I actually bought this pump to do vacuum bagging for fiberglass work. It works great for that in a home workshop environment. A couple of years ago the evaporator core in my car went out and I used this pull a vacuum after I replaced it. Don't know if it did everything 100% correct, but 2 years later the car is still making cold air so I count that as a win.
Ive needed a vac pump to pull my new mini split and Ive been trying to figure out if I can double it for vacuum bagging. Your the man, this is the comment I was searching for.
@@michaelsummer7082 I think the pump uses flare fittings so you need to mix and match adaptors to get to whatever tubing you're using for your vacuum bag. Good luck.
Got in a pinch today when my Robinaire pump died, Harbor Freight was the only choice I had since the supply houses around here are closed on Saturdays Just pulled a 2 ton 30 year old Carrier system down to 300 Microns in 40 minutes. This is with the king valves open, pumped indoor, lineset, and outdoor unit down. Not bad for $90 bucks
Glad to hear it seems ok. I do not work in the industry, just a regular homeowner trying to install a mini split. I got a bargain on this pump, paying just $71. A lot of the jargon used in the industry is over my head, just trying to learn and see if I can do this without paying someone thousands. PS: I already called the HVAC company who put central air in my house, and with whom I have always done business. Guess what? They refused to say they would even inject coolant into the new mini-split on the grounds that they did not install it!!! One thing that really bothers me about this entire industry (home a/c) is that it appears to be CHOCK FULL OF CROOKS! We had a 2nd home in nearby city, just to lessen the commute, and once called a busy HVAC guy to check the a/c and attend to the usual (like replacing a $9 capacitor). He charged well over $1000 for an hour's work, and insisted on immediate online payment. He admitted to "earning" $7000 for his half day's work, and stated that he was trying to hurry because he wanted to spend the rest of the day on his jet ski's. The more I learn about typical a/c problems (such as replacing inexpensive capacitors and contact switches), which I have seen commonly marked up from, say $9 to $260 each, the more I realize how homeowners are gigantically just ripped off as a matter of everyday business. I'm sure I will hear defenses from industry workers, but I don't care. Seen all this with my own eyes!
Exactly the reason I started learning all I could about ac units. Guy charged me 250 for a 12 dollar contact plus a 90 dollar service charge..almost 350 for 30 minutes of work
@@todddavis5433 I could never work in that business because I don't have it in me to be so corrupt and dishonest with people, overcharging ridiculous prices just because everyone with a broken A/C is desperate and willing to pay any price. It all sickens me. At this point in life, I am actually very wealthy but never earned a penny dishonestly or by overcharging. Even now, I still work for $75 per day when necessary to fill in. I used to live and work in NYC, but I NEVER made anywhere near the kind of money I discussed above in the A/C service business: many thousands per day. I should also mention, I hold an Ivy League masters degree and other educational credentials. Whereas all the crooks charging thousands per day to fix A/C's didn't even need a high school diploma. Now I see that one thing they should have taught back in high school was servicing A/C's, so we call all prevent being scammed.
You can always go to school for 2 or 4 years and become a technician yourself. HVAC requires thousands in tools, a reliable vehicle and the gas to drive it around. Some of the parts you may replace might not be that expensive but often time you need to diagnose the issue to figure out the problem.
I have the Harbor freight 3CFM pump I've done plenty of 5 Ton Goodman units And had no problem pulling them down to a 130 microns And it didn't take too long to do it I will say I'm pretty impressed with the Harbor freight pump And for the price couldn't beat it
I bought a “kit” on line for about $150. My logic was I am a homeowner who is installing two units. If I had to call in a hvac tech (maybe twice because of timing finishing both units at the same time) it would have cost me way more. I probably will not need to use the kit again. Worked great for my needs.
I’m a 40+ year HVAC&R tech I used one in a pinch it did work better than expected. My primary pump is a 40 year old cast iron pump that out performs most new pumps.
@@caru3257 Caveat to what I’m saying I’ve been mostly out for about 5 years. If you’re saying ultimate deep vacuum probably you are right. But speed ?? I was doing mostly refrigeration, lots of low temp, do not use a single pump down always break with a dry gas and repeat. My old pump has literally 500,000 miles riding in a service truck and I’ve wrecked several newer pumps. I will say the newer pumps don’t vaporize nearly as much oil, the old pump is usually oily and slimy.
I have this exact pump and have had it for about 7 years now. I use it for automotive A/C and have never had issue with it. I've left it on non-stop for many many hours. I also use it for bleeding brakes. Made up my own adapter set and large glass catch tank, it makes bleeding brakes alone very easy. Also works as a general purpose fluid extractor, as well. I'm sure it's bad for the internals of the pump but I'm in 7 years of hard use and abuse and it's still going. For what the thing costs? Highly recommend.
I have had this pump for 9 years or so doing 100+ automotive ac jobs a summer with it and it's never failed me. I just purchased the battery operated one with a 12Ah battery that is working just as good if not a little better
FYI. Most auto parts stores have free tool rentals. Most have a very similar pump. Nice to have as an option if you need a pump in a pinch. Usually can keep for days for free. Sometimes you get lucky and you get a brand new pump with bottle of oil included. I think the other fitting is the ACME fitting. Easy to connect to auto 134a cans and hoses. Just need and adapter from yellow Hackett to connect. Good video 🤪
I bought the Harbor Freight 3.0 CFM 2-Stage vacuum pump years ago for automotive AC work, then I got into doing my own residential system. The pump always pulls to 25 microns and with a micron gauge attached o the 1/4" port. I used it when I installed my 3.5 ton heat pump 4 years ago and it pulled to 400 microns after about an hour. My 7 CFM bullet doesn't do much better and you have to use YJ pump oil on it or you won't get a deep vacuum. The port on top is the automotive 1/2" ACME size port and fits the one hose that came with the H.F. A/C gauge kit. I purchased a 1/2" ACME to 1/4" adapter online just in case.
