Testo Smart Probes

Testo, a prime manufacturer of HVAC testing equipment, introduced smart probes and refrigeration smart probe kits in 2016. From the beginning, the instruments became an instant success story, due to many innovative features.

Testo smart probes come with wireless communication so HVAC and refrigeration service technicians can view and save test results to their mobile devices, both Android and iOS. The apps are free as well as any updates. You can download them from the Apple Store or Google Play Store. Here are links to them:

App/Device compatibility requires iOS 8.3 or newer, and/or 4.3 or newer version for Android products.

Testo wireless smart probes offer testing mobility, accurate results, data analysis and transmission – everything that modern HVAC techs need in the ever more demanding test environment.

As technology advances, many opportunities arise for test equipment manufacturers to deliver increased performance and convenience to technicians and contractors. Pretty much everyone nowadays carries a smartphone on them most of the time. If they do not personally carry one, many companies provide some kind of smart device to their technicians and employees. So it is only natural that developers and production teams would find a way to exploit this technological boom and upgrade the whole HVAC and testing scene. Testo did just this in 2016 with the introduction of their Testo Smart Probes line.

Right off the bat, the Testo Smart Probes were a hit, selling an especially massive volume of the Testo 0563-0002 Smart Probes Refrigeration Set. If you're not familiar with this kit, we're going to touch on it in our deep dive below, but it consists of two wireless temperature clamps (Testo 115i) and two wireless pressure probes (Testo 549i), allowing you to use it as a sort of diagnostic manifold without the hassle of hooking up a full-scale digital manifold. Of course, those two probe types serve a variety of applications, and we'll cover a whole lot of that ground soon.

Testo capitalized on this popularity, offering continuing improvements via firmware and also a redesigned "Gen 2" version of each probe. We'll touch just a bit on unit-specific improvements in each probe's section, but the most significant global improvement to several of the units was the extension of the Bluetooth range to over 300ft. Testo Smart Gauges have always led the pack in measurement technology, but there were some early complaints about the original line's lack of range. This new "Gen 2" version drastically expanded the range capability. Now you have no problem hooking up the probes and testing from anywhere you'd reasonably want to move around on the job site – all with zero wires!

There are a total of 8 Smart Probes. We're going to take an in-depth look at each unit, along with the applications for their use. Following that, we'll take a look at several kits that Testo offers, each keyed in on a specific branch/job-type of the wide-ranging HVAC testing field. Buckle up, as we're about to cover a whole lot of ground. And please feel free to skip around to the information you need most, and we'll keep the information headings clearly labeled. Let's go.

If you're working in the air-conditioning field, you know the importance of taking pipe temperatures when evaluating a system. The Testo 115i wireless pipe clamp is designed for just that purpose and does this swimmingly with high-accuracy and that wireless range of 350 ft. that we discussed above.

Let's quickly get a little background on pipe clamps, and then we can discuss the advantages of the Testo 0560 2115 03. Before pipe clamps were a standard piece of equipment for HVAC techs, folks used to take pipe temperature measurements with a standard thermocouple. There were two problems with this approach. One, the thermocouple bead picks up ambient temperature as well as that of the pipe, so you could be off by up 15 degrees. Back when you had to do manual calculations for superheat and subcool, that was a big issue. Clever researchers in the field figured out a way to distribute the metallic measurement surface over the face of the pipe clamps we all know and love, making it easy to get only the readings you want.

However, that brought us to problem two, which is that typically these clamps were still using thermocouples attached to the new device (primarily K-type, as we're sure you've seen). A more elegant solution is to use an NTC sensor, as does the Testo 115i pipe clamp. "NTC" stands for Negative Temperature Coefficient, meaning that the device's resistance decreases as temperature increases. Of course, it would be overkill to go into all the math here, but what it means in practical terms is that over a given temperature range, the NTC is may times more sensitive than a more broad-range temperature sensor like a standard thermocouple. In other words, less range, but way more accurate. For HVAC, this is just what we want, and with the Testo 115i you get a device specifically calibrated for working on AC units.

