractors Spent time looking at a dual-circuit water-cooled chiller where, on paper, both circuits should behave the same. Same room, same water […] ]]> e8982bb2813f063e6d4e6d8bae12ac58 Benjamin posted a new activity comment https://hvachub.co/news-feed/p/4334/#acomment-4340 Wed, 07 Jan 2026 00:10:24 +1300 Sometimes you learn more by listening than logging.

In reply to - Benjamin posted an update in the group HVAC Contractors & Subcontractors Spent time looking at a dual-circuit water-cooled chiller where, on paper, both circuits should behave the same. Same room, same water […] ]]> 5aa9be6d5e65bad433cbd916731afc33 Benjamin posted an update in the group HVAC Contractors & Subcontractors: Spent time looking at a dual-circuit water-cooled […] https://hvachub.co/news-feed/p/4334/ Tue, 06 Jan 2026 22:34:19 +1300 Spent time looking at a dual-circuit water-cooled chiller where, on paper, both circuits should behave the same. Same room, same water side, similar piping runs – yet in operation, one circuit carries load smoothly while the other cycles more than expected.
Charge and controls check out. The difference feels tied to something mechanical or on… Read more

]]> 8 41e2b4e9d45180484a14a875bbfbee9c Benjamin posted a new activity comment https://hvachub.co/news-feed/p/4280/#acomment-4285 Sat, 03 Jan 2026 18:44:53 +1300 Had something similar where stratification in the mixing section fooled everything.

In reply to - Ethan posted an update in the group HVAC Installation Best Practices Mixed air temperature keeps drifting even though outside air and return air readings stay steady. Economizer isn’t stuck, but indoor humidity […] ]]> f60880792140d63562f3f08751d44ccf Benjamin posted a new activity comment https://hvachub.co/news-feed/p/4187/#acomment-4188 Thu, 01 Jan 2026 19:36:04 +1300 I hate jobs like this. Everything “works” but you know it’s lying.

In reply to - Jordan posted an update in the group HVAC Installation Best Practices

Walked into this job thinking it would be a quick check. Unit was running, no alarms, temps looked fine at first glance. But the space […]

]]> bf209ab8fd4a0f0d4ea5a9f93c81f56a Benjamin posted a new activity comment https://hvachub.co/news-feed/p/3974/#acomment-3975 Wed, 24 Dec 2025 13:42:27 +1300 Momentary power dips to the control circuit can cause this without affecting the main feed.

In reply to - Owen posted an update in the group HVAC Contractors & Subcontractors Seeing a chiller micro-cycle because the enable signal drops out for a few milliseconds. Not long enough to alarm, but enough to reset […] ]]> 6dac3be7a48db0ccb71453594fa8c285 Benjamin posted a new activity comment https://hvachub.co/news-feed/p/3923/#acomment-3928 Mon, 22 Dec 2025 07:08:45 +1300 We’ve started adding access issues to our service notes now.

In reply to - Alessandro posted an update in the group HVAC Installation Best Practices Showed up to a site where the unit room was technically accessible, but stacked with boxes, ladders, and random storage. Spent more […] ]]> 51da8b967ce6f88c9526b17b1cf8beba Benjamin posted a new activity comment https://hvachub.co/news-feed/p/3624/#acomment-3634 Mon, 15 Dec 2025 09:44:56 +1300 I’ve only been watching space temps. Need to check LAT.

In reply to - Benjamin posted an update in the group HVAC Tools & Equipment Cooling’s doing its job on temperature, but RH keeps creeping up anyway. Feels like dehumidification is getting undercut somewhere – airflow, coil, […] ]]> 556b6a5b0dc3f36b939addb39f80d432 Benjamin posted a new activity comment https://hvachub.co/news-feed/p/3624/#acomment-3632 Mon, 15 Dec 2025 09:44:56 +1300 Occupants are definitely not impressed.

In reply to - Benjamin posted an update in the group HVAC Tools & Equipment Cooling’s doing its job on temperature, but RH keeps creeping up anyway. Feels like dehumidification is getting undercut somewhere – airflow, coil, […] ]]> c879ca02235d8188ff5acb5262f98bcd Benjamin posted a new activity comment https://hvachub.co/news-feed/p/3624/#acomment-3630 Mon, 15 Dec 2025 09:44:55 +1300 OA position might be drifting. I’ll verify minimums.

In reply to - Benjamin posted an update in the group HVAC Tools & Equipment Cooling’s doing its job on temperature, but RH keeps creeping up anyway. Feels like dehumidification is getting undercut somewhere – airflow, coil, […] ]]> ff0f9df4c5b2048a19663f9fe906df3a Benjamin posted a new activity comment https://hvachub.co/news-feed/p/3624/#acomment-3628 Mon, 15 Dec 2025 09:44:54 +1300 That’s the plan for tomorrow. Appreciate the input.

In reply to - Benjamin posted an update in the group HVAC Tools & Equipment Cooling’s doing its job on temperature, but RH keeps creeping up anyway. Feels like dehumidification is getting undercut somewhere – airflow, coil, […] ]]> 4c5ee62f33a82c55dc609574537e9fb7 Benjamin posted a new activity comment https://hvachub.co/news-feed/p/3624/#acomment-3626 Mon, 15 Dec 2025 09:44:54 +1300 Didn’t think about that angle. I’ll look at fan speed and CFM.

