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Best place to install pressure gauges

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Nick246
Nick246 Member Posts: 11
in Radiant Heating
My boiler is from 1987 and located in such a tight place where it's impossible to even view the boiler pressure/temp gauge without a mirror and flashlight. The system is piped with copper going in and copper going out the boiler. Circulation pump and auto air vent is in the return line, and Expansion tank is on the outgoing line.

What would be best (most accurate) place to solder in an external pressure gauge? Also, do they make reliable external combo pressure/temp gauges? Should i solder in TWO such gauges instead of one, for better accuracy (perhaps on the incoming And outgoing lines)?

Thank you all for your help.

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  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 15,525
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    If you add 1 put it in the supply pipe. If you add 2 put 1 in the supply and one in the return.

    Depending on the length of the gage stem and your pipe size you may have to get creative as it may or may not fit in the branch of a tee. If it becomes problematic you could take an elbow out replace it with a tee and put the gage in the run of the tee. I believe they are available in 1/2" & 1/4" pipe size
  • Gordy
    Gordy Member Posts: 9,546
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    supply or return with circulator off will give an accurate static reading.

    However if one is in the supply, and one is in the return while circulator is running you will get the pressure differential of the circulator. So supply will read correct psi, and return will be lower with what ever the differential may be. Being the x tank is on the supply then putting the psi gauge on the supply will give an accurate reading with circulator on, or off.
    Rich_49
  • Nick246
    Nick246 Member Posts: 11
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    Thank you both.

    Would you fit a ball valve immediately prior to the gauge, for times when there is a need to swap out the gauge without draining the system?

    Also, more importantly, will the placement of a ball valve throw off the pressure readings?
  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 15,525
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    ball valve will not affect gage operation. while you have it drained I usually put a valve in the supply and return on the system side of all components. Then you can drain the boiler and work on anything on the boiler without draining the whole system

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