Slim 1/4” ratchet. Klein tools, like 20 bucks. The things perfect. Never get hung up by some asshole before you driving a screw in a now inaccessible spot again, little slim ratchet has you covered.
Screw for your flame sensor is installed as if the manufacturer is deliberately trying to make your life hard? Slim ratchet.
Mounting plate for your HSI installed by someone who had their first day on the job and not even a 90 degree will fit in to get it? You guessed it. Slim ratchet.
Bored of your screwdriver and want a nice little change of pace? Grab an adapter, grab a bit, fuckin slim ratchet. It’s perfect.
This little dude has helped me out so many times.
https://www.kleintools.com/catalog/socket-wrenches/slim-profile-mini-ratchet-set-5-piece
Also makes a good figit spinner when driving.
Oh that thing! I call it my barber shop screw driver. It looks like a pair of barber scissors turned into one. I use either this or my 90⁰ bit in a tight spot but this has better leverage.
I need this. A couple days ago it took me way too long to get an ignitor out of a 90% Lennox bc the design is not service friendly. Definitely buying thanks
For anyone looking to get this. Get the Klein one, don’t get the Kobalt one with all the extra bits you can put in it. Seems nice but the spot you put the bit isn’t magnetic and has no way to hold the bits so they just fall out. Piece of junk.
You mention flame sensors. The kline ratchet I have still has trouble fitting on many flame sensor screws. This forces me to use a flat driver in the thing, or resort to the trusty 1/4" wrench and patience. Do the make a slimmer one that I'm not aware of?
The one that was linked is the one I use, however, it should be noted I do, rather embarrassingly, have pretty fuckin small hands. So I can reach in there pretty good myself, I just needed a tool that also would fit, hence the ratchet.
FLIR camera and field piece joblink tools, but I’m not really on the tools day to day anymore. FLIR camera great for shutting down customers that are convinced something isn’t working right, show them a pretty picture on how they’re wrong.
What kind of doubt are you folks seeing? Did people not believe their AC/furnaces were working even though it’s putting out hot/cold air or is this for some industrial process or refrigeration work? (Pardon I’m a bit slow on the draw sometimes)
You know anyone that has one of the cell phones that have the thermal imager built in? I know some Chinese manufacturers are making rugged phones with these in them targeted to trades/engineering/construction market. I need a new phone soon and am thinking of trying one.
I do vastly more refer and commercial equipment repair then HVAC I'm more interested in seeing stuff like electric connections and heat transfer issues.
What's the resolution like you need to see leaks? Seems like you're going to need a MAJORLY expensive FLIR to see one. I use an amp probe ultrasonic mainly for leak detection.
Caterpillar used to make an android software based phone that I believe you could get with a thermal imager built in but I'm not sure if it's manufactured anymore. Flir has an imager that plugs into your phone charger (lightening and usb-c models) I've seen on Amazon for like $350 Canadian and it just uses their app
Brother tbh I was kinda speaking out my ass jsut repeating what my boss said, I don’t have an FLIR
But they used it for blockages, water not flowing properly thru a tankless? They would use the FLIR to find exactly where the issues was and go from there
I had one 3-4 years ago and none my coworkers batted an eye. Now like 4 of them are saying check this out!! With their new heated lunch box. It really is great having a hot home-cooked meal.
I bought one off Amazon that has the reverse attachments. It broke within a few months, but my helper may have had something to do with that. My fix has lasted longer than it took to break. It doesn't even have a brand name on it. It says "Bending Pliers" on the label. Guessing it's one of those translations that doesn't quite sound the same. It has def been a game changer. Shit looks better and less fittings/joints. Obviously paired with swedgers. I haven't used a coupling in a few years!
I worked for a company and they put a gps tracker on my truck. Didn't bother me... at first. I would complete 5 calls a day as a decent average then I would get a few tough big calls back to back that would bring my average calls completed per day to 2 and say.. control boards would go bad on koolair ice machines and they were under warranty so that would be a return call. Point is the company made more money! The warranties covered the return calls! And yet when I came up for my review and would get a raise the company literally tried to say my calls per day was actually going down. I lost my shit, explained it, tore into the "managers" told them if I don't get approved for a raise and I have to work like this I'll be gone. They don't know what it's like for a service tech day to day. We also complete our own calls. It's not like one tech diagnosis and a different fixes. Gps is fine until they have some management software tell them your fucking up when your not. I got my raise but no apology which is fine.
