Mytoolsupply
Well-known member
What brand of A/C Gauges does everyone prefer? I've had a cheap auto parts store set for years but the couplers on them are starting to get pretty sloppy.
A/C Guages
- Thread starter Mytoolsupply
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jsmeece
Well-known member
I have these Mastercool MSC89661PRO (for R134a), have not had a problem with them. Some prefer the yellowjack brand, both are fine.
Dagny
Well-known member
Imperial 4 valve
fsae0607
Well-known member
Mastercool.
Yellow Jacket, Robinair, and Imperial Eastman are the ones I've used in my career. Durable, stand up to daily use and some manhandling, affordable, and repair parts are widely available and reasonably priced. Perfect for having multiple sets to deal with different refrigerants.
yellowjacket.com
www.robinair.com
imperial-tools.com
I picked up a mid level CPS manifold used and it seems pretty good.
www.cpsproducts.com
I would avoid JB gauges like the plague. They had a change of management around 2005 and both quality and warranty went to ****.
Personally I'd steer clear of digital gauges. Too fragile and expensive for commercial use. Quality analog gauges are just fine. Marsh makes gauges with brass casing with thick glass lenses that are tops for me.
marshgauges.com
Hope this helps!
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yellowjacket.com
Products | Robinair
www.robinair.com
Manifolds - Imperial Tools
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imperial-tools.com
I picked up a mid level CPS manifold used and it seems pretty good.
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www.cpsproducts.com
I would avoid JB gauges like the plague. They had a change of management around 2005 and both quality and warranty went to ****.
Personally I'd steer clear of digital gauges. Too fragile and expensive for commercial use. Quality analog gauges are just fine. Marsh makes gauges with brass casing with thick glass lenses that are tops for me.
HVAC Gauge/Refrigeration Gauge
Marsh Instruments has offered a wide variety of products in its HVAC gauge, refrigeration gauge, and thermometer product lines for HVAC and refrigeration applications for over 155 years. Whether commercial, industrial, or residential, Marsh Instruments has the instruments to meet your HVAC/R needs.
Hope this helps!
Desertskyy
Well-known member
I have set of Robinair. Many years old. They have functioned with zero issues
B_Bimmer
Well-known member
I have mastercool and snap on, not sure who really makes theirs but it's the one I prefer.
metaldad
Well-known member
i have 15 or so manifold sets.
all USA.
j/b, ritchie, yellow jacket, imp eastmann, and a coupla others.
no 'group' pic available at this time.
and, i echo bonneyman. digital are nfg.
all USA.
j/b, ritchie, yellow jacket, imp eastmann, and a coupla others.
no 'group' pic available at this time.
and, i echo bonneyman. digital are nfg.
OP
Mytoolsupply
Well-known member
Thanks for the info I went ahead an ordered a Mastercool set mostly because they were the only ones my supplier had in stock
bonneyman thank you for all the info I do like the marsh gauges glass would be really nice my old set hasn't had covers on the gauges for years FYI don't use brake clean to clean overspray off the plastic lenses lol
bonneyman thank you for all the info I do like the marsh gauges glass would be really nice my old set hasn't had covers on the gauges for years FYI don't use brake clean to clean overspray off the plastic lenses lol
Milton Shaw
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- Joined
- Feb 11, 2011
- Messages
- 4,857
If you do home HVAC work in addition to auto, the Fieldpiece is probably the top brand used by professionals. It has built in refrigerant types and micron gauge. Making it simple to know superheat and sub-cooling to get charge right. I got two on Facebook marketplace for about $200 instead of 600+ new.
Qualitytools
Well-known member
I have a set form my dad's auto repair business from the 70s and 80s, labeled Imperial R22.
It's been hanging in the garage for years, do the hoses go bad over time?
It's been hanging in the garage for years, do the hoses go bad over time?
demarpaint
Well-known member
Yellow Jacket.
QualityTools, modern hoses typically don't fail catastrophically unless they've suffered physical damage. After 30 years of using hoses I've never had one snap free and turn into the dreaded "hose snake". I've heard of that happening, but it's never happened to me. Usually hoses start to dry out and leak. With freon as expensive as it is new hoses every couple of years is cheap insurance.
MyTool, I forgot to mention I like glass lenses because they don't "haze" over with scratches like the plastic ones do. Yes, there is a chance of breakage if you drop them, but even the "indestructible" Lexan ones often break. I've found a local auto glass place that'll fab 3" lenses for me - bevelled and all - on a short turn around. Heck, having a couple of spares in storage ain't a bad idea.
You might even be able to repair an ancient (circa 1940) manifold set like these.
MyTool, I forgot to mention I like glass lenses because they don't "haze" over with scratches like the plastic ones do. Yes, there is a chance of breakage if you drop them, but even the "indestructible" Lexan ones often break. I've found a local auto glass place that'll fab 3" lenses for me - bevelled and all - on a short turn around. Heck, having a couple of spares in storage ain't a bad idea.
