Supco VG64 Digital Vacuum Gauge, 0 to 12000 µ (0 to 1,600 Pa)

Recomendado

Acquired a SUPCO VG64 (small LCD version) cheap because of the generally poor ratings.And... Surprise! it works fairly well.Here's what I mean by "fairly well"...When using a vacuum pump rated at 50 microns, connected to a good and dry vacuum hose joined to both the VG64 and a well-regarded micron gauge, the reference gauge attained the expected 50 microns. The VG64 indicated 31 microns. While pumping down, the gauges were generally in agreement within 50 microns. As advertised, the VG64 has a faster refresh rate.Different results were noticed while using a cheap single-stage pump rated at 150 microns. With the same test arrangement, the reference gauge operated as expected, settling at 180 microns. The VG64 had some difficulty getting a stable reading. I suspect this is due to pressure fluctuations from the cheap pump, which would probably be dampened in a normal system evacuation.Both gauges had their sensors cleaned previous to testing, and the vacuum pumps had fresh oil.Next, as the VG64 seems to have a reputation for internal leaks, I pulled a 200 micron vacuum, closed off the hose and turned off the vacuum pump. After settling, the VG64 held steady for an hour. After sitting overnight, it still read 440 microns.On the minus side, documentation is poor. SUPCO has changed the design at least once , to a large LCD version, without really differentiating the change, like VG64 "b", "2.0", etc.. The lack of an obvious support page for older products does not inspire confidence. I had to find the manual for this earlier model elsewhere.So, what to make of the SUPCO VG64?It feels solid and appears well-made. It performs decently well though I suspect the accuracy is a bit off.It did get all jittery when connected to a low quality single-stage vacuum pump through a short vacuum hose, but this is not how it would usually be used. It is accurate enough to measure the 100-500 micron level recommended for refrigeration work. It seems like a good second or backup gauge. Would I buy anything else from SUPCO? Probably not.

We used to use this gauge for industrial application. From five of brand new gauges, none of them could indicate that we have vacuum in the system after several hours of vacuuming. Finally, we got a Just Better gauge and it showed that we have vacuum. We threw away all Supco gauges - all junk!