Tips For Accurately Calibrating Industrial Pressure Gauges

Posted on: 16 November 2017

If your industrial plant's pressure gauges need to be calibrated for the first time, these tips will help you get the job done:

Tip: Accurate Calibration Requires the Correct Testing Media

When you are calibrating your industrial pressure gauges, it is important that you choose the proper media. For low-pressure applications, you can use either nitrogen or air. However, gauges used in high-pressure applications require testing using either oil or water as the media. It is important to use the correct media because the testing media you choose will help determine the accuracy of your calibration. For example, high-pressure gauges must be very accurate to avoid explosion danger, so testing them with either water or oil will ensure the calibration is the most accurate.

Tip: Avoid Contaminating Your Equipment with Gauge Calibration Media

When you are calibrating gauges, they should always be cleaned both before and after being connected to the calibration equipment. This is very important to prevent cross-contamination between your industrial gases and liquids and the media you choose for the process. Also, it is important to be mindful that gauges used in applications with pure oxygen gas can lead to dangerous explosions if not properly cleaned before and after calibration.

Tip: Avoid Hydrostatic Pressure Errors Due to Uneven Heights of the Gauge and Calibration Equipment

When you are calibrating industrial gauges, the gauges and the calibration equipment you are using should be at the same height. If the gauge and the testing equipment are at different heights on your workbench, then the hydrostatic pressure caused by the force of gravity will make your calibration less accurate. While this is okay for a gauge that doesn't require as much accuracy, it can be a very serious problem for those that must be accurate down to very small percentages of error.

Tip: Avoid Gauge Damage from Over Torquing

Regardless of whether you are calibrating your industrial gauges with gas or liquid, it is vital that you do not over torque them when attaching them to your calibration equipment or putting them back in your plant's equipment. Over torquing will strip the threads on the gauge and can cause it to leak or fail altogether. 

Tip: Consider Having Your Industrial Gauges Professionally Calibrated

Finally, since your company's pressure gauges need to be as accurate as possible, you really should consider having them professionally calibrated by an industrial gauge repair company, like Nationwide Gage Calibration, in your local area.

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