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That's how I remember him

Originally Posted by itsiceman

This is from yesterday. Is this still considered "old news"? or "fake"?
http://hvac-talk.com/vbb/showthread....1#post15515841

Eh...I just decided I need a new toy....so I ordered a Digi Drool AK900 from my guy..so I am going to see first hand if you guys are just having fun or not.

Should be here in week.

Need I say Uncle is not Happy.

Originally Posted by hvac5646

Old news...just another case of the "noisiest wheel gets oiled first".

This is from yesterday. Is this still considered "old news"? or "fake"?
http://hvac-talk.com/vbb/showthread....1#post15515841

Originally Posted by kangaroogod

For the first round,, I ended up ordering (3) sman3 manifolds with jb kobra secure seal hoses for the mid level techs and a bluvac for a high level tech. It was $83 more for the sman3 over the sman2 but it comes with 2 temp clamps (that I really wish they would improve) so the price was a wash and they get a micron gauge for free essentially. Thanks guys for the input.

I don't know about the secure seal but I really like those regular kobra hoses. Those are a good choice

For the first round,, I ended up ordering (3) sman3 manifolds with jb kobra secure seal hoses for the mid level techs and a bluvac for a high level tech. It was $83 more for the sman3 over the sman2 but it comes with 2 temp clamps (that I really wish they would improve) so the price was a wash and they get a micron gauge for free essentially. Thanks guys for the input.

Originally Posted by Pascone10

http://hvac-talk.com/vbb/showthread....ms-with-sman-3

number 3

Old news...just another case of the "noisiest wheel gets oiled first".

I've have (1) Sman3 (oops), (3) Testo 550's, (1) Testo 570, and (2)DC AK900 & many sensors.

My first reefer analyzer was the Testo 550 when they first came out. I got the first pair Sid Harveys got in...funny thing is that they failed out of the box! Oops! Besides that one problem the Testos have been great besides the Temp probe connectors that always had internal breaks occurring. Testo was quite good about dealing with this issue and they send me a few extra sets, overnight, which I thought was great customer service. They did assure me that they knew what the problem was and they were working to rectify it. Believe me I kept on them about it. I ended up with (3) 550's because I let some of my other employees use them because it cut down on charging errors drastically. I just made them aware they were fully responsible if things were misused. After I had been using the 550's for a while I heard of the Digicools but was not sold on them yet. I then got a great deal on a set of sman3. I liked how they would calculated target superheat but, all of these feature seemed to be more time consuming and i could perform these tasks myself more quickly and I felt more comfortable with the results. The ability to calibrate the SMAN was appealing but also seemed time consuming. I frequently checked my 550's with other gauges and temp probes, and they were always on the money.

I then got my AK900 and have been very happy with them especially when they finally came out with the newer sensors. I now have two pair of AK900’s and multiple sensors for each. I then got a set of 570's at a great price and liked them because of the ability to have print outs from my Combustion analyzers printers, which customers love! The layout of the 570's menus is not to desirable but out of all the digital refrigerant analyzers the SMAN are my least favorite. I don't mean to bash them but I’ve just never been a fieldpiece fan. I tried them hoping I might become a convert but that’s not going to happen anytime soon! I tried with a open mind and now they sit in my basement and I’ll probably let a greenhorn tech use them to practice with! (that does seems like an evil thing to do!

My one serious regret is not getting a set of DC 1250's. I've been searching for a pair for some time. I've contacted Brenda many times hoping they get a pair in they might refurbish and sell me. I have no problem paying a higher price for a quality set. After seeing a video of the 1250’s being submerged in a bucket of water I was sold!!

IF ANYONE KNOWS WHERE I CAN LOCATE A QUALITY SET OF 1250’s I appreciate the lead. I can only hope Digicool somehow decides to produce another Non-Chinese made set of refrigerant analyzers that are built to last for the serious service techs.

Just since I don’t know much about the YJ analyzers, except they were designed by Bill, how are they? I have no intention of purchasing them but I have seen some competitors techs using them and I know they are not cheap in any way.

Although I know most love their Digicools, as I do as well, I really have not hate for Testo 550’s. They have treated me well and saved my ass. I never thought I ever, ever use a digital refrigerant gauge but now I don’t know how I worked without them.

