Testo 550 Reliability?

[pacnw]

UPDATE;



so I had to send my 550's in again for a temp failure in the manifold, Test warrantied them.
reliability, 2 year max without an issue for me and I am not a heavy user or abusive.
another gripe is the lack of communication from the service department and lack of information on the invoice.
also, I got my invoice, but not manifold yet. this has happened each time I send them in. the explanation is mail is faster than UPS.
okay, put the tracking number on the invoice. page 2 is only 1/3 full and the delivery note is meaningless to me.
I also, have the same overall issue with the Testo products. the 605-H2 battery door is a joke!!!!!!
the combustion analyzer may be among the best, but with the reputation and my hands on experience, I just cannot spend that kind of money on one.
the one Testo product I have, as others have said as well that is great is the 510 manometer. It has not failed, given a false reading or have parts that need tape to hold together. Thanks for that item Testo!!

[DWoodall]

We have been using two of these for almost a year. They are (IMHO), an indespensible part of our diagnostic equipment. That said we have had some issues. I'm having to send one back now because the system locks up. Can't even shut it off, let alone change refrigerants or modes. We also had a pin on one of our clamp probes male connector, pull out and get stuck in the female port. It sucks to have to buy a third one so we can keep two in operation, but that's how much we value their use.

[KeyResults]

FWIW I own two 550's for over a year now and have had no issues at all. I'm probably more careful with my tools than average though based on working with other hired guns in the field. I would buy them again without hesitation. In my world don't have the extremes some of you guys have, here the seasons are just hot and less hot

[DWoodall]

Not much different here in Tampa. We can hit 100 deg. between houses. We do take care of these and they are cased. Just contacted the dealer and got a slight discount on the third one so we won't be without while they repair the bad one.

[ChaseAir]

Just got the sman3, if it doesn't break it is the most convenient and advanced unit available. Both sh and sc at the same time. Will use the micron gauge tomorrow.

[lane]

My 550 superheat side sensor plug doesn't work. So, it's back to doing math for me.

Lane

[pacnw]

so, second use and the high side temp no longer works!!!!!

called Testo and they are stumped. maybe it is the probe, so they want all 3 of mine.

they want me to send them back and then they will figure it out. they won't ship me a replacement until they have the old one in hand.

so back to manual for me as well.

next DRSA, if I buy another, will be DigiCools!!!!

I am getting tired of having to pay for shipping on warranty issues, if it was out of warranty or my fault okay.

guess the D.C. purchase will have to get local to get over the counter same day replacement.

[farmfriendly]

Folks I will tell you this. After dealing with Jim and testo over the 523,,, four to be exact that had problems from temp sensors, to sensors that will not calibrate i will not deal with testo again. Jim helped get me a new 523 and it broke soon after using it in the shop,,,,,not ever even put into a truck....The testo folks always wanted to charge me even when it was under wrnty. The last one died and no one would touch it, testo or otherwise....Very pricey for the problems I had with it and refuse to let a company treat me that way. When I talk to groups and am asked i tell them this opinion. It is mine and was created from real world comercial R service. reliability and service can not be beat by a good ole set of GLY filled yellowjackets......cheap, user servicable, and I can afford several sets...never had one of them black over, or fail to calibrate..My opinion of testo.....good flue gas equip,,,,,,,,,,poor cust service,,,,,,,,lousy guages ,,, as far as the ones I had...I will post a vid of me crushing the last 523 with a sledge........Jim, My name is Chase Sartin,,,look over your past e mails and you will find me.....You never returned my last two emails telling you that the last one died shortly after you sent it to me,,,but thanks for trying the first time...
last person I dealt with was doug goodwin, tech that would not repair was r jaramilo I dont wnat anything from testo or anyone just to know my situation and that I feel it was not dealt with very well.

[dandyme]

you are correct, good customer service will go a long way, when a pricey "tool" fail.


