SMAN or Testo?

[jpsmith1cm]

JPsmith

I'll be receiving my ak900 on Monday
Can you tell me what I need to buy,to modify it to clamp ons?
I know you have two sensor plug on ur AK

Can I just purchase the two clamp on for the 1250
And replace the plug on AK.?

Was there a reason yours is separated?

I just took a set of 1250 clamps and put single 1200 ends on them. I wanted my sensors to be universal. I can use any sensor that I have on either DRSA that I have. Make for more versatility.

I haven't seen the new AK sensors. The stretchy velcro ones are supposed to be nice. If at all possible, I'd try to find a clamp that I could simply install the sensor and pad assembly on with minimum modification to the sensor itself.

[itsiceman]

From what I have seen of hvac colleagues who own Digi Cools, they seem like toys compared to other digitals

I have a friend who is 64 years old who refers to them as Clown Gauges because to him they look toys (his words, not mine),
but i think I should mention he won't use anything but analogs.
But he is a great insinuative trouble shooter so he is not some no-talent hack. So his comments do carry weight.

I also find it hard to accept all the high praise that Digi Cools get, and at the same time the owners ARE NOT complaining about the temp clamp mods they made 'cause they don't like the Velcro temp probes.
And it's been pointed out these clamp mods have caused compromised reading and again we have seen no complaints from the those who have modified their Digi Cools.

The worst criticism of competitive digitals are from the the Diggi Cool owners who over look the short comings of the clamp mods they have made. I don't get that.

Would somebody please explain that to me?

I did mod my sensors to Cooper 4011's There is no short coming of this mod. In fact IMO it may be the best available for us on the market today. They are a little better than the testo clamps and miles ahead of the Fieldpiece clamps. The only one I used that was better is no longer made by testo anymore due to premature failure and cost. If I did not do this mod I would have been a-ok with the stock Velcro sensors with the Velcro torn off. FWIW I have busted DC's balls about glueing the sensor to the velcro strap on multiple occasions. I have not heard one person say they like the sensor glued on the velcro strap. I say send the sensor out with nothing on it and ship the velcro or zip tie on the side. This is how most sensors come for most all control boards and other hvac related controls. Since another thread I been called unprofessional for some pictures I posted so I put one in my profile album of another gauge your Friend might like

[hvac wiz 79]

I just ordered my DC AK900
But I want a clamp on with it.
I'm not sure if I want to get that Velcro strap sensor.
Why can't they just make a clamp on with it?
It seems like the demand is there.

It will suck when I get the DC on Monday with some sensors I can't used.

The regular velcro straps are junk. The stretchy ones are decent but ive only used them twice. I also did the mod to the dc style clamps which are a little pricey but its a good mod. I used the 1/8 jacks. Be prepared the wires are brittle so you have to handle them carefully when using or storing them. The drsa itself seems to be pretty solid.

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[hvaclover]

the problem with all digital gauges is the temp clamps or straps.

between all the guys i work with we have many sets of all the various types, i own the sman 3 and testo 550.

i use my sman 3 all the time, two issues with them, one was the high side valve not letting me recover froen, got the new valves and havent had a problem at all this summer, the second is the need for new clamps every year, seems with daily use on average the clamps will eventually wear out and u will have to replace them yearly, i dont mind, i get my boss to buy me new ones.

the testo 550 has the same issue with the clamps, but i didnt even get threw one summer with the wires.

thats always gonna be the weak point with any digital set, if someone would just make a extremely heavy duty silicone wire that can be pulled on and not break they would sell like hot cakes, ill pay good money if i can get a good set with temp clamps i dont have to baby or modify.

but i love the accuracy of digital, so i will deal with the shortcomings for now, ill buy the ak 900 here in a couple weeks, i really like my sman 3 now that the valve issues are resolved.

oopps

[hvaclover]

i dont like to listen to the olds guys opionion on tools at my work, im 28, they think i waste money on all my nice highly accurate tools. but whats funny is im 30-40% more productive and have a far less call back ratio, and make more money, so as far as a old timer calling digital guages clown gauges says to me, im old and set in my ways, he prolly still uses a simpson 260 meter as well.

u either learn to change or get left in the dust, im gonna take advantage of everything that will help me do my job better and make me more valuable.

