Water pressure gauges

[Stephen Tashiro]

Which water pressure gauges are designed to be permanently installed in water line? I assume such a gauge is different from from a "test gauge". If a gauge has a small male threaded connector and doesn't say "test gauge", can we assume it is designed for permanent installation?

[Ole Anderson]

A gauge is a gauge differing only by size, accuracy, range, dampening and other features. Then you can go digital. A test gauge is likely more accurate and calibrated.

[Bill Dufour]

A permanent gauge should really be mounted on a shutoff valve so when the Bourden tube cracks it can be shutoff to stop the leak. They do make gauges with pinholes in the input passage so they do not bounce around so much as the pressure varies. Or liquid filled to reduce vibration. Or you can buy a nipple with a restricter in it for a regular guage.
The Bourden tube is normally brass or bronze of some type. Stainless steel is also common.
The tube may be fine but the gear works can be gummed up by spider webs and rust.
A good gauge should never have a stop pin at either end of the needle travel.
Bill D

[Stephen Tashiro]

A gauge is a gauge differing only by size, accuracy, range, dampening and other features.

Hence my question is: Which gauges have the feature of being designed to be continually under pressure ? - as opposed to being designed to be momentarily under pressure when temporarily attached for testing purposes.

[Ole Anderson]

I am not sure that any gauge would not be designed to be continuously under pressure. Can you further detail your use and the gauge you may have in mind? Of course a gauge measuring pressure of a corrosive or very hot or very cold liquid would need to be designed for that purpose.

[Jerome Stanek]

Pretty much any gauge that has a high enough reading will do it. Just go to the borg and get a water pump gauge

[Stephen Tashiro]

I am not sure that any gauge would not be designed to be continuously under pressure.

Ok, but I'm not sure that any gauge would be designed to be continuously under pressure.

Can you further detail your use and the gauge you may have in mind?

I want to install a gauge upstream of a pressure regulator on the main water line to a house. If that's not advisable, I want to make a provision to temporarily install a gauge there to test water pressure.

[Mike Cutler]

Stephen

Look for an Ashcroft, 2-1/2" to 4", stainless steel ,glycerin filled gauge, in the range you need. You need to determine if you want bottom mount, or back mount.
This gauge can stay under pressure for the rest of your life.
Other than when they are being calibrated, I have had Ashcroft's, US Gauge ,and Helicoid's, at work, under pressure ,since the early 70's when the were installed.

"Test" gauge is a term. Generally it will be a more resolute gauge, perhaps with a higher accuracy spec, with customer feature, such as MIN/MAX memory needles, defined areas of interest,or suppressed and elevated zero's. Stuff like that. It's still a basic gauge inside.

[Lee Schierer]

If you are installing a gauge up stream of a pressure regulator, I would install a tee and put a shut off valve in the tee so I could remove the gauge when ever I wanted.

I would make sure that any automatic valves such as a washing machine, dishwasher or lawn sprinkler system does not produce any pressure spikes in system. The Bourdon tube will help dampen out any pressure spikes or water hammer.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Stephen

Look for an Ashcroft, 2-1/2" to 4", stainless steel ,glycerin filled gauge, in the range you need. You need to determine if you want bottom mount, or back mount.
This gauge can stay under pressure for the rest of your life.
Other than when they are being calibrated, I have had Ashcroft's, US Gauge ,and Helicoid's, at work, under pressure ,since the early 70's when the were installed.

"Test" gauge is a term. Generally it will be a more resolute gauge, perhaps with a higher accuracy spec, with customer feature, such as MIN/MAX memory needles, defined areas of interest,or suppressed and elevated zero's. Stuff like that. It's still a basic gauge inside.

I agree on the Ashcroft gauges. WGG is also pretty good. Used to use both of these in extreme environments that no gauge survived long in, but these did the best.

[Ole Anderson]

Here is one that will keep track of pressure surges and mounts to a hose bib. https://www.zoro.com/winters-max-poi...lf/i/G7490086/

[Bill Dufour]

A pressure gauge should be capable of reading roughly double the normal operating pressure to be most accurate. So that 200PSi gauge should be used to measure around 100 PSi. Which seems the perfect range for home water supplies.
Bill D.

[Mike Cutler]

I agree on the Ashcroft gauges. WGG is also pretty good. Used to use both of these in extreme environments that no gauge survived long in, but these did the best.

Yeah, we don't have extreme ambient environments, other than radiation, and that doesn't really have an effect on analog gauges.
Typically a stainless steel gauge will be for liquid process. Brass for gasses, and fire systems, and Monel for sea water. We have some special types for sulfuric, and hydrochloric acid. I haven't found any that last very long with sodium hypochlorite.

That's a nice gauge in your followup post. I need to recharge and reset my well pump tank, and I can screw that right onto the hose connection at the tank. Have to see if they have one in a 0-100psig range.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Yeah, we don't have extreme ambient environments, other than radiation, and that doesn't really have an effect on analog gauges.
Typically a stainless steel gauge will be for liquid process. Brass for gasses, and fire systems, and Monel for sea water. We have some special types for sulfuric, and hydrochloric acid. I haven't found any that last very long with sodium hypochlorite.

That's a nice gauge in your followup post. I need to recharge and reset my well pump tank, and I can screw that right onto the hose connection at the tank. Have to see if they have one in a 0-100psig range.

The extreme environment I'm speaking of is farm sprayer and applicator. Constant vibration of the machine, usually in a rolling dust cloud situation, a variety of chemicals and pH. Found phosphorous fertilizer, 10-34-0 to be the worst usually, it crystalized with practically no reason and just destroyed things. Gauges had to be reasonably priced to so that they could be disposable, I didn't mention that but both of those makes are.

[Mike Cutler]

The extreme environment I'm speaking of is farm sprayer and applicator. Constant vibration of the machine, usually in a rolling dust cloud situation, a variety of chemicals and pH. Found phosphorous fertilizer, 10-34-0 to be the worst usually, it crystalized with practically no reason and just destroyed things. Gauges had to be reasonably priced to so that they could be disposable, I didn't mention that but both of those makes are.

Steve
Ashcrofts have an installed snubber in the stem. Sometimes you can just take it out, as that is where the restriction develops. Never played with fertilizer, so it might not work like it works on salt water.