I'll not send my 550's back for repair once warranty has expired, they're turds

[ChaseAir]

I've had the fieldpiece sman3 for 6 months now.....the clamps break, but there are two and you change them out for free over the counter. Flawless every time I het it out I thank God for a good tool. Just had a drain explode on it the other day getting the gauges wet while blowing it out and not worried about failure.

Testo does not know how to make digital gauges. Static discharge problems, lead problems, water resistant problems....no exaggeration. The Testo is a piece of junk

[itsiceman]

Folks I will tell you this. After dealing with Jim and testo over the 523,,, four to be exact that had problems from temp sensors, to sensors that will not calibrate i will not deal with testo again. Jim helped get me a new 523 and it broke soon after using it in the shop,,,,,not ever even put into a truck....The testo folks always wanted to charge me even when it was under wrnty. The last one died and no one would touch it, testo or otherwise....Very pricey for the problems I had with it and refuse to let a company treat me that way. When I talk to groups and am asked i tell them this opinion. It is mine and was created from real world comercial R service. reliability and service can not be beat by a good ole set of GLY filled yellowjackets......cheap, user servicable, and I can afford several sets...never had one of them black over, or fail to calibrate..My opinion of testo.....good flue gas equip,,,,,,,,,,poor cust service,,,,,,,,lousy guages ,,, as far as the ones I had...I will post a vid of me crushing the last 523 with a sledge........Jim, My name is Chase Sartin,,,look over your past e mails and you will find me.....You never returned my last two emails telling you that the last one died shortly after you sent it to me,,,but thanks for trying the first time...
last person I dealt with was doug goodwin, tech that would not repair was r jaramilo I dont wnat anything from testo or anyone just to know my situation and that I feel it was not dealt with very well.

Were you sold a 523 expecting it to hold up in Commercial Service?

"There is no reason to give up your favorite manifold, just improve it. Looking for an almost bullet proof product designed for for a technician by a technician, look no further."

"Almost Bullet Proof"

Jim has written this about Digi-Cool and don't think I've ever seen anything written like this about a 550 especially not a 523.

I bought some products that were "cheaper" just because they were cheaper.

Nobody ever told me they were tougher than a more expensive Digi-Cool I just made the wrong decision all by myself.

[itsiceman]

I've had the fieldpiecr sman3 for 6 months now.....the clamps break, but there are two and you change them out for free over the counter. Flawless every time I het it out I thank God for a good tool. Just had a drain explode on it the other day getting the gauges wet while blowing it out and not worried about failure.

Testo does not know how to make digital gauges. Static discharge problems, lead problems, water resistant problems....no exaggeration. The Testo is a piece of junk

These say for HVAC-R but I'm not so sure about that either from the time I use one
Have you tested them against anything else and do you work in Commercial Refrigeration?

[jim bergmann]

Folks I will tell you this. After dealing with Jim and testo over the 523,,, four to be exact that had problems from temp sensors, to sensors that will not calibrate i will not deal with testo again. Jim helped get me a new 523 and it broke soon after using it in the shop,,,,,not ever even put into a truck....The testo folks always wanted to charge me even when it was under wrnty. The last one died and no one would touch it, testo or otherwise....Very pricey for the problems I had with it and refuse to let a company treat me that way. When I talk to groups and am asked i tell them this opinion. It is mine and was created from real world comercial R service. reliability and service can not be beat by a good ole set of GLY filled yellowjackets......cheap, user servicable, and I can afford several sets...never had one of them black over, or fail to calibrate..My opinion of testo.....good flue gas equip,,,,,,,,,,poor cust service,,,,,,,,lousy guages ,,, as far as the ones I had...I will post a vid of me crushing the last 523 with a sledge........Jim, My name is Chase Sartin,,,look over your past e mails and you will find me.....You never returned my last two emails telling you that the last one died shortly after you sent it to me,,,but thanks for trying the first time...
last person I dealt with was doug goodwin, tech that would not repair was r jaramilo I dont wnat anything from testo or anyone just to know my situation and that I feel it was not dealt with very well.