The two stage pump can do less than 100 mTorr. Works great. The decay test has nothing to do with how well the pump works. That has to do with how dry the system is.
I got the two stage version and it pulled down 130 which surprised me. It is a good pump especially for car HVAC work. You can rent pretty much same pump different name at auto parts store for free, but ended up buying the 2 stage version at harbor freight and already used it on 4 cars. You do have to drain and change oil in vacuum pump every time to get it to pull super low microns/vacuum, but to be expected, as even my expensive 10 CFM pump for commercial HVAC I change oil with every use. I used the 3 CFM on cars instead of the 10 CFM as the 10 to powerful and freezes the lines.
It is a rebranded FJC pump. Used it the first time yesterday, pulled 200 microns no problem while testing with non-vacuum hoses. Be careful when use Fieldpiece manifold with an internal micron gauge, stupid me released vacuum by opening a valve on a different hose after shutting down the pump and it sucked some oil out of the vacuum pump into the connected hose, lol. BTW manual says this pump uses 46 viscosity oil, I plan to switch it to synthetic Supercool oil.
I've been using the Harbor Freight pump at our shop (Heavy Construction Company) for three years now. Has not let us down once. A/C in our trucks and heavy machines is Ice Cold.
Hey, I'm in a similar field (heavy equipment in a quarry) and I'm curious what your HVAC gauges say once you've pulled a vacuum. I had a harbor freight single stage pump and recently upgraded to the two-stage pump (because I've been using the single stage pump to pull vacuum on hydraulic tanks while I work on the system). The single stage pump used to get me between 26 and 28 inches of mercury on the gauge and now that I've upgraded to the two-stage pump, I'm only getting between 24 and 26 inches of mercury and it takes forever. I'm not sure if maybe my gauges got bumped around and it's not accurate anymore or if this pump is defective. How many inches of mercury do you usually get , and do you have a single stage or two-stage pump?
@@bradbeck2601 Hi Brad, I use the single stage pump also and like you get 26 to 28 inches. It's not a perfect 29-30 but never had an issue with our A/C units. Yesterday found someone walked off with my gauges and hoses but left me my pump. Could have been worse I guess but I think they will re-appear as fast as they disappeared.
@@fireriders8319 thanks! Yeah, I haven't had any problems yet only getting 24-26 inHg I just thought it was strange since I anticipated a deeper vac with 2 stage. Maybe there's something else I'm missing, I'll have to investigate further. By the way, your workplace sounds exactly like mine, tools go missing for days and magically show back up on my toolbox, sometimes right after buying a replacement.
Thanks for your rwply I ended up ordering the OMT 3.5 cfm HVAC Vacuum Pump Kit and A/C Manifold Gauge Set for 134a 22 12 & 502 What is the advantage of a 2 stage VS the single stage? The one i have is a single stage
I bought this product because local vacuum and charge cost for 1 car was similar to the cost of this pump and I thought, owning the tool would pay for itself after a couple uses. It did well on first car. Then I stored the pump 2.5 years before needing again. The cast aluminum oil tank broke during storage and was unusable for second use. I would say the quality difference is what makes it inferior. I believe better brand pump wouldn't have broken from being hit during storage. I don't HVAC enough to warrant the purchase of a better brand so this time I'll just be paying for a vacuum and charge.
Harbor Freight tools are hit or miss but their prices are usually tempting 🤔. With clean copper it seemed like the the 40 min was a long pull for only 300 microns? It would have been interesting to put the micron gauge straight to the pump to see where it would pull down to. Great video, thanks 👍.
I bought an Amazon version. I would trust it for my own autos and home A/C as an initial test and check. But I wouldn’t use it professionally in any situation. Thanks for the video. I used it mainly for the initial set up. The instructions mentioned an oil inlet but couldn’t find one. Very helpful.
I have that very one I've been attempting to build a vacuum chamber to fit inside my deep chest freezer for a freeze dryer and it imploded a 30 gal steel drum in about 40 seconds.
I've been using this pump as my primary residential pump since 2011. It's beat up and been dropped many times, but it keeps chugging along. I don't have the heart to replace it.
Surprised! I bought one years ago for a vacuum fixture for my milling machine. It worked fine for that. I have been planning a mini split install, now at least I know I don’t need a new vacuum pump! Thanks for the video.
I bought a Harbor Freight Brake Bleeder Kit Pneumatic.....but it did not perform well.....so I’m considering buying one of these vacuum pumps and connecting it through a glass mason jar to create a direct vacuum at each bleeder screw....instead of their air compressor version 🤔
Vacuum bleeding tends not to work a lot of the time. You can pull air through the piston seals, introducing air into the system, the opposite of what you're trying to accomplish. More/better vacuum will make that problem worse.
Cant say i trust any gauges at all anymore. At least not on this job. Tried the old sears vacuum gauge on a pump and deadhead i would see 22". Hook it on the car,i was getting 25" on the gauge set. Unsure if that was good , borrowed another pump and the sears gauge gave me 23". Hooked it on the car,id see like 27". Whatever, if that's good enough ive got time, let it run for a week i guess.
