Ah, it's time to chill out and get ready for a mediocre. Q&A Live Stream: If you're old enough, grab yourself your favorite adult beverage and if you're not, stick with apple juice. put your feet up and relax. If you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the chat and now let's queue up the intro music this oh a hey welcome to the Hvacr videos Live stream: Hello! I Got my lovely wife Jill sitting next to me here lovely hi.

We were literally just laughing because uh, she hasn't been on the stream in a while and uh, she's only going to be here for a little bit but um I had the music playing and I was jamming I was listening to dead Mouse before the stream and I'm over here just rocking out in my head and she just she's like sitting there like 5 six minutes and then she looks at me and she's like should I be able to hear you and I'm like my headphones CU he had said earlier I said something to him and he's like I can't hear you talk in the microphone so then like five minutes later went by and he's just like this and I'm like wait am I supposed to hear you in my microphone so I'm like you can't hear you can't hear the music and I'm like I told you I was listening to music and then she's all I thought he just you know, listening to music in my head whatever yeah he always like came home he's like I have this like great song and I'm just listening to it and I just thought he like had it in his head I don't know whatever uh Brian Sanders thank you very much for that Super Chat That was much appreciated my friend. uh I really do appreciate that you guys do not have to do that. It is very much appreciated when you do though. So um let's see well we're actually gonna talk about this.

So friendly neighborhood maintenance guy said I bet she would be next to you after the Animal House oh maybe implying like check I missed him like she missed me no I I need to know things I think she's implying I think he was implying like because I got into trouble or something after the animal house so we'll talk about that in a few minutes. Okay but uh yeah, let's get into this. So for everybody just coming in, this is my wife. Jill we're going to talk about a few things and then I'm going to get to your guys's questions and different things.

As usual. if you guys have any comments or questions that you want me to cover, feel free to put them in the chat um and put them in capslock. It'll help me to see the comments or questions. Uh, just keep reposting them If I don't answer them.

uh if I inevitably don't answer them at all, then shoot Me an email to Hvacr videos gmail.com after the stream and uh, hit me up with your question. You know, oftentimes in these streams, there's a lot of stuff going by in the chat. I'm looking at it. that's why I'm showing visually.

you guys don't know what I'm doing I'm just over here going I don't know what to do with my hands and I don't know where to look so if anybody's like doesn't right there I know, but it's hard to like. focus on the dot up there when like I don't I don't always stare at the camera like if I'm going off on a tent and I'm not going to be looking at that then I'll look at the camera. but then it's fine if you look at the screen. whatever.

Maybe one of these days I'll buy like a nice setup where we have like a uh uh, they make these um what are they called? uh you know when you're doing conferences and speeches and stuff so you can see them. teleprompters or whatever they make like a teleprompter now where you where the screen is up above the camera so it looks like you're looking at the camera the whole time. Anyways, yeah so I would have to say too like you just asked me to come in today I did so I didn't say I had to be here Yeah I gave her a lot of crap. so you always ask when I'm not ready.

So um, we're repping the merch cuz my hat was my hair wasn't done. so that's the hat. and then the sweat. We got our sweaters.

She's got to get business done over here. So sweaters? Um, we basically are trying to clear out the garage because she's really upset with me at how many boxes and totes of merch I have in the garage. So um, trying to get it out and focus on hats? Yes, So we? yeah, inevitably, we're going to phase out the t-shirts and the the sweatshirts and stuff. and we're just going to focus on the hats because that's what really moves.

Yeah, and we've had literally sweaters and t-shirts in stock for years and we're just like, okay, we just need to clean out that stuff, get rid the sweaters, and so what's left is what's left and there's going to be no more. So if you guys want one, head over there, grab some some people already have. We had quite a few orders come in. that's right.

Uh, Hvacr Videos.com And then we I think we dropped the price of the sweaters down to $25 including shipping. and that's um, just within Yeah within the United States So Canada I think the shipping's still a little bit higher because you Canadians charge me a ridiculous amount of money. but um, the sweaters in general I mean that's pretty much what we paid for the sweaters I Think something like that? yeah, somewhere in there. So anyways, regardless, check them out.

Um, they they are actually comfy. They keep you warm. Yep, okay, those are those small that I'm wearing. So now that we're done with the Merch commercial, let's move on to something else.

As if you guys don't know, you know I don't I I'm like very peculiar in the way that I do things and I was recently at the Hvacr training Symposium in Claremont Florida that uh HVAC School puts on Brian or and uh of all things uh, got to have a lot of great conversations and we'll get into that especially on the overtime show on this coming Friday we'll be talking a little bit more about like the conversations and stuff going on but I kind of wanted to cover in general. um I had something happen at the Symposium that was like in insane for me and um you know I usually don't talk about this stuff very much but this one hit me like right in the fields for sure. like really really hit me. Um and uh I Met a young man at the Symposium and it was a very very bizarre set of coincidences that led us to meet and it was just so like blowing my mind.

Uh, getting to meet this gentleman. A little kid actually? uh, a 12-year-old kid his name is Atley Um and uh, it was just really really awesome. Um The Story Goes that uh I'm going to explain it again. I Always feel like weird talking about this.

Well one of the things like as your coincidence was you almost didn't go because you we trying to get over a cold just as fast as you could get going. so well enough to go after ahr I had gotten sick and um I don't go places sick I'm not that person I just won't so uh yeah I had messaged all my friends and I was like uh guys I've got a cold and it's pretty bad and I don't think I'm going to be able to make it and so for whatever reason I got through the cold in like three days. two days. something like that.

That's my magic. Yeah it's weird Voodoo vegan magic I'm like it'll knock it out. so um, my daughter had something similar and it lasted like five weeks like so I thought I was done you had? yeah so anyways yeah regardless uh I was I got past the cold and then decided to go ahead and go to the Symposium and then uh, you know just a bunch of weird coincidences happened. um what it? What it goes though is is this kid watches, watched my videos and um he was really interested.

It like sparked an interest in him. Now I'm not responsible for the kids's like genuine ability to troubleshoot and and understanding of crazy complex things, but it was just interesting. like I was I was the Catalyst being there technically no yeah he didn't know you were going to. no, he didn't know I was going to be there.

