So, do you work for sales and marketing or public relations department of MasterCool?..

 

No I am not affiliated with Mastercool or their distributors. However I do have a personal policy to write three recognition letters for every complaint letter I write. Wouldn't that be great if some of our customer's had that same policy? I am pretty happy with the service I got from Mastercool, and I think that when someone goes out of their way to help a brother out, they deserve to be recognized. How about you ICH, ever write a recognition letter?

 

(commandments) issued making sure the (company name) and (first and last name and position) (set 2), (set 3) are named, but the (problem situation is often vague) and (attesting to how it was resolved) with (excellent service wand dedication). (He is now a company made him a loyal customer and name specific gratitude. (more puffery) and referencing where he'd go to (named company) for (products for industry)

I think that when someone goes out of their way to help a brother out, they deserve to be recognized. How about you ICH, ever write a recognition letter?

I don't go make an account in market segment relevant forums just to post product testimonials.

It matters that people hear the good in companies and how they handle their problems. Good customer relations helps build the product and corporate name.

If I had to get a set of tools, a good review helps in making decisions, as do the bad ones.

Absolutely. As my generation started losing interest in traditional marketing and embrace well reasoned and articulated word of mouth or opinions from trusted source(forum buddies who trust each other, guys you work with, etc) seller involvement soon followed.

Girls like clothes, talk about how she got complemented, guys like cars and tools and sharing their experience and all that is what we want.

Though, there are many other official manufacturer's reps on this site.

Travel review sites like Tripadvisor, restaurant review like Yelp experience tremendous problem with reviews created by managers and their affiliates giving 5 stars on non-existent events or events staged for anticipated reviewers. A 3 star hotel may go out of their way and provided VIP service to an average guy once they figure out that he's a career blogger to influence his experience to become well written.

Even worse is companies or individuals contract a strategist to conduct social media marketing and search engine position optimization to increase prominence of their company/name employees to make look good to prospective employer and such.

I know some here on H-talk don't realize the trend in internet marketing, so hopefully if you were among those this will give you an understanding of my skepticism of posts that look questionable to me. This guy said his scale had "issues" and didn't bring it up anymore, but went with unnatural enthusiasm about the service. I have reasonable suspicion that this review is not a random satisfied customer who just stumbled upon. and I think it could be the work of SEO SEM social media marketing specialist working with the company's PR department.

You look at his other thread and you find a document posted, apparently from MasterCool itself and responding in customer service rep type tone.

 

all thiis matters how?

 

Why you so grumpy?

It matters that people hear the good in companies and how they handle their problems. Good customer relations helps build the product and corporate name.

If I had to get a set of tools, a good review helps in making decisions, as do the bad ones. Trends and statistics are typically used when making decisions.

IF this guy was a part of MasterCool then the post would be suspect. Otherwise, it's a perfectly fine review of his experience with that company.

Though, there are many other official manufacturer's reps on this site.

 

My experience with Mastercool customer service didn't go as well.Called to order a rubber foot and screw for a vacuum pump. The lady told me to find a NAPA auto parts store, and they would order me one.

 

Get your pro status and your post would be more believable.

 

What is it that you don't believe?

 

I find Master cool below standard tools. JMO

 

Well I can take MC off the list of manufactures where ICH might work lol

 

Hi Bill,

Thanks for the heads-up. I looked around and I replied to one that I found but it seems to have been posted some time ago. Regarding your solenoid, if I am not mistaken these little babies are USB connected correct? If so, I bet that Mastercool has a small test program that you can load on your laptop to allow you to plug the solenoid into your laptop and operate it in test mode. I would design such a program if I made a USB commandable dongle. In fact, I have, and I did but it was a low voltage control adapter, not a refrigerant control solenoid. So please ask Mastercool about this diagnostic tool so that we can ascertain if your solenoid is defective or the scale is not sending the correct command to the solenoid (which I suspect is more likely the case.)

Cheers!

