Another Thermometer Question (Sorry)

[johann]

I know Im asking alot of stuff that has been asked before, and I have searched the forums for this topic but I find only recomendations.

I like to buy Quality equipment but my budget is really tigh at this stage, Ive spent a fortune already.

I need a thermometer temporarily, the UEI ones are widely reccomended and expensive and there none on ebay for cheap. Now whats wrong with these "Pocket Thermometers" The range is the same -50c to 300C maybe accuracy is not as good but to be one or two degrees out is going to make abosolutely no difference when all I want to do is charge my single stages.

This cost £12

Kane PDT550 Digital Thermometer
The PDT550 is a robust and versatile digital pocket thermometer and features an extended temperature range, large LCD display, built-in magnetic mount and waterproof case.

SPECIFICATIONS:

Range : -58 to 571°F / -50 to 300°C
Accuracy: +/- 4°F / +/- 2°C
Resolution : 0.1 F/C
Sampling time : 1 second
Battery : 1.5 V button SR44
Stem : length 85 mm x diameter 3.5 mm


Part No. Description Unit Price Qty
17257 Kane PDT550 digital thermometer £11.78

Will that be OK? Remember its temoprary, when I have some cash Ill buy a proper one

[hatemi]

Get one that usest K type probes. The UEI is actually pretty cheap in the UK but if you want something cheaper then try to find Tenemars, CHY or Meterman :)

[johann]

Get one that usest K type probes. The UEI is actually pretty cheap in the UK but if you want something cheaper then try to find Tenemars, CHY or Meterman :)

Im just going to buy the UEI , its £65 for the dual probe one which is quite cheap in comparison to other high end stuff and it comes highly recommended by everyone.

[jinu117]

I use DT200 too :)

[johann]

I have ordered my DT200 :D Should be here tomorrow. Now all I need is a digital vacuum gauge then Im pretty much nicely sorted

[jinu117]

Supco VG64 is one I use and doing fine. It probably will cost you as much as DT200... You can guestimate on vacuum pulled though. It is not necessity really but nicety.

[wdrzal]

I have ordered my DT200 :D Should be here tomorrow. Now all I need is a digital vacuum gauge then Im pretty much nicely sorted

Thers a difference between a digital vacuum gauge and a micron gauge/meter. I think you meant the latter,but "words" have preciese meanings and shouldn't be interchanged.they also make analog micron gauges,I like the newer digital ones they don't need calibrated before use.

[wdrzal]

Johann do you have a nitrogen tank and regulator? If I had to chose between a nitrogen set up and a micron meter I would buy the nitrogen set up first. It has a dirrect impact on how well your rig will work while a micron gauge is nice ,they only confirm low vacuum levels,not produce them.

[johann]

Johann do you have a nitrogen tank and regulator? If I had to chose between a nitrogen set up and a micron meter I would buy the nitrogen set up first. It has a dirrect impact on how well your rig will work while a micron gauge is nice ,they only confirm low vacuum levels,not produce them.

Thanks wdrzal for the replies!

Yes I meant the gauge that tells you the level of vacuum, I have no idea what vacuum my pump pulls although I think its decent, thats why I normally just let it run for long, the pump sort of changes its sound after a few hours, when you start it up it makes a bubbly noise, the longer it runs, the smoother the noise gets, I judge it on noise lol :rolleyes:

Do you use the nitrogen when doing the tripple evac? How exactly do you use it? Roughly how much does that setup cost? I have overspent alot sofar might have to wait a week or two before I can purchase anything else

So I need:

Nitrogen tank (I have a contact for gas, will be cheap)
Nitrogen regulator

Thanks
Johann

[jinu117]

Johann do you have a nitrogen tank and regulator? If I had to chose between a nitrogen set up and a micron meter I would buy the nitrogen set up first. It has a dirrect impact on how well your rig will work while a micron gauge is nice ,they only confirm low vacuum levels,not produce them.

Big nod on this one :) Nitrogen first before vacuum gauge. I personally think Nitrogen is requirement with regulator.
Requirement in my book:
Vacuum pump, nitrogen tank with regulator, and some way to recover gases (by law), manifold gauge.
Next set of nice equipment to have:
Digital vacuum gauge, better brazing tools if you already didn't
Toys nice to have :)
Leak detector, those hook type brazing tips... mmm love mine, anything you can think of.
Vacuuming with nitrogen do aid on vacuuming time a LOT to get to those ultimate vacuum level. It could take me 1 hour to 3 hours for initial vacuum from pretty dirty system intially but if I broke vacuum it with nitrogen that gets cut in half. And consequential vacuum can only take 20-30 minutes with high side nitorgen push. (getting down to 100 micron, etc)
First vacuum will usually not go down below 250 micron for long time but purging wit nitrogen, you can get 2nd and 3rd vacuum down to 150, 100 micron easier.
Usually, you can hear vacuum pump getting louder as better vacuum are pulled.
PS) The tank + regulator + initial gas charge should be less than $200 total most places.

[johann]

Big nod on this one :) Nitrogen first before vacuum gauge. I personally think Nitrogen is requirement with regulator.
Requirement in my book:
Vacuum pump, nitrogen tank with regulator, and some way to recover gases (by law), manifold gauge.
Next set of nice equipment to have:
Digital vacuum gauge, better brazing tools if you already didn't
Toys nice to have :)
Leak detector, those hook type brazing tips... mmm love mine, anything you can think of.
Vacuuming with nitrogen do aid on vacuuming time a LOT to get to those ultimate vacuum level. It could take me 1 hour to 3 hours for initial vacuum from pretty dirty system intially but if I broke vacuum it with nitrogen that gets cut in half. And consequential vacuum can only take 20-30 minutes with high side nitorgen push. (getting down to 100 micron, etc)
First vacuum will usually not go down below 250 micron for long time but purging wit nitrogen, you can get 2nd and 3rd vacuum down to 150, 100 micron easier.
Usually, you can hear vacuum pump getting louder as better vacuum are pulled.
PS) The tank + regulator + initial gas charge should be less than $200 total most places.

