Low pressure - controls and guages

DavidK_2

I understand that running a typical home (single pipe steam) system at around 1psi is the ideal. So, why is it the controls and gauges all seem designed to operate at higher pressures? My presuretrol goes from .5 to 9psi cut in, with a 1 to 5 differential. It seems like I should be using the lowest setting for both! The .5 and 2 psi cut in markings are very close together, and it seems like that is where you would want the most resolution! The pressure guage reads to 30psi - I assume this is for safety so that you can see if the pressure is larger than the pop off rating (15 psi in my case) but it makes it difficult to work with in the 1 psi range.



Just wondering . . .

Jamie Hall

Tradition!

well, not entirely -- cost is a factor, too.  There are pressure controls (vapourstats) which are used at lower pressures (0 to 1 psi or 0 to 4 psi), and there are gauges in the low ranges too.  They all cost more -- quite a bit more -- as they are more delicate.  And most steam systems (not vapour systems) can be made to work, if not as well as they should, at say 2 to 3 psi, which is in the range of a pressurestat.



Quite right on the 30 psi gauge -- codes require at least one pressure gauge which reads up to twice the rating of the pressure relief valve.  Safety feature.