repairing steam pressure gauges

Rob_40

Anyone try repairing steam pressure gauges? My 30 lbs and 5 lbs gauges stopped working after three years. Piping from boiler to pigtail to gauges were clear. I installed new gauges and they seem to read generally correctly (they match each other and the pressuretrol.) They were not expensive, but I am reluctant to just toss them in the trash.

Rob H

EBEBRATT-Ed

You could try but what is the gain. You need to be able to trust the gauges. I would make sure they are on brass pigtails and but valves or a pet cock under the gauges you only need to see the pressure when your down there checking so keep the gauges isolated and just open the pet cock when you want to check the pressure. Or buy better quality gauges.

Jamie Hall

It's not much harder than repairing a broken wind-up clock… except that when you're done tinkering you need a very reliable second gauge and pressure source to calibrate…

And if it's a strain gauge or piezo type electronic sensor, forget it completely. When they're done, they're done.

Rob_40

Thank you, Ed. Isolating the gauges with a valve makes a lot of sense.