Digi-Cool and the Ritchie equivilant

[karl k]

Does anyone have either of these?

I'm thinking of buying a set. A local supplier has the Yellow Jacket part #40805 on sale for $725 CAD. That comes with a manifold and the hoses. I'm thinking that is a pretty good deal, but would like some input from people that have had experience with this product.

Don't stay quiet on this. I can use all the information I can get my hands on. This isn't some cheap tool I can just pick up because I want it. I actually need to justify this purchase. I'm wondering if it is going to be worth the money I put out.

What is the battery life like? How long do the units last?

Any input is appreciated.

Thanks


Karl

[davidr]

I have been using the BTD-1000 on a series 41 YJ manifold for about a year & a half now.

It is one purchase I would make again in a heartbeat, I use the 6' YJ hoses on it.

The batteries seem to last forever in this thing, the 15 minute shut off helps here also.

I have gotten caught out in the rain with these & accidentally dropped them once with no issues, well worth the investment IMHO.

Here is a older pic of my setup.


http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c77/staticpoobah/HPIM0213.jpg

[karl k]

Do you think that it would be worthwhile to get the Digi-cool with the temperature probe for superheat and subcooling to be displayed. I see that you are running a Fluke 50 Series meter for the temperature display.

I guess it's fairly easy to see that your superheat is too low and your subcooling is good when you have all those numbers nice and big in front of you like that.

Out of curiousity, if you don't mind me asking, how much did you pay for the Digi-cool and where did you buy it?

There's got to be more than one person out there who has this setup. Does anyone have experience with the higher end models? Is it worth it?

Karl

[davidr]

If I remember right I paid a little over 300 for that model.

I like the setup I'm using because I use pipe clamps & can see the readings simultaneously.
Don't care for having to switch back & forth between one probe to get my temperature readings.

This works well for me, I figure the day I can't do simple subtraction in my head I need to retire. :)

[mark beiser]

My setup.
http://home.comcast.net/~mbeiser/ACstuff/digicool.jpg

The Digi-Cool BTD-1000 was $399+ $17 S&H
The manifold is one of the several spares I have laying around.
The hoses are 48" NRP non permiable hoses with NRP ball valves and 8" non permiable hoses on the ends. I can keep some pressure in my manifold so when i hook up to a system I only have to purge the short hoses, then open the ball valves.
Before I disconnect from a system I open my manifold to feed liquid refrigerant through it for a few seconds, then close the ball valve on the high side hose to let the system pull the refrigerant out of my manifold and hoses, then close the ball valve on the low side hose. Doing this each time I disconnect from a system keeps oil from building up in my manifold and hoses. I also have the core depressors removed from the 48" hoses.
Pricy hose setup, about $130 for hoses and ball valves, but I much prefere it over regular low loss fittings.

If you get ball valve hoses, DO NOT get the ones by Yellow Jacket and others that have the hoses permanently connected to the ball valves, they are a stupid useless product.

For a backup I have 1% accuracy brass gauges on the same manifold with the same hose setup. My recovery set has the same hose and manifold setup, but the brass gauges on it have plastic lenses instead of tempered glass.
http://home.comcast.net/~mbeiser/ACstuff/evac/gauge1.jpg

[Edited by mark beiser on 11-19-2006 at 09:29 PM]

[Reeferman]

Karl I have a 1000 on a Titan manifold which is the same manifold that Ritchie put the 1100 on. They have modified the unit so it connects directly to the manifold instead of using the couplers.This may be ok but you won't be able to use another manifold if you choose to. Before I bought my Digi-Cool I phoned Doug Lockhart who invented it. You should phone him and talk about which one you should get for what you do. I got a smoking deal on the 1000 and after talking to Doug it was the best way to go for what I do. He also told me that he is bringing more options in the next year or so and I am going to wait to see what he has to offer. I have tried the 1000 on other manifolds like Brute 4valve,Imperial 4valve Ritchie 41 but the Titan is the best for balance. The other digital makers all have an all in one which doesn't work for me.His phone number is on the Digi-Cool website and he will get back to you within a few minutes.

[Reeferman]

Karl I see you are in Burnaby, Doug is in Duncan so not too far away to go and see the man.

[kiwireeferman]

They are built lke a brick sh*t house. You will not be disappointed. I have a BTD-1000 and a DRSA-1100. As reported, the batteries last for ever and they hold their calibration. A superb instrument.

[ptemko]

So you guys using the new digtal gages are you using them on one type of refrigerant or on more than one. I use 2 different sets,one for 410A and one for R22. I would really like to upgrade but would like to know if I need 2 sets of the new digtal gages.