Yeah, it was really bizarre but you know so it was a really cool story. but what had happened was this is the way I understood it. um that I think it's been clarified to me I believe. but I could be wrong.

but um, he was selling popcorn at a Lowe's He struck up a conversation with an HVAC contractor who was blown away with how much HVAC knowledge he had and apparently the general interest and knowledge he had had was from watching videos right? and he was watching my videos a lot and um so this contractor was really intrigued and the way that I hear it again this is heay uh is that he called Kaos which is one of his competitors I think and said hey there's this kid selling popcorn around the corner from you guys he he lives there in Claremont Florida and uh then some Kaos employees went over there, met the kid personally invited him to the soldout Symposium so they you know made stuff work and then um it just so happened that uh I ran ran into him at the Symposium and you should have seen this little kid cuz I walked into a class and he didn't know I was there. he nobody knew I was going to be there right? cuz I didn't announce this and so he was in a class. um and just before I went into the class Bill Spone had walked into me and he said hey, Chris did you see that there's like a 12-year-old kid walking around this place and I said no but Bill Spone kind of knows that I've had a few interactions with kids I Again, this is the first time I've really publicized because I don't really talk about this stuff very much because I find it kind of weird I don't want to seem like I'm exploiting anything or anything like that, right? But so this kid um Bill Spone told me that there was like a 12-year-old kid walking around and then it just so happens that the class that I walk into was Eric Kaiser's class and the kids sitting right there. So um I sit down behind him not knowing anything and the moment that Eric Kaiser had asked a question and I commented on it I could see the kid reacted when he heard my voice.

it was kind of like oh and I'm sitting recogniz that person yeah, he recognized the voice I think so I was kind of like okay, this is a little weird like I'm sitting behind him and don't know how to process this yet and then uh, you know I answered another question and this time Eric and in the midst of that after the first time I said something the kid was like turning around like looking at me like funny. like looking back looking back and he was like whispering to his mom and then his mom was like looking on her phone I think they were trying to see if it was really me or something and then uh and then Eric responded to another question and he said thanks Chris and then the kid like you could see like the joy like he just lost it or something. So it was like a really odd feeling right? So fast forward after that moment uh the class ended and I proceeded to talk with this kid and yeah he recognized me, watched my videos, the mom told me the story they didn't know I was going to be there. They were just invited to this event because this kid had this knowledge right? So um then you know of course at that moment I realized that the Symposium was not about me anymore and I just decided like I was gonna hang out with this kid because you know he was so excited.

So we had lunch together. uh to the point and I was hanging out with him throughout the day to the point that my friend Adam was was at the Symposium too and eventually he found me and he's like Adam told me that he thought I left cuz I literally just fell off the map because I was hanging out with this kid so it was kind of funny. um but it was just so many coincidences had to happen for me to meet that kid and uh it was the coolest experience and the coolest feeling uh I've had in a long time. It was actually like a really emotional I know that sounds corny but it really was.

It kind of got me and um it was. it was I don't know. it was just a really interesting feeling you know. and so we went through the whole Symposium right and I still went to different classes and stuff.

um and it was just such an amazing experience. So not only did I meet this amazing young kid named Atley um and again, let me preface this: I am not responsible for his knowledge I am not. This kid is really really smart. Okay, all that I was was the Catalyst I was just the person that he found my videos and it sparked an interest and then he proceeded well beyond what I think that's been part of why you've been doing the videos is to find the younger generation.

Fine, Yeah, I mean not necessarily I don't know. You know we would have thought like a 12y old you or something would be so interested. but it's amazing to start there and keep their interest and keep them going. You're doing wait atle's in here right now.

So did I tell that story correct at Ley Um, if that is Atley right there. that's really cool. That's the way that I heard it. So meeting you if that is you like I have to tell you dude, meeting you meant more to me than it meant to you.

Like genuinely yeah. like I know you were excited and but it seriously meant more to me like it was the coolest thing ever. So we got to hang out together. Um, we got to spend time together.

we got to take pictures together like I was super stoked and at Le we're going to communicate some more I was just texting your mom this morning. Um, so we'll definitely communicate more. That was a really cool thing, but it was just all the coincidences that had to happen for us to meet Bud was really, really cool. So I'm super stoked.

Um, it was the highlight of the Symposium for me. Like genuinely okay. So let's get into the Symposium now. So the Symposium was a bunch of training seminars.

Um, but the interesting thing about the Symposium So I've been reflecting on myself a lot lately, right? And I know that my brain works differently than a lot of people. Uh, my brain has I don't know, it's just it's hard to explain. But like the way that I troubleshoot and the way that I process things uh I find to be different and sometimes um, you know even Jill and I will have discussions and like. It's hard for me to process certain things and it's hard for me to to get to realize certain things.

So that's what having Jill here is. You know the it's It's amazing having you because you're able to keep me in like not control but re me in. You know, like you're able to be the person to say hey, this isn't you're not, You're not doing what you're supposed to do like you know. Um so what something? something That I realized that the event though is as I'm looking around.

excuse me? um still going over that cold? No, there's just my nose is draining right now. but there's There's just so many like-minded people at that event and I start to realize I see a lot of similarities in the people that come to that event. It's something about the the technical mind or something. Uh, the way that we troubleshoot, the way that we we do different things.

It's just really driv me nuts like um anyways, but yeah it just blows my mind. Um so I was invited to stay at a place called The Animal House The Animal House is an invite only thing. um it's the kind of place that like you don't ask to be invited, you just get invited right? And if you ask to be invited you don't get invited right? It's just you know, just really cool people that are there and uh I was so humbled to be invited to that place and the entire event. It just kind of baffled me that people even knew who I was like and this this is something that I struggle with because I'm talking to a screen I'm not talking to people like in my head I'm talking to names on a screen and numbers on a thing when I make a video I see numbers I don't see faces.

