analog vs. digital gauges

[n warden]

What's your guys opinion on gauges. The new digitals or analogs?

[JTCHVAC]

What's your guys opinion on gauges. The new digitals or analogs?

Go with a pair of Digi-Cool AK-900's. , or anything Digi-Cool for that matter. As far as analog gauges I only use them for recovering refrigerant.

[ga-hvac-tech]

Agree!

Go to Digicool.com and browse around.

The 1250 is the workhorse, made in N America (Canada). The AK900 is a quality unit from the Pacific Rim; still designed to the high standards of DigiCool.

Doug Lockhart, a co owner who is out there doing refer and AC work all day long... designed and built the Digicool based on what HE would want. There are endless details of why a Digicool is better:
*Transducers for temp readings; they are not affected by stray voltage or RF signals.
*Super heavy duty pressure sensors that are WAAAY more accurate than the competition, over the complete scale of pressures used.
*There are videos at U-tube of the unit being beaten with a hammer, submerged in a laundry sink, driven over by a service van, etc... and it still works.

Once you get used to live real-time SH and SC readings on the screen, right under the P/T reading for both low and high... you will be as hooked on digicool as the rest of us.

I have had mine since 2007, it has been rained on, dropped, dragged, hit, baked, frozen... and still works just fine!

Do a search here at H-talk... endless threads about Digicool.

Oh, and analogue gauges can be as much as 25# off new... and more as they age.

[n warden]

Thanks I might have to invest in some digicools next

[McLean Air]

I use the Testo 550 and it's been great. I got a great price on it and purchased an extra temp clamp when I bought them. It does take some time to get use to looking at a digital read out when you are used to looking at a guage

[jpsmith1cm]

I use the Testo 550 and it's been great. I got a great price on it and purchased an extra temp clamp when I bought them. It does take some time to get use to looking at a digital read out when you are used to looking at a guage

Once you are accustomed to reading the digital display, after a month or so, go back to analogs.

[ga-hvac-tech]

Once you are accustomed to reading the digital display, after a month or so, go back to analogs.

Ya will not stay there long...

[hvaclover]

Once you are accustomed to reading the digital display, after a month or so, go back to analogs.

No way My fellow Refer RSES colleague! My Testo gave me a taste of on demad datas and my SMAN 3 got me hooked.

As of Friday I became a digital juncky.

I'm Jonesing 'til my 1250s get here and then I order the YJ analyzer.
Can't remember if they have micron gauges in them

[jpsmith1cm]

It's been over a year since I've even carried analogs on the truck.

I'm not going back, either.

PERIOD!

I hadn't realized it until I was working with another tech and his gauges were already hooked up. I had to stop and think about reading them...

[crackertech]

It's been over a year since I've even carried analogs on the truck.

I'm not going back, either.

PERIOD!

I hadn't realized it until I was working with another tech and his gauges were already hooked up. I had to stop and think about reading them...

I still use the analog manifold to transfer oil ect but since I got the sman3 that is all the analog dose sman3 dose everything else.

[Metroman]

Get a set of digital guages if you have the extra money. It's a breeze to check superheat and subcooling with them. It's nice when your charging a unit and you can see the real time superheat/subcooling as your adding the refrigerant. Like these guys have said, once you get some digitals you won't want to go back to analogs. I have the SMAN 3's and have been pretty happy with them.

[jpsmith1cm]

I still use the analog manifold to transfer oil ect but since I got the sman3 that is all the analog dose sman3 dose everything else.

After working on an oil problem, I hook up, liquid to suction, and blow my manifold and hoses clean.

Couple minutes of that and there is no oil left in the hoses, no oil to leak in my truck, either.

[crackertech]

After working on an oil problem, I hook up, liquid to suction, and blow my manifold and hoses clean.

Couple minutes of that and there is no oil left in the hoses, no oil to leak in my truck, either.

I do that as well with my analogs. I have only had the digital's for a month
now and I putting them through tasks one at a time to see what they will handle.