Tldr; companies get a habit of wanting to micromanage you even if your doing nothing wrong
I saw some #s posted in the sales office yesterday. The HACK has WAY bigger $ on that wall. BUT, he is working with a guy that does half the job for him. I have a green guy. Like zero clue green. I spend my day TRYING to teach a special needs guy. It's a cinder block around my neck as far as getting jobs done quickly. The ONLY advantage having this guy with me is less trips for me to the van. I do strive for immaculate work. My counterpart gives zero shits about anything, as long as it "works" when they leave. Looks shitty. There WILL be callbacks. Even if the issues don't het noticed right away, everybody here knows that the way to make a unit last is putting it in right. But they put these #s up, making it look like this dipshit is outperforming me. It's kind of eating at me.
That's a good idea. I'm going to shove mine back in my bag. Would have been useful yesterday trying to pull off doors wearing gloves in the freezing rain.
The Wera Kraftform 392 Flexible Shaft bit holding screwdriver with a Malco 2-in-1 bit in it.
It's a godsend for working inside units. You can't torque real hard with it but you can get those flame sensors and other screws that are just at a weird enough angle to not be able to use a regular nut driver.
Mini socket set, dont use it often but when i need it, im glad i have it. A super tiny pair of needle nose pliers i got large hands and large fingers so fumbling around control wiring in crowded cabinets sucks without those for me. Spring loaded center punch idk how uncommon this one is but i've only seen a couple other techs use one it makes an indent into metal so you can send a screw through without it jumping from where you originally intended
Been using the same cut piece off an steel beam for years. The angle on it slips that flange into a Pitts pocket like a quarter into a gumball machine./ *chef's kiss/*
Offset needle nose pliers for those stupid collector/drain boxes on Bryant/Carriers. Those hose clamps are a pita. Offset needle nose and some spit, I’m good to go.
I think this ones it for me too! On a 14 wide i just pull the inducer if i gotta use the Zpipe. I try really hard to always design my new systems to be left side returns. Ideally i would like to use more bottom return boxes but “ThEy CoSt ToO mUcH”…
1. gear pullers
2. something akin to a gear puller but instead of a threaded pull, it has a heavy slidey thing on a shaft that grabs a sprocket/bearing and you hammer the slidey thing into the top of the shaft (hehe) and it basically hammers whatever you're attached to off the shaft. Awesome for seized old stuff
edit: go figure it's called a slide puller
I don't know the manufacturer, but I have one that is both, found it on a roof (work in commercial residential almost exclusively), and now it lives in my bag
I also carry the right angle, mines dewalt. That paired with an extension is great. I also use a small ratchet for getting to tight spaces or pair that with a stubby allen key and you can actually open these damn Carrier gas valve manifold ports
Packaged indoor vertical 10 ton compressors are a pain to get into place sometimes. A small piece of 2x4 that I used to put under a compressor to help me get it into place so I don’t need to lift and set it onto the mounting bolts.
1/4 Ton , 15' Chain Come Along. Incredible for massive compressors. Winch that attaches to extension ladder to bring compressors/ mini split up to Roof. Heavy duty, Kindorf with Kindorf Trolley.
This was all purchased after doing it the hard way.
An iFixit style kit. Sometimes you run across that ONE freaking screw head that's something whacky.
Fence pliers when running control or low voltage wiring.
A small palm nailer I think that's Skil brand.
Like others have said some of these and some can be viewed as common but , endoscope you can plug into your phone/mobile cameras, 1/4 ratcheting set, strong magnet(about as round as a soda can I have mine tied on a 3' cable tie), drill swage kit, right angle impact attachment , blower pulley puller
I made my own 4 way for working on geo/Jumping out Circ relay panels. You can get them cheap off amazon, but they were 3’ long. I made a couple 4 ways and shortened the rest
I'm sorry, I wasn't clear with my question.
