Measurements are taken every day, be it to weigh something or someone, or to calculate the trajectory of a shuttle going into space. But in order to measure anything you need some sort of device. Be it old-school or a new breakthrough technology that these devices rely on, they still do the same thing. The same can be said for manometers which are available as both digital and analog. Manometers are devices that are able to measure pressure and their name often refers to a U-tube filled with fluid.
This primitive type of manometer can be built even in a household environment. But nowadays, modern manometers are not as simple and this is why they come with greater accuracy than their analog counterparts. Setting up an electronic manometer is not as easy but it is a lot easier to use. You can also use a handheld manometer which you can bring anywhere you need to measure pressure, even in the tightest of spaces.
Setting Up & Using a Manometer
Batteries
To set up an electronic pressure manometer, you first need to insert its batteries. Make sure that these are new batteries and not some old ones you’ve removed from an older device. This can affect the accuracy and operation.
Zero Adjustments
After the batteries are in the device make sure to use the restore or zero toggle, as people call it. This will bring back the display to null, meaning it will keep any dependencies and errors at bay when starting up the device.
Static Pressure
When it comes to measurements, the most common one performed by a pressure manometer is static pressure. In this case, a positive pressure means there is a higher pressure present than atmospheric pressure and a negative pressure means there is a lower pressure present than atmospheric pressure.
Backlight Feature
When you’re reading pressure with the device in poorly lit conditions, you want to be able to view readings clearly, which is why you should use the backlight feature. This feature lights up the screen for around two minutes and after that automatically turns it off to save battery life.
Memory Feature
Some digital manometers come with a memory feature that lets you save multiple pressure readings for later analysis. You can transfer those readings at a later date onto a computer too.
How to Calibrate Manometer
- While there are various manometers that work slightly differently, they can all be calibrated the same way. What you need to do is check the measuring range. This is done by change the pressure going up and down on the device, and if there are no errors you just adjust the zero or the span.
- You usually go from zero to 25 then 50, 75, and 100. If you don’t have a digital manometer, then you will have to adjust the zero or span by removing certain parts of the manometer. This is done so you get access to the pointer.
- Once you have access to the pointer, you need to physically adjust the angular adjustment slots found at the bottom of the manometer. Before you start removing parts though, make sure to mark the position of the zero as well as the 25, 50, 75, and 100 per cent positions.
Other Types of Manometers
Inclined
If you want to be able to measure small amounts of pressure, an inclined manometer is the best option. This type of manometer is vertical, and it features an inclination gap that can be affected by the liquid inside the manometer tube. At the middle of the tube, there are graduations that help make the inclined manometer precise. You can measure with an accuracy down to a hundredth of a millimetre.
U-Tube
A simple yet effective manometer shaped like the letter “U”, hence the name U-tube. One end of the U-tube has a gauge that shows the level of pressure. The other end is open which acts as another gauge, so if the two ends are connected to separate sources the device will act as a differential gauge.
Differential U-Tube
A similar manometer to the U-tube, the differential U-tube manometer is used to measure pressure between two completely different points. This means that a differential U-tube manometer is mainly used to measure the difference in pressure rather than just pressure itself.
Inverted U-Tube
Inverted U-tube manometers offer the best from inclined and differential U-tube manometers. This is because inverted U-tube manometers are able to measure small differences from different pressure points. This type of manometer contains a lightweight liquid which gives it its high accuracy.
Conclusion
Manometers are vital for measuring a fundamental force that is present in a lot of manufacturing processes and everyday devices too. Using a manometer isn’t that hard, as you only need to understand how the fluid it holds reacts to pressure. Once you get the hang of things, it’s easy to implement the capabilities that a digital manometer offers.