I was hoping this pump would pass and hoping it will fail as well. In summer months when I am busy for long days or weekends it is good to know if my good vacuum pump fails and it after hours or weekends when my distributors are all closed, I can run to Harbor Freight to pick one up just to get the job done. On the other hand where there is so many consumers buying mini splits on the Internet, this can eliminate customers contacting HVAC contractors to perform this procedure.
I don’t know how bad access to this pump would be for contractors. I bet it’s pretty rare, but I admit that a few folks would go that. I will continue the testing to see how much this little joker can take.
People work on their own cars and have access to random shade tree mechanics. Still most people use certified shops and dealers. Only that odd 5% who are more interested in it will actual do it like that.
I've done about a dozen car a/c jobs with mine, which translated to maybe 30 total vacuum drawdowns because I also do the drawdowns to diagnose leaks. When I check for leaks I draw it down for about 15 minutes, and the gauges are pegged at bottom. I then simply turn off the pump, leaving all the lines open as they were while drawing down. The pump's check valve or whatever closes when you turn it off holds perfectly. If there's a loss of vacuum at all, it is always traced to a leak in the a/c system, not the HF pump nor the HF gauges. If I wear this one out, I will try their two stage pump. They now also have a battery vacuum pump, but I have no need for that.
Good video. Thanks for the review on the vacuum pump's ability. Harbor Freight's equipment, like this pump, is meant for the guy that's looking for a way to do a "do-it -yourself" job and that's it. I can see a place in the market for this kind of stuff, where a guy that's going to use this pump only a couple of times, at home, to do some a/c work and pay a reasonable price to accomplish the task. If your trying to make a living using this pump, you're probably going to be disappointed.
I’ve always wondered how our vacuum pumps rated. I’ve used vacuum pumps, my whole life to bleed the brakes on my vehicles and to do vacuum bagging for carbon fiber and fiberglass, etc.. but I never really understood how vacuum pumps are measured. I know vacuum is a factor, but you were talking something about microns filters. I understand the smaller than microns the harder it would be for air molecules to pass so is that how vacuum pumps are more precisely rated?
I don't work in the field of hvac... I work as a facilities maintenance electrician... I do have my EPA universal... Took a 10 month program... I don't intend on going into the field of hvac... I do however want to put my knowledge to use at my facility because we have air conditioning units on all our electrical panels and I would like to get them working... Would you recommend ror someone like me
I thought it did ok, but it didn’t have an evaporator coil, lineset or outdoor unit, I have used my reclaim machine as my vacuum pump, I was in the middle of nowhere and my pump took a dump 😂
These pumps will last longer than you’d think. What will happen is that one day it just won’t pump into a deep vacuum. That’s when you know it’s time for a new one. It really doesn’t matter to me that it’s 2.5 cfm. But here’s the back story… one contractor I’d worked for wanted to provide a high volume pump but want the cheapest priced ones for their techs. So what we got was a pump that weighed over 50#. All of our work was in roofs meaning all the gear had to be tag lined from the ground. It didn’t take long to decide to buy the cheapest and lightest vac pump since it would be an out of pocket expense to get a suitable tool. The pump I wound up with was one of these with another name on the side. I used it for hundreds of hours and was more than happy to have not roped the heavy POS up on every job…
can anyone give me good advice for my first vacuum pump purchase ? i have a 500$ budget and i was trying to figure out if a corded is better vs battery powered or not and which brands to get i have a four port field piece digital gauge set to go with it i got for 700$
I’ve been wondering if this would be a good substitute to leave on a job site overnight for a contaminated system. Come back 12 hours later and see how her did.
I purchased one just about like that from Harbor freight. It worked great twice. I moved and apparently it must’ve been damaged even though I can’t see any damage doesn’t work anymore. It sounds like it’s doing something but it won’t pull the vacuum.
2:59 - Please help me understand the reason for overfilling the vacuum pump with pump oil. Or, the difference it makes in your test (parallax error from the camera angle, perhaps?)
In the 5 years HarborFreight has upped the quality of many of their products . But don’t worry they still sell a line of cheap stuff for those who want them
I was on my way to start a major job and realized we forgot the vacuum pump. After some brainstorming on what we could do, We decided to stop at the closest Harbor Freight and buy this Vacuum Pump. It simply got the job done and gave it to the apprentice.
Quiero comprar una máquina para doblar láminas de madera . Cuál me recomienda.. es verdad que hay una variedad pero me gustaría la opinión de la experiencia.. gracias.
Unfortunate there is only one 1/4" inlet. With core and depressor removed, you can only achieve maybe 1.5 CFM at best with 1/4" hose. Would take too long to evacuate anything other than line set and coil on new installations. Thanks for the review. I've seen them and was curious about it's performance. Now, I wonder if anyone has a video on Harbor Freight 3 CFM 2 stg pump? How well would it do on a complete system with exposed/saturated oil?
There are 1/2 acme to 3/8 sae adapters out there that consist of 1/2 acme to 1/4 sae, then 1/4 to 3/8, or just get yourself a basic 1/2 acme to 1/4 sae - those a easy to find. That way you can connect two hoses.
I figured it would do half decent honestly. It would probably do better if it had some quality vacuum pump oil in it. Ive been wanting to get one of the pneumatic vacuum pumps they sell and see what it can pull for microns. It has no practical use in our trade but it would be fun to experiment with.
