HELP! I Need a Digital Manometer

I just bought and installed the Mark II, #25. However, due to my poor eyesight, I have to have someone else read it for me, i.e. wife, daughter, neighbor. I'm actually enjoying the challenge of learning how to run and take care of my Koker. Between the help from this forum and Coalen (forum member and quasi-neighbor), I'm almost to the point of feeling some independence, except for that manometer. (my wife still insists on calling it a man-o-meter) Realizing that a digital man-o-meter will likely be expensive, I'd still like to check into getting one. When I'm home by myself or when I'm stubbornly determined not to ask anyone to venture into the basement to read the meter, I take a pic with my digital camera and then blow it up on my computer. It's very time consuming as sometimes it takes a couple of trips to get a readable pic.

So.....the lowest priced digital manometer with as big of a readout as possible. My tubing is affixed to the Koker. Your suggestions are greatly appreciated.

t. mccann

Greg sent me this last night.

This is what you want:
**Broken Link(s) Removed** ... 286.c0.m14

Greg L.

Thanks for the info. However,the link is no longer valid or you left some needed info off. It came back "Page Not Responding"

Hi McKoker, that link is to an auction for the same Manometer you have installed...

I'd do a search for Dwyer Manometer... they have plenty of digital meters.. but I think they will be harder to read than the one you have..I can't read many digital readouts unless the light is just right.. the contrast is often very poor... and there are few LED digital meters anymore,, they consume too much power.

You may try this: put some strips of collored tape on the front of the meter marking a low point, say .04" and a high point, say .08" .. then you may be able to see the red fluid in the tube better. And anyone who is sent to the cellar to read the meter can just report that the fluid is between the markers..

There is really no need to be precise with the setting of the draft.. the barometric dampers are high-limiting devices.. they keep the draft from being too strong.. a slight difference in the setting, like from .05" to .07" is not going to make much if any difference in the way your stove burns..

But that doesn't stop ME from looking at my manometer every time I'm in the boiler building..

Hope this helps... Greg L

How about keeping a magnifying glass near your manometer?

Mount a closed circuit camera and have it displayed on your computer. The cost of a B/W camera is probably a lot less than a digital manometer.

Thanks for all of the suggestions...

My trouble reading the manometer has more to do with contrast than size. Although, magnifying the pic helps. But, I have to take the pic at just the right angle, etc. It's not easy to explain how I see (or don't see). If the oil were black or a darker red, blue.....anything, it might help. I thought about calling Dwyer to see what would happen if I put food coloring in the oil.

So, the Dwyer Mark III 475-FM (reading .000-1") has a terrible readout?

t.mccann

Don\'t obsess over the manometer it is not necessary to make any adjustment after the first setting . Learn the proper feel of the stove pipe temp instead as a way to monitor the stove . I bought a manometer used it once and it confirmed what I knew, there was a draft now it sits in the cellar on a shelf . Remember that some folks on the forum make Coal Heat a lifestyle rather than a choice of heating, it does not require constant fussing with and two thirds of your daily brain activity to work.

Move on to other chores like the leaves .

THIS IS THE ONE I HAVE BUT I AM AN HVAC CONTRATOR.
SEEMS EXPENSIVE FOR HOME OWNER.
http://uri.com/is-bin/INTERSHOP.enfinity/WFS/PrcT ... EdpuYCEAEE

lewis

Believe me, I don't want this to occupy any more of my time than necessary. However, I am trying to do all I can to simplify this. I'm not going to switch manometers unless I get a GREAT deal on a digital one. I'm not sinking $200+ into one. But when you have a significant loss of sight, there's a certain amount of paranoia that accompanies that loss, especially with something that is "burning in my basement". For instance, rather than set the adjustment rod on my DV draft, which requires using an allen wrench to loosen the rod and then set the height, measuring to keep track of the setting. (something CoaLen has to help me with) Instead, I'd like to install a rheostat and back the DV motor off. It's a little more upfront work and $$ but adds simplicity, something I can do on my own. (not to mention cutting back the noise on that whiny DV motor) I guess there's a fine line between peace of mind and obsessing, especially when you're way out of your element.

Now, put me in a recording studio with a piano......that's home turf.

t.mccann

Can you position a small spot light on the manometer at just the right angle and intensity so you can see the red fluid better??

Your Idea of checking with Dwyer about coloring the fluid is a good idea.

Best of luck. Greg L

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A manometer is used to properly adjust the barometric draft control. Once adjusted the barometric draft control seldom needs further adjustment. On a typical oil burner setup it is only checked once a year when the unit is cleaned. Granted, coal installations may benefit from additional checking but my experience is that setting the barometric damper is largely a set it and forget it operation.

So--do you really need a manometer that you can read every day???

Bob wrote:So--do you really need a manometer that you can read every day???

Some of us anal-retentive types just like to check it constantly. I even push the button on my CO detector every time I walk by it just to be sure it is reading "0" It doesn't go off until a reading of 30 is reached.

Check the spec's on any digital manometer you purchase. I recently picked up a digital manometer on Ebay for around $60. The price was reasonable and it measured to 20" water column. When I received it it worked but I could not get a reading on my flue and I noticed that it always read .5" Wg. Upon checking it out I found that the lowest it would measure was .5" so getting it to read.02-.04" was not possible. It is supposed to be for residential or light commercial use. I can't image what a residence would use it for other than a paper weight. I'll have to find what it would be good for and see if I can sell it to someone who can get a use for it.

What about one of those lenses they use for reading pages in a book? I think they only sell for a couple of bucks and you'll get to use it for reading your book too