Homemade Manometer (Vacuum Gauge) - Testing the Suction of a Dust Collector

This homemade manometer (pressure gauge) is made with 3/8 (ID) clear tube, a threaded tube adapter and a few scraps of 5/8 MDF. I used green coloured water to make it easier to see where the level is.
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[@robertnicholson7733]

I used to use these all the time for player pianos (Pianola is a trade name ) and more complicated automated musical instruments. You can use them for testing vacuum cleaners as well but aim for up to 60 inches of water. Obviously, they can also be used for pressure. HOWEVER, it is ALWAYS advisable to ADD "catcher" BOTTLES at both ends of the manometer, otherwise it is possible to fill your machine or whatever with coloured water or end up with coloured water over the floor (carpet! - danger, danger). The catcher bottles are just screw top jars with two nipples on top and capacity much greater than the total amount of liquid in manometer. Also, the above is a way of turning a dry vacuum cleaner into a wet vacuum cleaner in an emergency - beware excessive fine water droplets - smoke test!

[@SawDustMakerRJM]

Use to use with one of these back a few years ago. Simple and well built! Thanks for sharing.

[@benjaminjustice2438]

Instablaster

[@YuraKvadrat132]

Simple and ingenious. You are as always on top.

[@michaelskube8061]

I just made one and it saved me time and money having to buy one, worked great

[@ManCrafting]

That will do the job. Thanks.

[@kdlittlehawk]

vaccuum hose on a board. just use metal/cipper U- brackets to hold the hose in place.

[@smartypie686]

Nice

[@mactriz5411]

Nice job ;-)

[@raminasser1486]

I'm trying to make one of these to test the vacuum pressure on my intake manifold. Is there any air loss in your system? Because if not, wouldn't the fluid in the manometer be completely sucked out?

[@DIYBuilds]

No. Something with more suction like a vacuum would suck it out at this low a level of water though.

[@TheJedc43]

So is your suction good.?How do you read it?

[@davidmendoza6774]

You measure the height differential, in your preferred lineal unit

[@GSK9B1T3]

Excuse my ignorance but how is this device read? Is it a certain x per cm? Thanks

[@DIYBuilds]

+Chandler Nuttal im not totally sure. Im just going to be comparing the results between new and old upgrades in my next video to see performance up or down%

[@T70781]

27.71 inches of water (difference between one side of the water column and the other) = 1 psi differential. This is an inexpensive way to measure sub-psi pressure differentials. The diameter of the tube does not matter at all. Any fresh (non-salt) water will do. Some manometers use oil which has a lower density but doesnt evaporate as quickly. Oil manometers have more than 30" difference per psi differential. Your dust collector should pull close to 14" water. You might have some leaks since it looks like you were only getting around 6" there. Test at the inlet to your DC to get a baseline to see if you have leaks upstream.

[@DIYBuilds]

+Tony Shulthise good info thanks. How do you figure it should get 14" though?

[@T70781]

DIY Builds most dust collectors pull around 14" of water (0.5 psi) static. Some more, some less. Unless there are leaks, when you attach the manometer to any covered port you should get the same pressure differentials as you get at the inlet to your DC. You have to measure at the sealed off inlet to your DC to get a baseline static pressure (no flow) then measure at various points in your system to see what the max static pressures are. Anywhere you measure less static pressure than you measured at the sealed inlet to your DC indicates a leak somewhere downstream. I tested a friend's system and found that he was only getting 60% of the DC static pressure at the end of his system. We shimmed his blast gates to reduce leaks and got that close to 100%.

[@Mike--K]

The rule for open ended manometers is to measure the total distance between the water levels on both sides. In this case, the total was about 12 inches of water.

[@Alan_Edwards]

Would have been a lot better with some narration.

[@DIYBuilds]

Agreed

[@bertosalaec]

This is not home made! Lol

[@DIYBuilds]

It was made at my house?