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Selection

Specifying a pressure gauge involves a number of considerations:

• connection size - nominal size of the port or fitting into which the gauge will be threaded, male or female, and thread size

• mounting configuration - bottom or back-center stem mounted or panel mounted

• dial size - large enough to be seen clearly from a distance but small enough to prevent taking up excessive space

• units of measure - determine whether the dial should be calibrated in psi, bar, kPa, etc. Many manufacturers offer gauges with dual-dimensioned scales

• materials of construction - gauges may have a glass or plastic crystal, metal or plastic case, and usually a brass connection. Ensure that materials are compatible with the environment and fluid

• dry or liquid filled - liquid-filled gauges generally contain glycerin to dampen effects of shock and vibration, and provide continuous lubrication of the movement to extend life, and

• pressure range - as a rule of thumb, select a gauge with a maximum pressure reading twice that of the anticipated measured pressure. This provides a safety margin to prevent temporary high-pressure pulsations or spikes from damaging the gauge.

Options and accessories

A variety of options and accessories are available to enhance life and operation of gauges. Digital readout is accomplished by mounting a strain gauge to the sensing element and using on-board electronics to convert the strain induced by pressure into digital readout on an LED or LCD panel. Digital gauges require a power source - generally a long-life battery - and may use a switch so that power is consumed only when a button is pushed to read the pressure.

A gauge isolator, mounted between the gauge and circuit, prevents the gauge from being exposed to fluid pressure unless a button is pushed. In this manner, the gauge is not exposed to pressure spikes and pulsations unless they occur when pressure is being read.

Orifices or snubbers protect gauges by smoothing out pressure fluctuations seen by the gauge. Snubbers may cause gauges to respond sluggishly, but can extend life by damping rapid pressure fluctuations. To help protect the gauge from external physical shock, case protectors can be used, which encapsulate the gauge in rubber.

A wide variety of other useful options - such as an integral adjustable pressure switch - are available from manufacturers to make pressure gauges even more versatile.

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