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Best Location for Pressure Gauge Placement Along Fill Line?

StewBrewer
StewBrewer Member Posts: 10
edited December 2023 in THE MAIN WALL
My pressure reducer/feed valve and expansion tanks are located 4 feet above the location at which the fill line terminates into the boiler loop. Where is the best theoretical location to install a gauge along this line for measuring the pressure reading: (A) downstream of fill valve, but upstream of expansion tank; (B) immediately downstream of expansion tank; (C) immediately upstream of connection to boiler loop? (this point is 4 feet lower than fill valve and expansion tank location)

Comments

  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 24,088
    Won't make any measurable difference. Somewhere handy.
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
    ethicalpaul
  • leonz
    leonz Member Posts: 1,249
    If you have an unused 3/4" tapping on your boiler you can use that one.

    When installing the gauge please do not use teflon tape or pipe dope on
    the threads as that will affect the pressure gauges ability to transmit the
    actual water temperature through the threaded bronze connection to the
    boiler tapping.

    Please buy an American made pressure gauge from Dwyer if at all possible
    as they are much more reliable and have a guarantee of workmanship and
    can be repaired by Dwyer as well and certified for use.

    If you have room on the boiler a four or six inch square or round gauge it will
    work well for you. I have the 4 inch square triple gauge with threar mounting threads
    and it has been a wonderful replacement for the chinese junk I was saddled with to
    begin with that failed twice.



  • ChrisJ
    ChrisJ Member Posts: 16,121
    leonz said:

    If you have an unused 3/4" tapping on your boiler you can use that one.

    When installing the gauge please do not use teflon tape or pipe dope on
    the threads as that will affect the pressure gauges ability to transmit the
    actual water temperature through the threaded bronze connection to the
    boiler tapping.


    Please buy an American made pressure gauge from Dwyer if at all possible
    as they are much more reliable and have a guarantee of workmanship and
    can be repaired by Dwyer as well and certified for use.

    If you have room on the boiler a four or six inch square or round gauge it will
    work well for you. I have the 4 inch square triple gauge with threar mounting threads
    and it has been a wonderful replacement for the chinese junk I was saddled with to
    begin with that failed twice.




    I don't understand?
    Single pipe quasi-vapor system. Typical operating pressure 0.14 - 0.43 oz. EcoSteam ES-20 Advanced Control for Residential Steam boilers. Rectorseal Steamaster water treatment
  • leonz
    leonz Member Posts: 1,249
    If you have an unused 3/4"tapping on your boiler which has pipe plug in side of the steam chest or on top of your boiler you can install a new gauge there.
  • ChrisJ
    ChrisJ Member Posts: 16,121
    leonz said:
    If you have an unused 3/4"tapping on your boiler which has pipe plug in side of the steam chest or on top of your boiler you can install a new gauge there.
    The OP has a hot water system and I don't understand why pipe dope or ptfe tape would effect a thermometer.
    Single pipe quasi-vapor system. Typical operating pressure 0.14 - 0.43 oz. EcoSteam ES-20 Advanced Control for Residential Steam boilers. Rectorseal Steamaster water treatment
    MikeAmann
  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 16,053
    edited December 2023
    You have to put something on the threads. If you don't use Teflon or pipe dope what else is there?

    Use Teflon it makes for easy removal.

    If it was me I would put a 1/4" ball valve or petcock under the gauge for isolation. If the gauge needle vibrates under normal use (I don't believe it will) you can keep the ball valve shut and just open it to check the pressure,

    I would not spend big $$ on a gauge. It's a replaceable part and on a hydronic system especially a residential it should last a long time. I would put it at a or b
  • leonz
    leonz Member Posts: 1,249
    edited December 2023
    ChrisJ said:


    leonz said:

    If you have an unused 3/4"tapping on your boiler which has pipe plug in side of the steam chest or on top of your boiler you can install a new gauge there.

    The OP has a hot water system and I don't understand why pipe dope or ptfe tape would effect a thermometer.
    =================================================================

    I followed the Dwyer instructions exactly as they state pipe dope or tape affects the ability of the male end of the gauge from conducting the existing temperature to the gauge face.

    Spending the good money on an American made triple pressure and temperature gauge gives me piece of mind as I have had to deal with defective chinese pressure gauges.

    My first Avco Lycoming boiler had its original Dwyer triple gauge and it was 42 years old.
  • StewBrewer
    StewBrewer Member Posts: 10
    How did this turn into a discussion about thermometers when the title and question both stated: "PRESSURE GAUGE"? :D
  • hot_rod
    hot_rod Member Posts: 22,784
    I like to go a step or two above the economy priced gauges. Snubbers are only a few bucks to handle vibration, gauge cocks are inexpensive also.
    Winters includes the stabilizers inside some models now.

    Get a 30 psi gauge so you can read a psi or two difference
    Bob "hot rod" Rohr
    trainer for Caleffi NA
    Living the hydronic dream
  • HomerJSmith
    HomerJSmith Member Posts: 2,559
    It is more a question of where the expansion tank is connect to the sys in relation to the pump.