Any comments are appreciated and welcomed...as if i had to say so!

Originally Posted by hvac5646

Why is it better? Even excluding the micron gauge The 570 and sman 4 do more than the DC.

I don't see an elderly gent beating on an empty plastic case as a motivation to buy.

It's a Digi-cool thing.

If you gotta ask, you'll never understand.


I've played with the others and, by comparison, they feel 'cheap'

I don't like K-type probes so the SMAN is out. Period. I did my time with them and I'm done with 'em. When you're setting a superheat at 3 degrees, there is exactly NO room for error and I don't get that with K-types. Good enough might be for some, but it doesn't fly with me.


What "more" does a DMG need to do than measure pressure and SH/SC?

http://hvac-talk.com/vbb/showthread....ms-with-sman-3

number 3

http://hvac-talk.com/vbb/showthread....0-paper-weight

number 2

http://hvac-talk.com/vbb/showthread....=testo+problem

1

Originally Posted by hvac5646

Never had a prob with my Sman 4 or my Testo 570.

The reliability argument does not stand up from where I am standing

Do a search on this forum.. There are many threads reporting issues with SMANS and Testos compared to Digicool.

Originally Posted by Pascone10

reliability.....

Never had a prob with my Sman 4 or my Testo 570.

The reliability argument does not stand up from where I am standing

One thing he may like about the Digi-Cool AK-900 is being able show someone to use the thing with just the power button. Turn it on and you are reading everything. No multiple screens and button pushes or menus to dig into

Originally Posted by hvac5646

Why is it better? Even excluding the micron gauge The 570 and sman 4 do more than the DC.

I don't see an elderly gent beating on an empty plastic case as a motivation to buy.

I didn't say anything about something being "better" You did. Hell he might want to have a target SH calculator built in for all his guys I don't know then the SMAN would be better for that. At the very least do the math on eight units. See what "Special" features he wants and see if something special is worth the extra money and extra patience it will take to learn the "special" features.
Just a guess but sounds like these are all first timers when it comes to digital gauges and they might want something that is easy to use.
FWIW kangaroogod the first time I picked up a testo 550 I couldn't even figure out how to turn it on and I had multiple digital gauges before that. testo is not the easiest unit out there to navigate and I've owned or used everyone you are reading about in this thread unlike clover.

Originally Posted by hvac5646

Why is it better? Even excluding the micron gauge The 570 and sman 4 do more than the DC.

I don't see an elderly gent beating on an empty plastic case as a motivation to buy.

reliability.....

Originally Posted by itsiceman

Digi-Cool AK-900 and BluVac would be the wisest money spent IMO

Why is it better? Even excluding the micron gauge The 570 and sman 4 do more than the DC.

I don't see an elderly gent beating on an empty plastic case as a motivation to buy.

Originally Posted by kangaroogod

Thanks for the replies.. I didn't think about the 2 option. I am setting up 8 techs with tools and wanted to spend their money wisely. I'm thinking sman2 and bluevac,, thanks

Digi-Cool AK-900 and BluVac would be the wisest money spent IMO

Originally Posted by jpsmith1cm

This is precisely why I'm clearing k-type thermocouples out of the truck.

Ain't nobody got time for that...

Especially when the technology to operate without having to calibrate sensors is so readily available.

Just a matter of what u like I guess,

I can calibrate my Sman in no time. Just used to it.

I use my Testo too..with the amp clamp and the air probe and the printer.

Originally Posted by hvac5646

Might be better off with Testo 550. They don't need to calibrated before each use to guarantee accurate SH and SC reading.

Don't get me wrong, but the guys who own the Sman products will (or at least should ) calibrate their SMAN before each use. This is just the price of ownership of an SMAN product. I own SMAN 3 and 4 and (also TEsTO 570 and 557 kits) find the speed of the SC and SH is worth the extra amount of time it takes to calibrate them.

How ever, in the hands of a hired tech you may find some reluctance to go thru the calibration process with each use.

Testo 550 price is about the same as Sman 2.

This is precisely why I'm clearing k-type thermocouples out of the truck.

Ain't nobody got time for that...

Especially when the technology to operate without having to calibrate sensors is so readily available.