supco vg64 micron gauge

[refrige-nate]

any one use this? is it worth buying or is their a better one out there?

[EaglesDad21]

I have been selling them for years and have only heard good things about them.

[mike h]

I started using the Robinair micron gage (not digital, but had a needle pointer). Then went to a TIF 9450D http://www.tif.com/cgi-bin/pdc/viewp...id=2&type=hvac

[caddy]

I had a VG 64 , it read fine for a short while but then was not accurate. I tried to clean it to see it that solved the problem but it did not so I switched to a Yellow Jacket 69075 which uses thermocouple technology. I like this micron gauge a lot better. It reads from atmosphere down to 1 micron. It is about 2x the price but has not failed since I bought it.

[weber]

I do not recommend the supco micron gauge!

Get a YJ you will have no problems.

[purge]

I used to have the older Supco V-60 model. It seemed cheaply made and didn’t last very long. One day it just started acting up and that was the end of it. Likewise for their capacitor tester that I had, so no more Supco test equipment for me.

I bought a nice little TPI 605 digital micron gauge for about $100.00 and it has been great. It even fits in the old Supco’s case.
When and if this one craps out, I would probably buy another TPI or go with the more expensive YJ model.

[55fordtruck]

Get the Yellow Jacket 69075 with vacuum manifold and 3/8" hoses. Best thing I've bought in a while.

Kevin

[BobbyBJr]

Yeah, what he said.

Bobby

[refrige-nate]

i like the smaller ones that you can just put in your hose and leave there
the yj one seems big

[darctangent]

My NATE instructor swears by the Ritchie/yellow jacket 69075 But I've had the YJ 69080 - think its more of what you're looking for- compact, easy to use and fairly cheap. Just remember to get an isolation valve with it. your asking for trouble if you don't. wait until the system is in a decent vacuum before you open it.

[fire]

I just bought one and used it once. worked O.K. The instructions arent great however They reccommend not evacuating through it and isolating on the branch of a tee. Is this setup the same for other models?

[darctangent]

I just bought one and used it once. worked O.K. The instructions arent great however They reccommend not evacuating through it and isolating on the branch of a tee. Is this setup the same for other models?

Sorry fire,

What model are you referring to? As a general principal, I would suggest isolating the Micron gauge until you are in a significant vacuum- below 20" Hg or so. Reason being is that you don't want gases moving through the system to splash oil on your sensor and foul it. Also keep your micron gauge on the high spot of the system as much as possible for the same reason. Doing residential work, I have the Micron Gauge attached to the three way fitting on my JB vacuum pump by way of an additional ball valve between the gauge and the three way fitting.

Hope that helps.

[Roadhouse]

I had a VG 64 , it read fine for a short while but then was not accurate. I tried to clean it to see it that solved the problem but it did not so I switched to a Yellow Jacket 69075 which uses thermocouple technology. I like this micron gauge a lot better. It reads from atmosphere down to 1 micron. It is about 2x the price but has not failed since I bought it.

Great. I just picked up the Subco VG64 and now I want to throw it away, not even used yet. Being this 2011 already and this thread some years old, it came with an "Addendum to ALL Vacuum Gauge Instructions: 90% of the vacuum gauge warranty returns that SUPCO receives are due to contaminated sensors. For vacuum gauges that are 'heavily' contaminated with oils and other contaminants, SUPCO has found that leaving the alcohol in the gauge overnight will clean the sensor more effectively."

[Roadhouse]

The instructions for cleaning the sensor say to cap the vac side and with the use of an eyedropper to pour approximately 2 teaspoons of rubbing alcohol into the auxilary port, cap off aux port and shake for 10 seconds. Open both ports, vac and aux, and empty alcohol out and air dry the sensor.

I guess now they're saying to leave the alcohol in overnight, guessing 8 hours.

Anyone have any experience with this new procedure?

[bwalley]

I was getting a rise after shutting it down, so I cleaned it multiple times per the instructions, same thing, so I exchanged it and it acts the same, will try soaking it over night.

I ordered a YJ 69705.

I like the Supco because it is small and fits nicely in my tool bag, and reads in Torr and Mtorr.

[itsiceman]

The instructions for cleaning the sensor say to cap the vac side and with the use of an eyedropper to pour approximately 2 teaspoons of rubbing alcohol into the auxilary port, cap off aux port and shake for 10 seconds. Open both ports, vac and aux, and empty alcohol out and air dry the sensor.

I guess now they're saying to leave the alcohol in overnight, guessing 8 hours.

Anyone have any experience with this new procedure?

Only heard to add it
shake it
dump it
do it again X times

and you can dry them out faster by pulling a vac on it with no power to the gauge

[Roadhouse]

I was getting a rise after shutting it down, so I cleaned it multiple times per the instructions, same thing, so I exchanged it and it acts the same, will try soaking it over night.

I ordered a YJ 69705.

I like the Supco because it is small and fits nicely in my tool bag, and reads in Torr and Mtorr.

Were any of the times it showed a rise a leak or was it always the faulty gauge?

[bwalley]

Were any of the times it showed a rise a leak or was it always the faulty gauge?

It rises when I had the gauge hooked to to a vacuum pump to test it.

I have tried different combinations of new fittings and new hoses to eliminate the possibility of a leak coming from a hose or a fitting.

I think the sensor is very sensitive to being dirty and even though i used a new gauge and cleaned it per manufacturer's specs, it still does the ame thing, just not as bad.

[itsiceman]

I don't see how you determined it was not an actual rise vs bad gauge

Just by closing a ball valve can introduce some air back and if you volume was small being how you were connected it would show immediately like you are saying.

Is this your only gauge?

[bwalley]

I don't see how you determined it was not an actual rise vs bad gauge

Just by closing a ball valve can introduce some air back and if you volume was small being how you were connected it would show immediately like you are saying.

Is this your only gauge?

If the ball valve and other fittings used is rated for pulling a deep vacuum, how is closing it going to introduce air into the system?

I ended up ordering the YJ 69705 that way I will be able to tell if it is the Supco or not.


It doesn't hurt to have redundant systems to check a system.

with my digicool 1250 and my testo 550 it doesn't show a rise, but they are not as accurate as a micron guage.