So, the pump is able to pull a deep vacuum. That's all fine and dandy, but there is this critical question: For HOW MANY TIMES will the pump perform as expected before it breaks down? I'm just not convinced that this pump will stand the test of time. The main reasons I feel this way is that stupid 90 day warranty offered for this pump (and most other items at HF that have an electrical cord), as well as comments from actual buyers of both pumps sold at HF. Ironically, the 2-stage pump had more negative reviews than it's cheaper, single-stage sibling. But the reviews reveal nightmarish experiences for some people when putting the pump through it's paces, like blowing oil everywhere and the motor suddenly failing without warning. I'll stick to my Robinair for now.
@Aaron Loos That’s exactly what I’m talking about. If you read the one and two star reviews on the two vacuum pumps, there are quite a few failures on first or second use of the pump, and many of these failures happen long after the 90 day warranty has lapsed. I am also a DIY type, but that doesn’t mean I should have to compromise dependability and quality just because I don’t use the device as often as a pro, esp. at similar price points. Milwaukee or Ridgid do not hold my DIY status against me, and I know these power tools are going to be there and ready to work when I need them. With a 90 day warranty, I’m not so sure (and this is just my opinion) about HF vacuum pumps, but at the same time, I’m not “anti HF”. I own several different HF air tools and a bunch of other products they offer (3 sizes of torque wrenches, my impact sockets, adapter sets, most of my files, 2 jacks (both as old as the hills), most of my sanding discs, drill press (12 yes old) and cut-off wheels, etc, and I spend a lot of $$ at the new store in Zachary, LA. Here in Louisiana, air conditioning is a requirement - both car and home - and a dependable vacuum pump is a necessity. I service for friends and relatives, and usually at the worst, hottest times, and don’t need the frustration.
@@plumkey197 in my experience HF tools either work or they break, if it lasts the 90 days of use it probably isn't a lemon. That said I have had the 3cfm 2 stage pump for almost two years with thankfully no problems. I say thankfully because unlike the 1998 JB DV-42N I was given, if something breaks on the Harbor Freight you are pretty much screwed. I was able to pick up a brand new flex shaft, cover seal, shaft seal and oil fill gasket that are still in production. Won't see that on the Harbor Freight.
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I used a newer model of this pump rated st 3.5 CFM and 75 Microns. It easy pulled to 300 microns fairly quickly. Cost $149.95 in new inflated dollars.
I was just at HF last week and picked one up at that same price, but it was 3 CFM (two-stage) and 22.5 micron rated.
"new inflated dollars"
@the497jepthal - I chuckled, and cried. Thanks for the new term.
Do you remember how long you pulled the vacuum for
I actually bought this pump to do vacuum bagging for fiberglass work. It works great for that in a home workshop environment. A couple of years ago the evaporator core in my car went out and I used this pull a vacuum after I replaced it. Don't know if it did everything 100% correct, but 2 years later the car is still making cold air so I count that as a win.
Ive needed a vac pump to pull my new mini split and Ive been trying to figure out if I can double it for vacuum bagging. Your the man, this is the comment I was searching for.
@@michaelsummer7082 I think the pump uses flare fittings so you need to mix and match adaptors to get to whatever tubing you're using for your vacuum bag. Good luck.
Got in a pinch today when my Robinaire pump died, Harbor Freight was the only choice I had since the supply houses around here are closed on Saturdays Just pulled a 2 ton 30 year old Carrier system down to 300 Microns in 40 minutes. This is with the king valves open, pumped indoor, lineset, and outdoor unit down. Not bad for $90 bucks
Glad to hear it seems ok. I do not work in the industry, just a regular homeowner trying to install a mini split. I got a bargain on this pump, paying just $71. A lot of the jargon used in the industry is over my head, just trying to learn and see if I can do this without paying someone thousands. PS: I already called the HVAC company who put central air in my house, and with whom I have always done business. Guess what? They refused to say they would even inject coolant into the new mini-split on the grounds that they did not install it!!! One thing that really bothers me about this entire industry (home a/c) is that it appears to be CHOCK FULL OF CROOKS! We had a 2nd home in nearby city, just to lessen the commute, and once called a busy HVAC guy to check the a/c and attend to the usual (like replacing a $9 capacitor). He charged well over $1000 for an hour's work, and insisted on immediate online payment. He admitted to "earning" $7000 for his half day's work, and stated that he was trying to hurry because he wanted to spend the rest of the day on his jet ski's. The more I learn about typical a/c problems (such as replacing inexpensive capacitors and contact switches), which I have seen commonly marked up from, say $9 to $260 each, the more I realize how homeowners are gigantically just ripped off as a matter of everyday business. I'm sure I will hear defenses from industry workers, but I don't care. Seen all this with my own eyes!
Exactly the reason I started learning all I could about ac units. Guy charged me 250 for a 12 dollar contact plus a 90 dollar service charge..almost 350 for 30 minutes of work
@@todddavis5433 I could never work in that business because I don't have it in me to be so corrupt and dishonest with people, overcharging ridiculous prices just because everyone with a broken A/C is desperate and willing to pay any price. It all sickens me. At this point in life, I am actually very wealthy but never earned a penny dishonestly or by overcharging. Even now, I still work for $75 per day when necessary to fill in. I used to live and work in NYC, but I NEVER made anywhere near the kind of money I discussed above in the A/C service business: many thousands per day. I should also mention, I hold an Ivy League masters degree and other educational credentials. Whereas all the crooks charging thousands per day to fix A/C's didn't even need a high school diploma. Now I see that one thing they should have taught back in high school was servicing A/C's, so we call all prevent being scammed.
I had one of those crooks try to tell me the main breaker on my old house (100 amp) was a $900 item just for the part.
