I'm a little embarassed to be asking these questions as I really should know this stuff but as a past installation engineer (hardly ever doing any service work) and having quite a few years break from the industry, I have forgotten it all

I recently started a new job as an air con inspector and need to know a few bits of info.

1) I'm asked to record the temperatures of the suction and discharge temp and comment on what it means. Is there a quick way to get these temps without taking the casing off the units i.e. taking temp at the top of the condenser and on the suction pipe entering the unit. Will the reversing valve on heat pumps cause dodgy results?

What exactly am I looking for here?

2) When I was at college we were given design spec sheets which listed probably temp increases/decreases across the system:
air on - air off temps,
design superheat,
temp gained across the compressor,
sub cooling temps etc.
Does anyone have a link to similar info? With this info I could establish from my results where the system is not performing.

3) Also, I've lost my trusty slidey comparitor. Does any one have a link to a chart of refrigerant pressures at different temps?

I understand I should be shot at dawn for asking these questions but I'm so rusty its not even funny.

Thanks for all your help.

Jon