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GRANT LAIDLAW
Grant Laidlaw is currently the owner of the Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Academy (ACRA) in Edenvale.
He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration and an associate degree in educational administration. He
has a National Technical Diploma and completed an apprenticeship with Transnet. He has dual-trades status:
refrigeration and electrical. He has been involved with SAIRAC for 17 years and has been a Johannesburg
committee member for the past eight (chairman in 2011 and 2012) . Currently he is the treasurer
(Johannesburg council) as well as president (national council).
PRACTICALLY SOLVING
FAULTS IN A SYSTEM
By Grant Laidlaw
Many people ask for assistance in the understanding of theoretical and
practical aspects of the industry. I will endeavour to enlighten.
Gloria asks: Hi Grant, many times we go to a plant or an
air conditioning system and some things are stopping the
machine from working, so can you advise on looking for
faults please.
H
i Gloria, nice to hear from you. Yes, there are scientific
methods one can follow when fault-finding, but I shall try
to keep to the practicalities. I cannot cover the multitude of
possible faults on the wide array of equipment we find in our
industry. This is why a thorough understanding of how plants
and equipment operate is absolutely imperative to success in
fault finding.
In addition, most larger installations are custom-built for a
building or purpose. This in turn means, for the most part, that no
Finding faults on a refrigeration or air conditioning system does
require some expertise.
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RACA Journal I May 2020
two plants are the same. These are the challenges we all have to
deal with. Throw in the array of refrigerants and – well, you get
the picture.
BUT WHERE TO BEGIN?
A good place to begin is to speak with the client. Here, the correct
questions need to be asked. Knowing what questions to ask prior
to going to site will be of help to yourself.
A fault has been reported at a plant and you need to proceed
to the site. Before doing so you need to ask certain questions:
• The type of fault?
• The type and function of the equipment?
• Where exactly is the jobsite?
• Will you need any special access or safety equipment?
• What is the name of the customer that you must see?
• Anything unusual (burnt smell, noises, smoke etc.)?
You need to take with you all the tools and equipment
that you will need. You should not have to go back to your
workshop for tools that you should have on your vehicle.
Going back to the workplace for tools or equipment is a waste
of time and money.
Ensure that you are suitably dressed to work on the plant,
and you are compliant with the customer’s safety requirements.
You may have to wear a hard hat, safety shoes, safety glasses,
rubber gloves, and in some instances breathing equipment.
As you will be working at your customer’s premises make sure
that you have some form of identification including your Safe
Handling registration card, driver’s license or identity card.
On arrival at the jobsite it will be necessary to report to the
customer. Always address the customer with courtesy and act
confidently. Remember that you are representing your company
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