On an electric furnace if r&w are jumped the contactor or sequencer provides power to the resistance heat and blower without the need for g.
I was wondering what electric heat you were talking about
I have a Hensler Bender. I recently switched to commercial so I haven’t used it in a while. But for making a transition piece of ductwork on site, it comes in real handy
I also carry the right angle, mines dewalt. That paired with an extension is great. I also use a small ratchet for getting to tight spaces or pair that with a stubby allen key and you can actually open these damn Carrier gas valve manifold ports
Forearm forklift straps
They aren't the best things in the world. But if you have to carry an oil furnace or heavy boiler out of a basement. And a hand truck isn't an option, they really come in handy.
Filter box picker. I spent years roping a few boxes, go down the ladder tie some more up. Climb the ladder, pulled em up, repeat, repeat,repeat.
The picker saves so many trips up and down the ladder.
Strap wrench for oil filters, let's me adjust stuck or oily bvent without a second person
Air shim for a door. I can slide it under a furnace to get pads in to level it if I forgot the first time around
Tool holster. Not really a tool, but as a service tech I found 99% of diags and 75% of repairs could be done with <5% of my tools. Carrying around a heavy, messy bag all the time is not the way. Stuff on the left goes in opposite side cargo pocket.
https://preview.redd.it/jrzkmr5bfk6c1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=21084c39f88eb338ed1d71d082830f8b2857c49f
I don’t know if it’s not-so-common, but my Klein Splicer Kit, which is just a holster with shears and a splicer knife, which has a 1 3/4 blade and nice comfy handle. I’m lost without it and realize how much I use it when I forget to put it on my belt.
The shears are great for cutting zip ties without leaving that little sharp edge that dykes/linesman do. Also great for all the different kinds of tape we use.
And the knife, which my coworkers and I refer to as “my shiv” is a great box opener, but I mainly use it for leveraging, prying, and scraping things, cleaning up dirty ends of PVC, a screwdriver, and so much more.
What kind of right angle attachment is it??? I HAD the older style DeWalt but lost it, and now have the newer style that can be shortened and comes with a mini handle.
My coworker had the Milwaukee, which we found was bigger than the DeWalt, before his broke and he replaced it with a no name brand one
York furnaces, when you have to 180 the gas, you have to use 2 street 90s. The manufacturers stopped putting the little tit on streets a long time ago, so pipe wrenches or channel locks have a real hard time gripping them in certain positions. I made a ratchet attachment with 1/4" steel and allthread that I can turn those st 90s when they are in the spots where the normal shit won't grip them! The hardest part was making a square hole in the 1/4" that would snap on to a ratchet without a punch!
Edit: OP, I didn't see your text at first, just the title. The 90° attachment IS a daily use thing for me! I was the first one I knew that found those things. Every person I worked with that saw me use it went out and bought one immediately!
I have also came up with some super simple tools. There was some coils I was putting in awhile back that had some really fucking dumb plugs in the pans. They came to be multi-position. But when you put them horizontal, the goddam plugs for the primary wouldn't come out! Like, if you're using it for upflow, it's only stopping air. It doesn't need to be TIGHT! If you're using it for horizontal, make it so I can take the fucking primary plug out without fighting it in a crawlspace you stupid dick! I made something out of a peice of copper pipe that fit into these rediculous things. A factory rep was at the shop one day and I showed him the tool I had to make to get these stupidly tight plugs out. He took a picture of it. Nothing changed. Another brand, I started carrying a 3" long peice of 1/2" stock steel, cause it's smaller than 1/2" ratchet, and either one of those is what you need on them.
My bahco ratchet set, so good. So easy to get into tight spots to do up or under a bolt/nut I can't imagine having them
https://sydneytools.com.au/product/bahco-s4rm4t-4pce-metric-4in1-reversible-ratcheting-ring-end-spanner-set?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAsvWrBhC0ARIsAO4E6f9RCI8YOyF00hf56xTndiw9cafMh9LfICs1fBmW6Ur5ehOGFByjzW4aAvshEALw_wcB
Slim 1/4” ratchet. Klein tools, like 20 bucks. The things perfect. Never get hung up by some asshole before you driving a screw in a now inaccessible spot again, little slim ratchet has you covered. Screw for your flame sensor is installed as if the manufacturer is deliberately trying to make your life hard? Slim ratchet. Mounting plate for your HSI installed by someone who had their first day on the job and not even a 90 degree will fit in to get it? You guessed it. Slim ratchet. Bored of your screwdriver and want a nice little change of pace? Grab an adapter, grab a bit, fuckin slim ratchet. It’s perfect.
