DIY Magnehelic Gauge

[RiverRat]

Here's my first DIY gear from scratch. I bought a new Magnehelic guage on eBay for less than $20.00. I found some Aluminum stock in Home Depot and built the complete unit for maybe $40-$50.00 with estimated material costs. I'll post step by step instructions in a PDF file if anyone is interested. Whatdaya think?

 

[Charlie99]

Couldn't one make a useful equivalent to a Magnehelic with just a u-tube manometer (A fancy term for a bunch of water in a u-shaped section of tubing)?

It could be something as simple as a few feet of transparent plastic tubing stapled to a wooden board, with a ruler for measurement of inches of water differential.

Has anybody tried this super simplistic approach?

 

[Dectek]

Now that you popped his Balloon, Do you want to steal his Cotton Candy too?

Nice Job. It is well worth the time and expense if it is used enough or others are there watching your work. Some customers get a little put out if they see you use tools (instruments) that "Look" homemade.
On the otherhand...I am Cheap...Clear tubing is free from work...Already have food coloring in the Kitchen.... and I would only have need for one about once every two to three years. Had to use that method last year when converting a heater back to natural gas.

 

[Hoosier]

Here's my first DIY gear from scratch. I bought a new Magnehelic guage on eBay for less than $20.00. I found some Aluminum stock in Home Depot and built the complete unit for maybe $40-$50.00 with estimated material costs. I'll post step by step instructions in a PDF file if anyone is interested. Whatdaya think?

Is this just stand for the magnehelic gauge or something that I am missing?

What is the better point to use the AL instead of the wood?

You have already done the project that I am planning.

Please post the instruction... Thanks in advance,

Hoosier

 

[RiverRat]

Now that you popped his Balloon, Do you want to steal his Cotton Candy too?

Ouch.... LOL
Actually I thought about the clear tube model too. But the guage is nice to have. A new one from a tool supplier is about a $100.00 so I saved quite a bit.

Nice Job. It is well worth the time and expense if it is used enough or others are there watching your work. Some customers get a little put out if they see you use tools (instruments) that "Look" homemade.

Thanks. Not to worry, only for my personal use, at least right now.

 

[RiverRat]

Is this just stand for the magnehelic gauge or something that I am missing?

What is the better point to use the AL instead of the wood?

You have already done the project that I am planning.

Please post the instruction... Thanks in advance,

Hoosier

Yep "just" a stand.....Balloon #2 LOL. You could use wood I suppose for that "natural" look. Actually I just needed some better connectors as the included brass was not really the right size to fit the guage. I ended up finding some plastic "compression" type fittings in Home Depot. The clear tubing actually locks into the fitting (has an oring in it). While I was there I found the Aluminum stock and the next thing you know I'm building the stand. I'll post the PDF for ya as soon as I get a chance.

 

[Charlie99]

Now that you popped his Balloon, Do you want to steal his Cotton Candy too?

I was wondering if there was some problem with the simple u-tube manometer that I had overlooked, like pressure surges blasting food coloring and water all over the place.

 

[RiverRat]

I was wondering if there was some problem with the simple u-tube manometer that I had overlooked, like pressure surges blasting food coloring and water all over the place.

Could be.......you'll have to engineer some type of water trap. Maybe my stand idea isn't so bad after all

 

[dannobee]

I've used the u-tube manometers when doing cylinder head work. The factory ones have a fancy backboard with a cool looking graduated scale, but alas, they'd work the same as a clear plastic tube with colored water. They didn't have a water trap. Not needed when you think about how they work, although occasionally they would have been nice when the valve got slammed shut and the water got "vacuumed" out. For scuba, you wouldn't need one.

 

[captain]

The U tube manometer will never be off calibration if the water level is at the zero mark. A gauge can be.