Professional Member
Lots of questions! Answers, not necessarily in order:Originally Posted by Pascone10
I have been designing tools and technology for HVAC service for 20 years...you have probably used some of my stuff. The BluVac has been under development for 8!!! years. It is new patent-pending technology. There is nothing else like it. We are in the process of acquiring patents, which limits what I can say about the tech, including what makes it tick and the method of calibration.
The product was released this past October. There are a number of them in the field (both beta and production) and I have not had one come back.
We are currently working to get them into distribution, for the time being we can sell directly.
All BluVacs will operate down to at least 32F. Below that, at some (random, due to process variations) point, the oil sensor will kick in. This is described in the troubleshooting section of the manual.
What is built USA vs. overseas is entirely dependent on the sales volume and our Florida factory capacity. This varies. We do not represent ourselves as a "Made in the USA" manufacturer, but the BluVac is currently made here.
Professional Member
well just remember that 99.9% of all systems out there didnt have a micron gauge used on them when they were evacuated, so atleast your doing it right, i have a yellow jacket and jb, so its hard to spend a couple hundred on a tool that i have to decent ones already, maybe i can get my service manager to pay, yea right in my dreams.
but this differently is a awesome looking setup, if i was in the market for one this would be the one i would get. i love the sensitivity.
Professional Member*
I just ordered a BluVac today after a very satisfying conversation with both Adam and the design engineer of the BlueVac. When I get it I will be certain to give a review of what I think.
Professional Member
Where did you order? I've tried to find ANYBODY selling these and no-one does. Even called the phone number on their website 5 different times, it never connects with anybody or even an answering machine. Makes me wonder how long they will be around.
"The trouble with the world is the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent full of doubt" -Bertrand Russell
Professional Member
Ummm...we have been here for 10 years...same phone number (954) 227-0781. We answer calls personally during business hours 8:30AM to 5:00PM EST, and we have a system for taking messages after hours. Sorry you have had trouble, but I think somehow you must have been calling the wrong number.
FYI -- it is a new product, and we have been working hard getting it into distribution. It is not easy, or fast.
Professional Member*
Is the JB just damaged? Why take it on and of with no pump running? Our you showing us a bad sensor? A voice would have been nice in the video and some light, did you shoot that thing in the dark, I can't watch that for 15 minutes. someone tell me the ending
I personally believe in the near, very near future, all our vacuum gauges will be built into the manifold.
Always here
Professional Member*
This sounds like a great product, and if I had just not purchased a new Fieldpiece I would probabaly try this one.
Wish I would have seen this post a few months ago.
jt
Professional Member*
and you think this is a good thing?
The Food Stamp Program, administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is proud to be distributing the greatest amount of free meals and stamps EVER.
Meanwhile, the National Park Service, administered by the U.S. Department of the Interior, asks us to "Please Do Not Feed the Animals". Their stated reason for this policy "... the animals become dependent on handouts and will not learn to take care of themselves."
from an excerpt by Paul Jacob in Sun City, AZ
Professional Member*
There are already at least 3 manifolds that have them built in.
What about those of us that don't use manifolds to evac?
Professional Member*
Yes I do.
Always here
Professional Member*
I still have one of these floating around somewhere, boy have things come a long way.
http://www.tpub.com/content/engine/1...4076_114_1.jpg
Professional Member
if u do mostly residential and small commericial, 10 tons and less, using your manifold versus hooking up two lines directly to the tree of the pump is very little advantage as far as time. ive done it both ways, takes 20 to 30 minutes to get it to hold 500 microns either way most of the time.
i like the micron gauge built in, but i still have a stand alone micron gauge attatched to the tree of my pump, that way i hook my gauges up and dont have to unhook them to evacuate, then hook back up to check charge, just saves time and potential air that can get in with hooking and unhooking hoses.
bottom line is that 99% of techs use there manifold to evacuate, once your hooked up u just change the middle hose from vacuum to charge tank. keep it simple.
Professional Member*
there are 3 similar to that in my truck in a well padded case
at all times. with the blu vac i may br getting ready to retire them.
i will be picking up another blu vac monday along with accu tools
new scale.
Professional Member
The BluVac is now available at TruTechTools.com:
http://www.trutechtools.com/BluVac-D...ge_p_1641.html
Also, we have updated the firmware to allow operation of the BluVac down to as low as 10F, for you refrigeration guys.
If anyone who has already purchased a BluVac wants a firmware update for low temperature operation, contact us. We will upgrade for free, but you need to pay shipping both ways.
We also recommend using a 9V lithium battery ($8 - $10 at your local drug store) for low temperature (below freezing) operation.