 

It's a possible mechanical defect. Okay, the data sheet states the solenoid can be used to control the refrigerant flow to and from a system. On a call, at first they said yes but then changed that to no. Later I asked what solenoid was used with the 98315 and they said the same 98230. This is "might" not be correct since on the 98315, it's built into the platform. The manual for the 98315 explains that one can vacuum lines as opposed to purging which is how I do it. My 98230 won't hold a vacuum on the "out" port but does on the "in" and it's marked for flow direction. The 98315 isn't labeled as far as I can see from pictures and the manual always states connection of the "in" towards the tank. Either they don't use the same solenoid or mine leaks. Tech Support couldn't answer this so it was pasted to engineering.

Electrically the 98230 works perfectly. One snafu is that the programming of the 98210A and 98315 are different. The 98210A doesn't control the solenoid if weight increases to your set value only decreases. The trick is to set your desired amount to remove into max tank weight which works perfectly.

 

Hi Bill,

You have probably already done this, but just in case, disassemble the valve, soak the gaskets on the plunger in POE and lubricate the plunger with POE, reassemble the valve.

Failing that, put POE into the valve and orient it so the plunger and gaskets get soaked. Operate it a few times while the oil is infusing the valve.

If this valve IS in-fact designed to provide a bidirectional seal, this repair should work up to 200 PSI differential pressure;

By the way, we should probably take this discussion back to the other thread. I apologize to the members for hijacking this thread.

 

Probably doesn't matter as we are all alone on this one!

I suspect a common rubber lip type seal is used on the one side which will hold pressure but not vacuum. If they used a Teflon double lip seal like is used for the shaft on a automotive compressor, it would hold vacuum but probably wouldn't last too long for linear movements.

Accutool has the CM500 charging solenoid for their two scales and has stated they have never tested it for that because it's not designed to hold vacuum, only pressure. There must be bi-directional solenoid valves but how many run on 9V??

One solution is to use a ball valve on the "out" port side, vacuum up to it at least and purge through the solenoid valve.

I thought about taking it apart but I may have to return it if they decide it's defective. I can't believe no one else has ever caught this issue before as it's right in the picture and description here: https://www.mastercool.com/media/98210_98230_flr.pdf. Connected to recovery tank, if you pull through it, you'll never get past 5K microns and it claims the usage in the description but maybe mine is defective.

 

Hi Bill,

I just looked up the price of these on e-Bay. For that price I would expect it to seal on suction and pressure. Also, every description I came across says "This module allows the user to control the exact amount of refrigerant transferring to and from the A/C System."

If so, I would see if Mastercool will give you an RMA number and ship it back. Make sure that the valve is in the position that you think it is in when you pull vacuum. I suppose removing the power would suffice. For sure, a ball valve on a tee between the tank and the 98230 would also do the job.

Please post your outcome with the questions to the factory.

Regards,

M2C1

 

I first connected to a recovery tank with the valve on the tank closed, solenoid valve open and couldn't get below 5K microns. I then tried on the solenoid itself with it closed on each port and found the problem was on the out port only.

It'll be a week tomorrow since MC passed it over to engineering. It's beyond returning the time to return it to the vendor so I have to wait on MC.

The Accutool MC500 for their scale cost more than this one!

 

Hi Bill,

Ah, I see that you are a diagnostician! You tried to pull vacuum as if you were the evacuated system, and you got a leak from the valve. Very good, I should have thought of that. OK, so in that case, the valve must be bad. Why don't you ask MC to allow you to lubricate it as I suggested. This may save sending it back, and if they permit it and that still doesn't improve the reverse seal, then you are no further behind. If the seal is just dried out, that might be all it takes to put you back in business.

M2C1

 

I actually vacuum lines, etc. as opposed to purging. It's an idea I got from reading the instructions for the MC 69500 Recoverymate: https://www.mastercool.com/media/69500-INST_LR.pdf which I don't have. Maybe I over think things but I always had an issue with purging! If you purge a line at the manifold, granted you push air from line but doesn't it leave a small amount trapped in the manifold? Seems like at every purge point, a small amount of air is trapped. Less is better!

I neglected to mention that I also put 130psi of air pressure on each port which held.

