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Originally Posted by Baselineken

So far I have purchased 2 sets of SMAN3, 3 digimon, and 2 Testo. One SMAN3 and one digimon were broken due to static electricity on a roof. The other SMAN3 plastic piece broke on the manifold (probably because there was no hard case for it). 2 of the digimons are still working, and the Testos are damn near brand new.
The Testos are a little finicky. You have to have the thermocouple plugged in before you turn it on, and the settings are not entirely user friendly. I bought the Testos because they had very good reviews on Amazon and have a 2 year warranty.

There is no more to a Testo than any other digital. I have a Testo 570 that prints, measures amps and out door ambient. It does much more and for me that is a necessary option to have on a lot of my work.

I own SMAN 3 and 4 and two sets of Ak 900s. Yeah the AKs are durable but they don't have all the capabilities of my 570. But they get used a lot. I have one for evacuation and system test-out and one for service work only..

It boils down to what you need. If you have no need for documentation than stick with an AK or an Sman 4. Keep the SMAN in a case. I do.

Originally Posted by jtrammel

Should have just bought 1 set of digicools and been done with it.

Originally Posted by Baselineken

So far I have purchased 2 sets of SMAN3, 3 digimon, and 2 Testo. One SMAN3 and one digimon were broken due to static electricity on a roof. The other SMAN3 plastic piece broke on the manifold (probably because there was no hard case for it). 2 of the digimons are still working, and the Testos are damn near brand new.
The Testos are a little finicky. You have to have the thermocouple plugged in before you turn it on, and the settings are not entirely user friendly. I bought the Testos because they had very good reviews on Amazon and have a 2 year warranty.

Should have just bought 1 set of digicools and been done with it.

So far I have purchased 2 sets of SMAN3, 3 digimon, and 2 Testo. One SMAN3 and one digimon were broken due to static electricity on a roof. The other SMAN3 plastic piece broke on the manifold (probably because there was no hard case for it). 2 of the digimons are still working, and the Testos are damn near brand new.
The Testos are a little finicky. You have to have the thermocouple plugged in before you turn it on, and the settings are not entirely user friendly. I bought the Testos because they had very good reviews on Amazon and have a 2 year warranty.

I wish racks would start being fitted with transducers so I can read net oil on all my pumps. I saw a Kroger where they had the lead pumps on freeq drive, and they were monitoring the net oil this way. They would only let the pump down to half spin, since net oil drops off on recips when you spin slower than that.

also. lets say you have blow by and your inflating your crankcase. Between the motor barrel area and the crankcase, there is a quarter sized opening which allows oil returning from suction to drain into the crankcase chamber, which is fitted with a pressure actuated check valve. If the crankcase inflates, this check valve closes. So if you tapped your suction service valve and not your crankcase, you would not see this inflation.

I can not seem to get this through my guys heads. I carry taps and swivel t's just for this purpose. I never seen one compressor here which was tapped before I came here. It's a 5 minute deal. Just do it.

I'm with you on that. Only thing worse than POE everywhere is dye from some system charged with it and not labeled. You can only find out after it's everywhere where it shouldn't be. New customers always get the old gauges to find out if that $@#* is in there. I only put it in if I lose a contract. KIDDING! I never lose a contract.

Actually, when doing a lot of oil service on a piece of equipment, I'll connect my gauges from liquid to suction and allow refrigerant to flow through them for a short time.

This, effectively cleans the inside of the hoses.

The oil came from within the system. I'm putting it back there so that it doesn't wind up all over the floor or the back of my truck.

Originally Posted by koolkahuna

That's the correct way to do it. If by oil ports you mean outlet of oil pump and suction port so you can calculate the differential and determine the net oil pressure. You will want to find the specs for the type of compressor you have so you know what oil pressure is good and where the point is that the pump needs replacement (or other problem).

Ball valves on hose ends are great as you can control what enters or leaves your hoses. Not necessarily so with valveless hoses or sealquik hose ends.
Think the procedure through everytime as one missed step and you can introduce air, refrigerant or oil into the system if you do it wrong.

That's what I like about this site. I learned that procedure myself by thinking it out but reading posts on hvac-talk is like having a journeyman at your side teaching you! :beer:

I said oil ports because a lot of the checks I preform are oil filter pressure drops not just net oil pressure.

Thanks for the confirmation.

Originally Posted by Dowadudda

Tapping the suction service valve for the net oil pressure is not the correct way. It.s crankcase pressure you want

Yeah use sump pressure if available.

Right you are. I should have clarified that.
For the reading to be accurate, take the suction reading on the compressor body. Do this because there is a small pressure drop across the service valve and barrel of the motor, which could affect the readings.
Good catch D√16!

Tapping the suction service valve for the net oil pressure is not the correct way. It.s crankcase pressure you want

That's the correct way to do it. If by oil ports you mean outlet of oil pump and suction port so you can calculate the differential and determine the net oil pressure. You will want to find the specs for the type of compressor you have so you know what oil pressure is good and where the point is that the pump needs replacement (or other problem).