Professional Member*
And also us northern guys that work on heat pumps.
Thats awesome!
This will definitely be my new micron gauge!
Professional Member
Pay shipping both ways? That doesnt seem right. I you changed the firmware because of what you read here then so be it. But to make the guys pay for shipping from you facility is crazy if you ask me... Stand behind your product will ya!
Gotta have the right tool for the job!
Where is all the stuff MADE IN THE USA?
"Thats what we do Troy. Incredible, Invisible, Imbelivable things. We are an Unseen, Unknown, Unvincible fraternity of craftsman.."
Professional Member
Hi, Pascone. Thank you for the comment.
FWIW, we stand behind every product we ship. We encourage our customers to call us with any problems or issues, we always answer our phones in person (during business hours), have technical support immediately available, and we process warranty repairs overnight.
With that said, this is not a warranty, recall, or product performance issue. If it was, we would handle it quite differently.
The BluVac was originally released with an operating temperature range of 0C to 50C. It was advertised as such, and we never attempted to misrepresent this fact. Only afterward did we recognize that there was a need, for some HVAC professionals, for a micron gauge that operates below freezing.
We have done considerable cold temperature testing over the past few weeks, and determined that the BluVac does, in fact, operate quite well down to as low as 10F, especially if a Lithium 9V battery is used instead of an alkaline (the energy available from alkaline batteries drops off considerably at temperatures below freezing).
The only problem we found is that the LCD becomes too slow to update at the BluVac's native 3.5 updates per second. So we made a minor modification that slows the update rate to one per every two seconds when the temperature is below freezing. This is all the firmware update does.
Existing BluVacs without the firmware change will operate at the lower temperature, though it may be difficult to read the display when the vacuum is changing rapidly (i.e. during draw down). Once the pressure stabilizes, the display is quite readable.
As a favor to those who have already purchased a BluVac, and intend to use it frequently at cold temperatures (i.e. those of you in the North, or the refrigeration guys), we decided of offer a free upgrade of the firmware. This is optional and extra, and actually costs us time and money to perform the upgrade. Bottom line: this is not an issue of defective product but instead a feature enhancement.
Professional Member
We do get some cold days down here maybe I should drive over there and get the update ;-). I love the scale and charging module btw I used it today its a really nice feature to have. You should think of adding a set of contacts that open a close with the solnoid put a 115 volt plug on it so you actually plug in your recovery machine to the module when tank reaches 80% solnoid closes recovery machine turns off.
maybe make a vacuum sensor that has a set of contacts once the solnoid closes recovery pumps into a vacuum and kills the machine
Professional Member
Joeyd,
Thank you for posting this and explaining the update. That was very nice to see you take the time to do that. However I will add that although I realize it takes money to update the product that these guys bought this thing because its supposed to be the best. No one is really sure about that yet. I do have a good feeling about it tho! Look, I am not trying bash you but personally I think I will be buying on of these things soon. I decided to wait awhile to see how it all works out (since we dont know how it works or that much about it).
Now saying that, Some of these guys jumped on the band wagon and supported you and your product. They took a chance. Some may have only had the tool for a couple weeks. Now they have to send it to you and pay shipping both ways.. What happens if there are other "Updates" these guys are really going to be paying for it..
All I am trying to get at is Doug and Brenda from Digicool have the best customer service out there. There are many on this site that will attest to that. Doug has always helped the end user. I really hope to see other companies take stance like them.
I guess at the end of the day Im starting BS for $60.00 bucks or whatever it is, but that adds up.. I would have liked to see you say something similar to "I will split it down the middle with the guys that are supporting me and my product." I know personally I have informed 2 other people of your product. They are considering the purchase and if they buy this thing, then find out they need to pay $60.00 for an update for a week old instrument I am sure I will hear about it. Not that I blame them..
Just my .02 Take it for what it is.
Thanks again Joe. I look forward to seeing how this takes off and the way you handle issues in the future. Remember there are a lot of potential customers here and lots of publicity!
Gotta have the right tool for the job!
Where is all the stuff MADE IN THE USA?
"Thats what we do Troy. Incredible, Invisible, Imbelivable things. We are an Unseen, Unknown, Unvincible fraternity of craftsman.."
Professional Member
You have a quote that says where's all the stuff made in the USA then you beat the guy up for making an improvment to his product which he is willing to do for free. Remember he doesn't make any money on shipping. Support an american made product I know he doesn't claim tha it is and it will probably go ovee seas. If it becomes popular but I was in the factory yesterday and I wasn't in china ;-)
Reply
