Residential service — kit priorities
You’re on roofs, in attics, and bouncing tools in the van every day. Prioritize diagnostics you trust, weight you can climb with, and gear that doesn’t fail from heat and vibration.
Prioritize
- Digital manifold / wireless probe kit you’ll actually leave on the truck
- Clamp meter with HVAC-relevant inputs (inrush, temp) — research page later
- Leak detector with honest sensor notes (A2L class called out when docs support it)
- Compact recovery + vacuum capability sized for residential systems
- Bag / backpack that organizes gauges, probes, and core tools without shoulder murder
Failure modes to watch
- Probe tips and hose weep from truck bounce and heat cycling
- Detector false positives / sensor poisoning after messy jobs
- Pump oil contamination and “ultimate vacuum” claims that don’t match micron gauges in the field
- Platform lock-in: cheap kit, expensive probes and batteries later