So when I go to these events to actually have people walk up to be to meet atly to meet you know all these other people that come up to me that want to shake my hand. it's so bizarre for me like it's just so hard to wrap my head around um and and I'm curious like what you think about that process because because Jill and I both like talk about this but it's also interesting because you know she see she sees things differently than I do so like what do you think about this whole process like? well as far as like for you I feel like I remind you like you have been doing this for quite a while now. You have a lot of awesome people like a community that's been built here and I don't know, it's just pretty cool I don't know we watch people on YouTube too so sometimes I remind you like well what if we would see like those people out in the world like it is pretty cool like you've been watching them for so long. So yeah it's it's just it's just hard for me to understand that.

You know it. it's just weird. Um so at the Animal House you know there was so many great conversations and it was also bizarre to to be recognized by people like you know I walk up to people that I look up to and then they know who I am and I was just kind of like dumbfounded like I I just can't process this. It's really hard for me to understand that you mentioned that.

it was pretty cool because you are starting to recognize people too. like even just with probably within your community like other other creators other just um, people people like Dave Dave Johnson's in the chat right now. Been watching your stuff for so long like you've interacted with them for a few years now too. So you're starting to recognize other people.

but it's still yeah it it was really. it's really cool to see people and the whole time as people come up and they want to say hi to me. you know it's like I've met you before right? and they're like yeah and I go was it last year? like because you know I start to recognize faces and Dave Johnson I've met him a couple times I met him at the first Symposium um and Dave I think has been going to almost everyone. but it's really cool because you know Dave it's It's nice to finally see a real person.

you know because then I can associate the person that's making the comments with an actual face, right? So it's nice to put a face to the name right? that corny comment. but it is really cool and it's it's It's very, very awesome. Um I'm very humbled by everybody out there and all the words of encouragement, support and all the stuff that you guys give me. Okay, um, but I am going to say something and this is why I have Jill Here you know, doing these videos and and making these live streams I benefit from this tremendously I enjoy it to an extent.

There's times that it gets a little tedious, right? But another thing is that I have completely completely forgotten to think about myself like tenfold in in five years. you know I have not really thought about myself as much What I mean by that is two videos a week, two live streams a week. You know when I first started my YouTube channel, it was three videos a week, right? and then I phased I did that for like a year. three videos a week in a live stream and then I phased down to two videos a week and then a live stream.

Um, and then I started the HVAC overtime show or I started going on the HVAC overtime show. I was invited to that one. Um, and that's cool too. but um I'm not I'm not stopping my content.

Um, and at this point I'm not changing the amount of content. but I also need to step back a little bit and try to remember that you know well you're also really busy with work. So you have like the full-time two full-time jobs going. yeah, 100% I'm running a refrigeration company you know, and service techs and and chaos and just office work.

So my mind is that it's like Exploding Point right now and uh, it's a struggle. The struggle is there. Um, I'm not complaining because I do this to myself. You know I'm not stopping the videos but I just have to try to remind myself that like you know and that's why in the last you know, year and a half two years you know I haven't like if I have to skip a live stream I skip a live stream.

but she can attest in the beginning there was no questions about me skipping a live stream. It did not happen. There was no questions about me skipping a video. It did not happen like I put the pressure on myself to do that and and and I think at the time it was a good thing because it built the foundation of the channel but um it was still a lot of it was a lot.

You know the whole Advent or the the the the live streams. The reason why I'm doing these right now is because when I first started making YouTube videos before my channel even popped like it was still maybe a thousand subscribers it was I was getting comments and it's like oh I'm getting a comment I felt an obligation to respond to it and then I' get an email and I felt an obligation to respond to it and then I' get another comment and another comment and by then you know it's probably 15 20 comments a video. Now we're up to like three 400 comments a video in the first week that it posts and then the video remains and then you know there's an extra 10 comments a week on that video and then you stack the videos on top and there's you know, Thousands and thousands of comments coming through and I try I truly do try to answer them but I've also came into the realization that I can't get I it used to be that I KN I realized I couldn't answer the comments All and then it was like okay but I'm going to go in and like every comment and I can't even do that anymore. So I'm thankful that you guys out there give me the feedback.

but also please understand if I don't answer your comment. it's not because I'm trying to Be a Jerk It's because I've got two jobs I've got a family I've got you know and I'm trying to remember to like. you know, pay attention to myself a little bit. Um, go ahead were you gonna say something.

I Was just gonna mention that. Well, like with the comments, um when you uh, buy a merch like, you can put a comment in there and I make sure that he knows all of them. Oh yeah, like you get them all and I'll share them with them and screenshot them or send them. Or sometimes yeah, sometimes like someone makes his way.

yeah, some some some someone put a really, really nice comment in the The Merch Recently line item that someone that had met me at the Symposium. they left me a really nice comment and that was really, really cool. That was really awesome. They're cool for me to read too.

Yeah, yeah, that was really, really awesome. Awesome! Um, so you know the the whole live stream though. The reason why they started was because I would be sitting at the dinner table and Jill has always been supportive of these. She's always been there for me, she's never been someone but you.

We have our own struggles right? Um, but you know the the live streams they started as a way for me to consolidate the questions because I make a video and I get 10 15 of the same questions, maybe a worded a little bit differently and it's like okay, instead of answering it, 10 to 15 times I answer it here. So then I send out invites and so some of you watching this right now might be here because I put a link in the comment and you're waiting for me to answer your question of which I'll get to in a minute. but that was the whole reason why I started these. So um now with okay with another thing I want to talk about too because Jill and I if you go back on my YouTube channel if you look up how we live the Hvacr life, if you just Google that or whatever it'll come up.

there's a whole series of videos that we did three or four years ago. um where we would do consistent videos I think we did like seven of them yeah I think I'm like always awkward. every was like are she okay and I'm just awkward on camera but um there is a whole video like where we go in depth into how we've dealt with things and and health problems and all this different stuff. because I think it is important that people understand that we are real people chipmunk.

Thank you very much for that. Super Chat Bud that is really awesome Again, thank you. Okay um but with um, wife of Hvacr tech merch we actually have merch. Well there's like um t-shirts for women we have but like funny merch though like years back I saw one and it was like, and I wanted to always like adapt and make something or like use that one or get that one just for myself, not make it but like it was like my husband is a HBC or Tech or or what is it a tech and yes, he exists.

