We already gave you the five laws of gauge installation - now we have five facts about the gauges themselves.
A bourdon tube works as a sensing element. Bourdon tubes, which are commonly found in Swagelok gauges, work like a party horn. It will try to flatten itself with an increase in pressure, which pulls up on the lever which pulls the dial to show the appropriate pressure reading. A decrease in pressure allows the bourdon tube to return to its original C shape. Another option is a diaphragm, which are typically used for lower pressures gauges such as the L Model.
When choosing the right gauge for a job, be sure to select a range that allows your normal system to fall in the centre of the dial. For example, if your system pressure is 100 psi, consider using a 200 psi gauge.
Some Swagelok gauges are available in a variety of face diameters. Normally the larger the dial diameter, the more accurate the reading. Try to use as large of a face as you can in highly sensitive applications.
Swagelok gauges comes in a lower back mount, centre back mount, and lower mount for your convenience. Lower mount is most common, available on every Swagelok gauges series.
Many gauge designs utilize pipe fittings to connect the gauge into a system. This can create alignment issues and can even risk leaks by NPT threads being over or under tightened. Swagelok Pressure Gauges offer a unique end connection option that simplifies installation – the Swagelok Tube Adapter.
Swagelok Tube Adapter end connections eliminate alignment problems because the gauge dial can be aligned to the desired position and then remain stationary during pull-up of the fitting.
To learn more about the pressure gauge products available from Swagelok, download the Pressure Gauge catalogue.