Calibrating low pressure CO2 Gauge?

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

mezman

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 3, 2006
Messages
106
Reaction score
0
Location
Broomfield, CO
I just ordered a new 3 body secondary regulator so I could move my CO2 tank outside of my kegerator and open up more space for more kegs. :)

However, they arrived yesterday and none of the three 0-60psi gauges read the same and two of them don't read 0 with no pressure applied. So I'm thinking I need to zero them or calibrate them but I don't know how to adjust them.

Is it even possible?

Thanks!
 
Sort of. You have to run the output into a known accurate gauge, apply something like 10psi, as read on the accurate gauge, then manually push the faulty needle down below 10psi and let go. Keep going further and further past the 10psi mark until it settles at 10 when you let go. Either that or grab yourself a few replacement gauges in the 0-30psi range which is much more practical.
 
So when you say I need to push the needle in the direction that's correct, does that mean bending it? Or is that just sliding the zero point of the needle somewhere inside the gauge?
 
You're not bending the needle but rather tightening a coiled piece of tubing behind the dial face. The way it works is that the higher the pressure supplied to the coil, the more it wants to straighten out. That's what turns the dial.

In most cases, the needle is quite rigidly attached so you have to push it enough to actually bend the coil. In one I messed with, the needle was pressure fit and I was able to rotate it on the shaft a bit.
 
I think 30psi gauges would be great - I don't really need the 30-60 range at all.
Where is the best place to get them? Just the online brew shops?
 
Look on eBay, I bought some sold as a pack of 10 gauges. $30 shipped. Better than buying only 3 at the lhbs for $30
 
Back
Top