Mastercool Vs. Yellow Jacket

[Merkava_4]

These are two very different manifolds.

The Mastercool has a sight glass and a purge schrader for the yellow hose; the Yellow Jacket does not.

They are both made in the USA. Which one would you go with ?

 

[JHZR2]

Both valve handles broke on my yellow jacket gauges. Not even pot metal, plastic. I really like the gauge and valve on the mastercool ones...

 

[Chris142]

Neither really. Ac gauges are not very usefull with r134a. A car can be very undercharged and still show good pressure. The proper way to recharge a system is with a machine.

 

[Vern_in_IL]

Why they still make three hose manifolds I never understand, all manifolds should be four hose.

 

[JMJNet]

I am not sure if anybody ever used or owned Uniweld?

 

[Merkava_4]

Originally Posted By: Vern_in_IL
Why they still make three hose manifolds I never understand, all manifolds should be four hose.


What's the advantage of four hose manifolds ? Please educate me Vern.

 

[JamesBond]

I just bought the harbor freight set this month. It has the sight glass and purge valve. It was my first time doing ac work and I used both the sight glass and the purge valve in my endeavors.

You can purge the lines without the valve by loosening the hose according to the YouTube videos I've seen but why not have the valve and sight glass.

I like the simple and serviceable look of the yellow jacket gauges but unless you can buy replacement parts for it cheaper than a whole new set, it doesn't really matter.

 

[csx7006]

mastercool. I wont go with harbor fright bc i seen 1 that the fittings was very loose on a 96 chevy truck

 

[CDX825]

I work in the HVAC trade and yellow jacket is pretty much the standard. They make good stuff!

 

[Brad_C]

Originally Posted By: Chris142
Neither really. Ac gauges are not very usefull with r134a. A car can be very undercharged and still show good pressure. The proper way to recharge a system is with a machine.


You don't *need* a machine. You can still do a proper recharge with an accurate scale. An undercharge will show pretty quickly with a low side gauge. Even quicker if you check subcooling (which you still need a gauge for).

I love Yellow Jacket hoses. Gauges can be a bit of a personal preference.

 

[gomes512]

That picture of the Mastercool looks very similar to the latest version of the Harbor Freight gauge set. Wonder if they're one and the same. I borrowed a HF set a month ago to work on two vehicles, worked without issue. The knobs were metal, unlike the older version.

 

[exranger06]

I have the Mastercool set. I highly recommend it; it's very good quality.

 

[Merkava_4]

exranger06

Did you get it with the black case or without the black case ?

Did you get the 5 ft. hoses or the 6 ft. hoses ?

Thanks for chiming in.

 

[Vern_in_IL]

Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Originally Posted By: Vern_in_IL
Why they still make three hose manifolds I never understand, all manifolds should be four hose.


What's the advantage of four hose manifolds ? Please educate me Vern.

speed, Evac/recovery AND charging without changing hoses. You can convert by adding a swivel T at the manifold so that you have a 4 hose system when doing vacuum then can charge without changing hoses. Also add a ball valve hose to the swivel T so that you don`t charge any gas into the vacuum line.

 

[exranger06]

Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
exranger06

Did you get it with the black case or without the black case ?

Did you get the 5 ft. hoses or the 6 ft. hoses ?

Thanks for chiming in.

With the black case. I don't remember which length hoses I have.

 

[Merkava_4]

Originally Posted By: exranger06
With the black case. I don't remember which length hoses I have.


Thanks. I'm trying to decide on whether I need the black case or not.

If I want the 6 ft. hoses with the manual couplers, I have to do without the black case.

Yours must've came with the full auto couplers.

 

[EA82]

Just get a pair of gauges at Harbor Freight and stop sweating it, Ive had mine for years, they work good for what I need them.