Not sure if MC would allow me to open it up to try anything. I'm guessing that it's just not designed to hold a vacuum and the technical writers are way off on the product description.

If I don't hear from MC by the end of today, I'll shoot them an email.

 

Wptski, has your solenoid issue been resolved? I recently purchased a mc 98210a and it has worked fine so far. I've been considering picking up the solenoid but it's not cheap and would like to make sure it works reliably. Also is this an isolated issue? Has anyone else you know of had similar problems?

 

My original pressure test was flawed, retested and it didn't hold 150psi on the "out" port "only". If it don't hold pressure sure won't a vacuum. Contacted MC but didn't know that a RMA can be applied for online. They should have it tomorrow and I included a detailed note on the problem. Electrically, it worked perfectly as far as it goes for charging but there is still the question of it's use for removing/evac a system and there's no word from their engineering staff on that. No doubt in my mind that this one is defective but will it hold a vacuum if it will hold a pressure?? It did on the "in" port but if one side leaks and you open the valve, all it lost!

I was told that I'd hear something in about a week although online it stated two week turn around time.

Accutool has a similar product for their scales and said that they've never tested their unit for vacuum! It all depends on if it's designed to hold a vacuum.

Check eToolDirect for the cheapest price plus get a $10 off coupon.

 

Spam thread
Probably all the same guy/gal too!

 

Seriously? You are paranoid! I'm not having the best of luck with this product and this is good advertising??

 

is this all necessary? i mean really , do simple math , my scale does exactly what its supposed to, weigh the tank, as i charge i deduct that from starting weight and that's how Much freon i charged system with, why the extra tools/scales, etc , looks like crap to me sorry, more bells and whistles are usually TROUBLE

 

Do you have watch your scale as it charges or have to listen for a warning of near charge or charge reached? Maybe your scale doesn't even do that, sounds like it? This shuts off the refrigerant flow when the set charge weight is reached. No bells or whistles, it clicks open and clicks closed!

 

2 things how does it know when it's fully charged? And honestly using a scale and monitoring isn't thAt big a deal is rather do that than stand around with my hands in my pocket staring at it going it doesn't malfunction and overcharge and I HOPE you look at it and not be that trusting in a electrical tool that you already had trouble with,that would be irresponsible BIG TIME!!! just my .02

 

Nothing tells you that it's fully charged, don't believe there is anything on the market that will do that yet. There is a YouTube video by HVAC Rat on the Accutool version or CM-500 in which I "believe" that he mentions that he'd like to see that. This one just closes the valve when the amount you program in is reached or not as ICanHas mentioned above. There is a "Done" timer in it but I'm unsure how exactly it works during charging. It's operation or how to change it isn't mention in its manual but the OP of this thread and another posted how get into its parameters so it can be easily changed if it becomes a problem.

I didn't have any problem with the electrical part of it's operation only the mechanical aspect.

 

You didn't do a search for kicks because that's what you do here as you've done in other threads you just jump into. I had more to add to this thread but didn't figuring that you'd follow up and start all over again but as it turned out, your back again anyway.

 

Lol, I didn't jump into this thread anymore than you did.

 

Wow, just read this thread as I searched for some guidance on guilty of various tool suppliers. I am a newbie but the tone on some of the threads on this forum makes me never want to post. In fact, the negativity displayed is, in my view, harsh and un-called for. Guess I will seek my answers elsewhere.

 

Don't give up. From what I've seen anyway this one has been - 'is, atypical.

 

In my original post I failed to catch the "auto-corrected" word that came out "guilty". It was supposed to read quality. At any rate, I was looking to see if folks had some advice on brands of "quality" HVAC tools and for those brands to stay away from. I was considering a MasterCool recovery system and was looking for feedback from those who used it. Hence my search of the forum yielded this thread. Part of my decision was on customer support and I found the original post helpful. Silly me.

Forewarned is forearmed. I will be very guarded on what I post.

GS

 

There once was a newbie that posted here and after being attacked stated, "Gosh, can't a person ask a simple question?" or something close to that. You'll never guess who that was and it wasn't me either.