[mcjo tech]

I've heard nothing but good things about the DRSA. Very rugged,long running time, and good probes. You should be able to use this set for both refrigerants. If you want you can use your other 410 gauges on those systems and leave your 22 gauges as a backup.

[mark beiser]

Originally posted by ptemko
So you guys using the new digtal gages are you using them on one type of refrigerant or on more than one. I use 2 different sets,one for 410A and one for R22. I would really like to upgrade but would like to know if I need 2 sets of the new digtal gages.

I use my digital setup for both, but I take steps to prevent oil buildup in my manifold and hoses every time I disconnect from a system.
I use 48" hoses that have a ball valve and another short hose. They are the NRP set where the long hose, ball valve and short hose are 3 pieces instead of made together like the useless Yellow Jacket ones.
Before disconnecting I open both valves on my manifold for a couple of seconds to let liquid refrigerant run through my manofold, then close the ball valve on my high side hose and let the system pull the liquid refrigerant out of my hoses and manifold. Then I close the ball valve on my low side hose and disconnect from the system.
Doing this keeps my manifold and hoses clean and clear of oil buildup.
At worst, there is a very light film of oil, but it is not enough to contaminate even small systems.

With my setup I have some pressure in my hoses and manifold all the time, and only have to purge the short hoses when I'm connecting to a system that uses the same refrigerant as the last system I worked on.
If I'm working on a system with a different refrigerant than the last one, I bleed the pressure out of my manifold before connecting, and purge the manifold/hoses when I connect.
Going from one refrigerant to another is a good time to zero the gauge too. My Digi-Cool BTD-1000 hasn't been more than 0.3 psi off zero on the low side, or 1 psi off zero on the high side any time I have checked it, even at different temperatures, or several days without relieving the pressure in the manifold.

[mark beiser]

Originally posted by mcjo tech
If you want you can use your other 410 gauges on those systems and leave your 22 gauges as a backup.

Since r410a is the refrigerant you NEED a digital gauge for the most, I wouldn't recommend that. ;)

[grayghost]

Mark
You said the digital gauges are most important on 410 .I work primarily on commercial so the 410 i have seen have been on chillers with receivers and large charges.The only small system i have is an enviromental cabinet and it has a receiver.So is 410 that critically charged on smaller units without receivers?

[mark beiser]

Originally posted by grayghost
Mark
You said the digital gauges are most important on 410 .I work primarily on commercial so the 410 i have seen have been on chillers with receivers and large charges.The only small system i have is an enviromental cabinet and it has a receiver.So is 410 that critically charged on smaller units without receivers?

In the ambient conditions we get in the summer in my area, r410a systems seem to be quite a bit more sensative about the charge than r22 systems, even with TXV equipped systems.
As I have talked about before, dial type gauges for r410a also suck because the larger scale compressed down onto the same size gauge face results in a lower resolution and effectivly lower accuracy than gauges designed for r22.

[dngtig]

I am looking at taking the plunge into the digital manifold world, how are you guys storing these? Do you hook them on the cage in the truck and let them beat around or do you do something else? I don't baby any thing I own so I don't think I would these.

[kiwireeferman]

Mine don't get any different treatment than my mechanical gauge sets.
They hang on a hook in the back of the service truck.

[Dowadudda]

I have the Testo set.

I am thinking there all very similair. I love my set. Love em. I have said this time and time again. I wil never go back to analog. Why? WHat would be the point?

The 2 things I wish to heck it did have: #1. is 4 temp probes. It only has one. I wish I had 2 for both superheat and subcooling. And then two more for doing Delta T's. #2. If it also could read microns.

I have been messing with the loggin feature lately. Been doing some store commisioning and setting superheats. Make an adjustment. Set it to log the next 15 minutes, walk away and do something else while it monitors. What an awesome tool.

My set does not read microns, but it does have a leak test feature, I have not yet used it. Say you suspect a leak but are not sure. You can let the system equalize. Set the refrigerant or tell it your using nitrogen. It will monitor the system for what ever amount of time. It will be able to detect the pressures changing very quickly and determine a leak. In larger systems, this would not work But I could see it working on a smaller set up. Today I am going to be changing out a condensing unit and replacing 4 TXVS on 40' of service meat at a small little grocery store. I am going to try it.

I have been told by the testo Dude on here that this is a work in progress though.

I do refrigeration. And I am working on Racks an awful lot. The coolest thing about these is doing pressure drops and net oil pressure. If your doing a pressure drop of an oil separator, you need two high side gauges, or if your doing net oil, you need two low side gauges. Not any longer. The digitals are going to read the pressure no matter what.

[dngtig]

So there is realy isn't a low and high side gauge? Either one can be used?

[phinncraft]

try the new tool by cooper it has super heat, subcooling ,air flow,temps,and rh all for the same price of you digicool:cool: