In this short Q&A podcast episode, Bryan answers Jeremy's question about checking the charge on rooftop units, and he gives some RTU tips.

Rooftop units often come in sets, so you can use a thermal camera to look at all of the RTUs and compare them. A thermal imaging camera may even show you where subcooling begins in the condenser, which can be a useful diagnostic hack. Try to avoid hooking up gauges each time you check the charge on a rooftop; RTUs have a fixed factory charge, and losses from your gauges can add up over time. Your senses will also come in handy; check for odd sights, sounds, and smells.

Checking suction pressure and superheat is less risky and imperfect, but it'll give you some diagnostic data. You can also check discharge temperatures to check for signs of compressor overheating (remember: 225 stay alive).

Here are some tips for RTUs:

• Get familiar with the service manual and wiring diagrams; these items will help you with the job and help you build on your knowledge of RTUs in general.
• Make sure you have all of your materials at the ready, including extra screws.
• Make sure you have access to the BAS system, if necessary.
• Safety is critical on rooftop units, especially when it comes to ladders, lockout/tagout, and ensuring that you have safe access to the unit (this burden is often on the client).
• Pay attention to specialized equipment, including ERVs and economizers.
• Be mindful of curb installation, transformer taps, and phase monitoring, as those items may not be set up properly.
• Build up a basic working knowledge of variable frequency drives or VFDs (or know where to find information about them; THIS livestream is a good start),
• Keep systems clean to prevent overheating.
• Prevent oil logging whenever you have to replace a compressor.

Have a question that you want us to answer on the podcast? Submit your questions at https://www.speakpipe.com/hvacschool.

Purchase your virtual tickets for the 5th Annual HVACR Training Symposium at https://hvacrschool.com/Symposium24.

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In this short Q&A episode, Bryan answers podcast listener Cooper's question about starting an internal training program. Eugene Silberstein has been on the podcast before to offer his perspective on this topic, which you can listen to HERE.

Bryan recommends a combination approach: instructor-led, hands-on, and self-paced learning, all deployed together. Hands-on learning often gets missed, and we can give inexperienced techs experience with some basic troubleshooting tasks or breaking down and reassembling things. The Socratic method can also be employed here; the instructor can ask their trainees questions instead of the other way around. When the instructor is the one who asks the questions, they allow their trainees to be wrong, learn from their mistakes, and make their own connections to the fundamentals.

Learning plans and curriculums are great for giving trainees a structure, but they need to be reinforced with the hands-on component in this trade. When determining what to teach, try to focus on what's most important in your market—the first area of effectiveness—and then understand how to reinforce it. The continuous growth mindset is also critical; the apprenticeship phase is never truly over, and the instructor needs to be able to improve their program over time without letting the idea of unattainable perfection discourage them from giving their training.

You may also read our tech tip about setting up an internal training program and our recent SkillCat guide if you want to deploy training in your business. The ESCO All Access Subscription Bundle for the HVACR Learning Network is another excellent resource.

Have a question that you want us to answer on the podcast? Submit your questions at https://www.speakpipe.com/hvacschool.

Purchase your virtual tickets for the 5th Annual HVACR Training Symposium at https://hvacrschool.com/Symposium24.

Subscribe to our podcast on your iPhone or Android.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel.

Check out our handy calculators here or on the HVAC School Mobile App for Apple and Android.