The new testo 557.

 

My Fieldpiece ones work great.

 

While it's nice to have a back up. I would not rely on the built in micron gauge. I would also recommend valve core removal tools and 1/2" or bigger hoses straight to your pump with a separate micron gauge. It saves you time and headache.

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I wouldn't want a built in micron gauge on my charging manifold. Especially seeing as how I don't use my charging manifold for evacuating a system:

https://hvac-talk.com/vbb/showthread.php?2205604-Vacuum-Tree

 

Thanks for the input guys. I’m really thinking about trying out the cps md100 I will let you guys know how they work out

 

A micron gauge in your refrigerant manifold won't give you any idea as to how deep of a vacuum is being pulled on the system!
Complete waste of money.

 

The new yellow jacket digital manifolds on the titan platform has a corded sensor to allow isolation of system. I agree with not using manifold to evacuate but could still utilize the sensor

 

Rumor has it Fieldpiece has redesigned old Sponge Bob Gauge Pants. There are sharp dudes at Fieldpiece and the constantly monitor what guys are saying out in the field. Hopefully they listened to the general criticism of a couple areas that needed improvement.

That being said, I liked the SMAN 3s when I owned them. Never had a problem with them. I just prefer my Digicools.

 

I hear they also have great customer service. [emoji6]

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Yeah if I’m not mistaken they recently announced the next gen of smans are coming out soon . @ mark I’ve heard that I guess I just don’t understand if having the micron gauge in the manifold is useless why would companies like fieldpiece invest the time and tech to integrate it in the first place ?

 

because people buy them, theres money in it, even though they know what works best

 

New Sman looks pretty cool, been looking for a new digital manifold or smart gauges for a little while now... Just hope it will have r448a in it or able to update it.
https://www.fieldpiece.com/news/article/fieldpiece-instruments-introduces-new-wireless-manifolds

 

Thanks for the link. I was looking for information on them a couple days ago.

Here is the info from the link:

'The extremely rugged case not only protects the manifold from field use, it also makes it water resistant with an IP rating of 54. Thermocouple ports have been moved to the rear for added protection and a streamlined setup. The manifolds are optimized for live readings and receive direct long-range (up to 350’) wireless measurements directly from the Fieldpiece Job Link Probes and SRS3 Wireless Scale with no transmitter required. Models SM380V (three-port manifold) and SM480V (four-port manifold) are both wireless and have built in micron gauges. They are targeted to be available at distributors spring 2019.

The new SMAN™ manifolds will easily help the HVACR professional check, evacuate, and charge systems faster. The pro can view the calculated target superheat while monitoring, in real-time, how their charge is affecting actual superheat and subcooling. All measurements and live calculations can be viewed on the extra large LCD or from a distance or on a mobile device with the Job Link® System App. Up to nine jobs can be saved to the internal flash drive.

The large vacuum port on the SM480V matches perfectly with Fieldpiece Vacuum Pump models VP55 and VP85. While the refrigerant port on both models can be used to connect to a refrigerant cylinder directly, or to a recovery machine like Fieldpiece model MR45.

More than 70 refrigerants are pre-programmed into the manifold and future refrigerants can be added by utilizing the micro USB port. A rolling list of the ten most recently used refrigerants is stored at the top of the main refrigerant list for quick selection. When the manifold powers off, the current refrigerant is added automatically to this dynamic list of ten.

The new manifolds are customizable with the ability to adjust auto power off duration, adjust backlight duration, set high and low vacuum alarms and select each unit of measurement individually. In addition, a Tightness Test function is available to check for leaks after repairs or installations and to allow the pro to view pressure differential over time. A timer tracks the duration of the test and temperature is compensated with SL temp to avoid false positives.

In addition to the included thermocouples, you can connect wirelessly to psychrometers, pipe clamps, and even a refrigerant scale. For example, assign one psychrometer (model JL3RH) to return air and another to supply air to view live temperature split across the evaporator directly.

“It’s our job to make HVACR pros’ jobs easier, faster, and better,” said Russ Harju, product manager at Fieldpiece. “These new wireless refrigerant manifolds do just that,
especially with the large screen that’s so easy to read, and the new, more rugged, upgrades.” The suggested MSRP is $535.00 for the SM380V and $675.00 for the SM480V."

 

Whenever I look at those digital gauges, I can never find the needle. How the heck can you figure out what's going on?

 

I'm just the opposite, I can't image going back to a set of analogs and a pt chart. Been using digital gauges for over 12 years now. I don't even really look at the pressures, just the saturation temps. It's a lot easier when you use over 10 different refrigerants just to see the temps right on the gauges. And the digital pressure readings are really nice when pressure testing. Way easier to see the pressure drop then to look at the little needle and think did it move, or was I just not looking at from the same angle, lol.

 

The new SMAN 480 has an IP 54 rating, not bad. Anyone know what the current SMAN is? I've always just used the Digi-Cools not sure what there IP class is but I know it doesn't mind lots of water or dust.