Yes he's real. Yeah, whatever. but that's like a very funny shirt because they literally just adapt that to all traits and it pops out there. Yeah, so you know the the whole thing about funny Merch is my brain will only accept like the highest quality stuff.

So for instance, for me, the sweater. the sweater. Let's just take the sweater. The sweater.

I Got probably four different samples for the sweater. having to move the the letters a different, you know, six inches over move it here, make it smaller, make it bigger. I Spend so much time perfecting it. yeah.

zipper the color. I Don't do print on demand because I don't like the quality of print on demand like my whole thing is. is that I don't want to sell something that people don't want to buy and so like I obsess and go insane about picking that stuff out so but it lasts for it lasts for a long time, but it's just so much work like and we don't do print on demand so therefore we have to buy it and stock it. you know.

And I made a huge mistake on the sweaters because I bought two pallets of sweaters and probably have a pallet left like you know it's pretty insane. It's because there was different sizes and we wanted to have, we didn't want to have to order more. Yeah yeah so you know with with um this is where I want to get into this. So with the videos I want your perspective on you know I enjoyed the Symposium It was an amazing event for me.

It was awesome but what a lot of people don't think about is basically in a two and a half week period I was home I was home for four days but I was sick for three of them uh um and no I think I was it was five I was home for five days I was sick for three of them was like yeah yeah I don't know like you got home on like Thursday and you left on Tuesday yeah because I was at Ahr in Chicago and then I came home for a couple days and then I was at the Symposium So H how is it that you deal with that? like is it a struggle for you I mean I know it's a struggle I mean it, it gets there I guess like I always have like better intentions that it's going to go over without. you know, like flying colors? whatever. um but things happen, life happens and the first trip you went away to Chicago and it was. You know it was fine when you left and then the same day the dog got sick and the dog was still sick or our um dog Luke and he was still sick home Tuesday and we it was Saturday when he got sick and then we had I had a dance for my older daughter that was going on and then I couldn't figure out what was wrong with the dog and it was just sensory overload.

There was a lot of stuff going on well I think Tuesday Then you worried me because we figured I think that we thought the dog got into grease oil from the I don't know baking grease or something and then that can be really bad. So then I ended up at the vet the following day because he was looking pretty dehydrated as much as I was trying and he was getting spoiled with as he started holding food down like Monday with like chicken and rice. so um it was just kind of a lot. So we had that going on and then you were home.

You got home, you were kind of grumpy and sick for the whole time so you kind of slept and it was a little like whatever and uh then we had a wedding to go to so you went that for you made an appearance for a little bit. you were sick, you don't want to stay and obviously so but you don't want to miss it this whole year. So you know the the point we're trying to make is you know there's there's another person behind these videos and the other person is Jill Yeah and and when I'm making the videos I'm not in the other room I'm not in the thing so um just understand, you know and I know you guys are all cool with it. but like if I are yeah, if I miss a video, if I if I miss a stream, it's because I'm trying to focus on the family or myself or whatever it is and honestly, it's going to happen a little bit more in the coming year because we're trying to prioritize things a little bit better and trying to pay attention a little bit more.

Um, yeah, that is why I have a grave beard. You don't like to be interrupted I do not like to be interrupted so if anybody caught that, what did I do? you're like uh I'm still talking oh did I give you a look uhuh oh see I don't mean to do that stuff I just do see them all the I just do it. Oh okay, um yeah it is. It is definitely a struggle but um you trying and with ahr then you left for ahr you the Symposium or Symposium yeah yeah so then yeah, it was just a long I felt like I felt like it was gone for like two months.

It kind of felt like it too, you know and I just realized that I'm not built for travel like I enjoy it. but I'm not built for travel like I I genuinely am not. but what? I will tell you um I realize that in some form or some way I want to figure out how to work with kids more like I genuinely genuinely do like the idea of helping kids like it's something that I think I've always liked to do and you've always been really well like taught our kids. Yeah, so many things like you.

you've been the teacher for them in most ways. like when they need something explained it's you. um Dustin Cole's in the chat and yes Dustin I miss you immensely I Stay tuned to the overtime show. We'll tell some cool stories on the overtime show cause oh I better watch this overtime show I guess I've told Joel all the stories but oh my gosh oh my gosh.

I just can't believe like there's some people Adam Adam literally went in excess of 48 hours without sleeping like how did he not just die so Adam yeah Adam Muffet my one of my best friends Adam he was at the show or at the Symposium with me and this dude literally went for over 48 hours. But it's because when you're at the Animal House you're surrounded by so many amazing people that and he wasn't drinking or anything cuz Adam doesn't drink like he was sober the whole time and you're around so many amazing people that you just don't want to go to sleep. You just want to stay awake and talk and that's what it's like. we need to do that kind of stuff more often.

We all need to get together more often somehow. Like for sure. Um, it's a marathon. 100 per.

You know? uh is that why he looks so tired? Yes, that's a 100% why he looks so tired. The the the last day of the Symposium Adam was at like 26 hours without sleep and then I woke up to go to the airport the next day and he still didn't go to sleep. So then he hit his 40 48 hour mark like and I just I don't even know I don't even know how that guy does it. So uh, let's see.

Ray Ray Ry has always been and that's the other thing too. Like the community of you know that's in this chat and all these different people. You guys are amazing people. Uh Ray Ray has been a supporter of this channel for so very long and uh, such a nice person.

Like genuinely a nice person. So um yeah, definitely Okay, So um, we covered that. I'm seeing what here. Uh, someone is annoying my dogs and you can hear them barking down the hallway.

Uh, will I The question is will I be at the HVAC Educators conference? Uh no. I don't think I will. as much as I want to go to the HVAC Educators conference I think it's in like April or May or whatever. it's just it's I I Don't think I'm gonna be able to go.

