Re: Reflex gauge recommendations?
Posted by:
SSsssteamer (IP Logged)
Date: March 07, 2010 06:53AM
Dear Kelly, I have used many differeent reflex gauges though out the years. I had bought a couple that were rated up to 350 pounds and were hydro tested at over 1,000 pounds. They both failed me, not so much because of the higher Stanley pressures, but also because of the heat too. There bodies warped beyond use. If you have gauge shut offs top and bottom, you can still get home. Don't worry about the gauge glass getting you, I blew one of those at 450 pounds and it was no big deal. With only 3/8" copper tubing feeding the gauge glass, it wasn't any thing worse than blowing down your boiler. The reflex gauge is really quite safe, if properly installed. One tip is to never insulate a reflex gauge to keep it hot. It needs to run as cool as possible to keep heat expansion and warpage to a minimum. Go ahead and use your gauge. Meanwhile, look for a higher pressured one. What will happen if your gauge fails is that it most likely will warp the housing and blow out the gasket.