A refrigeration manifold gauge set is a device used to obtain the temperature and pressure of different gases and liquids in a refrigeration system as well as vacuum pressure when charging the device. It is an essential tool for people who work as heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration service technicians, also known as HVAC/R technicians.
In a refrigeration system the temperature and the pressure must be frequently checked in order to ensure that the system functions smoothly. Furthermore, the structure of the system should be also checked and if any leaks, their source must be quickly found. A quality refrigeration manifold gauge set allows a technician to make a reliable statement about the safety and efficiency of the system based on these parameters obtained in the device.
With this device, technicians can measure the refrigeration units without closed-system, to either evaluate or troubleshoot the units. The set consists of hoses, valves, compound gauge (low-pressure gauge) and high-pressure gauge and is generally used in the industry to check all important parameters, to ensure the tightness of the system, evaluate the efficiency of the system and to perform other essential tasks.
The refrigeration manifold gauge set comes with three different chambers: low-pressure chamber, utility chamber and high-pressure chamber. When a manifold gauge is connected to a refrigeration unit, the low-pressure side of the refrigeration unit is connected to the low-pressure gauge side. To read the pressure in the discharge line, it is necessary to connect the high-pressure gauge hose to the high-pressure side of the refrigeration unit. The third chamber, the utility port, is where the hose is connected to a vacuum pump, recovery units or the port to add/remove refrigerant from AC units.
While searching the market for a refrigeration manifold gauge set, you will come across a variety of analog and digital gauge models. The digital models are the more popular choice as they offer faster and more reliable readings. While there are still some technicians who prefer to work with analog refrigeration manifold gauge sets, these don’t give the user a complete picture of what is going on. Conversion error by technicians, for example, is a very common problem.
Digital gauges, on the other hand, are much more accurate and come with many other features. Due to the fact that they don’t need conversion tables, there are less chances for errors to happen. However, it is essential that these devices are operated by technicians who have been previously trained to use them properly.