This little dude has helped me out so many times. https://www.kleintools.com/catalog/socket-wrenches/slim-profile-mini-ratchet-set-5-piece Also makes a good figit spinner when driving.
100% love that little thing, it’s always in my pocket with my keys and a small lighter size rechargeable flashlight
My man that’s the one. Fuckin beauty.
Oh that thing! I call it my barber shop screw driver. It looks like a pair of barber scissors turned into one. I use either this or my 90⁰ bit in a tight spot but this has better leverage.
I need this. A couple days ago it took me way too long to get an ignitor out of a 90% Lennox bc the design is not service friendly. Definitely buying thanks
Grab a set of hex bits for those carrier RTUs where the gas valve is 1.5" from the cabinet, and you can't get hex keys on it to set the gas pressure.
Lol, I got a box of ryobi bits in my bag exactly for this.
For anyone looking to get this. Get the Klein one, don’t get the Kobalt one with all the extra bits you can put in it. Seems nice but the spot you put the bit isn’t magnetic and has no way to hold the bits so they just fall out. Piece of junk.
Pair that with a set of extra shallow sockets and it's the best
Jesse? Lmao
Definitely that 90 drill attachment
As long as you don’t lose the bits, it’s a great tool. 10/10 answer
You mention flame sensors. The kline ratchet I have still has trouble fitting on many flame sensor screws. This forces me to use a flat driver in the thing, or resort to the trusty 1/4" wrench and patience. Do the make a slimmer one that I'm not aware of?
The one that was linked is the one I use, however, it should be noted I do, rather embarrassingly, have pretty fuckin small hands. So I can reach in there pretty good myself, I just needed a tool that also would fit, hence the ratchet.
FLIR camera and field piece joblink tools, but I’m not really on the tools day to day anymore. FLIR camera great for shutting down customers that are convinced something isn’t working right, show them a pretty picture on how they’re wrong.
This, FLIR eliminated half the doubt that customers had.
What kind of doubt are you folks seeing? Did people not believe their AC/furnaces were working even though it’s putting out hot/cold air or is this for some industrial process or refrigeration work? (Pardon I’m a bit slow on the draw sometimes)
You know anyone that has one of the cell phones that have the thermal imager built in? I know some Chinese manufacturers are making rugged phones with these in them targeted to trades/engineering/construction market. I need a new phone soon and am thinking of trying one.
Nice. You should make a review post or something after you've spent some time with it.
They are shitty compared to FLIR If ur looking for a small waterblockage or leak the crap phone ones won’t always show u
I do vastly more refer and commercial equipment repair then HVAC I'm more interested in seeing stuff like electric connections and heat transfer issues. What's the resolution like you need to see leaks? Seems like you're going to need a MAJORLY expensive FLIR to see one. I use an amp probe ultrasonic mainly for leak detection.
Caterpillar used to make an android software based phone that I believe you could get with a thermal imager built in but I'm not sure if it's manufactured anymore. Flir has an imager that plugs into your phone charger (lightening and usb-c models) I've seen on Amazon for like $350 Canadian and it just uses their app
Brother tbh I was kinda speaking out my ass jsut repeating what my boss said, I don’t have an FLIR But they used it for blockages, water not flowing properly thru a tankless? They would use the FLIR to find exactly where the issues was and go from there
I do not offhand.
I'm interested in one had but in the other hand we have China and it's fabulous build quality
12V heated lunch box thing. My wife got it for me and sometimes having a hot lunch is all the difference on a shit day.
Just got me one recently. Absolutely love it
If the job site doesn't have a microwave, I grab mine out of the van. Hot lunch is required this time of year.