So, let's do a little recap of the benefits here and one of the coolest features of the 115i before we move on to the next unit. You get 350 ft. Bluetooth range, virtually eliminating any problems with the size of the job-site or layout of the HVAC system. You get a rugged clamp format designed to cover you all the way up to a 1.5" diameter pipe and maintain that crucial surface contact to avoid ambient interference. And you get the NTC sensor for excellent accuracy over more common sensor types.

Now, perhaps the most exciting feature is that by pairing with the Testo Smart Probes App, you can use the Testo 115i to monitor real-time graphical and numerical temperature changes on the screen of your smart device. Additionally, you can datalog these readings. So for less than $65 you get a datalogging, graphical pipe clamp thermometer. Until the development of Testo Smart Probe technology, this was completely unheard of, and that kind of functionality would have cost several hundred dollars. The 115i is definitely a tool you'll want to snatch up and add to your bag.

Next up, we come to the Testo 405i thermal anemometer. This feature-packed unit is excellent for doing duct traverses and really any volume or flow measurements and calculations you need to do on your job.

For those of us needing a little refresher, let's talk about how a hot-wire anemometer works and how to use it on the job. Then we'll go over the benefits specifically of the Testo 0560 1405 01. A hot-wire anemometer, as the name implies, uses a small heated wire to test the airflow. When air blows over the sensor, it cools the sensor off, and then the device uses internal calculations to determine the air velocity. The anemometer will also incidentally read the temperature of the air for you.

Most anemometers stop at the capability of measuring air velocity, especially in the price range of the Testo 405i. Now you can do the calculations yourself for a traverse in order to get airflow volume. However, a great advantage of using these app-driven smart probes is that you get access to a range of calculations that were previously unheard of in this price range. So, you can enter the duct dimensions to the Smart Probes App and then measure at the various points across the duct, and the App will do the rest. And there you go, volume calculations in a smart tool priced at less than $110. Again, totally unheard of before these Testo innovations.

Here are a few more great benefits to wrap up this section. The probe arm on the 405i is extendable to up 15", so you can work with ease on higher up vents and get centered inside a vent when necessary. Also, it is 0.5" in diameter so that you can get into some tight spaces. And, as with our last probe, you've got access to graphical and datalog features on the App. All in all, tons of bang for your buck as anemometers go.

Our next Smart Probe is the Testo 410i Vane Anemometer. Now, as far as the applications for this unit, we're going to be looking at similar jobs to what the Testo 0560 1410 01 will handle, with a few considerations and differences. Primarily you're going to want to use the 410i for environments where the 405i isn't well suited for the work, like those that are very humid or dirty in some way. We'll discuss why that is as we look into vane anemometer technology.

A rotating vane anemometer is a pretty straightforward device. The airflow into the tester spins the vanes and an optical sensor records the velocity by a calculation that uses the RPM of the vane to determine air velocity. Because this is a mechanical process, in terms of actually spinning the vane, it is not susceptible to environmental interference like humidity and dirt, the way that a hot-wire anemometer is. It is also quite effective at very low air velocity since just about any air will spin the vane.

The Testo 410i is specially designed so that there is no need to compensate for different air densities, making it even more versatile. Additionally, just like with the 405i, you can make volumetric calculations using the App and entering the duct dimensions. Again, this makes the unit worth far more than the asking price, as flow calculating instruments are typically much more expensive. As with all the Smart Probes, the 410i leverages the powerful technology already built into your smart device to do the calculations, saving you tons of money on the actual testing equipment.

Finally, you get the ability to do timed/multi-point averaging measurements, which give you a more complete picture of the flow profile of a given system.

Let's take a look at the next tool in the Smart Probes line, the Testo 510i Differential Pressure Manometer. Now manometers are a somewhat complex topic, but if you're use to dealing with pressure measurements on the job you'll know a lot of information about it. We'll just take a brief look at some of the possibilities for pressure testing, and then talk about some of the unique features of the Testo 0560 1510 01.

One of the most basic HVAC functions is measuring static pressure. This is the degree of pressure that the fan or motor has to push or pull against in order to operate. Or, in other words, the amount of resistance to airflow that is present in the system or ductwork. Most systems have design specifications for the amount of static pressure that should be present for the system to run at peak efficiency. Adjusting the system to meet these standards is one of the easiest ways to improve efficiency in an AC system and will result in a lot of happy customers who you are saving money.