@@EristiCat Haha. Outrageous!!! There should be a bureau to report such thieves.
You can always go to school for 2 or 4 years and become a technician yourself. HVAC requires thousands in tools, a reliable vehicle and the gas to drive it around. Some of the parts you may replace might not be that expensive but often time you need to diagnose the issue to figure out the problem.
I have the Harbor freight 3CFM pump I've done plenty of 5 Ton Goodman units And had no problem pulling them down to a 130 microns And it didn't take too long to do it I will say I'm pretty impressed with the Harbor freight pump And for the price couldn't beat it
I bought a “kit” on line for about $150. My logic was I am a homeowner who is installing two units. If I had to call in a hvac tech (maybe twice because of timing finishing both units at the same time) it would have cost me way more. I probably will not need to use the kit again. Worked great for my needs.
I use the harbor freight vacuum for pulling down A/C systems in cars and it works great.
I’m a 40+ year HVAC&R tech I used one in a pinch it did work better than expected. My primary pump is a 40 year old cast iron pump that out performs most new pumps.
I tested my Fieldpiece micron gauge today with a fieldpiece vacuum pump and an old vacuum. Guess which vacuum pump worked better. Not the old one.
@@caru3257 Caveat to what I’m saying I’ve been mostly out for about 5 years. If you’re saying ultimate deep vacuum probably you are right. But speed ?? I was doing mostly refrigeration, lots of low temp, do not use a single pump down always break with a dry gas and repeat. My old pump has literally 500,000 miles riding in a service truck and I’ve wrecked several newer pumps. I will say the newer pumps don’t vaporize nearly as much oil, the old pump is usually oily and slimy.
I'm an HVAC Technician.I bought this exact pump a few years ago as a backup and it surprisingly has held up pretty well. Really worth the money.
I have this exact pump and have had it for about 7 years now. I use it for automotive A/C and have never had issue with it. I've left it on non-stop for many many hours. I also use it for bleeding brakes. Made up my own adapter set and large glass catch tank, it makes bleeding brakes alone very easy. Also works as a general purpose fluid extractor, as well. I'm sure it's bad for the internals of the pump but I'm in 7 years of hard use and abuse and it's still going. For what the thing costs? Highly recommend.
I have had this pump for 9 years or so doing 100+ automotive ac jobs a summer with it and it's never failed me. I just purchased the battery operated one with a 12Ah battery that is working just as good if not a little better
I would be more COMFORTABLE with RonbinAir vacuum pump with good records in Reliability 😂😅
FYI. Most auto parts stores have free tool rentals. Most have a very similar pump. Nice to have as an option if you need a pump in a pinch. Usually can keep for days for free. Sometimes you get lucky and you get a brand new pump with bottle of oil included. I think the other fitting is the ACME fitting. Easy to connect to auto 134a cans and hoses. Just need and adapter from yellow Hackett to connect. Good video 🤪
Great tip!
I bought this pump used at a garage sale, no instructions. What weight vacuum pump oil should be used with i?
I bought the Harbor Freight 3.0 CFM 2-Stage vacuum pump years ago for automotive AC work, then I got into doing my own residential system. The pump always pulls to 25 microns and with a micron gauge attached o the 1/4" port. I used it when I installed my 3.5 ton heat pump 4 years ago and it pulled to 400 microns after about an hour. My 7 CFM bullet doesn't do much better and you have to use YJ pump oil on it or you won't get a deep vacuum. The port on top is the automotive 1/2" ACME size port and fits the one hose that came with the H.F. A/C gauge kit. I purchased a 1/2" ACME to 1/4" adapter online just in case.
What's the difference between the one & 2 stage Pittsburgh pumps?
@@paulsosa1872 ones pulls to 300 microns and his post says the 2 stage pulls to 25 microns so better performance and osts $150 instead of $95
The two stage pump can do less than 100 mTorr. Works great.
The decay test has nothing to do with how well the pump works. That has to do with how dry the system is.
I got the two stage version and it pulled down 130 which surprised me. It is a good pump especially for car HVAC work. You can rent pretty much same pump different name at auto parts store for free, but ended up buying the 2 stage version at harbor freight and already used it on 4 cars. You do have to drain and change oil in vacuum pump every time to get it to pull super low microns/vacuum, but to be expected, as even my expensive 10 CFM pump for commercial HVAC I change oil with every use. I used the 3 CFM on cars instead of the 10 CFM as the 10 to powerful and freezes the lines.
It is a rebranded FJC pump. Used it the first time yesterday, pulled 200 microns no problem while testing with non-vacuum hoses. Be careful when use Fieldpiece manifold with an internal micron gauge, stupid me released vacuum by opening a valve on a different hose after shutting down the pump and it sucked some oil out of the vacuum pump into the connected hose, lol. BTW manual says this pump uses 46 viscosity oil, I plan to switch it to synthetic Supercool oil.
I've been using the Harbor Freight pump at our shop (Heavy Construction Company) for three years now. Has not let us down once. A/C in our trucks and heavy machines is Ice Cold.
Hey, I'm in a similar field (heavy equipment in a quarry) and I'm curious what your HVAC gauges say once you've pulled a vacuum. I had a harbor freight single stage pump and recently upgraded to the two-stage pump (because I've been using the single stage pump to pull vacuum on hydraulic tanks while I work on the system). The single stage pump used to get me between 26 and 28 inches of mercury on the gauge and now that I've upgraded to the two-stage pump, I'm only getting between 24 and 26 inches of mercury and it takes forever. I'm not sure if maybe my gauges got bumped around and it's not accurate anymore or if this pump is defective. How many inches of mercury do you usually get , and do you have a single stage or two-stage pump?
