The best tool for testing furnaces and...

pcplumber

diagnosing a furnace is my gas leak tester I bought at Johnstone supply for about $175. This tester finds leaks in valves that are almost impossible to find with soap bubbles. It is much faster, cleaners, and more effective.

Most often, the customer cannot smell a gas leak and if they can't smell the leak, it is not serious to them. When they hear the siren of the gas tester squealing there is a better confirmation that a serious problem exists.

Trick1

We use the TIF 8800-A. Good unit with reliable results. But if you want to take your diagnostics to the next level....I highly recommend Fieldpiece instruments. I purchased the Fieldpack last year. With one meter and several accessory heads, I can check everything from milliamps to gas pressures and data log the results.

That combined with a good combustion analyzer and a Testo 308 digital smoke tester will make you unstoppable!!

Oh yeah, the knowledge and training helps too

pcplumber

Thank you very much. Where do I get one?

Trick1

Fieldpiece is available from Sid Harveys or Johnstone Supply. The Fieldpack tha I have is around $1,200.00 or so. The Testo 308 Digital Smoke Tester is around $650.00 (I doubt that you'll find this tool useful since you rarely run into oil burners out there.)

The combustion analyzer that I currently have is a UEI C100A (I'm waiting until the summer to get a Testo 327 or 550) That costed $1,300.00. The combustion analyzer is a MUST for setting up oil or Natural Gas/LP. Since most condensing boiler manufacturers want to see thier equipment set up with analyzers.

hvaclover

My TIF is 15 years old and still going.

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Trick1

Yeah, mine is almost 10 years old. Really solid instrument

hvaclover

Made in the USA too!

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Not Stupid, Just slow

RoBoTeq

I suppose not blowing up the customer is important, but I really thought this was going to be about magnahelic gauges...really.

Without a magnahelic gauge being used on today's furnaces, most troubleshooting is mere guessing.

Trick1

This is true. I use my magnehelic for every boiler install. I can see the varations in draft a lot better than the digital readout on my combustion analyzer. They're bulletproof as as well

RoBoTeq

Be still my beating heart

Most times I ask a tech on a furnace problem if he/she has a magnahelic gauge and they tell me they don't even have a little one

mechanicalDvr

Isn't that Fieldpiece kind of like a swiss army knife? It can get you buy but isn't as good as having the real thing.

dan22

i just purchased a combustion analyzer kit
its e instruments covers oil gas o2 co nox preasure differential built in printer feild replaceable sensors. paper and printer ribbions at staples
very nice tool.

RoBoTeq

Not at all. Fieldpiece just uses the same power pack/basic control module for a variety of specialty testers that attach to it. Fieldpiece also has individual testers.

beenthere

I don't have a magnehelic. But I do have a Testo 506, and a 510. Both read very quick.

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