Another vital function of the Testo 510i is the ability to take differential pressure measurements. This way, you can take measurements on either side of a restriction in the system (at the fan and at the inlet) and determine if there are varying kinds of obstructions that need cleaning to return the system to proper efficiency. In other words, the degree of pressure difference from the inlet to the fan helps you to troubleshoot pressure differences in the airflow system that might be caused by faulty filters, etc. All this data is, of course, viewable on your smart device through the App.

Also, the Testo 510i manometer can measure volume flow with a pitot tube. The pitot is not included, but if you do this kind of work regularly and need this functionality, you can purchase one, or you may even have them at the ready. Additionally, the 510i can measure pressure drop across filters and coils and has a built-in pressure drop alarm, making it easy to monitor a system in real-time.

Of course, as with the other probes, you have the graphical display and datalogging capabilities. Finally, another great benefit of using the 510i is that it comes designed with a magnetic backing so you can do you pressure testing hands-free. Add this one to the list of groundbreaking Smart Probe technology.

While we're on the subject of pressure, let's look at our next Smart Probe, the Testo 549i Wireless Refrigeration Pressure Probe. This handy unit is designed especially for testing high or low side pressure on an Air Conditioning unit by connecting directly to the pressure connection.

The Testo 549i smart probe is a super convenient tool for diagnostics and maintenance on residential and light-commercial AC systems. With a standard full-scale manifold, you'll need to make a lot of hose connections that are not strictly necessary if you're just after a pressure reading. Another side benefit is that since you're not going to be any hoses, the measuring process is virtually loss-less in terms of refrigerant. You can also use the App to automatically calculate evaporation and condensation temperatures.

Later on, we'll take a look at the kit that includes two of these testers and two of the 115i pipe clamps to form what we've come to call a "diagnostic manifold". But for now, let's see what's been improved with the "Gen 2" version Testo 0560 2549 03. Of course, there's the range upgrade across the whole line of probes. Guess what distance? That's right! 350 ft. We'll just keep pointing it out for the folks skipping around the article.

The most critical change thought that's been made to the actual probe platform is the switch from a straight connection to a slightly longer 45 degree angled connection. While the original 549i was revolutionary and very popular, Testo listened to techs who weren't 100% satisfied with trying to access to harder to reach pressure connections. Feedback so far for the improved version has been all positive, and the angled connection is a great benefit to getting the new 549i versus some competitors.

Finally, as you may have guessed, you'll have all the datalogging and reporting functions that all the other probes have through the Testo Smart Probes App. Have we mentioned the reporting features? The App makes it super simple to email or save reports in PDF or excel format for documenting your jobs or showing customers the exact nature and quality of your contract work. What a great feature!

The next Smart Probe on our list is the Testo 605i thermo-hygrometer. Hygrometers can be a bit of a confusing subject, and most folks don't even make use of all the features available on these units, but we'll cover them briefly just the same and then discuss some unique advantages of the Testo 605i humidity smart probe specifically.

The most obvious and frequent use of a hygrometer is to measure the relative humidity in a home or building. The Testo 605i measures humidity directly. This is an important measurement to take because it can tell you a lot about the efficiency of the cooling system that you're working on. One of the roles of an air conditioner is to remove excess humidity from the air. At different times of the year, there are more ideal humidity conditions indoors. Knowing these ranges and testing for them is a crucial step in ensuring all is working properly, and you might need to turn to a dehumidifier in some circumstances. Additionally, testing for humidity at the supply duct is important, since this value should be very close to 100% for the system to dehumidify the building properly. We haven't got space to go into the intricacies of RH testing in AC, but this is a brief view of the possible applications for a tester like the Testo 0560 2605 03.

The Testo 605i Hygrometer also calculates dew point and wet bulb temperature. These are features that are not often understood, especially the latter. Dew point indicates the absolute moisture content of the air sample you are working with. This can be very helpful in controlling indoor humidity if you understand the process, as dew point can be converted to grains of moisture per pound of dry air on a psychrometric chart. If you don't need this in your work, it's good to know that the capability is there. Wet bulb is a measure of the temperature that air can be cooled to by evaporation at a given temperature and moisture content. That's a mouthful. In other words, based on the temperature and humidity, wet bulb tells you what temperature you can reach through evaporative cooling. So its primary practical use in HVAC is for swamp coolers, etc. Again, perhaps not needed for your specific application but a cool feature nonetheless.