Ball valves on hose ends are great as you can control what enters or leaves your hoses. Not necessarily so with valveless hoses or sealquik hose ends.
Think the procedure through everytime as one missed step and you can introduce air, refrigerant or oil into the system if you do it wrong.

That's what I like about this site. I learned that procedure myself by thinking it out but reading posts on hvac-talk is like having a journeyman at your side teaching you! :beer:

Originally Posted by jpsmith1cm

And, if you've just checked oil pressure and you don't take a minute to use the running system to clean out your manifold and hoses, you might want to reconsider your service practices....

Are you putting the oil back in the system?

Do you do it something like this?

1) Valve off middle port on manifold
2) Hook up to a vapor port and purge your hoses then close ball valve at end of both hoses.
3) Hook up to oil ports, check oil pressure.
4) Close hose valves.
5) Hook up to suction and liquid line. Blow high side to low.
6) Close valve on high side hose fitting. Use suction to remove liquid from hoses.
7) Remove hose

Just wondering because I've never seen anyone else check oil pressure. I haven't been putting the oil back in the system but I'm gonna start doing it this way if that's how its done.

Originally Posted by jpsmith1cm

And, if you've just checked oil pressure and you don't take a minute to use the running system to clean out your manifold and hoses, you might want to reconsider your service practices....

Haha, got me. What if I'm using a single gauge! It's hard to out smart@ss a smart@ss eh?

Originally Posted by ga-hvac-tech

Just my opinion... correctly seems to evolve. Before we had evacuation manifolds and micron gauges, correctly WAS what you described.

In a few years... there will be new technology available and what we do today will be old hat.

Personally, I see VRF (variable refrigerant flow) becoming a standard in all but really CHEAP equipment (both residential and commercial... if it is not already in commercial). And as we already know; sloppy cleanliness and vacuum procedures with a mini-split and you will have issues. Just wait until ALL equipment has EEV's rather than TXV's or pistons... 250 microns may be too high... we may be working to 100 microns as a basic standard soon.

We never stop learning in this business... this is what I like about it!

I couldn't agree more.

Learning is a never-ending process.

Originally Posted by jpsmith1cm

Never a problem. That's the biggest reason that most of us are here. TO LEARN!

When I started out, I pulled a vacuum through my manifold, watched the needle on the low side, listened to the vacuum pump and thought I was doing things properly.

My evacuation procedure is quite a lot different today, and I'm still not sure I'm doing things correctly.

Just my opinion... correctly seems to evolve. Before we had evacuation manifolds and micron gauges, correctly WAS what you described.

In a few years... there will be new technology available and what we do today will be old hat.

Personally, I see VRF (variable refrigerant flow) becoming a standard in all but really CHEAP equipment (both residential and commercial... if it is not already in commercial). And as we already know; sloppy cleanliness and vacuum procedures with a mini-split and you will have issues. Just wait until ALL equipment has EEV's rather than TXV's or pistons... 250 microns may be too high... we may be working to 100 microns as a basic standard soon.

We never stop learning in this business... this is what I like about it!

Originally Posted by Kobe RBVBD

Thank you for this link. My understanding of the refrigerant side of things could use some work, and seeing this sort of thing helps.

I had been pulling a vacuum using a manifold before now. That made a lot of things clear, and once I start doing work on refrigerant again I'm definitely investing in a micron gauge for pulling a vacuum. I've been mostly stuck on the furnace and water heaters for a couple years now so I've gotten somewhat rusty and pretty out of touch with proper practices.

Anyway, just wanting to leave a thank you note.

Never a problem. That's the biggest reason that most of us are here. TO LEARN!

When I started out, I pulled a vacuum through my manifold, watched the needle on the low side, listened to the vacuum pump and thought I was doing things properly.

My evacuation procedure is quite a lot different today, and I'm still not sure I'm doing things correctly.

Originally Posted by jpsmith1cm

http://www.trutechtools.com/Vacuum-Training_c_1100.html

Thank you for this link. My understanding of the refrigerant side of things could use some work, and seeing this sort of thing helps.

I had been pulling a vacuum using a manifold before now. That made a lot of things clear, and once I start doing work on refrigerant again I'm definitely investing in a micron gauge for pulling a vacuum. I've been mostly stuck on the furnace and water heaters for a couple years now so I've gotten somewhat rusty and pretty out of touch with proper practices.

Anyway, just wanting to leave a thank you note.

Alright, thanks Chops. I'll look further into it.

access to RSES.org, access to the SAMS manual (about 5,000 pages of info on everything HVAC/R), access to meetings, and other members that can lend a helping hand, Continuing Education hours towards NATE, and other certs. and much more. RSES gives to you as much as you give to it. If you're willing to keep learning, you'll never regret the investment.

Personally, I most enjoy getting some time with older guys that have been in the business for years longer than me......just talkin with other techs, one on one, during the meetings gives me tips, tricks,and info I never might have picked up otherwise.