What Micron meters do you like?

[Milk man]

I've come over to the dark side and want my own micron meter. The shop's still isn't back from being repaired. I only turned it in over a year ago and it sat in the parts manager's office until last month. Sometimes I just want to give up.

[markwolf]

I like thermal engineering.It is large but you can use batteries or plug it in.I have had great luck with them.

[oloenneker]

Sounds like your parts manager sucks at his job...http://forums.hamsexy.com/images/smiles/wallbash.gif

But on another note, having your own, means you're responsible for fixing it when it breaks as well...http://www.lcvg.com/forum/images/smilies/nutz.gif

I use a cheapo Supco Digital version.
http://www.davis.com/ItemJpg/SU6400%20COPY.JPG
Just have to make sure that you keep the sensor clean, and it should work fine for a long time...

[Milk man]

Originally posted by oloenneker
Sounds like your parts manager sucks at his job...http://forums.hamsexy.com/images/smiles/wallbash.gif

But on another note, having your own, means you're responsible for fixing it when it breaks as well...http://www.lcvg.com/forum/images/smilies/nutz.gif

I use a cheapo Supco Digital version.
http://www.davis.com/ItemJpg/SU6400%20COPY.JPG
Just have to make sure that you keep the sensor clean, and it should work fine for a long time...



Yes, and yes. This is why I haven't bought one in the past.

[llskywalker]

I myself use cheapo Supco Digital version and haven't had any issues. Just have to keep that sensor clean.

[Dad]

Ditto

[hvacpope]

I own a TIF 9450D,its a bit slow but accurate, the supco VG64 is highly unreliable.

[icemeister]

I reluctantly bought a Supco VG64 a few years ago and have had surprisingly good luck with it. As others have said you have to keep it clean.

One tip to prevent premature fouling of the sensor is to blank off one side and connect it above your vacuum line with a tee fitting so the flow doesn't go through it and so oil doesn't run into it.

[R12rules]

there is a thread here, somewhere, which dealt with this topic.
It showed several popular meters all connected and the results of the tests.

It was done in a classroom setting at a tech school.


The Yellow Jacket meter beat them all.


From what i have heard, seen ... the best placement for the connection is at the system being evacuated and on a seperate tee. And I recomend using a short hose from meter to tee with a mini ball valve to blank off the meter during pressurization, breaking the vaccuum with nitrogen or refrigerant, (tripple evacuation).

[hvacpope]

R-12 triple evacuation is a thing of the past, those 6 CFM two stages pumps turned that old timer trick into a mere waste of time.

[icemeister]

Originally posted by hvacpope
R-12 triple evacuation is a thing of the past, those 6 CFM two stages pumps turned that old timer trick into a mere waste of time.
Do you think us old timers didn't have big vacuum pumps back in the stone ages?

Then again, it's not how quick you are, but how deep you can go. ;):D

[Edited by icemeister on 06-02-2006 at 08:59 PM]

[smokin68]

The supco vg60(?) is a complete piece of crap, should be sold in the dollar store. Haven't used a 64, but after the 60 I wouldn't buy anything from Supco.


edited model number

[Edited by smokin68 on 06-03-2006 at 12:40 PM]

[htinglky]

Use the one w/ my fieldpiece and I am very pleased w/ it.

[Milk man]

Thanks for the input

[len]

i just bought the cps microvac,today at johnstone,as well as a blank off manifold,seems to do the job okay,have several options as to where to install.












the one and only.http://img188.imageshack.us/img188/5130/ourflag3gy.png

[Milk man]

I bought a VG64. I'll use the shops when I know to take it. I'll keep mine at the ready when I don't have the shops.

[cr500]

We have a fieldpiece and I just purchased a yellow jacket 69075 superevac gauge. The YJ is pricey at 240 or so depending where you buy, but it's nice to have the readout where it's easy to see instead of down on the service valve. Also nice is that it starts at atmospheric [760,000] whereas the fieldpiece starts at 2000, which gives you a better idea of progress. I rigged the 2 in together for a non-scientific test and found them to be within ~10% or so which should be plenty good enough.

[derrick1623]

Originally posted by htinglky
Use the one w/ my fieldpiece and I am very pleased w/ it.

i have one too, but it didnt, and still doesn't read right, i am waiting on a warranty replacement, but i hope it works!

[jtsuttle]

Has anyone tried the Inficon Pilot, CPS-VG200 or the JB DV-22N?

http://www.inficonhvacvacuumgauges.com/en/pilotvacuumgauge.html

http://www.polarbearinc.com/PBPC/homepage/Search/Tools/CPS_ELECT_GAUGES_METERS.html

http://www.jbind.com/Catalog/deep_vacuum/micron_gauges.html

The CPS claims to withstand 400 psi positive pressure (just in case you forget to blank it off :eek: :D )

Would like your opinions...

[brdman]

I have the cps digital read out model,not the one that has LED bars.use the yellow jacket ball valve core removal tool,remove cores and conect micron gage right to the extra port on it,works good,like the others got to keep the sensor clean.I use alchahol to clean sensor any body have any other ways to flush sensors out?

