How to Select Pressure Gauges
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Pressure gauges are used for a variety of industrial and application-specific pressure monitoring applications. Pressure gauges can be used for visual monitoring of air and gas pressure for compressors, vacuum equipment, process lines and specialty tank applications such as medical gas cylinders and fire extinguishers. In addition to visual indication, some pressure gauges are...
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Q & A on Pressure Gauges
We asked our users for their input on Pressure Gauges. Here are the results of 86 users familiar with Pressure Gauges.
Who Took Our Poll? | Design Trends | Applications and Use | Features | Buying Advice |Design TrendsTop
What new technologies are influencing pressure gauge design?
13 answers
Currently part of pressure transmitters technology is being used. Some are being deprecated completely mechanical devices such as bourdon tube.
~Rafael C, Technical Support, Chinandega, Nicaragua
Dampened movement in dry gauges (instead of liquid filled).
~General Corporate Mgmt, Saint John, Canada
Digital for the accuracy and DCS control.
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~Pratheesh Katpadi, Research & Development, Doha, Al-Khor., India
From your perspective, which companies are creating the most innovative pressure gauges?
14 answers
McDaniel Controls has the best pressure gauges in the industry. German made, superior quality, safety and performance.
~Stan, Sales L, General Management, Houston, TX
Aschcroft, Wika, Tecsis, Dwyer, Gem, CST, Keller
~Shridhar K, Marketing/Sales, Bangalore, India
- all the well known from Germany and Switzerland
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~Research & Development, Fulda, Germany
Applications and UseTop
What are some of the applications you have used pressure gauges for?
22 answers
* Used for pipe line Hydrostatic & Pneumatic test. Installed pressure gauges to know the line pressure in plant for local control.
~Pratheesh Katpadi, Research & Development, Doha, Al-Khor., India
Tank level display, measuring process parameters, aviation equipment testing, flow measurement, trouble shooting.
~Rish P, Technical Support, Christchurch, New Zealand
Oil refinery, pulp and paper mills, sawmills, power stations, water and wastewater, food and beverage
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~General Corporate Mgmt, Saint John, Canada
Please share with us any “non-standard” applications that pressure gauges have been used for.
3 answers
Recalibrating gauges to read tank levels in non pressure units and to display density of product
~Rish P, Technical Support, Christchurch, New Zealand
- measure " concrete pressure "
~Research & Development, Fulda, Germany
Not yet met.
~Ronald E, Electrical and Instrumentation Quality Engineer, Ras Laffan Industrial City, Qatar
Do you know of any disastrous mistakes that occurred due to the incorrect usage of pressure gauges?
6 answers
Brass gauges used on Ammonia systems, absolute pressure vs gauge pressure, not opening liquid filled gauges to Atmospheric pressure once installed. No gauge savers used where there is possibility of large surges or rapidly changing pressure. Gauges over sized for required measurement, non calibrated gauges used for release to service of product.
~Rish P, Technical Support, Christchurch, New Zealand
Gauge not suited for the amount of pressure utilized in the process.
~Stan, Sales L, General Management, Houston, TX
Need to perform calibration as per international standard.
~Pratheesh Katpadi, Research & Development, Doha, Al-Khor., India
FeaturesTop
What would your design or feature "wish list" be for this product?
9 answers
In this competitive environment, robust design features will attract reputed users.
~Pratheesh Katpadi, Research & Development, Doha, Al-Khor., India
Any thing which is very important and modern.
~Ronald E, Electrical and Instrumentation Quality Engineer, Ras Laffan Industrial City, Qatar
Multifunction selected needed
~TK BARATH BARATH, Engineer, DUBAI, UAE
Cost, wireless connectivity
~Rish P, Technical Support, Christchurch, New Zealand
Depends on application
~Alan N, Engineering Consultant, Sydney, Australia
- " High Stable "
~Research & Development, Fulda, Germany
Glycerine filled
~Daniel T, Home inspection, El Paso, TX
go full digital
~MOSHE SNEAR, Engineer, YAVNE, ISRAEL
accuracy
~Shridhar K, Marketing/Sales, Bangalore, India
Buying AdviceTop
Do you have any advice for people relative to buying or using pressure gauges?
11 answers
Study basic principles of gauges on line and have as much information available when requesting a gauge or gauge pricing from a vendor. Examples of info: Process media, Ambient and Media Temperature, Case style and type, Process Connection (1/4" or 1/2" NPT etc...), Wetted Materials (SS, Monel, CS), Lens type
~Ron D, Manufacturer, Lawrenceville, GA
Buying gauges based sheerly on what is cheapest may cost more in the long run (from a replacement cost due to failures), versus buying a high quality, high performance product like a McDaniel Controls pressure gauge initially.
~Stan, Sales L, General Management, Houston, TX
Yes, the pressure gauge is still used for local indication and work in harsh environment. Where ever one wants to see the local indication and cost effective instrument, pressure gauge is the ideal choice.
~Shridhar K, Marketing/Sales, Bangalore, India
Prefer to buy pressure gauges to which they can maintain and are not disposable. Costs are optimized.
~Rafael C, Technical Support, Chinandega, Nicaragua
Understand the application and why the measurement must be made and what is required.
~Rish P, Technical Support, Christchurch, New Zealand
Upgrade the technology to attract most reputed companies' use .
~Pratheesh Katpadi, Research & Development, Doha, Al-Khor., India
Refer to national standards and ISA guides
~Alan N, Engineering Consultant, Sydney, Australia
Select thre best and easily maintained.
~Ronald E, Electrical and Instrumentation Quality Engineer, Ras Laffan Industrial City, Qatar
Good understanding of the application,
~Technical Support/Services, Boyne Island, Australia
Glycerine filled seem to last longer
~Daniel T, Home inspection, El Paso, TX
read the coc carefully
~MOSHE SNEAR, Engineer, YAVNE, ISRAEL
Is there any advice you want to share with users to help them avoid common errors in selection or usage of pressure gauges?
8 answers
Never attach a pressure gauge directly to a steam line, use a water filled isolation loop
Aim for normal pressure reading to be around 50-75% of scale
Cheap is often expensive in the long run, know accuracy, range and resolution required and process conditions before installation of gauge.
~Rish P, Technical Support, Christchurch, New Zealand
Be careful of the media temperature. If the media temp is higher than the gauge standard the gauge must either be piped away to lower the temperature or the use of a diaphragm seal is required.
~Ron D, Manufacturer, Lawrenceville, GA
Do not use the pressure each and every place in the plant. Where ever you would like to see the trend of pressure variation, the gauge should be used.
~Shridhar K, Marketing/Sales, Bangalore, India
Know the normal operation range as the maximum operating pressure can reach certain process.
~Rafael C, Technical Support, Chinandega, Nicaragua
Make certain that the gauge fits the application and process design.
~Stan, Sales L, General Management, Houston, TX
No, selection is based on the application , & reliability.
~Pratheesh Katpadi, Research & Development, Doha, Al-Khor., India
Don't buy cheap ones.
~Daniel T, Home inspection, El Paso, TX
Nothing specifics...
~Ronald E, Electrical and Instrumentation Quality Engineer, Ras Laffan Industrial City, Qatar