It sucks because it's only three and a half four hours away from me in Vegas but it's just one of those things that's really a struggle for me to get another Vegas trip plan. That's why as well we're going to Vegas for her 40th in April so that'll be fun. Maybe we should do a giant Hvacr videos meet up in Vegas April the weekend of April 5th you guys want to go to Vegas fly out to Vegas I just I Just invited her to her 40th birthday com everybody's coming. Um yeah, definitely for sure it'll be a good time.

So uh, let's see. Uh are we okay with the storms out here? Yeah. As of this point, right now the it's not a big deal other than just a lot of water and a lot of rain. Um, the stuff you're seeing on the news.

A lot of it was from up in Northern California some of it's down in Southern California There's some stuff going on today. Um, but in our area we're We're fine. We're just wet. We've had quite a bit of rain though the past I don't know now.

third week because it's rained every week. Yeah, this month I think and it's just been a lot at each time even though it's only been like for three days or so. Yeah, so cool. All right.

Well at this point that's my quue. she's go finish making dinner. That's right. So because she's the amazing person.

So thanks for coming in here. Yeah, all right, bye guys. All right, she's off all right. So um want to get to a couple more questions here and things that we have on the list.

So I released a video where I talked about a vour uh or I showed a vour and there was a lot of comments in there and people you know wanting clarification like why am I I just did a van video like a year and a half ago. why did I get another van? Well you have to remember I have multiple employees. Okay, um, my van was just moved down to the next person and we phased out. Uh, we're currently in the process of phasing out a van that's like five or six years old so that's how we usually do it.

We usually rotate into the Vans sometimes I take the new Vans sometimes I don't this time I did again. Um with the Vans A lot of people ask me what what motors I get them they they just come with the V6s now and they do just fine. So we buy the Chevy vans. Another person that asked because I mentioned in the video that the Chevy Express Vans they're redoing the whole Chevy Express platform.

Um and uh, they are in like 2026 or 2027 one of the two they're going to go. My understanding is they're going to like a Euro style platform. So kind of how when Ford went from the Econol line van to the transit, it's going to be that style like the European style Vans Um, but I don't know to what extent I don't know. Originally they said it was going to be all electric, but I read and heard some rumors that they backed away from that which is the best idea in the world.

and they're going with just a normal gas. maybe a Hybrid engine which will probably be okay. So um, let's see. Uh, Orange wants to know if I'll say hello to his daughter Tesla or Tessa hey Tessa how's it going? Um, let's see.

So we covered that. As far as the Vans when do I phase them out um I don't like to put over 300,000 miles on them at the most 300. Uh, we just start to run into really a lot of problems and the Chevy Express fans I Like how predictable they are. You know they're pretty easy.

Um, you know, usually changing an engine, maybe a transmission around 250,000 miles? something like that. and we have put them in there. Depending on the prices and stuff, it just depends. But we you know we try to take care of them as as much as possible.

Um ale oh wait ale wait oh that's I think that's aty is that atly let me see here. So I'm just putting two and two together right now I think that might have been Atley someone with the name Al E said why I go with the SC 480 meter from field piece over the Sc680. and the reason why I go with the 480 is because of the size. Uh, my understanding, there's not very many differences from the 480 to the 680 besides the general size.

The clamp head on the top of the 680 is a lot taller and the clamp head pivots which I don't care about. and then you have a dual temperature display on the 680 but it's just too big of a meter to Lug around when you're looking for a clamp meter. In my opinion, you want something portable and the 480 does everything that I need and the type of work that I do. So that's why I go with the Sc480 just because it's a great meter for that reason.

So okay Al is not okay I got it. So someone was in the chat earlier and thought it was Aly but anyways anyways yeah so no Al is not. um so yeah, it's just because of the size. The Sc480 has.

Phase rotation has all those different things if you're interested in purchasing any the any of the meters I need to do this more often you know I don't like pushing this crap and if you notice like I don't do promo code stuff until the end of my videos but I really should be pushing it a little bit more. Um, but uh, if you want to purchase one of those meters if you want to go to True Tech Tools.com If you like their pricing, there's a great way you can support the channel and that's by using my offer code Big Picture that's one word if you use Big Picture at checkout I get a small commission from that order and then you get an 8% discount on your your your cart and it's only for or there's a few items on their website. The 8% discount doesn't apply to so keep that in mind. But for the most part if you use my offer code Big picture you'll get a discount and then I get a commission.

So um, how did I diagnose? Uh so I had a recent video where I was working on an ice machine and uh I had um I had diagnosed a um a time delay that was bad and I did it rather quick I walked up to the machine it was working I think or I turned it on and it made a batch of ice. but I had a hunch because they've been having time delay issues. So I walked up to the roof and I saw that the contactor was burnt a little bit and the fact that it was burnt Me it meant that it was short cycling and the only way that contactor can short cycle is if the um the time delay is not allowing it because that time delay basically prevents the unit from short cycling via the pressure control. Uh so I plac the time delay and then got it going.

So that's why I jumped and diagnosed it because I have a a great understanding of how those machines work. So I used logic and I just thought about it. Okay, the only thing that can cause that contactor to Burnt is if the time delay wasn't working at the time because even if the pressure control was was making random connections or whatever it the time delay would keep it from doing that right. Um, now what we're GNA see Uh so I replaced the time delay in that video and a lot of people commented oh my gosh, you did it wrong because Manat Talk has a new service bulletin to remove the time delay.

Yeah, that happened after I did that video. Okay, that time delay was a warranty time delay that they sent me and uh um, they've already sent another service bulletin out that they completely eliminated the time delay because the time delays that we installed there already being a problem. Hence I just had a video actually I didn't make a video on it, but I just did that on a Manat Talk ice machine that I installed three months ago and we had time delays fail right away. We bypassed them, we put in new time delays, and then I had a technician go out last week and the time delays were bad again.

So Factory wants you to completely eliminate the time delays, put a new schematic on there, and be done with it. Now that's the solution, which that's going to lead to a lot of problems because their pressure controls oftentimes will short cycle on those things and that's an issue and the time delay was protecting it from that. so they're kind of digging their themselves a ho and circling around the drain. But um, what was my favorite presentation last week? So there was two really, really memorable presentations.