[mark beiser]

I have been using a Yellow Jacket 69075 for a couple of months now and will never ever trust a junky Supco micron gauge again. I have totally lost faith in any Inficon product as well.

Se my evac rig here. http://www.hvac-talk.com/vbb/showthread.php?threadid=103386

I'm very happy with it so far.

[kenny_247]

we (the company owner) bought a inficon pilot this past week..
was a wild experience installing a 50 ton carrier split air to air straight ac
the linesets were close to 40ft . Twin circuit 1 5/8 and 7/8 copper ..
the job included a Carrier factory startup. I got the linesets made up in a few days .... the carrier wannabetech went to vacuum test the entire system and used a vac-u-ator .....what the h*** is this thing i thought. but he told and showed me how it worked. pretty cool and less expensive than digital micron gauge. do a google search on these.
anyway he said we had leaks on both circuits... after hours of tearing armaflex off of lines , checking valves etc i concluded that i was gonna need more tools/help to get the carrier guy happy. this is where the pilot came in..
my boss and i against carrier guys advice (what was he thinking) we isolated linesets and indoor coil from the outdoor unit and bought 2 new 6cfm pumps and that pilot.... boss watched the pilot all night long (i went to the motel) and finally got one circuit down to 800 microns and it only rose about 120 microns in an hour or so.... we pulled the other circuit down to about 1000 microns the rest of the day..... long story short we proved our lines and air handler were leak free and had no moisture to speak of and the brand new blue oval outdoor unit had leaks. ive rambled on enuff but we found out that pilot was as accurate as the vac-u-ator..

[mikep]

I have been using a Yellow Jacket 69075 for a couple of months now and will never ever trust a junky Supco micron gauge again. I have totally lost faith in any Inficon product as well.

Se my evac rig here. http://www.hvac-talk.com/vbb/showthread.php?threadid=103386

I'm very happy with it so far.

That is a great rig. Thanks for the photo. My rule of thumb, never buy anything that has the initials, cps, supco, tif or nrp.

[hvacrjones]

I use a JB and have had no problems I even use there connection setup.
I have had no problems getting the sensor dirty with the setup this way.:)

http://jbind.com/Catalog/deep_vacuum/Graphics/Dv29hook.jpg

[shipwreck]

The inficon makes a lot of good products,(gasmate and d tek), but the pilot vacuum meter is garbage. The sensor is not held in very well in the casing, I found. I returned it after a couple of uses for a full refund and bought the analog Robinair micron gauge, which was twice the meter but a 100x's the meter. I also use the Yellow Jacket micron gauge, the old one where the read out starts at 2000. This is a very good meter also, but it doesn't show you if the sensor is still good like the Robinair does.

[square2round]

Until I see something that works better than the Yellow Jacket 69070 or 69075, that's what I'm using and suggesting to the other guys.

[caddy]

I personally like the Yellow Jacket LCD Vacuum Gauge-69075. It measures from atmosphere down to 1 micron. It also uses thermocouple technology instead of a thermistor. It is a little pricey but accurate, I would recommend it for large tonnage units, chillers etc.

[mark beiser]

I personally like the Yellow Jacket LCD Vacuum Gauge-69075. It measures from atmosphere down to 1 micron. It also uses thermocouple technology instead of a thermistor. It is a little pricey but accurate, I would recommend it for large tonnage units, chillers etc.

I use the 69075. I guess "pricey" is very relative, but $200 isn't bad. I use mine for every system, regardless of size.

[jHamlin34293]

Hey Guys....

I have been using a analog Annie (imperial eastman) for the past 25 years. Digital is nice, but i see the other techs sending them back for repairs and having to have a backup. The Annie seems to stand up better. Especially when its time for calibration.

Had a problem bout 10 years ago, sent it back to them, they replaced the internal parts and supplied 2 new sensors for free.. that GREAT service... I like analog better checking holding microns and checking for expansion (rise in micron).

Remember to use the right hoses and a tree on your vacuum pump. Always clean your pump and check its capability on your micron guage. Its an early sign of pending trouble. Its all in how well you take care of the tools that help you make your living. Hurry up hot weather.... your late...

[weber]

I use my fieldpiece most of the time but also have a good YJ. They both work great for me.

[Richard Kletty]

Thermal....

The one I have is really nice. Analog...

[jtrouse]

I have never posted a picture before, but I'm going to try.

This is an old J/B vacuum manifold rig. The manifold itself has been a solid performer for a long time with zero repairs and rebuilds. I have added several fittings and cut-offs. My add-ons have needed some repairs. It allows exchanging pumps (using up to four pumps at once), vacuum gauges, changing oil, testing most sections of the rig for vacuum leaks, testing each vacuum pump's ability, adding/removing freon tanks; all while continuing with the pull-down and not contaminating the system. I can also tie into the system at three places. All of the hoses I usually use are stainless steel "O" ring seal type which seems to add to the reliabilty.

