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R134-A Manifold Guages

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Old Apr 20, 2004 | 11:04 PM
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Default R134-A Manifold Guages

I need a set of R134-a manifold guages.. They'll be used once in a blue but I have a need for them now.

It looks like the best deal I can find is on CPS guages.. Anybody heard of them? Any comments on CPS?

For $60.00 they come with hoses, sight glass and valves on the hose leads.

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Old Apr 21, 2004 | 01:13 AM
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If you are only going to use them once would it maybe be wise to just leave the work to a professional? I'm assuming you are going to do a cam swap/motor work etc.? Not to mention the legal need of being EPA section 609 certified to do any refirgerant service work. Just do your work and have a shop properly vacuum and recharge your car.

Personally i've never heard of CPS, they are generic. I just purchased a new Robin Air 134A gauge set for $82 bucks. The only thing I dont' like about thoes CPS gauges is thoes shut off valves look totally dodgy and will leave a mess of dye around the connector and leak like a MF if not initially put on right. Robin air has the valve inside the connector.
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Old Apr 21, 2004 | 10:22 AM
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I was/am a professional. GM ASEP Graduate, ASE Certified Master technician, Pontiac GMC Buick A-Tech for 3 years.. Now I'm a software engineer.

It's not for a cam swap (right now).. I have an 89 Ranger that I need to retrofit and I need a set of guages to pull the system down to a vacuum to evacuate the system and remove the old mineral oil.

BTW - Section 609 addresses CFC12 which is Ozone depleting.. r134a is completely safe for the atmosphere.

Anybody else hear of CPS guages?
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Old Apr 21, 2004 | 01:34 PM
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Perhaps you should re-read your EPA link, release of HFC-134a is prohibited.

Its a common misconception that R134A is not harmfull, well not to the ozone layer. But HFCs are a greenhouse gas so its no better. http://www.cmdl.noaa.gov/noah/flask/hfc.html

HFC 134A is already given a date 2014 where it will be phased out like how R12 was.

Last edited by fullfloatingHD; Apr 21, 2004 at 01:40 PM.
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Old Apr 21, 2004 | 04:05 PM
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Okay thank you for your input.

Anybody else hear of CPS guages?
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Old May 14, 2004 | 11:59 AM
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Gauges are gauges for the most part, whats important are the scales you're using to put the refrigerant back in to avoid overcharging the system.
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Old May 15, 2004 | 07:54 PM
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Originally Posted by LOW2000
Gauges are gauges for the most part, whats important are the scales you're using to put the refrigerant back in to avoid overcharging the system.
Their is truth to that, I was recently at a mobile air conditioning society seminar and the speaker really disreguared gauge readings to determine charge level, was more interested in advising to RRR (recover, recycle(evac) and recharge) to determine correct charge.
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Old May 18, 2004 | 03:57 PM
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...scales? wow that sounds complicated.... back in the 70's we used guages to judge how much gas to draw into the system....

I heard the R13 systems don't like overcharging. Does overcharging casue the compressor to shut down periodically?

Where on this Board do you post AC questions?
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Old May 18, 2004 | 05:08 PM
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Yeah, overcharging can cause the compressor to repeatedly kick off and if its way overcharged, damage seals.
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Old May 19, 2004 | 02:46 AM
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You didn't even need a gauge set to recharge a R12 system, you could go by the sight glass. And no system works well over or undercharged, one is bad as another. Can easily ruin a compressor clutch in both situations. And R13 i'm assuming you are refering to R134a.
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