Vacuum gauge

[iby]

Can I get some recommendations on what you all use and consider reliable for vacuum gauges? Last year I bought 3 from a reputable maple supply dealer and 1 from amazon. All four are off and not reading zero this season. Is there a brand that will give reliable and consistent results year after year?

Thanks

[softmaple]

www.directmaterial.com that's were I get all my valves and gauges.

[sugarsand]

Mount your gauges well above the tap 3-4 feet, also we put them in a baggie and seal them with a zip tie or tape to keep them out of the moisture. Even then cheap gauges may not last.

[iby]

thanks for the tips...

[DrTimPerkins]

Put a small loop in the line just before the gauge to help keep liquid from moving into the gauge and freezing, which can rupture the membrane and cause them to fail.

[maple flats]

I use the cheap gauges with good success. I do not have a loop but all gauges are 2-3' above the line it is reading. I might need to change 1 every year or 2 out of 10 in use. I will try the loop and the baggy method to see if I can get even better life.

[JoeJ]

2060720608

This is the can method that I use to protect my CHEAP vacuum gauges from Materials Direct. The can cover is a bit inconvenient when checking for leaks but finding a dead gauge way out in the woods in much worse. The can cover will last a lot longer than the plastic bags I tried at first.

Joe

[upsmapleman]

Just something to think about. If you want to meet the new lead free standards you might be shocked by price of a lead free vacuum guage.

[iby]

Well, I can say my gauges are 4-8” above the furthest tap in each line. No bags and no loops.
3 great ideas that I will try this season.

I couldn’t really decipher the bucket pictures and how you were incorporating that.

And lastly... when I was much younger, I used to chew on pellet gun pellets while I was playing... still alive.. if requirements force me to go completely lead free, I’ll just stop selling. I don’t make enough to warrant all that expense. I use pex with plastic fittings and pvc, mostly, but there’s still plenty of brass. :)