@@bradbeck2601 Hi Brad, I use the single stage pump also and like you get 26 to 28 inches. It's not a perfect 29-30 but never had an issue with our A/C units. Yesterday found someone walked off with my gauges and hoses but left me my pump. Could have been worse I guess but I think they will re-appear as fast as they disappeared.
@@fireriders8319 thanks! Yeah, I haven't had any problems yet only getting 24-26 inHg I just thought it was strange since I anticipated a deeper vac with 2 stage. Maybe there's something else I'm missing, I'll have to investigate further. By the way, your workplace sounds exactly like mine, tools go missing for days and magically show back up on my toolbox, sometimes right after buying a replacement.
@@bradbeck2601 I usually get them back bent , broken or even rusted solid.
Have used this primary for a few months in light commercial until I was able to get the pump I wanted. Never had a issue.
Cool, thanks for the info. I wonder how long these would last.
What pump did you get. Im looking for a good heavy duty pump. Not sure why one to pick
@@CBRRR-eh3ky I just had the small one at the time but if the 2 stage is affordable I'd def go with that
@@HVACShopTalk I don't know whatever happened to mine but my old co worker still uses his. I'd say he uses a couple times a month.
Thanks for your rwply
I ended up ordering the
OMT 3.5 cfm HVAC Vacuum Pump Kit and A/C Manifold Gauge Set for 134a 22 12 & 502
What is the advantage of a 2 stage VS the single stage?
The one i have is a single stage
Pump cost $76 today after 20% off Labor Day coupon.
Works well every time I use mine. No leaks at all. Manifold gauges work good too.
I bought this product because local vacuum and charge cost for 1 car was similar to the cost of this pump and I thought, owning the tool would pay for itself after a couple uses. It did well on first car. Then I stored the pump 2.5 years before needing again. The cast aluminum oil tank broke during storage and was unusable for second use. I would say the quality difference is what makes it inferior. I believe better brand pump wouldn't have broken from being hit during storage. I don't HVAC enough to warrant the purchase of a better brand so this time I'll just be paying for a vacuum and charge.
Harbor Freight tools are hit or miss but their prices are usually tempting 🤔. With clean copper it seemed like the the 40 min was a long pull for only 300 microns? It would have been interesting to put the micron gauge straight to the pump to see where it would pull down to.
Great video, thanks 👍.
As I write this comment the same pump is running in my shop with the micron gauge directly on it. I will let you know.
@@HVACShopTalk Where did it end up ?
@@OnePointLander Mine did 19 microns in 59 seconds, out of the box, with a CPS digital guage.
I bought an Amazon version. I would trust it for my own autos and home A/C as an initial test and check. But I wouldn’t use it professionally in any situation.
Thanks for the video. I used it mainly for the initial set up. The instructions mentioned an oil inlet but couldn’t find one. Very helpful.
Thanks man...good to know..Good Job!
Robert Deniro doing vacuum pumps review??
I have that very one I've been attempting to build a vacuum chamber to fit inside my deep chest freezer for a freeze dryer and it imploded a 30 gal steel drum in about 40 seconds.
I've been using this pump as my primary residential pump since 2011. It's beat up and been dropped many times, but it keeps chugging along. I don't have the heart to replace it.
What about using refrigerator pao 68 oil in vaccum pimp. This oil is not hygroscopic so should reduce oil getting bad problems.
Zack, I enjoyed watching your demo of the vacuum pump! You do good work !
Thank you.
If it was 40 mins on a clean shot, itll be 1hr if you leave the valve cores,and the txv in the way
Geeeeze ours won’t pull a vacuum at all! Idk what the problem is. Our gage won’t budge! 😢
Surprised! I bought one years ago for a vacuum fixture for my milling machine. It worked fine for that. I have been planning a mini split install, now at least I know I don’t need a new vacuum pump! Thanks for the video.
I am not an expert but wondered what the difference is between inches of Mercury and microns.
I bought a Harbor Freight Brake Bleeder Kit Pneumatic.....but it did not perform well.....so I’m considering buying one of these vacuum pumps and connecting it through a glass mason jar to create a direct vacuum at each bleeder screw....instead of their air compressor version 🤔
Vacuum bleeding tends not to work a lot of the time. You can pull air through the piston seals, introducing air into the system, the opposite of what you're trying to accomplish. More/better vacuum will make that problem worse.
Not surprised at all I've been using
Cant say i trust any gauges at all anymore.
At least not on this job.
Tried the old sears vacuum gauge on a pump and deadhead i would see 22".
Hook it on the car,i was getting 25" on the gauge set.
Unsure if that was good , borrowed another pump and the sears gauge gave me 23".
Hooked it on the car,id see like 27".
Whatever, if that's good enough ive got time, let it run for a week i guess.
I used my 2.5 cfm vacuum pump to pull a 400 micron vacuum yesterday on a 30lb recovery bottle. It worked but it took about 15 minutes.
I was hoping this pump would pass and hoping it will fail as well. In summer months when I am busy for long days or weekends it is good to know if my good vacuum pump fails and it after hours or weekends when my distributors are all closed, I can run to Harbor Freight to pick one up just to get the job done. On the other hand where there is so many consumers buying mini splits on the Internet, this can eliminate customers contacting HVAC contractors to perform this procedure.
I don’t know how bad access to this pump would be for contractors. I bet it’s pretty rare, but I admit that a few folks would go that. I will continue the testing to see how much this little joker can take.
