Hvac and Electrical Extra skills

[brother]

I see ads for a Electricians that have hvac experience as well. This was a trade in itself in my area, but they are only paying jouneyman electrician wages. I think they should pay more the extra skill. what does your area do with that??

 

[LarryFine]

I think they should pay more the extra skill.

Absolutely . . . if you can do both at the same time.

 

[iwire]

I doubt they are looking for an electrician that can install HVAC equipment only a guy that is familiar with the control wiring of the equipment.

For example I am an electrician with mad refrigeration skills. I could not install a refrigeration system but I do know the common control systems, how they interconnect and how to troubleshoot them.

 

[Mgraw]

I do both. In my area a HAVC tech makes 20-25% more than an electrician. In my 35 years of doing both I have found it is easier to teach a havc guy electrical than to teach an electrician havc. I am talking about residential and light commercial.

 

[don_resqcapt19]

I think what they would be looking for is an electrician that can also deal with the refrigeration issues...that is have the license to work with CFCs. I know that the local union in Chicago offers classes to their electricians so they can get that license.

 

[ptonsparky]

I was roped into being a HVAC service tech when I first started out. Almost all of the work was electrical. Learned ladder diagrams & where to place the meter leads on a circuit to get the answers. Would not of had that experience wiring houses or running pipe.

Didn't pay any better per hour but I had summer work while some of the company electricians sat at home.

 

[Pierre C Belarge]

I would think today, it is not greater pay one is looking for, but job security.
There are not as many ECs performing control work as years ago. This could be a way for an EC to find more work as well, I call that a win-win situation for both.

 

[iwire]

I think what they would be looking for is an electrician that can also deal with the refrigeration issues...that is have the license to work with CFCs. I know that the local union in Chicago offers classes to their electricians so they can get that license.

Must be a local thing, here in 25 years in the trade, at least 12 of it dealing directly with refrigeration I have never met a licensed electrician that was also licensed to handle CFCs.

 

[ptonsparky]

Must be a local thing, here in 25 years in the trade, at least 12 of it dealing directly with refrigeration I have never met a licensed electrician that was also licensed to handle CFCs.

Interesting, I have two that I know of within 10 miles of me, and one of them is a Master plumber as well.

 

[jaylectricity]

For example I am an electrician with mad refrigeration skills.

You are the last person I thought would ever use that kind of slang.

 

[Jim W in Tampa]

I have found AC problems to be mostly electrical. Usually it is burned up contactors,bad connections,burned out motors. Other than that it often is dirty coils or duct work that has failed. The need of freon usually means you have a leak. Have a friend that knows refrigeration and very good at it but his down side is electrical. I will say that of the 2 fields it would be smarter to get masters in AC than electrical. AC will always need serviced. Very few will go 20 years without having a few service calls.

 

[LarryFine]

You are the last person I thought would ever use that kind of slang.

That's because he is mad. Mad, I tell you, mad!

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[Cavie]

I got the Univeresal Gas Card about 1 1/2 years ago. Most maintenance positions require it for maintenance in large building and complexes. Don't know much about using all the different gases but I got the card.

 

[paul]

They're looking for a HVAC/Low voltage tech. They need to be licensed in WA state to install T-stat wire and such.

 

[icefalkon]

The company I'm with does a lot of control work for a few HVAC contractors. It keeps us busy during times like this when a LOT of guys are on the bench. Unfortunately there aren't a lot of guys that are comfortable with schematics and control diagrams so when we get a guy from the Hall who's good at controls, we keep him.

 

[LarryFine]

Unfortunately there aren't a lot of guys that are comfortable with schematics and control diagrams so when we get a guy from the Hall who's good at controls, we keep him.

I love that stuff. Back when I was in technical school, which was half of the day of high school, the refrigeration department had gotten in a new piece of old equipment for the guys to learn servicing on.

The schematic was missing from the equipment, so their instructorr sent a student to our department (commercial electricity) for someone to draw a diagram just from looking at the equipment itself.

To be honest (and ever-so humble), nobody was surprised when our instructor (named Bill Sparks, believe it or not) turned and pointed straight at me. I did as much teaching in that class as I did learning.


Sorry, I didn't mean to wax nostalgic and interrupt the thread.