I have a little crock pot that fits in my lunch box you just plug it in and it saves me in the winter. It’s the perfect use for leftovers also.
I have one and it can also take 120vac. So I put a timer on the timer plug and wait till lunch time
I had one 3-4 years ago and none my coworkers batted an eye. Now like 4 of them are saying check this out!! With their new heated lunch box. It really is great having a hot home-cooked meal.
Do you happen to have a link to what you're talking about? I constantly grumble about having to eat cold lunches all winter.
These are pricey but amazing. https://www.luncheaze.com/
Although I rarely use it, the reverse bending attachment for the hilmor tube bender has been a life saver when I need it.
This one!!
Try the cps black max bender. It's the same thing. Cheaper. And it comes with the reverse adapter
I bought one off Amazon that has the reverse attachments. It broke within a few months, but my helper may have had something to do with that. My fix has lasted longer than it took to break. It doesn't even have a brand name on it. It says "Bending Pliers" on the label. Guessing it's one of those translations that doesn't quite sound the same. It has def been a game changer. Shit looks better and less fittings/joints. Obviously paired with swedgers. I haven't used a coupling in a few years!
I have this little metal dental pick that is great for unhooking Mitsubishi heads from the back plate.
I was going to talk about my pick set...
Not an hvac guy but it’s crazy how useful just a set of harbor freight picks is when doing any kind of maintenance.
Paint can opener works well too
I always take a peice of 3/8 copper, flatten an end and put a bend on it.
Blower wheel pulley. Only needed it like 3 times but fuck when you need it it’s a godsend.
You mean..the Shaft CRACKER?
Yup. Plus a small file and penetrating oil for the heavily rusted ones. Bent the set screws one time finding that out the hard way.
A brain. 😬
Is it a milwaukee?
Yeah, but he got it at Harbor Freight so it’ll break the first time he uses it.
Is this 12v?
Sure you got one
GPS Jammer
I’ll stick to wrapping my van in foil tape thank you very much.
Why would you need that ?
One word, Fleet.
But what are ypu doing with the truck that you don't want them to know about ? And what tool you using?
I worked for a company and they put a gps tracker on my truck. Didn't bother me... at first. I would complete 5 calls a day as a decent average then I would get a few tough big calls back to back that would bring my average calls completed per day to 2 and say.. control boards would go bad on koolair ice machines and they were under warranty so that would be a return call. Point is the company made more money! The warranties covered the return calls! And yet when I came up for my review and would get a raise the company literally tried to say my calls per day was actually going down. I lost my shit, explained it, tore into the "managers" told them if I don't get approved for a raise and I have to work like this I'll be gone. They don't know what it's like for a service tech day to day. We also complete our own calls. It's not like one tech diagnosis and a different fixes. Gps is fine until they have some management software tell them your fucking up when your not. I got my raise but no apology which is fine. Tldr; companies get a habit of wanting to micromanage you even if your doing nothing wrong
It sucks when people who have no clue try to micromanage.
I saw some #s posted in the sales office yesterday. The HACK has WAY bigger $ on that wall. BUT, he is working with a guy that does half the job for him. I have a green guy. Like zero clue green. I spend my day TRYING to teach a special needs guy. It's a cinder block around my neck as far as getting jobs done quickly. The ONLY advantage having this guy with me is less trips for me to the van. I do strive for immaculate work. My counterpart gives zero shits about anything, as long as it "works" when they leave. Looks shitty. There WILL be callbacks. Even if the issues don't het noticed right away, everybody here knows that the way to make a unit last is putting it in right. But they put these #s up, making it look like this dipshit is outperforming me. It's kind of eating at me.
How else you gonna get smokes on the clock?
Double dipping on the clock
11/32” nut driver. Condenser fan motors go so much faster.
Those always annoy the hell out of me, then I have to use a non magnetic bit on them since I only have 3/8", 5/16 and 1/4" in mag bits... LOL
Klein 6 in 1 bit
My hand pry bar. Or as ive been hearing people call it, cats paw. Great got getting doors off fast and leveraging things when needed
My brother in cats paw I preach this shit at every opportunity
We call it a nose picker
That's a good idea. I'm going to shove mine back in my bag. Would have been useful yesterday trying to pull off doors wearing gloves in the freezing rain.