Uh, Brian or gave a presentation on humility and you know, the crazy thing is, it seemed like he was talking to me. There's been a lot of drama on social media and I've been getting way too involved in a lot of the drama and I've been letting a lot of it get into me when it comes to the HVAC groups and stuff and um, his post. basically or his his speech was on humility and uh, being a better person and it felt like he was talking to me. So that was a huge one.

Huge huge huge one. Uh, there was a panel discussion. uh that that Chris Hughes moderated or I think he was a moderator? it was Chris Hughes Steve Rogers and um gosh, there was a few of them I'm trying to. there was so many but uh, the ones that Steve Rogers was in was really awesome because Steve does a great job.

Um, what are some other I mean there was so many different discussions. Honestly I need to go back and rewatch them because I have access to the virtual presentations. If you guys didn't make it to the Symposium I'm 99% sure. you can still purchase the virtual tickets and catch the recordings and it's like 26 bucks for the virtual tickets.

Trust me, you want to do that. Go to Hvacr School.com and look for the the Hvacr training Symposium and purchase the virtual tickets and you can watch the videos. I Did not do any presentations but it's definitely worth it. Uh Shakari thank you so very much for that! Super Chat That is very awesome I Really do appreciate it.

So first time stream viewer and love in my content. What's the difference between 134a and 1234? YF ZR T UF There's enough letters in that 134a is is Uh, a Legacy refrigerant that has been phased out. Uh, 1234 YF is a Uh A2l refrigerant that has been replacing the 134a systems. Uh, can you take out the 134 or 1 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 YF Whatever it is, there's way too many numbers in that refrigerant.

That's why I'm mocking it. Uh, can you take that out and just simply dump 134 A In: No. Have people done it? Yes. Does it work? Probably not that well.

So don't do it. Okay, if your system has has whatever refrigerants in there, leave it in there. Okay, unless it's a proper alternative to that refrigerant. Trust me.

don't try to play with these games. Especially going from an A2l. Leave the A2l in there and leave it alone. Okay, um, let's see what else we got going on in the chat.

Uh, what am I missing? Do I have problems with fan cycling controls failing a ton on ice machines? Yeah, that is a huge huge manage walk problem. They are sending way too much current through a peanut control and it's causing a lot of problems. If the machine is under warranty, you have to go back in with the OEM pressure control. Whatever it is, it's a piece of junk.

Little peanut pressure control. If it's out of warranty, do yourself a favor. Go get a Johnson Controls pen fan cycling control that's adjustable. Put uh, Shraer core depressor, service, fitting, whatever.

Um, on the the refrigerant, the high side pressure line, and put that aftermarket fan cycle control on there and you'll never have another problem with it. Um, but yeah, on the uh on The manat Talk machines They have huge amount of problems with those, so let's see what else we got. What am I seeing? Um I See, let me see if I miss in this chat. if I use the Ifm with a TXV instead of an Eev.

how do you wire in the solenoid? or is it only ideal for things like Beacon with an existing Eev. So Bill is asking about the Ifm I Just installed one the Heatcraft Ifm which is the Intelligent Field Mount controller. Um, it's a remote mounted controller that you can mount up to 40t away from the evaporator. I Did a video where I did a walk-in install on it I Think the video was titled why is there so much mold in the walk-in or something like that.

Um, so if you use a TXV on there, there's a dry contact on the circuit board for the liquid line solenoid valve. so you can use a standard thermostatic expansion valve with the Ifm and it'll work just fine. There's nothing wrong with that, and if you want to use a liquid line solenoid valve with it, there's a dry contact on there. But it is a dry contact.

That means it's not powered externally, meaning that that it just opens and closes based off of logic in the board. That means that you have to run a common wire to one side of that contact from the power source and then from there you send power to your liquid line solenoid valve. So in my video when I did the installation, that's what I did. but I actually used an Eev also.

So I installed a liquid line solenoid valve, ran a common leg to one side of the dry contact for the solenoid it's labeled right on there in the instructions, and then the other side went to the solenoid valve and I did it on there and put it on there just for redundancy. Okay, that's why I did that. Um, let's see. Did I answer everything in that question And you can use it with any brand of equipment.

You can also use it with other manufacturers Eevs. It doesn't just have to be the Corell valve. So I have another Ifm. Um, and I'm going to be doing an install with it on something else.

You know. One of these days, I'm just have it in my van waiting for it to go or waiting for a reason to use it. Uh, let's see. Jonathan Hughes says R12 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 YFZ G That name is just ridiculous.

Uh is a highly reactive refrigerant. Uh is that it can also be aggressive towards the lubricants. Use an HVAC system. This leads to oil degradation which causes excessive wear.

Yeah, definitely. I mean I Guess there's truth in that. What's the best way to diagnose a carrier? 38 Auq Uh. Compressor one calls from the carrier I view but the compressor one won't run until compressor calls man John I'm sorry, but I do not know the answer to that question.

Um I would have to see that particular piece of equipment to be able answer that a little bit more. Um, hope I'm doing tonight I don't know what that means, but right on. Uh do I work on a mini boilers? No I don't work on boilers at all. If I've missed your question, probably want to put it in there again.

Do I use a tension Setter when replacing belts Aaron G uh no I have one in my van I don't I probably should. but I don't use tension Setters Um I I have a a tension Setter in my hand No. I'm being sarcastic I really should be using a belt tensioner to un. you know, to properly tension my belts.

Um, but I don't So though I'm going to be honest with you guys I'm not a perfect technician. okay I really am not. Uh I just try my best and sometimes my best isn't enough. Okay, so uh, let's see what else we got going on here.

Let's see. Thank you. Still have to get to watching my Ifm video. Oh yeah, it's a it's It was a cool video for sure.

Okay, so my gosh. Okay, so let me preface this: I say this all the time when I address negative comments. It's not because they hurt my feelings. they don't, But some people defy logic when they make a comment.

they don't think with their brain when they make a comment. So I posted a short and a YouTube video where I had a compressor that had a main breaker tripped I had two compressors and I was showing that when I tested the ground, both compressors were showing potential to ground. Okay, so at first it looked like we had two grounded compressors and oh my gosh, the comments were exploded with people saying you're an idiot because you tested with the wires on the compressor. You're an idiot.