Lets me make one thing clear, my friend called Digi Cool Clown Gauges....not Testo or SMAN.

FYI I had TIF's first ever digitals when you were in diapers.

Have a little more respect for your senior fellow tradesmen. Most of us teach the classes you benefit from. And be advised that most senior guys have digitals.

[jpsmith1cm]

Lets me make one thing clear, my friend called Digi Cool Clown Gauges....not Testo or SMAN.

FYI I had TIF's first ever digitals when you were in diapers.

Have a little more respect for your senior fellow tradesmen. Most of us teach the classes you benefit from. And be advised that most senior guys have digitals.

Not around here, they don't.

Around here, most guys either don't care enough about their trade to invest in their future in the trade.

Either that or they feel that they are so close to retirement that investing in the gauges is not worth their money.

At 37, I am the first guy at my company who invested in digital gauges. Well, I was 34 when I made that investment.

I am having a hard time convincing guys that they need a good thermometer, let alone dropping the cash on digital manifold gauges.

Gets frustrating, banging your head off of the same wall over and over and over again.

[hvaclover]

Not around here, they don't.

Around here, most guys either don't care enough about their trade to invest in their future in the trade.

Either that or they feel that they are so close to retirement that investing in the gauges is not worth their money.

At 37, I am the first guy at my company who invested in digital gauges. Well, I was 34 when I made that investment.

I am having a hard time convincing guys that they need a good thermometer, let alone dropping the cash on digital manifold gauges.

Gets frustrating, banging your head off of the same wall over and over and over again.

Can you speak for EVERY senior member of this forum?

Or just the ones who are hard headed and won't change.

[hvac wiz 79]

I don't know an older tech who will even pay attention to anything new. They all say it's junk ... Get an old timer to consider SH or SC ... LMAO! ... U old timers on this forum that care about that stuff get respect from me lol.

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[jpsmith1cm]

I don't know an older tech who will even pay attention to anything new. They all say it's junk ... Get an old timer to consider SH or SC ... LMAO! ... U old timers on this forum that care about that stuff get respect from me lol.

Sent from my HTC Sensation 4G using Tapatalk 2

This has been mostly my experience as well.

I have been seeing a SLOW turn-around, but it is a hard fight.

[jpsmith1cm]

Can you speak for EVERY senior member of this forum?

Or just the ones who are hard headed and won't change.

Didn't claim to speak for senior members of this forum.

The techs that frequent this forum are a different breed, IMO. We are the ones who WANT to be the best at what we do.

[hvaclover]

Didn't claim to speak for senior members of this forum.

The techs that frequent this forum are a different breed, IMO. We are the ones who WANT to be the best at what we do.

Well I can proudly point out that RSES and ACCA heave a very strong influence on keeping the local HVAC comunity current with the latest industry technology.

My RSES chapter are a bunch of senior guys who understand the the value of keeping current.

I am still behind on combustion testing so my next purchase is going to be a Com test Kit. but I don't know if it's testo or Bacherach I am going with. Still need some education on the that before ican make an informed decision.

[jim bergmann]

Well I can proudly point out that RSES and ACCA heave a very strong influence on keeping the local HVAC comunity current with the latest industry technology.

My RSES chapter are a bunch of senior guys who understand the the value of keeping current.

I am still behind on combustion testing so my next purchase is going to be a Com test Kit. but I don't know if it's testo or Bacherach I am going with. Still need some education on the that before ican make an informed decision.

Now lets figure out how to get the younger guys involved.

[hvaclover]

Now lets figure out how to get the younger guys involved.

lololololololololololol..I hope you meant that the way I took it!