Digital Gauges

[must]

whats the best way to get them local supply or online (for better price and warranty, service)

[ga-hvac-tech]

whats the best way to get them local supply or online (for better price and warranty, service)

Either buy direct from DigiCool, or from TruTech tools

[RussellHarju]

Here is a quick demo of the newest Digital Guage to hit the market, the Fieldpiece SMAN4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqC1Y...y9qcEcS_lXdSyA

[itsiceman]

No pipe clamps on the 900? That is retarded. I would like to have em though.

Probably too late for you but it looks like they got around to putting the new plug on the scissors clamps if that's the kind you were looking for.

http://digi-cool.com/category/sensors

[CrispinHvac]

i would like some of these for my AK900! wonder if they will take my stock velco straps back .....

[Ron223]

Fellas, this may sound like a dumb question, forgive me. I've been considering the SMAN4 but how do you use one manifold/hose set with the various refrigerants and not cross contaminant? Does that mean a nitrogen purge with each use? Also, whats your opinion on using the built in micron gauge? Is it stable and can you change the sensor if it gets out of whack? Thanks.

[jpsmith1cm]

Fellas, this may sound like a dumb question, forgive me. I've been considering the SMAN4 but how do you use one manifold/hose set with the various refrigerants and not cross contaminant? Does that mean a nitrogen purge with each use? Also, whats your opinion on using the built in micron gauge? Is it stable and can you change the sensor if it gets out of whack? Thanks.

cross contamination is an old wives tale.

If you've got enough oil in your hoses to create a problem then you need to seriously re-think your service practices...

Best practices dictate not pulling a vacuum through your manifold and not placing the micron gauge near the pump. Built-in micron gauges encourage both practices.

[ryan1088]

cross contamination is an old wives tale.

If you've got enough oil in your hoses to create a problem then you need to seriously re-think your service practices...

Best practices dictate not pulling a vacuum through your manifold and not placing the micron gauge near the pump. Built-in micron gauges encourage both practices.

Unless of course you just checked oil pressure...... :grin:

[jpsmith1cm]

Unless of course you just checked oil pressure...... :grin:

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....

[Ron223]

cross contamination is an old wives tale.

If you've got enough oil in your hoses to create a problem then you need to seriously re-think your service practices...

Best practices dictate not pulling a vacuum through your manifold and not placing the micron gauge near the pump. Built-in micron gauges encourage both practices.

Fair enough. Where could I find the best practices your citing to learn more?

[gravity]

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....Good comeback JP.

[jpsmith1cm]

Fair enough. Where could I find the best practices your citing to learn more?

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

[Ron223]

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

Thanks.

[71CHOPS]

mixing oils isn't an issue. don't worry about it. mineral and poe oils will mix just fine without any issues.

i would worry more about having gauges on a burnout, then not purging and connecting to a clean system....introducing acid to the clean system.

using a vacuum tree with a micron gauge (with the gauge farthest from the pump) will get the fastest results.....but vacuuming and valving off will show the same results.....eventually.

take some time to check out RSES (Refrigeration Service Engineers Society) Alot of questions being asked in this thread are quickly answered as a member.

choice of gauges? there are lots of them. do your research and make your choice based on what features you feel are most important.

[Ron223]

mixing oils isn't an issue. don't worry about it. mineral and poe oils will mix just fine without any issues.

i would worry more about having gauges on a burnout, then not purging and connecting to a clean system....introducing acid to the clean system.

using a vacuum tree with a micron gauge (with the gauge farthest from the pump) will get the fastest results.....but vacuuming and valving off will show the same results.....eventually.

take some time to check out RSES (Refrigeration Service Engineers Society) Alot of questions being asked in this thread are quickly answered as a member.

choice of gauges? there are lots of them. do your research and make your choice based on what features you feel are most important.

I registered for some upcoming seminars with RSES. I was also looking at their memberships. Could you help me understand what I'm getting by such a high cost of membership if you are a member? Feel free to PM it if this thread is not the right place for such discussion. Thanks.

[71CHOPS]

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.

[Ron223]

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

[Kobe RBVBD]

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.

[jpsmith1cm]

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.

[ga-hvac-tech]

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!