Repairing refrigeration....

[tblake05]

At what point do you jump in and buy the equipment to do your own?

I’ve got 20 machines and growing. 10 of which are soda. Just had another one ice up. I’m sure it’s low on Freon. I shut the compressor off to dethaw it over the weekend while the location is closed.

ive got a guy who treats me right, but it runs about 200.00 each time he comes. We’ve usually got 1 service call a year or so. Usually right in the heat of summer.

im an auto mechanic so I understand the principles of refrigeration. Though I know vending machines are different but I could learn.

just looking for advice if I should buy the equipment, learn the refrigeration systems, and get certified. About how much is the cost vs roi?

 

[AngryChris]

I wouldn't even consider it unless I had well over 400 machines.  That's my opinion.

[Randymire]

  I don’t think it would pay you to do this right now  with 10 soda machines and 1 service call a year unless your going to do refrigeration work for other vendors on the side and that could be a profitable side gig for you . 
  I’d personally put that time , effort and expense into building my vending business. 

[orsd]

Learn how to diagnose and replace evaporator fans, condensor fans, and start components. You do not need certification for that.

For me, that’s all the repairs I do. I do have a refrigeration card (cheap and easy to get), gauge set and recovery machine (that I got cheap off Craigslist) so I can legally top off refrigerant charges and scrap old machines.

If the charge leaks out too quickly or if it needs anything major like a compressor I just send it off to be rebuilt. Costs 3-400 bucks. Actually doing repairs is too time consuming to be worth it.

[tblake05]

2 hours ago, orsd said:

Learn how to diagnose and replace evaporator fans, condensor fans, and start components. You do not need certification for that.

For me, that’s all the repairs I do. I do have a refrigeration card (cheap and easy to get), gauge set and recovery machine (that I got cheap off Craigslist) so I can legally top off refrigerant charges and scrap old machines.

If the charge leaks out too quickly or if it needs anything major like a compressor I just send it off to be rebuilt. Costs 3-400 bucks. Actually doing repairs is too time consuming to be worth it.

Already have done plenty of repairs like condenser fans, thermostats on my own.....

kind of like you, I was thinking about finding equipment on cl or secondhand and getting certified.... I may still.

seems silly to me to pay someone to do stuff that I know I can do if I had the right equipment.... and if the equipment costs as much as 1 or 2 service calls, I wouldn’t mind investing.