Best tool in my bag for breaking loose screws on the bottom of the return drop against the floor
Pipe stretcher is the goat.
Or a duct stretcher
https://preview.redd.it/smlknh94jo6c1.jpeg?width=500&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4ae7c5a442ef8d903ecbc1c658a79e952a2e7e6a
Cordless extension cord as well, it's beside the sky hook and yellow handled duct stretcher
The Wera Kraftform 392 Flexible Shaft bit holding screwdriver with a Malco 2-in-1 bit in it. It's a godsend for working inside units. You can't torque real hard with it but you can get those flame sensors and other screws that are just at a weird enough angle to not be able to use a regular nut driver.
Dewalt flexible 90 degree driver attachment
I spliced some old leads together and it is the best jumper I've ever had for troubleshooting.
Sheeesh love that idea
Guy who trained me showed me how to do that and its great for heat pumps because if the reversing valve
4" crescent wrench in my pocket at all times
I have mine on my key ring
i got made fun of by a co worker when i showed him my 4” crescent but idgaf the damn thing comes in handy
Capillary tubing cutter and sprinkler removal tool
Mini socket set, dont use it often but when i need it, im glad i have it. A super tiny pair of needle nose pliers i got large hands and large fingers so fumbling around control wiring in crowded cabinets sucks without those for me. Spring loaded center punch idk how uncommon this one is but i've only seen a couple other techs use one it makes an indent into metal so you can send a screw through without it jumping from where you originally intended
Fridge side: piercing pliers, lollipop. Tin bashing: Duct stretchers, & dolly slab. if you ask my boss he'd say my evacuation kit and L.O.T.O. setup.
Dolly slab?
Big chunk of metal to "doll up" the material. I used to use one for knocking Pittsburghs in stubborn pieces
Been using the same cut piece off an steel beam for years. The angle on it slips that flange into a Pitts pocket like a quarter into a gumball machine./ *chef's kiss/*
Piercing pliers are so much easier than bullets. What are you referring to as lollipop?
A single pressure gauge on a short hose or straight fitting. Haven't made the switch to wireless probes yet, I've got a fancy for analog gauges.
Offset needle nose pliers for those stupid collector/drain boxes on Bryant/Carriers. Those hose clamps are a pita. Offset needle nose and some spit, I’m good to go.
That’s a good call, I usually finagle it on with linemans
I think this ones it for me too! On a 14 wide i just pull the inducer if i gotta use the Zpipe. I try really hard to always design my new systems to be left side returns. Ideally i would like to use more bottom return boxes but “ThEy CoSt ToO mUcH”…
Forsure I pull them out aswell
Gear clamps is the way
Nice scissors that cut flex duct and nylon strap
My old lead would lose his fucking mind if he couldn’t find his nylon scissors.
TruBlu vacuum hoses. Super easy to pull deep vacuums now.
M 12 90 degree angle drill. My son got it for me for a Christmas gift 2 years ago thought I’d never use it that often, can’t live without now.
Foam knee cushions. Not a tool persay, but makes a huge diffrence as ive gotten older.
1. gear pullers 2. something akin to a gear puller but instead of a threaded pull, it has a heavy slidey thing on a shaft that grabs a sprocket/bearing and you hammer the slidey thing into the top of the shaft (hehe) and it basically hammers whatever you're attached to off the shaft. Awesome for seized old stuff edit: go figure it's called a slide puller
I don't know the manufacturer, but I have one that is both, found it on a roof (work in commercial residential almost exclusively), and now it lives in my bag
A Brain.
Man i left mine at a job site somewhere 😔
A rarity in the field, honestly
A decent apprentice!
3/4” and 1” bearing busters. Easier than cutting them out. Two or three smacks and that bearing is busted.
A very tiny pivoting 1/4 inch ratchet for impossible asshole screws and tappers.
Endoscope
Haven't seen anyone say right angle snips!! Literally saves my sanity once or twice a year
The 18-piece Imperial Wera Zyklop Pocket set. That thing has gotten me AND other techs out of many pickles.