People work on their own cars and have access to random shade tree mechanics. Still most people use certified shops and dealers. Only that odd 5% who are more interested in it will actual do it like that.
I've done about a dozen car a/c jobs with mine, which translated to maybe 30 total vacuum drawdowns because I also do the drawdowns to diagnose leaks. When I check for leaks I draw it down for about 15 minutes, and the gauges are pegged at bottom. I then simply turn off the pump, leaving all the lines open as they were while drawing down. The pump's check valve or whatever closes when you turn it off holds perfectly. If there's a loss of vacuum at all, it is always traced to a leak in the a/c system, not the HF pump nor the HF gauges. If I wear this one out, I will try their two stage pump. They now also have a battery vacuum pump, but I have no need for that.
Good video. Thanks for the review on the vacuum pump's ability. Harbor Freight's equipment, like this pump, is meant for the guy that's looking for a way to do a "do-it -yourself" job and that's it. I can see a place in the market for this kind of stuff, where a guy that's going to use this pump only a couple of times, at home, to do some a/c work and pay a reasonable price to accomplish the task. If your trying to make a living using this pump, you're probably going to be disappointed.
I’ve always wondered how our vacuum pumps rated. I’ve used vacuum pumps, my whole life to bleed the brakes on my vehicles and to do vacuum bagging for carbon fiber and fiberglass, etc.. but I never really understood how vacuum pumps are measured. I know vacuum is a factor, but you were talking something about microns filters. I understand the smaller than microns the harder it would be for air molecules to pass so is that how vacuum pumps are more precisely rated?
they have two newer two stage units, one battery. HERCULES 20V Lithium-Ion Brushless Cordless 2-Stage Vacuum Pump - Tool Only
The test Music had me rockin out , Great video
I don't work in the field of hvac... I work as a facilities maintenance electrician... I do have my EPA universal... Took a 10 month program... I don't intend on going into the field of hvac... I do however want to put my knowledge to use at my facility because we have air conditioning units on all our electrical panels and I would like to get them working... Would you recommend ror someone like me
oil quality matters too. try it with name brand oil
I used this pump when installing a Pioneer 18KBTU mini split. It worked well and 2 years later the Pioneer is still functioning properly.
I thought it did ok, but it didn’t have an evaporator coil, lineset or outdoor unit, I have used my reclaim machine as my vacuum pump, I was in the middle of nowhere and my pump took a dump 😂
Great, YT! Any suggestions on how to use A/C R134a kit to R12 Harbor Freight Manifold?
I would simply buy 2 and carry one as a spare. or alternate using them
I'm about to buy one just to repair my vehicle AC. Sounds great as a home gamer RUclips mechanic who works on their own vehicles
These pumps will last longer than you’d think. What will happen is that one day it just won’t pump into a deep vacuum. That’s when you know it’s time for a new one.
It really doesn’t matter to me that it’s 2.5 cfm.
But here’s the back story… one contractor I’d worked for wanted to provide a high volume pump but want the cheapest priced ones for their techs. So what we got was a pump that weighed over 50#. All of our work was in roofs meaning all the gear had to be tag lined from the ground. It didn’t take long to decide to buy the cheapest and lightest vac pump since it would be an out of pocket expense to get a suitable tool. The pump I wound up with was one of these with another name on the side. I used it for hundreds of hours and was more than happy to have not roped the heavy POS up on every job…
Pretty surprised. Would be curios how this time compares to other brands.
I agree, I need to torture test it a little.
can anyone give me good advice for my first vacuum pump purchase ?
i have a 500$ budget and i was trying to figure out if a corded is better vs battery powered or not and which brands to get i have a four port field piece digital gauge set to go with it i got for 700$
I’ve been wondering if this would be a good substitute to leave on a job site overnight for a contaminated system. Come back 12 hours later and see how her did.
Have the exact same pump doesn’t say anything on it. Been working fine for the half dozen times I had to use it
I might try one out for that price, I was skeptical of weather or not they would pull enough vacuum
Compare the accuracy of Harbor Freight AC Gauges accuracy compared to Your professional ones
I purchased one just about like that from Harbor freight. It worked great twice. I moved and apparently it must’ve been damaged even though I can’t see any damage doesn’t work anymore. It sounds like it’s doing something but it won’t pull the vacuum.
You are aware that there's HVAC systems in a car? And an unlicensed person can work on cars?
Can anyone tell me if its normal to have oil vapor just bought it last week and put it to the test today.
Is this single stage pump?
According to instructions, the smaller threaded Red plug is the oil fill port...Why you used the larger Black air vent port plug ?? Thx for the video.
Can u show where the residue goes when vacumning a old contaminated system?
2:59 - Please help me understand the reason for overfilling the vacuum pump with pump oil. Or, the difference it makes in your test (parallax error from the camera angle, perhaps?)
It was just slightly overfilled. I believe that it will have no effect.
In the 5 years HarborFreight has upped the quality of many of their products . But don’t worry they still sell a line of cheap stuff for those who want them
why did why did you take out the Schrader valve
More flow without the restrictions
I think you did a really fair test! Cheers from outback Australia...
My pump quit working supply house was close harbor freight was nearby I bought one been using it for five years still working good
I was on my way to start a major job and realized we forgot the vacuum pump. After some brainstorming on what we could do, We decided to stop at the closest Harbor Freight and buy this Vacuum Pump. It simply got the job done and gave it to the apprentice.
I think that’s a success story.