This usually gets a 40-70 micron vacuum on a 5 to 20 ton split system with pumps running and under 250 micron hold for 10 minuites with pumps off, if the system is tight after an overnight pull.

I hope the pictures turn out. j.t

[smokin68]

I have never posted a picture before, but I'm going to try.

This is an old J/B vacuum manifold rig. The manifold itself has been a solid performer for a long time with zero repairs and rebuilds. I have added several fittings and cut-offs. My add-ons have needed some repairs. It allows exchanging pumps (using up to four pumps at once), vacuum gauges, changing oil, testing most sections of the rig for vacuum leaks, testing each vacuum pump's ability, adding/removing freon tanks; all while continuing with the pull-down and not contaminating the system. I can also tie into the system at three places. All of the hoses I usually use are stainless steel "O" ring seal type which seems to add to the reliabilty.

This usually gets a 40-70 micron vacuum on a 5 to 20 ton split system with pumps running and under 250 micron hold for 10 minuites with pumps off, if the system is tight after an overnight pull.

I hope the pictures turn out. j.t



Quite the setup you have there....4 pumps would pull a resi system down in< 5 minutes...:eek:

[jtrouse]

Quite the setup you have there....4 pumps would pull a resi system down in< 5 minutes...:eek:

smokin.... I would prefer not to lug all that equip to a res system, but would use one 6 cfm pump or better yet a 4 cfm pump. I don't like to slam a system with a vacuum and boil up the oil. On a 20+ ton split AC system with 50+ feet of 1" liquid line, this setup will not pull a vacuum too quick.

Also, I forgot to stay on the thread after worrying about the picture uploading. My micron meter now (and has been for 3 years) a Ritchie yj #69070. The sensor is kept pointed down and is in a tee that is out of the vacuum flow. I have yet to clean the sensor tip. I have two cut-offs on the Ritchie sensor so I can use one vacuum meter on another system pull down running at the same time.

[y7turbo]

i just got my thermal engineering micron gauge. I also just picked up a robinair 6cfm cool tech pump.

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n153/y7turbo/trane044.jpg

[davefr]

i just got my thermal engineering micron gauge. I also just picked up a robinair 6cfm cool tech pump.

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n153/y7turbo/trane044.jpg

That's one nice meter. I have one just like it. There's something to be said for analog!!

[TB]

Interesting discussion. I use a Supco 64 and recently have been really second guessing it. I started connecting it to the opposite end of the system the pump is on, with one copper line, and still seem to have problems with it fouling up. I been useing alcohol like they say, quite often lately, but it seems the more I drink, the fuzzier the readout. :D. Righ now I have it on a 170 ton chiller, and have replaced the "tube" connecting it to the system a couple times. Every time I back seat the service valve, closing the port it is on, (LL king valve) the gauge rises to atmospheric psi, but I can't find any leaks on the gauge or connections. I'm about to the point of suspecting the gauge itself has an internal leak. Anyone else experience something like this?

[greengobob]

How do you guys clean your supco micron gauge?

[weber]

By throwing it away and buying a YJ.

[brdman]

jtrouse/anybody else, Where did you get those stainless steel vac. hoses? It almost looks by the pictures that you fabricated your own ends on them?

[TB]

I finally got a rubber yellow jacket one from Johnstone, makes it a bit easier, but I was allways just useing flared copper.


They say to clean the gauges with alcohol, slosh it arround in the gauge sensor. I finally bought a JB.

[jtrouse]

jtrouse/anybody else, Where did you get those stainless steel vac. hoses? It almost looks by the pictures that you fabricated your own ends on them?

brdman, I got two J/B SS hoses, one Yellow Jacket SS hose, and the J/B vacuum manifold on one Ebay purchase about five years ago, all for 42.00 with shipping. They all were in great shape. I already had two Yellow Jacket forty something inch long SS hoses that cost me almost $80 each new and these had regular quarter inch disconnects with regular gaskets. The three SS hoses from the Ebay purchase all had quick disconnects with "O" ring gaskets and that spoiled me. The "O" ring type connectors seem to seal better and last alot longer, so I converted my two "$80.00" hoses to "o" ring connectors. Yellow Jacket sells SS hoses with both types of connectors attached. They also have ones with "braze your own" blank tubing ends. They can sell the ends only also. J/B used to make good SS hoses and may still have them for sale.

[dawgtchrr]

Yes they are still in the JB catalog. Just purchased 3 of their vacuum manifold sets. Generally very impressed, and especially like the o-ring connectors. Have a serious issue with the schrader depressor, which seems to be to large for most of our applications.

[cateyes]

Sounds like your parts manager sucks at his job...http://forums.hamsexy.com/images/smiles/wallbash.gif

But on another note, having your own, means you're responsible for fixing it when it breaks as well...http://www.lcvg.com/forum/images/smilies/nutz.gif

I use a cheapo Supco Digital version.
http://www.davis.com/ItemJpg/SU6400%20COPY.JPG
Just have to make sure that you keep the sensor clean, and it should work fine for a long time...

I use the same model... No problem so far. Good luck...