 

the originals must have been an IP01 rating.....if a gentle mist of fog even moved across them, they'd quite working.

 

LMFAO

 

Here is the new 380s

 

If my AKs go out, I'll probably buy a set. Maybe by then they'll have a model without the micron gauge and the Type K clamps as an option,

 

I have been using the Testo Digital Gage set for several years now with n issues what so ever. currently using the 557 set with bluetooth and micron transducer and love it. for the money its the best ive seen so far

 

Do your testos go back to zero after you've been working on a system? Got a coworker that bought the 557s a couple of weeks ago and his are always off by a few inches or psi after he works on a system and then let's the pressure out, or if there a temp change they seem to really change,. I've seen as much a 7 inches on the high side with a big temp change. Not sure if that is normal for testos or should he been sending them back?

 

That is why I GAVE my Testos away,Never stay calibrated.Get a Fieldpiece!!They dontgo back to zero after you take them off a system and relieve the pressure.

 

Mine do... Having said that i have had a couple instances where they didn't
Return to zero, so i tested them against some yj analogs. Still spot on when pressure was applied again. It doesn't bother me heck you can zero them out if that otc. Them sponge bobs crack easy. They all have their faults honestly it just depends what fault you can live with.

Thing is they all should be water proof and shock resistant.

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'SPONGE BOB"S " cute .I like that.Tell your helper,Hey,go to the truck and get the "SPONGE BOB'S. The new SPONGE BOBS have a heavier rubber casing.Maybe they won't crack.

 

Its that big screen that will crack has nothing to do with the case. Its not just me calling them that just about ever tech i know calls them sponge bob.[emoji38]

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Put me in line of GA doesn’t want them

 

My analogs always go back to zero when I take them off of a system.

 

But their no fun unless you want it beer can cold [emoji38]

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Awe heck I pass that job onto cheap labor lol. Ive had my share of itching. Been there and avoid it at any cost. I dont miss the waiting for it pneumatic systems can have tho.

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I have a set of the new FP SMAN380 3 port, and i think they are the best I've ever used. Started out with analogs like everyone else, then when I decided to go digital, I went the whole route, earlier SMANS, Digicools, Testo 550 and 557s, YJ P51-870s, and some others. I've used the Iman several times, but it's not my favorite by a long shot.
First place has to go to the new FP 380s, they are the best, easiest I've ever used and with more info than you can imagine. Second place goes to the YJ P51-850s, another great digital, my only reason to move to the FP, I could use my wireless temp clamps and psychrometers. That makes it almost too easy. The rest were good, no real problems, and any of them would do me if I didn't care about having all the info you could ever want on the screen right in front of you. I know the iman have a ton of info, but the FP is much easier to setup and use.
I never had any of the problems with the others that some have complained about. My Testos worked fine, original SMANS did too, it's only functionality that made me switch. Logging was a real plus for me too, I run a tape on every system I work on and can always go back and see before and after service, which to me is a real nice feature. AFAIK, the FP and YJ are the only ones that log.
The only gripe I have with the FP is you have to start the logging, which is very minor, while the YJ is automatic every time you turn it on. No big deal, I've gotten used to it and learned to turn it on while I'm setting it up.

 

Yeah I was going to get the cps digital setup but they had me wait 2 months on back order and then tried to delay another month so I went with the sman 480’s and definitely no complaints


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The new smans 480/380 with the wireless job link clamps and temp probes are the best thing out there right now. Everything on the manifold screen with the OPTION of using your phone or tablet for Bluetooth. I don't think I could handle having the I manifold and not having a display on the actual manifold lol.

 

That was my main gripe with the iman, not having a screen to look at. Sometimes I'm using my phone for something else or it's in the truck, whatever. Also the iman has so many setupl parameters that for a simple job of checking charge, that I don't want to spend 15 min setting it up, and that's after hooking it up. It is a great tool for diagnostics of difficult problems, no doubt about it, but I don't usually have the need for that much. FP seems to have hit the sweet spot.

So far, I have plenty of DC's to keep my small business going...
However two things could happen:
*A new refrigerant that DC's do not cover...
*All the DC's could die... (I have had couple of AK's die)...

If either of those happens and I need something new... I suspect a FP380 or 480 with the appropriate wireless probes will be the next thing I get... or something similar.
Note this would be more of a diagnostic tool than a daily user...

For daily use... IMO one cannot beat the AK's...

 

That was my main gripe with the iman, not having a screen to look at. Sometimes I'm using my phone for something else or it's in the truck, whatever. Also the iman has so many setupl parameters that for a simple job of checking charge, that I don't want to spend 15 min setting it up, and that's after hooking it up. It is a great tool for diagnostics of difficult problems, no doubt about it, but I don't usually have the need for that much. FP seems to have hit the sweet spot.