Finally, there have been few upgrades to the new second-generation Testo 605i. You can guess that the obvious one is the extended 350ft. Bluetooth range, of course. The other cool change is that the probe now pivots and folds to a 90-degree angle. This is especially useful if you need to get into certain ductwork or vents. And just like the other meters, you get all of the app-driven reporting tools and datalogging features. Once again, an incredible value delivered through the power of your smart device and Testo engineering.

The next Testo Smart Probe on our list is the Testo 805i Infrared Thermometer. This is a pretty straightforward tester, but some unique features make it a great buy for your HVAC toolkit. Let's talk about infrared thermometers a bit in general, and then we'll go over the benefits of the Testo 0560 1805 01.

Infrared thermometers pick up thermal radiation coming off of various objects. Because of this operating method, these thermometers are called non-contact. They are essentially "point and shoot" to get temperature readings. They are handy devices but definitely not magic, as some techs seem to think. There are a couple of caveats you need to be aware of when using an IR thermometer.

Perhaps the first and most important one is that a non-contact thermometer has a distance-to-spot ratio. The Testo 805i specifically is a 10:1 distance-to-spot thermometer. This means that at 10 inches from your target, the meter will give an average temperature of a 1-inch diameter circle. Now a really cool and useful feature of the Testo 805i smart probe is that the laser indicator is actually a dotted circle instead of the single dot of most IR thermometers. This is enormously convenient as you can actually see the circle from which your thermometer is averaging. Just this ability to see the measurement area makes it automatically more accurate than competitors because it cuts way down on user error.

The other main thing to consider with an IR thermometer is that they are primarily spot-checking and troubleshooting devices. By their very nature, they are not as accurate as direct temperature measurement methods. However, because you can scan a large area quickly for temperature anomalies, they are very useful in pinpointing potential problems. Worthwhile places to take readings are at ducts and vents, registers, breakers, and insulation/walls. Do bear in mind that you'll need to adjust the emissivity based on the measurement surface, but this is a snap through the app interface.

Finally, here are a couple more great benefits. The most exciting feature as far as the technological environment is the ability that, through the App, you can snap a photo of the laser circle on the object and add the temperature reading to that photo. So you can save a photo with that red circle and report the temperature reading inside of that target area. Really cool! And a great feature for creating and sharing job-site reports.

Alright, we've got one last Smart Probe to cover before we take a look at the various kits that Testo offers. That probe is the Testo 905i Thermometer. This unit is probably the easiest to understand device of the bunch, so we'll just cover a few of the benefits and then keep on moving.

The Testo 905i smart probe is a straightforward probe thermometer with a 4-inch probe shaft. It takes highly-accurate (±1.8 °F) temperature measurements at the probe tip. You can use it in rooms (ambient), ducts, registers, and environmental boxes or chambers.

The most exciting features of the Testo 0560 1905 01 relate to the app integration and not necessarily the build of the thermometer. The main feature is that because of the fast-acting temperature sensor, you graphically view and record temperature changes rapidly over a period of time. This data helps you to see trends, as well as work with a partner to view real-time temperature changes as you adjust the system you're working on. As we hinted at in the IR thermometer section, direct measurement devices like the 905i are much better suited for specific work. So once you've identified exactly where you need to test for temperature, you'll definitely want the Testo 905i handy to get you those readings.

Now that we've "met" all the probes in the Testo Smart Probes line let's have a look at the various kits offered by Testo. Each kit is geared towards a specific application, and if you need any help figuring out what each probe does, you can refer to the individual sections above. Here we go.

The first and most popular kit is the Testo Smart Probes Test Kit 0563 0002 02, which consists of two 549i pressure probes and two 115i pipe clamps. Now the application of this kit may be obvious to you, as it is similar in structure to a manifold but without the charging apparatus. Hence we've come to refer to this one as the "diagnostic manifold" (or sometimes just the "triple-O-2").