In reply to - Benjamin posted an update in the group HVAC Tools & Equipment Cooling’s doing its job on temperature, but RH keeps creeping up anyway. Feels like dehumidification is getting undercut somewhere – airflow, coil, […] ]]> fa0e232be19e2717c7487446b141f38f Benjamin posted an update in the group HVAC Tools & Equipment: Cooling’s doing its job on temperature, but RH keeps […] https://hvachub.co/news-feed/p/3624/ Mon, 15 Dec 2025 09:44:53 +1300 Cooling’s doing its job on temperature, but RH keeps creeping up anyway.
Feels like dehumidification is getting undercut somewhere – airflow, coil, or reheat fighting it.

]]> 10 1a440d470de2df2bd1116d67bc216964 Benjamin posted a new activity comment https://hvachub.co/news-feed/p/3574/#acomment-3577 Thu, 11 Dec 2025 21:48:33 +1300 Could be the VAV transducers lagging behind the actual duct pressure change. Some of the older ones react way too slow.

In reply to - Jack posted an update in the group HVAC Installation Best Practices Seeing a weird one – when the supply fan ramps up, a few VAV boxes actually lose airflow for a moment. CFM drops for a couple seconds like […] ]]> e73f67db99e0fac91179b3011a11e46b Benjamin posted a new activity comment https://hvachub.co/news-feed/p/3555/#acomment-3562 Wed, 10 Dec 2025 19:36:50 +1300 If the coil air side is good and CHW supply steady, then it’s almost always a water-side restriction or bad authority.

In reply to - Nicolas posted an update in the group Troubleshooting & Repairs Got an AHU coil losing every time the CHW pump VFD ramps down, even though the control valve shows 100% open. Strainer’s clean, no air, CHW supply […] ]]> ed49d2a4f192de94738c8f9bbd6f60fc Benjamin posted a new activity comment https://hvachub.co/news-feed/p/2989/#acomment-2992 Wed, 12 Nov 2025 19:59:24 +1300 If it bleeds off that fast, it’s likely a collapsing secondary winding. Transformer could test fine open circuit but fail under load.

In reply to - Jordan posted an update in the group HVAC Contractors & Subcontractors Came across a strange one today – transformer keeps dropping voltage under load, but this time the fuse actually holds fine and the […] ]]> f0864f532ddd4a8190b5636fa67a8c30 Benjamin posted a new activity comment https://hvachub.co/news-feed/p/2738/#acomment-2749 Thu, 30 Oct 2025 20:08:49 +1300 Trane diagnostic codes make sense once you get familiar with their control boards. Print out the code chart and keep it in your van.

In reply to - Mathew posted an update in the group HVAC Tools & Equipment Honestly, I don’t get to work on Trane units very often. Curious – who here works on them regularly? Any good manuals, PDFs, or online resources […] ]]> 82d8fef90e88a1136e854e41d2b8dee0 Benjamin posted a new activity comment https://hvachub.co/news-feed/p/2691/#acomment-2696 Wed, 29 Oct 2025 13:56:22 +1300 I’ve got senior techs who can fix anything mechanical but struggle with control systems.

In reply to - Grayson posted an update in the group HVAC Tools & Equipment If I’m honest, the toughest challenge these days isn’t finding new clients-it’s finding the right technicians. Commercial systems have changed […] ]]> bfebe8b50fd45bdcee119e630229a91c Benjamin posted a new activity comment https://hvachub.co/news-feed/p/2475/#acomment-2480 Sat, 18 Oct 2025 14:03:08 +1300 ometimes the VFD settings are off after maintenance – double-check ramp curves and speed limits.

In reply to - Juan posted an update in the group Troubleshooting & Repairs Noticed a weird drop in flow on one of the chilled water pumps in a large commercial system. The pump seems fine – no strange noises, amp draw […] ]]> a3e599c2f54a498af515b4358c567315 Benjamin posted a new activity comment https://hvachub.co/news-feed/p/2220/#acomment-2227 Fri, 10 Oct 2025 18:11:16 +1300 I recommend checking lines during every maintenance visit – early detection is key.

In reply to - Mason posted an update in the group Troubleshooting & Repairs Last week I visited a commercial site where the cooling system wasn’t performing efficiently. After checking, I noticed that several refrigerant […] ]]> 7ddc0ac783ba4ee156297a479045042e Benjamin posted a new activity comment https://hvachub.co/news-feed/p/2186/#acomment-2191 Wed, 08 Oct 2025 06:09:02 +1300 I had a similar issue once- replacing the TXV solved it immediately.

In reply to - Ethan posted an update in the group HVAC Installation Best Practices I’m seeing unusual liquid floodback to the compressor on a system- suction superheat is way too low. Not sure if it’s a TXV problem or a […] ]]> 322f532e62cce3a073462cc1228591dd Benjamin posted a new activity comment https://hvachub.co/news-feed/p/2158/#acomment-2169 Mon, 06 Oct 2025 18:23:43 +1300 we could create a weekly Q&A thread for troubleshooting tough HVAC issues.

In reply to - HVAC Community Hub posted an update in the group HVAC Contractors & Subcontractors Hi friends, I just wanted to say – this community works best when everyone shares their wins, fails, and tips. Even a small […] ]]> 8c2bc414ff7f8ea68d86259f51ea48fa Benjamin posted a new activity comment https://hvachub.co/news-feed/p/1092/#acomment-1098 Wed, 23 Jul 2025 10:25:20 +1200 Isolation pads and level concrete floor prevent vibrations-future-proofing serviceability.

In reply to - Ethan posted an update in the group HVAC Installation Best Practices Just finished a dedicated compressor room: compressors on vibration pads, 3 ft clearance all around, inlet/exhaust ventilation, […] ]]>