DISCONTINUED Fieldpiece SMAN3 Digital Refrigerant Manifold

Fieldpiece SMAN3 Digital Refrigeration Gauge

Overview

The SMAN3 just might be the best kept secret in the digital refrigeration manifold market! We have recently learned the details behind the tireless engineering hours Fieldpiece has spent perfecting the measurement technology inside the SMAN 3.

While the SMAN looks to be the newcomer to the digital gauge market, Fieldpiece pressure measurement technology has been in production and use for over 6 years. Refrigerant charging, specifically by target superheat, has been a staple measurement of Fieldpiece accessory heads since 2006. That same core technology has been further refined for use today in the SMAN 2 and SMAN 3. The SMAN series is a well thought out, easy to use, intuitive instrument packed with productivity features that differentiate it from the pack, but as always, the devil is in the details. It's what you don't see that makes the instrument exceptional: not only for its value but also for its accuracy and application of measurement technology.

High Accuracy Absolute Pressure Sensors

In this application, the Fieldpiece SMAN uses the best pressure sensors on the market today. The Fieldpiece SMAN series uses absolute pressure sensors (Piezoelectric), isolated with stainless steel diaphragms, internally dampened and protected from hydrostatic damage. Absolute sensors are much more expensive and more accurate then relative sensors, as absolute sensors reference pressure to a perfect vacuum rather than the ambient atmospheric conditions. Why absolute pressure sensors? It's simple; a refrigeration system is a sealed system and does not operate relative to the atmospheric conditions. This feature eliminates the inaccuracy that relative sensors are subject to without the need for pressure compensation. Higher accuracy pressure readings mean a higher accuracy calculation of saturation temperature and, therefore, a more accurate superheat and sub-cooling measurement.

K-Type Temperature Measurement

K-type thermocouples do have their shortcomings, with the most problematic being the need for field calibration. Fieldpiece has done extensive research and work on the SMAN series of manifolds to allow reliable use of K-type thermocouples. K-type measurement has been a core measuring technology for Fieldpiece since their inception. Accurate thermocouple measurement requires that the designer pay attention to stray voltages, cold junction temperature compensation, thermal contact and accuracy. . Fieldpiece has engineered solutions for these issues and can now repeatability demonstrate reliable measurement with an accuracy of +/-1°F even over a wide temperature range of use/application. Couple to that the extensive research and development of the clamp probe, and you have a very reliable low cost measurement system that you can depend on after field calibration. Temperature measurement on round surfaces (pipes and lines) can effect the accuracy to even the most expensive precision measuring systems. Fieldpiece has spent a tremendous amount of time resolving those challenges and making sure that pipe contact and the ambient air temperature have a very negligible effect on the temperature reading.

Real Time Superheat and Subcooling Calculation

The SMAN 3 can display superheat and subcooling in real-time along with calculation of the target superheat on fixed orifice systems. Target superheat can be easily manually entered or it can be automatically calculated by using the SMAN to measure the indoor wet bulb and the outdoor air temperature. For fixed orifice systems this allow the technician to quickly charge to a target superheat value without the need for a manual superheat calculation or target superheat chart.

Easy to Read Display

The very large, bright, high contrast, easy to read display is very well protected from conditions typically encountered in the field. Easily viewable from almost any angle, all the information you require is right in the display or accessible easily with the push of a button. The display is second to none on the market today.

Field Calibration

The SMAN series can be field calibrated, which at first seems counter-intuitive. Why would you ever want to or need calibrate a high accuracy digital manifold? The California Energy Code, also known as Title 24, require that provisions for calibration exist in digital measurement instruments. The field calibration allows users to meet these requirements. Calibration of K-type thermocouples is required whenever the thermocouple is changed simply because the thermocouple is part of a measurement system. The thermocouple must be calibrated to its cold junction in order to get the stated accuracy of the measurement system. After calibration of the thermocouples is carried out, the pressure transducers can then be calibrated in a very narrow defined range if any drift of the sensor occurs. Unlike other RSAs that require factory service if they drift out of calibration, the SMAN can easily be brought back into specifications in a matter of minutes by carefully following the field calibration procedures.

Pros

• Very accurate absolute pressure sensors
• Great LCD display
• Intuitive operation
• Excellent accuracy after field calibration
• Loaded with productivity features

Cons

• Periodic required calibration of the K-type thermocouples
• Vacuum sensor in the manifold (we never have been a fan of that.)
• Small handles on the refrigerant manifold

Features

Target Superheat calculation

• Automatically calculated from measurements taken
• No guesswork or manual calculations

Real-Time Superheat and Subcooling Calculation

• Calculated and displayed simultaneously
• Absolute pressure sensors assure higher accuracy of saturation temperature calculation

Large Multi-line Back-lit Display

• Resistant to extreme temperatures
• Viewable up to 20' away
• Easy to read in full sunlight
• Easy to view from any angle

K-type Thermocouples

• Fast reacting
• Internally temperature compensated
• Displays actual temperatures

Field Calibration (Title 24 compliant)

• Quick and easy
• Temperature
• 2-point pressure

Micron Gauge Alarm

• Alarm sound when user set micron level is reached
• 50 to 9,999 resolution

Vacuum Stopwatch (SMAN3)

• Tracks time vacuum pump's been working
• Length of time can indicate hidden issues

Long Battery Life

• 135 hours on SMAN3
• Constant battery status
• Auto power off

39 Refrigerant Profiles

• Built-in P-T charts
• Automatic calculation of saturation temperature
• Calculates glide on refrigerant blends

Carrying Case

• Easy to hang when not using
• Leave hoses & temperature clamps attached