You should never do that. Everybody knows not to test with wires on the compressor. Actually, I'm not an idiot and it's a really, really smart thing to initially test with the wires on the compressor. Okay, think about it.

Think with your head, open your mind, and think. If you walk up to a system that has a main breaker tripped, don't touch any wires on that system, go to the electrical control panel and start checking resistance to ground, put your meter on tone, and start checking with power turned off. Start checking every wire to ground. Don't take any wires off.

Okay, because if you find potential to ground. okay, in this case, I went to the compressor and I found potential to ground on two compressors. Okay, then you remove the wires. If the potential to ground goes away, then now you know the problems not in the compressor.

Okay, I was making a point and it's very logical to initially leave the wires on the compressor and test to ground. Then if you see a short to ground, then you take the wires off and you test again. Because if you don't then when you take the wires off the compressor and you see there's no short to ground, then you're going to go around chasing the wires when you could have eliminated that step by initially just checking to ground. Okay, now of course you never condemn a compressor without taking the wires off.

Exactly. Okay, so sometimes people need to think before they type. um, because it's perfectly logical to leave the wires on and then you pull them off to double check and it helps you to eliminate steps. Okay, sometimes you just got to open your eyes and think all right.

Um, but it kind of did trigger me when you found ground while they were still wired up. But again, when I removed the wires, it still had a potential to ground. So I knew it wasn't in the wires, right? I Always check and in fact, I can I That was a couple months back that I I recorded. Actually, there was probably like six month months ago, maybe even a year ago.

that video was in my archives and uh, um, I actually checked at the electrical control panel. First, check at the load side of the contactors and you see potential to ground and then you go over there and you check at the compressor. Then you pull the wire off and then it's like boom. Okay so yes, I don't diagnose a compressor unless I pull wires off.

but I will always check it first to see because then when you pull it off, if it disappears, then you know it's in the wires. So um, all right Anyways, let's see what else we go going on here. How many compressors have been changed due to in plug and wiring? Uh oh, that's probably a good I don't know I mean I've never changed a compressor because of a short in the wiring because I've always double checked because that's always been ingrained in my brain. But I'm sure there's people out there that will just test a compressor and say it's bad and then find out that the wire's rubbed out or something like you know, there you understand something.

These videos are not meant to be a tutorial. Okay, these videos are meant for my employees initially and they're a window into my brain. That's the new thing I'm saying like these videos are literally just telling you how my brain works, my brain works differently, The troubleshooting that I do and the way that I approach things is definitely different, right? I'm like a a neurod Divergent Hvacr service tech, right? My brain is firing in so many different directions that it's like, you know, I I just have different ways of troubleshooting things. But guess what? if you do something differently I don't care.

Again, if as long as you get to the same result, that's all that matters. You know, Like again, it's not hurting my feelings. that stuff doesn't get to me, but it's it's the idea that people won't open their eyes, that there's a different way to do things that irritates me. That's what it is like I don't you're you know? I'm not like getting depressed because of the comments and some people do because sometimes the comments can be just horrible.

that stuff doesn't get to me. What gets to me is the fact that people can't Can't think that there's possibly a different way to do something like for sure. So um, let's see what else we got going on in the chat. Uh, it's a important that you diagnose the problem first.

Yeah, for sure 2% of Statistics made up on the spoy I don't know what that means. made up on the spot? Probably sure. I don't know. uh how big are my hard drives? You seem to have a lot of archive video footage.

Um, well I can tell you right Now let me look so let's see my hard drive right here. This is a 16 tbte hard drive and I only have four terabytes left on it. and then this one is a uh 3 terab hard drive and I only have less than a terab on it available space so they're pretty full. Um, I'm actually going to have to figure something out I thought Thought about going getting a raid setup because my hard drives are getting to the point that it's just starting to get too full.

But the problem is is that I record 4K footage I save the original footage and I save the video file that's been produced. um and I have everything. So I have like just a massive amount of storage on on there. So um, let's see.

come on, there's only the keyboard Warrior way. That's exactly right. Have I ever seen a 240 volt motor run at full load amps with one of the legs of power disconnected? I Can't say that I have though. Um, let's see.

You got it. Uh, Levi says that you got it down. Follow the process sequence of operation and always perform a thorough evaluation of the entire system during diagnosis. eliminates callbacks.

Big picture stuff. That's exactly it, you know I haven't said it enough lately because I think I've just been Um, you know, living the big picture diagnosis. but you know I used to preach all the time that you want to take a step back and look at the big picture. That's what's so important.

So um, it's so very important. Do Sporin still sell the Q Series valves? Yeah, they do. Uh, I prefer the BQ valves because they're balance Port But yeah, you can buy the Q Series valves that are non-balance port and they're buildable. Yeah, you can definitely buy those.

They still sell them all. So all right. Um, sometimes I get in my own head about videos and uh, you know that's the truth like you know. I I Sometimes think that you know this video is not good enough quality.

Um I don't want to put this out there. but I guess there's a lot. I'm starting to come to the realization that there's a lot of value in anything even if it's a short video. So um I had a gentleman leave me a comment and he and and this one made me feel good right to be recognized for this because I have never followed the rules when it comes to content creation.

Okay and take this what it is: I make money Okay I make money from YouTube I do okay. um I'm not going to say that I don't I I make money from this content. Um, and you know and I appreciate that it's thankful I make money from you know, merch sales like not a lot but and then most of my money is from YouTube ad Revenue Like really I don't even push my sponsors very hard because I don't want them to ask a lot of stuff of me right? I could charge a hell of a lot more money to everybody. but I just I Just want to have fun.

like I don't want to be pressured. There's a lot of creators out out there that'll try to sell any product that is sent to them and they're just like and good for them. It's just not my style. Okay, But this gentleman left me a really nice comment and he said Chris it's a pleasure having you on this platform.

Everyone is trying so hard to make everything more compressed and fast-paced to push their videos for the algorithm. but whenever I watch one of your videos now, it's a breath of fresh air. No. Fast Cuts Colorful subtitles, annoying music.