You might even be able to repair an ancient (circa 1940) manifold set like these.
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I have been doing large tonnage ( 150/1500 tons) high pressure R22,134,410 and extreme low pressure (R 11, 123, 113 freon) Carrier, York, Trane, McCray chiller overhauls and repairs for the past 30 yrs. I have yet to work with the newer blends that are out there now My guage / manifold sets have always been 4 valve Blondelle, JB, TIF, Testo digital 557. I currently have about 10 fully operational sets of these along with hoses for each. I swear by JB and Yellow Jacket hoses and O rings kits
Qualitytools
Well-known member
Good information, thanks.
bcschief
Well-known member
How about the newer R1234 can you convert your older gauge sets for this?
OP
Mytoolsupply
Well-known member
Pressure is pressure. So - pressure wise - if the max operating pressure of the new 1234 is within the range of the gauges on your set, then the gauges will work. Likewise the brass manifold should take the pressure safely as well. (This was more of a concern when R410a hit the market, as it's operating pressure was 60% higher then R22. You didn't want to blow a gauge at 400PSI!) Of course, making sure the hoses you're using are rated for the pressure of the gas you are using.
The only real problem is with the gaskets and seals. Polymers that worked with R12 and R22 might not tolerate the newer gases and oils. So, though a manifold can theoretically be converted, finding the right polymer seals that fit those older manifold bars might be more trouble than it's worth.
Most of the 4-ways that I'm used to had a 3/8" ID hoses for the fourth one. (To facilitate deep vacuum draw). Larger hoses allowed for faster evacuation. Those were most beneficial for say apartment complexes with lots of units being serviced. Faster evac times could help out greatly. Then again you'd have to change the oil in the vacuum pump often, as the oil gets contaminated more easily with multiple units being done. That takes time, probably cutting out any time savings you had. Usually on those kinds of jobs 2 or 3 technicians showed up and tag teamed the units so it spread out the load on each guys equipment. Got the job done faster overall, too.
I haven't looked at new manifolds in several years so can't vouch my info is still current. But I'd say if you're not going to evac and recharge much the added cost of a 4-way probably isn't really worth it. JMHO
I agree with the mix and match approach.
After doing service for years I began to notice operation and comfort differences between brands. Certain bars were more natural to hold, certain hoses seemed much less prone to fraying and leaking, and one particular freon sealing end valve stood out. So I started making my own sets out of the parts I liked. (I understand not everybody likes to do this sort of thing, but it's what I do). Old Robinair manifolds, Marsh gauges with brass cases and screw lens holders (makes gauge adjustments so much easier) for the glass, and 60" Yellow Jacket hoses (I liked being able to stand up while charging and longer hoses made it happen!) and seal fittings. Plus metal handles - can't stand the feel of most plastic ones.
Here's a manifold I put together with spare parts I had laying around. One of six complete manifolds I have, the low side is an old school Marsh and the high side is an early YJ (marked 410a but the retard pressure begins at 300 PSI and that's too low for Puron) but it's usable for R22 till I find a pair of newer Marsh gauges I like.
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Snapped-off
Well-known member
I have a mastercool 134A set. Used them twice. Once on a car and once at work on both of our 1.5T refrigeration plants. No issues.
This. As Bonneyman has posted if the job reqs a deep vacuum evac the 4th hose and its fitting into the manifold is 3/8" and this will allow a faster evac before introducing gas. You are already hooked up to the system so you just add the vac pump and away you go
You wont have any problems with using 2 valve set up.
I have always preferred to use the 4 valve manifolds. A 2 valve manifold will work for you just as well. Truth be told when I am drawing a 400 micron vac on a chiller I do not use a valve manifold with all of the hoses present and valves involved , to many possible chances of a tiny leak which can ruin your day and waste your time. I use only a 4 hose combo connected directly to the chiller evap, cond, vac pump using a special 5 connection 0 valve manifold that I made 20 some yes ago. Im also using 1" hoses and 2 JB 1000 cfm vac pumps so the larger the unit the larger the tools used to work on it and the less hoses and valves you want involved in the process
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joel63
Well-known member
Im still learning how to use the electronic manifolds.
as for the old style units I have never lost or sold a manifold. I dont loan them out, I dont drop or misuse them in any way. They are like any other tool in your kit, use them enough and you can tell just by feel which is which
I'm still learning.......not to loan tools out.
Worked at a A/C shop for a couple of months, and one of the younger techs needed a manifold set. His brand new digital set was in the repair shop for the second time in 2 months and so I lent him my brand new 410a analog set. He returned it a few days later as I recall, but then about 2 months later I noticed on lens was broken and one hose end seemed cross threaded. Too late to do anything about it as I had moved on from that job so went down and got a new lens. As I don't do much professional work anymore the hose is still as it is.
Don't the new digital gauges have a "card" of sorts that you can slide into the back that's preloaded with the refrigerant you're working on? That aspect does seem like a good thing to be able to have.