This Testo smart probes hvac/r complete kit will do everything the individual probes do in checking pressures and temps. We discussed it above, but just a recap: low-loss pressure testing, accurate wireless temperature on your pipes, 45 degree angles pressure connections, etc. Now since you've got low and high side pressure and pipe temperature streaming to your smart device, you can have the App automatically calculate your superheat and subcool values. That's why we call it a diagnostic manifold. These features will give you everything to troubleshoot a malfunctioning unit or troubleshoot a new install without the hassle of hooking up all the hose connections for a standard manifold. It's really very convenient, and techs have been buying this kit like crazy since the first generation was introduced in 2016.

This new version includes the upgraded 350ft Bluetooth range, so you can even hang out in the truck while monitoring the AC system. To top it off, you get a padded soft-shell case to keep your Testo Wireless Smart Probes right where you need them.

Okay, the next kit is the Testo Smart Probes AC and Refrigeration Test and Load Kit 0563 0009. This kit is just like the basic AC set we covered above but adds two 605i Thermo-Hygrometers. So while you're checking your system for proper superheat and subcool, pressures, etc., you can evaluate the changes in the building environment with your humidity meter. For a more detailed discussion of the applications of the 605i, see above.

All of the probes in this particular kit come with the extended Bluetooth range, so you're free to move about. You're also going to get the padded case we mentioned. As a side note, if you start with one of the basic kits you can always upgrade by buying the individual probes later, as the cases come with padded slots for the different probes. This means you can start building your collection regardless of budget.

Next, we've got the Testo Smart Probes Heating Set. This one is made up of the Testo 115i pipe clamp, the Testo 805i IR thermometer, and the Testo 510i manometer. This kit, as the name implies, is going to be for working primarily with heating systems and anywhere that you need to take a variety of temperature readings and static and differential pressure.

We went through the details on each probe above, but you'll be able to scan and troubleshoot with non-contact temperature readings, measure pipes accurately and directly with an NTC sensor, and find obstructions and inefficient airflow with the dual pressure manometer. Don't forget the awesome target photo with the temperature reading feature that the App gives you with the Testo 805i.

This one comes packed in a different case with spots to add both anemometers if you so choose. So this kit is definitely geared toward the heating side of the HVAC spectrum. Think hydronic systems, radiators, etc.

Let's look now at the Testo Smart Probes VAC Set. This kit is designed with an eye towards balancing multi-outlet ventilation systems. You're going to get both the Testo 405i and the Testo 410i anemometers, the Testo 805i IR thermometer, and the Testo 605i Hygrometer. Once again, detailed descriptions are featured earlier in the article, but here's some info on how to make use of this kit.

Both anemometers allow you to take flow measurements at registers and vents, where you can also read temperatures and humidity. You can view all these measurements simultaneously on the Testo Smart Probes App, allowing you to grasp the big picture of the ventilation system that you're working with. Another cool feature is that the App will take your RH readings and airflow measurements and automatically calculate enthalpy.

The padded case with this kit comes with slots to add the Testo 905i Probe Thermometer and the Testo 510i Manometer if you need to get more precise temperature readings and add pressure to your flow and efficiency calculations.

Our final kit is the Testo Smart Probes HVAC/R Complete Kit. You can probably guess what this one is. All of them! More specifically, it includes two 549i, two 115i, two 605i, and then one of each of the rest of the probes. So it is basically like the test and load kit, for doing the "diagnostic manifold" measurements we discussed plus all the other probes for ventilation systems and heating applications.

If you want to be fully armed for just about any test you'll need to make in the HVAC field and have the whole command center right on your phone or tablet, this is the kit to get.

It's been quite an adventure getting through this amazing line of Testo Smart Probes, and we hope you've found the article informative. The main point we want you to take away is that Testo has produced a really affordable line of tools here by leveraging the incredible processing power of our new smart devices. Years ago, this kind of technology would have cost thousands of dollars for all the calculating, documenting, logging, and reporting power. Now you can have all this more or less in your pocket for pennies on the dollar comparatively. If you're looking to upgrade to powerful modern testers, you really can't go wrong with Testo Smart Probes. Thanks for reading, and we hope you've found this page informative and educational so that you can make the best buying decisions possible.