Chase,
Sorry to hear about your frustrations. The reason that you have not heard for me is because I have not been with Testo for over a year now. I have nothing in my personal e-mail box. I will forward a copy of this post to the National Sales Manager at Testo. There were some early issues with both the 523 and the 550. They have long since been resolved.

I do not know any of the details of your situation aside from what you posted here, but there is no excuse for poor customer service. I apologize on their behalf if you think you were treated poorly. I know the guys there and I am sure that was no ones intention.

[ChaseAir]

I don't do refrigeration, is subcool and superheat different? The sman3 seems to have all the refrigerants.
Both the Testo and digicool broke to where it would have to be sent back.

[jpsmith1cm]

I don't do refrigeration, is subcool and superheat different? The sman3 seems to have all the refrigerants.
Both the Testo and digicool broke to where it would have to be sent back.

You broke a Digi-cool DRSA???

[farmfriendly]

Yes I am in comercial R work and run a very heavy workload. I have tried all exept the digicool and and have boxes of the junk. I am too gunshy to try the digicool now a days and have found that it is just hard to beat the tools i grew up with. Very accurate scales, cooper temp tools, great ampmeters, Gly guage, and a round of common sense, most of the time. The thoughts behind the idea of accurate guages in the digi world is very sound and for some techs i bet they work great,, My day is filled with 10 hours of heavy climbing in bad areas, gases that are damaged to say the least, rope work for equipment, and conditions that make a soldier cringe. I love the work and have done it for a very long time. I was sold the original tool for comercial work and no it would not even come close to holding up nor would yellow jackets, reefco, Jb, Fieldpiece or other dig guages...I dont care what companies make now, all I remember is how I was treated then and what they pawned off then..Good companies usually base their rep on what they built now and then. I feel that if you are making a living with a set of tools they all should be rated comercial quality. There should be no seperation between rezi and comerc work as far as tool quality. I bet we all feel that way. After all most of the rezi guys do comerc also...If you want to really know what holds up in the comerc world I am your man.....I have enough junk boxes of tool value i could have bought a new bass boat.....Things i have had great luck with:
Fieldpiece and Klien multimeters
Cooper temp and humidity tools
fieldpiece wireless scale
yellowjacket Gly filled titan guages
yellow jacked 6 or 6.5cfm vac pumps or their belt drive vac pumps
Klien hand tools
yellow jacket expander tools
ridge tools or ridged power tools
Apion reclaimers not proset or cps!
Cresent tools blue handle thing!
and a heck of a garden cart to tote it as all as i can before having to hump it all to a mall roof or through a access hole.
Things that i never get to hold up:
A vacuum guage of any type i tried em all
a digi guage of any type however the fieldpiece is close
torch regulators of any breed
service wrench of any type
yellow jacket NH3 guages or any brand for NH3 tools, nature of NH3 i guess
Just my Honest opinion and nothing more, nothing against anyone, just my experiances. God bless those that have other luck than mine,,,

[Chuck]

Farmfriendly, the digicools are far more reliable, rugged, and accurate than any analog gauges. Do yourself a favor and give them a try.

Looks like you like to have nice reliable tools.

[knave]

Cresent tools blue handle thing!

A blue handle crescent thing is a must in my toolbag!!! I take off the blue plastic.

A vacuum guage of any type i tried em all
a digi guage of any type God bless those that have other luck than mine,,,

Get a bluvac. You can calibrate em yourself. Have not heard of any issues.

And for 300 bucks you need to try the ak900.
It definitely sounds like you have been there and done it... Good post farm friendly.

[farmfriendly]

I know i am getting off topic here please forgive me...the bluvac...i found it at 168.00...Is that the bst price out there?

[kiwireeferman]

BluVac LTE at directhvacsupply.com $120.
Seem to be great people to deal with.