Testo 550 on sale. Worth it?

[SoFlaDave]

My local Johnstone has the 550 with the single temp clamp on sale for $235 plus a $50 mail in rebate.

I was gonna get the SMAN3 but I figure I'd wait till the SMAN 4 comes out and then wait a little longer for any kinks to be worked out. I don't have much of a tool budget these days but I do need at least one more manifold and soon. This would be my first digital set up. What say you all?

[darctangent]

My local Johnstone has the 550 with the single temp clamp on sale for $235 plus a $50 mail in rebate.

I was gonna get the SMAN3 but I figure I'd wait till the SMAN 4 comes out and then wait a little longer for any kinks to be worked out. I don't have much of a tool budget these days but I do need at least one more manifold and soon. This would be my first digital set up. What say you all?

My next one will be a digicool barring something unforeseen, but I have a 550 and it does it's job well. you need to be careful of the pipe clamps and the connector going into the manifold body, but I'd say they all seem to have that issue. Jump on the band wagon, you'll be glad you did.

[figaro12]

I'd stay far away from the sman 3. Can't go wrong with the digi cools with the $290.00 price. Testo is good quality stuff, but is a bit more delicate. Warrenty wise, digi-cool wins hands down everytime. What are you using them for? Everday use or on jobs to impress the customer?

[SoFlaDave]

I would probably use them for charging known clean systems or troubleshooting any oddball refrigeration issues. I would like to give the digicool stuff a shot at some point they're just out of my budget right now.

[eddiegoodfellar]

It will cost you about $250 by the time you get the 2nd pipe clamp. I have never had an issue with my 550 and I use it every day.

I was going to get the AK900 for a second set but think I will wait for the iDRSA.

[SoFlaDave]

I could deal with moving the clamp around for a while I think. Whats the supposed timeframe on the iDRSA?

[qwerty hvac]

550s are a great tool. Use mine all the time and do not baby it. Have had no issues with mine. Get two clamps right away. Moving it is a pain in the !?!?


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[figaro12]

It will cost you about $250 by the time you get the 2nd pipe clamp. I have never had an issue with my 550 and I use it every day.

I was going to get the AK900 for a second set but think I will wait for the iDRSA.

I think you are going be waiting for quite a while unfortantly. Im going say it will come out with the iphone 8

[Txvman]

I've had my 550 for about a year now and don't know how I ever worked without it! I did have to send it in once to get the upgraded hook. It killed me to be without it. With it I rarely look at psig anymore, I look at temp. Being able to see real time SH and SC is also great.

[Chuck]

My 550 lasted 2 years, I didn't baby it either. I should send it in to see how much they will want to repair it.

It won't read temp on the low side anymore.

[darctangent]

I could deal with moving the clamp around for a while I think. Whats the supposed timeframe on the iDRSA?

You can, and I did.

The thing you should know about that is the 550 looks for the probes at power up, and if one or both of the aren't there, it will ignore that input until you cycle the power on/off with the probe(s) attached. to my way of thinking that's a design flaw, but I suppose they had thier reasons. kinda makes switching the probe a PITA. it takes two or three seconds everytime you cycle the power for the 550 to start up.



maybe I need to get the German version of the 550 manual to find out why that is

anyway, I have two probes now.

[Dave_H]

I have a set of 557's and SMAN 3's.....the testos come with me on every call while the SMAN stays hanging inthe van......

[rufus819]

250 plus rebate is a STEAL! do it!

[kdean1]

I like my SMAN3 alot. When it had an internal leak I called Fieldpiece and they authorized an exchange for a new set at the supply house. I was back in business in an hour.
Why do some of you not like the SMAN3? Why is the Testo better?

[itsiceman]

250 plus rebate is a STEAL! do it!

Not if it is the original version IMO

[itsiceman]

Well not if you ship the broke one back and they give you a new version. That shouldn't take that long

[JAH0983]

I got a set of 550's in the winter and they must have been the old version. Pd 330.00 and they included some clamp for ground instead of built into the pipe clamp. After the first few normal uses the hanging hook broke, will not hold pressure when using leak test mode, pipe clamp connector pins broken and the pressures never hold steady, constantly fluctuating during use. I was excited to get them having a testo co detector that I use but I'm very disappointed with the digi's. They are nothing more than dust collectors in my truck now. I'm very careful and take care of my tools too.

[wpruden]

I'll take any digital over a analog anyday. To me each manufacture has its strong points. Do a side by side feature and warranty and choose which features you use most. Either way you go it will be better than analog.

[jkbass79]

You guys with the testo 550's do you hang the gauges in your van/truck with the clamps attached or do you put them in the case after every use?

[Thorazine]

I have the sman3 and love it. It is like a GPS for troubleshooting. I guess you can get a good or bad anything these days. I still have a set of old Imperial gauges from 1986 that work like new. These digitals have a lot to live up to. I've seen a lot of folks that swear by (and sometimes at) their 550's