A Digital Tire Pressure Gauge has to be Accurate!

It is well known that tires that have the optimum air pressure are less prone to punctures, can increase fuel efficiency and also offers a smoother ride. Such tires also exert less pressure on the shock absorbers of any vehicle. Additionally tires for a certain automobile are designed in a manner where the optimum air pressure should be sufficient for a number of expected occupants. Accordingly the valves of the tires are designed to maintain a specific range of air pressure. In situations where the tire pressure fluctuates or is much lower than the advised levels, the tire loses pressure rapidly and sooner than later, a flat tire is inevitable. Given the significance of tire pressure, one can understand the role of a digital tire pressure gauge.

A Digital Tire Pressure Gauge In Your Tool Kit

You are wondering if there is something wrong with one of the tires but are unable to ascertain what it exactly is. It can really be beneficial if you can have a digital tire pressure in your tool kit. These days you can choose from some amazing and cool designs. Digital Tire Pressure Gauges which are meant for personal use come in vibrant colors and unique shapes. They can double up as your key chain or a torch. Some models come in the shape of a pen whereas some have a compass on them. Having one on you on the road can help you measure the tire pressure and if it seems to be below the required levels, you can know for certain that something is wrong and you know it is time to go for the spare one.

Cost of a Digital Tire Pressure Gauge

Though there are models that come at below ten dollars yet the best ones come at a little more than that. At twelve or fourteen dollars you can expect to have a device with desired accuracy.

Features of a Digital Tire Pressure Gauge

There are hundreds of different models in this category and hence the features can be as diverse as they can get. Some models would offer you a range of up to 100 PSI whereas some models would offer up to 160 PSI. Models can come with small LCD display or a larger backlit one. There are dual head models to measure tire pressure for vehicles as well as bicycles. Some companies have come up with ergonomic designs while some models come with audio announcement of the reading.

Most digital tire pressure gauge models have an auto power off system which ensures longer battery life. There are some models that are programmed with memory to store recorded data for future reference. It may not be long before we see LED panels making headway along with a broader range of pressure reading and perhaps calibrating functions.

There is no guaranteed way to avoid faulting your pressure gauge. Gauges have a tendency to show wrong readings or questionable readings if they have not been used for a prolonged period of time. They can also go faulty on overuse. It really boils down to the question of when you would have to calibrate your pressure gauge and not if you have to do it.

What is pressure gauge calibration?

Pressure gauge calibration is a procedure to analyze the differences in readings displayed by the gauge and actual measurements of the pressure. You may think that resetting the pressure gauge may help or zeroing the device may solve the problem but in most cases they do not. Pressure gauges are not for the purpose of measuring a zero pressure situation hence it is most likely that the device would not show any error whatsoever when not in use. If there are deviations in the dial even at ideal circumstances, resetting may help but the fault lies when the gauge shows wrong readings.

How to carry out pressure gauge calibration?

If you want to calibrate your pressure gauge at home on your own, the easiest way is to run some tests. You can use a good pressure gauge that you are certain of functioning accurately and take some measurements of different pressure levels. You can use any pressure medium to run these tests. Once you are done collecting the accurate data, measure the same pressure conditions with your pressure gauge and note down all the readings. Now, you can analyze the recorded data to understand the shift in accuracy levels. Accordingly you can write down your conclusions that would help you to fix the problem. Once you are certain of the deviation in results, adjust the dial accordingly so you can have the accurate readings.

What if deviation varies at different pressure points?

This is where the calibration procedure becomes really difficult. You have measured five pressure levels and all the readings have different types of deviation from the accurate readings. In such a situation, shifting or adjusting the dial does not solve the problem since you can only address one deviation system by that process. Although this problem is not likely but some pressure gauges may throw up this issue. In such a scenario you either have to seek professional help or simply buy a new pressure gauge.

There are many pressure gauge models that do not allow you to open the case or does not have any functions or buttons to shift the dial or adjust it. In such cases, you cannot do the pressure gauge calibration yourself.

Importance of a differential pressure gauge!

While under normal circumstances, a difference in the pressure in an environment may not sound alarming, it is very important in engines of ships, airplanes and in large cranes and the likes. In such circumstances, a deviation from the acceptable range of differential pressure can be catastrophic. This is where a differential pressure gauge is highly vital to ensure that the conditions remain within the permissible limits and the machines or systems can function smoothly.

Differential Pressure Gauge is not an absolute pressure reading!

It has to be kept in mind that any differential pressure reading is not an absolute reading. The latter happens to be the sum of the pressure measured by a gauge and the atmospheric pressure put together.

Manometer – an ideal differential pressure gauge!

A manometer is a popular choice when it comes to analyzing pressure differences between two points in a system or between two environments. The manometer is ideal for such measurements since it is capable of not only measuring differential pressure but also gauge pressure and absolute pressure. The basic dynamics of measuring differential pressure is the U shaped tube filled with liquid separating the two pressure medium. It is the difference in the height of the liquid that determines the pressure differences.