Thanks again for a great explanation Jinu117! I have benifitted alot from the advice from you, wdrzal, Gray etc

:slap:

[johann]

Sorry for double post but whenever I try to edit previous posts the site crash and all my typing is gone.

... One mistake I made was not changing vac pump oil, I got new oil today and will change before using again, how often do you guys change oil on the pump?

[wdrzal]

Essential HVAC/R tools to build a single stage + basic hand tools,screwdivers,wrenches,drill ,ect.........
1: tube cutter
2:torch
3:manifold set,great,but a single hose and combination vac/pressure gauge will work
4:vacuum pump
5:nitrogen tank & regulator
6:thermometer (charge by superheat)
7:personal safety Glasses & gloves

Additional tools nice but unit can be built without
1:swaging tool
2:flaring tool + (line wrenches are nice)
3:tube bender
4:multimeter
5:micron gauge
6:valve core remover

other tools to consider

1:refrigerant scale
2:recovery equiptment (not on essential list because if built correctly it's not needed)
3:leak detection equiptment (electronic,ultrasonic & ultraviolite)

Their is also a long list of additional tools

[johann]

Im getting a bit frustrated with the forums that freeze whenever I quote or edit..

Anyways here I type again..

Tools I have is in blue...

1:tube cutter
2:torch
3:manifold set
4:vacuum pump
5:nitrogen tank & regulator
6:thermometer (charge by superheat)
7:personal safety Glasses & gloves

Additional tools nice but unit can be built without
1:swaging tool
2:flaring tool + (line wrenches are nice)
3:tube bender
4:multimeter
5:micron gauge
6:valve core remover

other tools to consider

1:refrigerant scale
2:recovery equiptment (not on essential list because if built correctly it's not needed)**
3:leak detection equiptment (electronic,ultrasonic & ultraviolite)

** I use a empty cylinder on which I pulled a vacuum that I connect with a hose to my unit and then open valve on cylinder and gas gets sucked in. I dont know if this method is acceptable or not. I dont have money atm to buy expensive reclaim tools but will as soon as I can.

[johann]

My UEI DT200 arrived today, Im so excited to have it handy with my new load tester so I can propperly charge now :D

Pic:

http://brown.srv2.com/~sokkiesc/Fotos/Phase_Change/uei.jpg

[Stelios]

johann did you buy extra probes ??? I remember that the ones that come with the UEI are yellow.

[johann]

johann did you buy extra probes ??? I remember that the ones that come with the UEI are yellow.

No, these are the ones you get with it

[jinu117]

You are supposed to change it each use... but since my systems are rarely contaminated to begin with I slack on it a little...like maybe once a week or so? pump was obtained very cheap to begin with and HEAVY AND BULKY (but pulls good vacuum lol... 2 stage 2cfm one from leybold) I think I secretly want to see it phasing away as moving around it is major hassle weighting close to 40lbs or so. But it still hasn't let me down... :P Wonder how long this pump has been in service... it is not even easy to find in surplus sites...

[johann]

My UEI DT200 is acting strange, giving strange readings sometimes.

Does the temp probe give strange reading if it gets wet? Sometimes when I plug the second probe, T1 jumps with 5C, when I remove ot T1 goes down 5C :|

T2 is constant, maybe its because he doesnt get wet?

Also I had it for 1 week and Im on my 3rd 9v battery :slobber: I leave it on for hours but didnt think it would eat batteries like this!

[chilly1]

THE UEI has issues when the battery is low, the drain form the second probe causes false readings. Try replacing the battery

[Gray Mole]

Battery and moisture both can be an issue.

My fluke's battery runs for ages, but it's only a single probe and doesn't have half the toys on that UEI. (edited out comment as I was informed it was wrong. Thanks Jinu ;) )

I like to put a blob of Ceramique on the line or evap when I tape it and it seems to get rid of the 'jumping' temps. I didn't do that on the HX on the cascade and that temp jumps around a bit sometimes, but the evap temp is very stable where I used it. I think that insulated probes are less likely to bounce around.

But yeah, when my battery get's low at all I can really tell cos the temp goes a little nuts.

Gray

[johann]

THE UEI has issues when the battery is low, the drain form the second probe causes false readings. Try replacing the battery

Yes that exatly what was wrong, temp1 readings are false when low batt

But even then water was also an issue..

[kayl]

Yes that exatly what was wrong, temp1 readings are false when low batt

But even then water was also an issue..


my dt200 has done that before. but change the battery and its good again
i got a couple of LMHg 9v for mine and just recharge them.
I checked the dt200 agian the ddt200 and they both basically the same.
if you worried about if meter out just crush some ice and put it in water and put probe and sturr. should be .2 0c -.2c :toast:
ya getting some nice stuff the johann, should be able to make some nice systems ;)

[johann]

:)
my dt200 has done that before. but change the battery and its good again
i got a couple of LMHg 9v for mine and just recharge them.
I checked the dt200 agian the ddt200 and they both basically the same.
if you worried about if meter out just crush some ice and put it in water and put probe and sturr. should be .2 0c -.2c :toast:
ya getting some nice stuff the johann, should be able to make some nice systems ;)

Yeah when the probe is dry and battery power is good then its Great!

Ill get some rechargebles for it though, will definitely be worth it.

lets see how the next one turns out Kayl! :)