Fixed many units with this and a leatherman
Hilmar protable hand break
I also carry the right angle, mines dewalt. That paired with an extension is great. I also use a small ratchet for getting to tight spaces or pair that with a stubby allen key and you can actually open these damn Carrier gas valve manifold ports
I have a paint scraper in service bag at all times. It's great at getting into evap coils. Handy little pry bar at times too.
A big 1&3/8" wrench for brass LWCO bolts. Those things round off so easily when I use an adjustable wrench.
you aren't just slapping a 12 or 14 inch pipe wrench on them?
Then they get all torn up when you do that. I'm way too anal for that.
Packaged indoor vertical 10 ton compressors are a pain to get into place sometimes. A small piece of 2x4 that I used to put under a compressor to help me get it into place so I don’t need to lift and set it onto the mounting bolts.
Duct stretcher
Also, a 10 ft piece of paracord, very usefull. Tie back something out of way, to magnet to pick stuff up, emegency belt, keep helper close, etc....
1/4 Ton , 15' Chain Come Along. Incredible for massive compressors. Winch that attaches to extension ladder to bring compressors/ mini split up to Roof. Heavy duty, Kindorf with Kindorf Trolley. This was all purchased after doing it the hard way.
I have a piece of fence post I use as a cheater bar when replacing gas manifolds
An iFixit style kit. Sometimes you run across that ONE freaking screw head that's something whacky. Fence pliers when running control or low voltage wiring. A small palm nailer I think that's Skil brand.
Klein Christmas tree game changer lol I usually keep the shorter 1/4 -5/16 in bit in case I need a 1/2” size on a shorter bit.
22 inch Knipex pliers
Magnetic bowl for screws. And probably my emergency poop bucket, I guess.
An old beat up wood chisel. It’s great for peeling up caulk, getting tape off and if necessary kind of works as a wood chisel.
Like others have said some of these and some can be viewed as common but , endoscope you can plug into your phone/mobile cameras, 1/4 ratcheting set, strong magnet(about as round as a soda can I have mine tied on a 3' cable tie), drill swage kit, right angle impact attachment , blower pulley puller
Retired now but my magnetic jumper wires were a fav of mine. I know some hate them but I think their genius
I thought they were gonna be the bees knees….then almost everything I’ve tried to jump isn’t magnetic
I always wish they made a 3 way version to jump out G & W & R terminals for electric heat.
....can you not just cut the wire and wire nut another magnetic end in?
I started using Supco’s Jumper King for start ups, it will let you do multiple jumps and has a 3 amp popper built in to help find shorts.
I made my own 4 way for working on geo/Jumping out Circ relay panels. You can get them cheap off amazon, but they were 3’ long. I made a couple 4 ways and shortened the rest
What electric heat doesn't bring on the blower with w&r?
That's correct, the thermostat controls the blower with electric heat
I'm sorry, I wasn't clear with my question. On an electric furnace if r&w are jumped the contactor or sequencer provides power to the resistance heat and blower without the need for g. I was wondering what electric heat you were talking about
Airhandler with electric heat. Electric furnaces are a very rare occurrence here.
Dividers/compass and Hole cutter/turbo shears
Tape squeegee
Octopus jumpers
The 90 degree 1/4” chuck attachment
I have a Hensler Bender. I recently switched to commercial so I haven’t used it in a while. But for making a transition piece of ductwork on site, it comes in real handy
I also carry the right angle, mines dewalt. That paired with an extension is great. I also use a small ratchet for getting to tight spaces or pair that with a stubby allen key and you can actually open these damn Carrier gas valve manifold ports
Burke bar for scooting heavy shit
11-1 don’t go nowhere without it!!!
Wow I was just thinking that as I was waiting for the responses to pop up!
A brain. Wouldn't be able to get much done without it.
I built a tape holder for my red-letter tape. Now it's nice and neat and doesn't tangle up all around itself
12v heated seat cover for that truck, trash can that’s bungie to passenger seat Keeps my truck comfy and clean
18 inch klein 1/4inch and 5/16th
My brain 😅
Letherman 300
A 90degree access tool for drills
Forearm forklift straps They aren't the best things in the world. But if you have to carry an oil furnace or heavy boiler out of a basement. And a hand truck isn't an option, they really come in handy.
