Manometer question

[tonyacktar]

hi all

Just bought a secondhand manometer from the car boot sale, as i may need it in the future, i have cleaned out the existing water as it was moldy but can i refill it with tap water or does it need to be distilled water .

Your help is greatly appreciated.

 

[Bernie2]

Tap water is okay! Well in the NW where it is soft it is.

Funnily enough you can buy a red dye for manometers as well. Also depending on pipe size you can use an oil with a high SG as well. Must admit the dye and oil do have proper names but I hav eforgotten what they are.

 

[tonyacktar]

Cheers Bernie you're a star.

The red dye sounds like a great idea because it is difficult to see a clear liquid against a white background.

 

[oldplumber]

Dont forget to get it calibrated by the manufacturer, they may have to use the long weight method which can be inconvenient and costly.

 

[REDSAW]

i use tap water and blue food dye in mine.
no probs at all over last 12 months.

 

[fuzzy]

if it has had water in for some time it can go moldy, can be a pain to see the water level then!!!11

 

[tonyacktar]

Old plumber

Its a U-gauge type i didn't realise these need calibrating too, how much will it cost as i only paid a fiver for it so might i might be better off buying a new one.

cheers

 

[GASMAN10]

If it is a water u-gauge one, put can put some bleach in with the water to kill the mold.

 

[moleman]

Bleach is a good idea.

 

[Blackcatgas]

I dont put die in mine, it would stain the carpet when I put it down on the floor forgetting to put the tube back on.

 

[REDSAW]

I dont put die in mine, it would stain the carpet when I put it down on the floor forgetting to put the tube back on.

use clear dye then?.

 

[Toddyplumb]

Old plumber oh dear oh dear 😉

 

[Blackcatgas]

Lol, I use water, I meant when I put my manometer on the floor. Also the "posh" manometers that use the blue dye (£70 ish) are a little too acurate for my likeing and will show pessure drops/rises from the sun etc on external pipe work.

 

[Bernie2]

Hmm!

I am supposing but don't know, that we are talking about glass tube manometers? You can buy new glasses for them, I think BES sell them.

And no water manometers do not need calibrating!!

Good joke though!

The plastic manometers to me seem to cloud up far to quickly and you can't see the water level properly without a dye. But they are far cheaper than the glass.

 

[Puddle]

Did make me smile but just to be devils advocate.................. Actually you can calibrate water manometers,check it out ....on a desent one ,the tube or back marked card moves up and down to zero up easily
😛

I had a glass manometers for years,got old so replaced with another glass one,lasted a few weeks a broke,happened twice more,the glass does not seem to be as thick and robust as the older type,got a plastic one,left it on the dash and it bent like a EEC banana ,used for a while but bad for street cred,now have plastic back up but gone digital,soooooo mush easier !!
🙂

 

[tamz]

Glass is better for reading but they keep breaking in winter when they freeze.

 

[Toddyplumb]

Have used the regin one for years easy to read

 

[kirkgas]

Old plumber

Its a U-gauge type i didn't realise these need calibrating too, how much will it cost as i only paid a fiver for it so might i might be better off buying a new one.

cheers

deary me, tony, have a think about what he posted then your answer, send it to me and i will calibrate for the cost of P&P only as money is tight for you, could take up to 21 days though.
PS if you want to risk using it illegally you could clean the guage out by putting in some bicarb of soda and some new water, this will clean it up, if you still want to go for the full calibration let me know the offer will stand
cheers

 

[kirkgas]

top it up with some screen wash, it is coloured so you can see it better, and it has anti freeze in it

 

[tamz]

top it up with some screen wash, it is coloured so you can see it better, and it has anti freeze in it

Technically not allowed as the specific gravity is changed 😱

You can always draw a wee bit out the van radiator. Easy on the eyes 😉

 

[Dannypipe]

I use the Rothenburger dye. Just a small bottle will fill it up about 4 times, so if you spill some then you can top it up. It will never go mouldy with this liquid and it has the same relative gravity as water. Ebay, £5 a bottle. I go for the bright yellow colour. I think it would stain a carpet if it hit it. So Black Cat is right. Mine did get whooshed out today but the meter was outside.

 

[desrob]

when he said it needed calibrated he was pulling your leg ,HONEST.