Too many Gauges?

RadPro

Hi all,

Starting a new job has brought up some old problems. How to handle everyones opinions about tools and how to use them.

Coming from a shop that did refrigeration, A/C and all kinds of heating, I carried at least three sets of gauges. One for old fashioned mineral oil and ab, one for poe and another just because we sometimes worked on more than one system at a time! So I tell the boss to get me three 4-valve sets of gauges, min-ab, poe and 410a, as they are pushing Puron.

One of the other techs tells me, just purge some nitrogen thru the hoses and you are good to go. One maybe two sets of gauges this way.

Sorry I don't do it that way and the boss said he has ordered them for me.

Just curious about the way you do it and finding it funny how you can ask five different refrigeration guys the same question and get 10 different answers, Some even might work!

Don, soon to be moving the family to Moberly Mo. Sorry IA but I had to leave.

Jim Bergmann_2

Solution to your problem

When we switched to digital gauges, multiple sets seemed cost prohibitive for more than two sets. We have gone to multiple hose sets instead. I use a standard low loss hose then equip the gauge end with a low loss fitting. Each if the hoses are labeled for the type of refrigerant in it. This is much cheaper and I can remove and install hoses without loosing the refrigerant. Also since the gauges hold a lot less refrigerant then the hoses, the oil cross contamination is kept to a minimum. I just give a quick blast of refrigerant out of the hose when I change hose sets to purge the manifold. When removing the hoses, I usually dump some of the liquid in the high side hose into the other hoses just to avoid the possibility of hydrostatic damage to the hoses by having a hose completely filled with liquid when it is removed, as liquid will not compress. You should do the same anyway to avoid gauge damage. A digital gauge set like the 523 can be used with up to 38 different refrigerants. For what you will spend for all of the gauges, you may want to look at going digital.