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Low pressure gauge

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amakro15
amakro15 Member Posts: 39
in Strictly Steam
I bought a wika 0-3 psi low pressure gauge which I plan on installing this weekend. My question is do I have to add a snubber for a low pressure gauge? TIA

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  • JUGHNE
    JUGHNE Member Posts: 11,062
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    At least a pigtail.
  • amakro15
    amakro15 Member Posts: 39
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    So I installed a low pressure gauge 0-3psi and another 0-30psi gauge since the one that came with boiler is toast. I ran boiler and neither gauge moved. It was on for about 35-40 mins till tstat reached temp and shut off. Can someone tell me if my install looks fine? (see pic). At what point during the cycle does pressure gauge supposed to start rising?
  • Fred
    Fred Member Posts: 8,542
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    The install looks fine. Were the rads hot all the way across after that 40 minute run? If not, some of the radiator vents may not have closed and you may not have seen any pressure on the gauge. Did you clean the pigtail and the tapping into the boiler out before you mounted the gauges? If it is clogged you, the gauges and the Pressuretrol won't see any pressure.

    If the system is heating the house properly, don't worry about very low pressures. It just means the boiler is sized nicely to the connected radiation.
  • amakro15
    amakro15 Member Posts: 39
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    @Fred I did remove pigtail and cleaned it out and tapping. All the radiators were hot and the house was nice and toasty. I did add water in pigtail when I reinstalled it. I was worried maybe because both brand new gauges were not reading anything. I thought they might be defective.
  • Fred
    Fred Member Posts: 8,542
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    amakro15 said:

    @Fred I did remove pigtail and cleaned it out and tapping. All the radiators were hot and the house was nice and toasty. I did add water in pigtail when I reinstalled it. I was worried maybe because both brand new gauges were not reading anything. I thought they might be defective.

    Enjoy the comfort. Those gauges (at least the 0-3 PSI gauge) will show a little pressure, maybe a ounce or two as we get into colder weather. That is a great thing and nothing to worry about.
  • amakro15
    amakro15 Member Posts: 39
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    Thank you @Fred
  • Dan_NJ
    Dan_NJ Member Posts: 247
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    One more thing, if you haven't checked the calibration on the low pressure gauge you might want to make sure that 0 really is 0. Mine bounces very slightly most of the cycle, you can hardly see it moving but it move a bit.
  • amakro15
    amakro15 Member Posts: 39
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    @Dan_NJ I did notice that the 0-3psi gauge handle was a little below 0 when I took it out of the box. The gauge did tick or jump up and down ever so slightly up to exact zero during cycle. How do I test calibration? And how would I would I fix calibration?
    b_bz
  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 23,324
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    Most gauges -- I think the Wika is one -- have a finicky little zero adjusting screw on the back. It's really easy to mess that up, so twiddle gently.

    But the only way to be sure that you really are adjusting to a true zero is with gauge off any piping. Even the water trapped in a pigtail can be enough to give a slight -- and false -- residual pressure.
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
  • Dan_NJ
    Dan_NJ Member Posts: 247
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    You have the adjustment screw right on the front there. You can usually unscrew or twist off the cover to get at it. I go + direction until the needle is just coming off the pin then back it off just a tiny bit.
  • amakro15
    amakro15 Member Posts: 39
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    So turn the screw on the right till the needles is even with zero?
  • JUGHNE
    JUGHNE Member Posts: 11,062
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    Turn the center screw only. Back and forth any you will see what happens. Best to do it off the pigtail or if you are absolutely sure the pressure is at zero. (you could lift the relief valve handle to be sure of no pressure.)
  • Dan_NJ
    Dan_NJ Member Posts: 247
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    I don't see a pin on yours where the needle would rest, maybe it's internal. Yes I would dial it + at least until I see it move and you could leave it right dead center on the 0 if you like. If it's resting on the stop right now you might not see any movement at all.
  • amakro15
    amakro15 Member Posts: 39
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    Ok thank you guys for your help. Much appreciated

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