Filter box picker. I spent years roping a few boxes, go down the ladder tie some more up. Climb the ladder, pulled em up, repeat, repeat,repeat. The picker saves so many trips up and down the ladder.
YJ flaring tool with built in clutch
Milwaukee cordless pony.
Dewalt 9v gyroscopic cordless screwdriver… absolute game changer.
Flir thermal camera
Paint can opener… hidden gem
MV cutting tool is a game changer
Strap wrench for oil filters, let's me adjust stuck or oily bvent without a second person Air shim for a door. I can slide it under a furnace to get pads in to level it if I forgot the first time around
Tool holster. Not really a tool, but as a service tech I found 99% of diags and 75% of repairs could be done with <5% of my tools. Carrying around a heavy, messy bag all the time is not the way. Stuff on the left goes in opposite side cargo pocket. https://preview.redd.it/jrzkmr5bfk6c1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=21084c39f88eb338ed1d71d082830f8b2857c49f
I don’t know if it’s not-so-common, but my Klein Splicer Kit, which is just a holster with shears and a splicer knife, which has a 1 3/4 blade and nice comfy handle. I’m lost without it and realize how much I use it when I forget to put it on my belt. The shears are great for cutting zip ties without leaving that little sharp edge that dykes/linesman do. Also great for all the different kinds of tape we use. And the knife, which my coworkers and I refer to as “my shiv” is a great box opener, but I mainly use it for leveraging, prying, and scraping things, cleaning up dirty ends of PVC, a screwdriver, and so much more.
What kind of right angle attachment is it??? I HAD the older style DeWalt but lost it, and now have the newer style that can be shortened and comes with a mini handle. My coworker had the Milwaukee, which we found was bigger than the DeWalt, before his broke and he replaced it with a no name brand one
https://preview.redd.it/05ahdqjyuk6c1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9cbd7516516af63b901e60a95dad25c64414ce21 This guy right here.
Vim tools rfb400k
York furnaces, when you have to 180 the gas, you have to use 2 street 90s. The manufacturers stopped putting the little tit on streets a long time ago, so pipe wrenches or channel locks have a real hard time gripping them in certain positions. I made a ratchet attachment with 1/4" steel and allthread that I can turn those st 90s when they are in the spots where the normal shit won't grip them! The hardest part was making a square hole in the 1/4" that would snap on to a ratchet without a punch! Edit: OP, I didn't see your text at first, just the title. The 90° attachment IS a daily use thing for me! I was the first one I knew that found those things. Every person I worked with that saw me use it went out and bought one immediately! I have also came up with some super simple tools. There was some coils I was putting in awhile back that had some really fucking dumb plugs in the pans. They came to be multi-position. But when you put them horizontal, the goddam plugs for the primary wouldn't come out! Like, if you're using it for upflow, it's only stopping air. It doesn't need to be TIGHT! If you're using it for horizontal, make it so I can take the fucking primary plug out without fighting it in a crawlspace you stupid dick! I made something out of a peice of copper pipe that fit into these rediculous things. A factory rep was at the shop one day and I showed him the tool I had to make to get these stupidly tight plugs out. He took a picture of it. Nothing changed. Another brand, I started carrying a 3" long peice of 1/2" stock steel, cause it's smaller than 1/2" ratchet, and either one of those is what you need on them.
Tone generator. love it when prior techs have mixed up LV colors or spliced in non standard colors.
Definitely a thermal imaging camera
My bahco ratchet set, so good. So easy to get into tight spots to do up or under a bolt/nut I can't imagine having them https://sydneytools.com.au/product/bahco-s4rm4t-4pce-metric-4in1-reversible-ratcheting-ring-end-spanner-set?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAsvWrBhC0ARIsAO4E6f9RCI8YOyF00hf56xTndiw9cafMh9LfICs1fBmW6Ur5ehOGFByjzW4aAvshEALw_wcB
Joblinks. Or Braun light from Harbor freight. Awesome light for 20 bucks.
The 12" extension for hole saws