He can just grab a drink with some, sit down and relax for 30 minutes, and might even learn something that'll be useful someday. That was a really awesome comment and I'm thankful that he sees it because the YouTube algorithm does not like me. Okay, my channel I could be really, really popular, but I don't like doing what I don't like to do okay I only want to do it my way I don't want to follow the algorithm My videos are supposed to be seven minute videos. They're supposed to do all this stuff.

One time I had a person from YouTube reach out to me and they were like yeah, we want to help you a partner manager right? and I'm like oh this is so cool I've always wanted a partner manager I It was like meeting your idol and then being severely disappointed because that partner manager literally said we're going to help you to grow your channel. They were like Ebeg your people and Ebegging is on the internet when you beg for money. Okay, so Ebeg your people to subscribe to the channel memberships more right? and I do say Channel memberships but I say at the end of every one of my videos Okay but they say you need to do more live streams you need to tell people to subscribe to your channel you need to tell people to become a member for your channel, you need to sell merch on our our website and like all this stuff and I'm like no, that's that's not my style you know, like I don't like to do things the way that people tell me to do I like to do it my way. So my videos they're usually 30, 40, maybe even 60 Minutes long.

The retention time on those is not very good, but I don't care I don't feel like I can make that video as short as they want me to and still get the message across. So yeah, I might have to rent retention time right? I might not have people watching the full 60-minute video I don't care I could care less because if a few of you watch it and you get something from it I'm happy. You know if my buddy Atley that was in here earlier watches it and he likes it I'm happy I don't care if I don't make as much money like I'm I'm I'm not and there's nothing wrong with with people that do I'm just different so it is what it is. All right.

Um, yeah, thank you yeah I that is really awesome. So I really do appreciate the positive feedback that you guys give and guys again 100% too. I'm okay with negative feedback I could care less if you guys criticize me and sometimes I can learn from criticism. There's been many times that I've been corrected um, genuinely and I was wrong and again as I get older I'm 40 I'm gonna be turning 41 this year.

You know one of my most favorite things is when I'm actually wrong, right? I don't try to be wrong, but when I'm wrong these days, it genuinely is awesome because it's an opportunity opportunity to learn something new and I love learning new stuff I genuinely do because when I learn new stuff I can tell you guys about it so you know. Correct me if I'm wrong 100% right? Um, the only thing that I don't like uh I only delete a few certain comments okay if you get political I delete those. Okay if you are bashing each other I delete those I don't care if you bash me. whatever if you try to guess restaurant names correct or wrong, those get deleted and I'm sorry some even some of my really good friends that I highly respect will be like I know where you're at, you're at this restaurant.

delete like I hate to have to do that, but we can't be putting restaurant names in the comments. we just can't So um, let's see what else we got going on in here. Ah, let's see. Um yeah, yeah, exactly.

Jonathan Hughes says your videos are really only intended to help my staff and uh, it turned into something bigger which is awesome. That's 100% true. If you go to my YouTube channel I'm going to tell the story because maybe maybe some people haven't heard this in 2016 at the time. I think I had I lost three employees in a short amount of time.

Okay, three employees and I want to say you know I told someone the other day that it was just me left I think there was another one. so I think I had like five or six people at the time and I lost three employees now not all for the same reason, but they all left in a short amount of time. Inevitably I made mistakes because I wasn't paying attention to the needs of the employees I was caught up and everything. Our travel distances were way too far, the on call was way too much, you know, just everybody was overworked and they got burned out in one way or another.

and they all left right. and uh I reflected on that and then I hired a bunch of new technicians that were experienced but they weren't experienced in the way that I do things okay. so I found myself going into the office in the mornings and you know they started working for me for a couple weeks and I would pull them into the office because we meet at our office every morning. everybody d drives to the office, they all drive work but they all drive to the office and then we meet there and we dispatch from there we kind of catch up.

We get to see each other every day. um and uh I would tell them stories about my service calls. basically what I do in the videos, but it would just be stories. So everybody would be in the office for about an hour every morning and that got expensive.

I'm like man. I'm paying these guys to stand there and listen to me tell a story, right? So the idea was that I would start making videos okay and if they wanted to better themselves could watch these videos I didn't require them to I just said hey, watch these videos. You might learn a few things right? This is how I like to do things. These videos were never meant for the public.

they were unlisted on YouTube they were just shared as links and they weren't out there. Um that that was in November of TW Well no, that was actually before November of 2017 I made the channel public I think in November of 2017 and uh, because one of my friends I shared the video link with him and he's like dude, you should share these right and so I did and then the channel just became what it is. This was not planned, it genuinely wasn't It was just you know at the time I was watching a lot of other content creators and you know that was kind of in the back of my brain like should I make these public and then my friend convinced me to and there we went. So if you go to my channel, go back to the very first video.

I'm working on a beer Walkin uh that had an electrical short and it had a blown fuse. That's the very first video on my channel. it's still there and listen to the way I talk in the video I'm talking to you I'm telling you what to do. Okay, uh, look at the comments.

People are like why are you telling me to do that's not very professional as an educator I'm not an educator I was talking to my employees because it was meant for them. look at the next video same thing right and then couple videos past that. then I hit the public button so you know, um that's that's how they started. like they genuinely for them Now clearly I know that people watch them.

and you know obviously Everything's changed since then. but yeah, that's that was the whole start of these was it was a way for me because I screwed up a lot of things and it was a way for me to train the employees in the way that I do things. So uh, let's see. J.R Smith says I got a 10-ton compressor in a split system heat pump so tall to begin with.

Oh wow, yeah, that is really tall. Um, if a video is too long for me I add it to my favorites. There you go, That's fine, you know. um, let's reading through the chat right now.

That comment was from me. Glad I Oh Tim thank you so very much Tim that was an amazing comment and and I appreciate the fact that you realize that Tim because that genuin made my day because I really don't care about the algorithm it I could care less like of course if I cared about the algorithm I'd make a lot more money and don't get me wrong, I'm not a millionaire you know that doesn't I mean but at the same time, my happiness has to play into