Quiero comprar una máquina para doblar láminas de madera . Cuál me recomienda.. es verdad que hay una variedad pero me gustaría la opinión de la experiencia.. gracias.
Could u review the kozyvacu 500 and the 2 stage harbor freight vacuum?
I own a harbor freight vacuum pump and as much as I use it works well. I also use there floor jacks and they have held up well
Can a Pump Vac drain water out of a basement what about a Shop Vac ?
I'm not surprised the pump worked well lol.
Unfortunate there is only one 1/4" inlet. With core and depressor removed, you can only achieve maybe 1.5 CFM at best with 1/4" hose. Would take too long to evacuate anything other than line set and coil on new installations. Thanks for the review. I've seen them and was curious about it's performance. Now, I wonder if anyone has a video on Harbor Freight 3 CFM 2 stg pump? How well would it do on a complete system with exposed/saturated oil?
I aim to get one of those pumps (2 stage) as soon as I can
There are 1/2 acme to 3/8 sae adapters out there that consist of 1/2 acme to 1/4 sae, then 1/4 to 3/8, or just get yourself a basic 1/2 acme to 1/4 sae - those a easy to find. That way you can connect two hoses.
I’m curious about the harbor freight dual stage pump
Thank you, sir! I really appreciate the video.
Very interesting, thank you for sharing your test.
Hmm
I figured it would do half decent honestly. It would probably do better if it had some quality vacuum pump oil in it. Ive been wanting to get one of the pneumatic vacuum pumps they sell and see what it can pull for microns. It has no practical use in our trade but it would be fun to experiment with.
You must be like me, wanting to test every random thing to see how well each would go.
@@HVACShopTalk I want to do that with a 3d printer although I have absolutely no use for one.
I wonder how long it will last or how many vacuums it does
I have a question -- would this do at all well in a vacuum former, or is it too low in CFM?
there's a new hercules 20v 2 stage vaccum pump now
Really? Wow.
@HVACShopTalk yes just released this week I'm very temped to grab it but can't find any reviews on it
The top port is for a R134a gauge set connection.
Mine does so far after a year and around 40 cars
Should we jimmy up a shut off valve?
On mine the second fitting was the same size but it was a blind fitting to store the dust cap while in use.
yes
Reed valves do rust with humidity. Gentle steel wool works wonders sometimes.
I overfilled with oil a little bit obove the line is there a problem or its okay ?
Can you clarify what size fittings are used for the pump. The manual says R12/22 and R134a but I don't know what fitting sizes that translates to.
R12/22 = 1/4 inch SAE and R134a = 1/2 inch ACME
🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🙈🙉🙊 you could try a torture test on it or do a head to head test with the 2cfm battery navac with dry and wet conditions 🤔
I think I am going to put some serious run time on this thing to see how it handles wear and tear.
Is that the single stage or dual stage pump?
so will this pump connect directly to the harbor freight automotive manifold gauge set yellow hose?
Mine fits. One port appears to be for the R12 style connectors, the other is for R134 type.
So, the pump is able to pull a deep vacuum. That's all fine and dandy, but there is this critical question: For HOW MANY TIMES will the pump perform as expected before it breaks down? I'm just not convinced that this pump will stand the test of time. The main reasons I feel this way is that stupid 90 day warranty offered for this pump (and most other items at HF that have an electrical cord), as well as comments from actual buyers of both pumps sold at HF. Ironically, the 2-stage pump had more negative reviews than it's cheaper, single-stage sibling. But the reviews reveal nightmarish experiences for some people when putting the pump through it's paces, like blowing oil everywhere and the motor suddenly failing without warning. I'll stick to my Robinair for now.
@Aaron Loos That’s exactly what I’m talking about. If you read the one and two star reviews on the two vacuum pumps, there are quite a few failures on first or second use of the pump, and many of these failures happen long after the 90 day warranty has lapsed. I am also a DIY type, but that doesn’t mean I should have to compromise dependability and quality just because I don’t use the device as often as a pro, esp. at similar price points. Milwaukee or Ridgid do not hold my DIY status against me, and I know these power tools are going to be there and ready to work when I need them. With a 90 day warranty, I’m not so sure (and this is just my opinion) about HF vacuum pumps, but at the same time, I’m not “anti HF”. I own several different HF air tools and a bunch of other products they offer (3 sizes of torque wrenches, my impact sockets, adapter sets, most of my files, 2 jacks (both as old as the hills), most of my sanding discs, drill press (12 yes old) and cut-off wheels, etc, and I spend a lot of $$ at the new store in Zachary, LA. Here in Louisiana, air conditioning is a requirement - both car and home - and a dependable vacuum pump is a necessity. I service for friends and relatives, and usually at the worst, hottest times, and don’t need the frustration.
@@plumkey197 in my experience HF tools either work or they break, if it lasts the 90 days of use it probably isn't a lemon.
That said I have had the 3cfm 2 stage pump for almost two years with thankfully no problems. I say thankfully because unlike the 1998 JB DV-42N I was given, if something breaks on the Harbor Freight you are pretty much screwed. I was able to pick up a brand new flex shaft, cover seal, shaft seal and oil fill gasket that are still in production. Won't see that on the Harbor Freight.
I thought 500 microns was the deep vacuum needed for HVAC. This achieved 300 not 500. What am I missing?
500 is the desired vacuum.
@@HVACShopTalk thanks! Rookie DIYer here who incorrectly thought 500 was lower than 300 🤷♂️.
@@douggeiger9873 think of it as a linear measurement
good job with the test, it help me to make decision what to do, thanks
Video volume way too low
Same as a vevor