However, with the digital age at an advanced stage, manometers have been transformed into more like other smaller digital pressure gauges. It comes with similar dials or LCD displays showing the measurements. In most differential pressure gauges, the device is much more sophisticated unlike simple pressure gauges. The reason, primarily, is the room for error which is as high as 1.5 percent or 2 percent for some models. Also, differential pressure gauges are normally more prone to external influences and can give wrong reading at the slightest jerks. Owing to this reason many companies use different casing to avoid such deviations. For instance, some differential pressure gauges have glycerin filled cases which lessen the external vibrations or pulsations.

Prerequisites of a good differential pressure gauge!

The accuracy level should at the most have a deviation of plus or minus 1 percent. It should have a spring steel diaphragm. The most preferred dial sizes are 100 mm (4 inches) and 150 mm (6 inches) and you should always purchase one which display the reading in the unit that you require. Although all industrial differential pressure gauges are manufactured on the same concept, one must reconfirm the applications of a model since certain operations may require additional functions and customizable options in the device.

What is an Air Pressure Gauge?

It is a device which measures the pressure exerted by air contained in a sealed environment (tire or a cylinder) and converts the communication into different calculable units such as kg/cm2, bar, psi, mm/hg, kpa, mbar or mm/wc. An air pressure gauge may comprise of a nozzle which has a pressure sensor, a microcontroller or microprocessor inside and a display. Displays normally are of LCD but LED panels have been introduced in many of the latest models. Some of these latest models have audio output facility, memory functions to store recorded data and calibration facilities.

How does an Air Pressure Gauge Function?

Earlier, air pressure gauges used to come with a long pipe connecting the nozzle and the dial display but these days they are mostly small devices resembling a pen or just a small tool. Using an air pressure gauge is very simple. You simply need to put the valve (of tires, cylinders etc) into the nozzle and notice the reading on the display. You must have preselected the unit of the gauge at the time of buying so you can read the measurement accordingly. Apart from measuring and reading the pressure, all other functions vary among different models. To explore other specific functions, you would have to run through the manual.

Different types of Air Pressure Gauge!

The most common of all air pressure gauges is the one which only allows you to capture a reading and nothing else. Some models allow a bleeder which automatically allows excess air to pass through its valve to bring down the air pressure to the required level. This function would be available on models where you can cap a specific measurement and the device would function accordingly. The air pressure gauges that are used for commercial purposes are mostly associated with an air supply chamber. In these devices an air pressure gauge merely acts as a check to allow a certain amount of air to be passed on to the receiving containment to achieve a specific pressure.

Things to Check Before Buying an Air Pressure Gauge!

The most common factor while buying an air pressure gauge would be the accuracy level of the device and its resisting abilities to external disturbances. In most cases personal devices offer less accuracy levels than the ones used commercially. Although if you spend on a high end model, even your personal air pressure gauge device can be highly accurate. One needs to check out to what extent the readings of the device can vary when it is subjected to external vibrations, stresses and also if the battery is low on power. Most of these devices run on battery hence knowing the limitations of your air pressure gauge would really help in operating it properly.

Types of Digital Pressure Gauge

The conventional digital pressure gauge has a 100 mm or 150 mm dial display enclosed in a casing made up of industrial plastic. The digital display is connected to a microprocessor which is connected to the pressure sensor at the testing nozzle. Unlike the earlier mechanical pressure gauge, a digital pressure gauge is considered to be far more accurate with the margin of error being as low as 0.5 percent, generally on the higher side. Some latest models have managed to bring down that room for deviation to 0.3 percent.

Primarily a digital pressure gauge can be of two types – hand held or fixed and mounted. Hand held models find their use in normal and small scale activities where the range of pressure reading is much lower than the other variety. They can be used to measure air pressure at gas stations or at automobile repairing shops or even in laboratories. The fixed digital pressure gauge finds its use in heavy industries where a larger range of pressure reading is mandatory.

Most digital pressure gauges operate on battery, mostly a team of 3 lithium batteries but the ones with greater range of pressure reading and functionalities work on electric power supply. Earlier microcontrollers used to be the communicator between the sensor and the display panel but these days, far more advanced state of the art microprocessors have found their way in to most models.

Best Digital Pressure Gauge Models

The display panel has undergone various changes over the years. Earlier there used to be a simple LCD but now LED panels are commonly seen in many models. They are bright and can be read easily even in the dark. There are some models that can be configured with a master computer or other devices to synchronize numerous types of data at one place.

The best models presently come with programmable resolution and baud rate, multiple input and output channels, zeroing function and more customizable features. The better models do not get affected by external influences such as vibrations or other mechanical stresses. The best ones in the market also have very little maintenance issues and they are very easy to operate during calibration or the cleaning process.

Which Digital Pressure Gauge Would Suit You The Best!

If you are looking for a replacement to your existing analog pressure gauge, a low cost digital pressure gauge can be good enough for you. These are normally battery operated gauges with an LCD display. They do not offer a huge range of pressure reading but enough to run your show. They come with automated power off options and the battery can have a life of about three years with convenience.

If you need high accuracy models then you may need to go for models that are a little costly. These models can be customized, would have selectable units and come with a lot of accessories like gauge savers, pulsation dampers, diaphragm and others.