Pressure Transducers vs. Pressure Transmitters

What are the differences between pressure transducers and pressure transmitters?

Many readers have likely heard the terms transducer and transmitter used interchangeably without much confusion. When searching the internet for either term, search engines provide nearly identical results. Are there any differences? The short answer is “yes”.  Continue reading “Pressure Transducers vs. Pressure Transmitters”

ESD and Surge Issues in Pumping, Pressure Boosting, and Irrigation Applications

Electrostatic discharge (ESD) is a unique phenomenon that can be seen in everyday life. The effects of ESD can be seen by rubbing a balloon on your head, resulting in your hair sticking to the balloon, or by touching a doorknob or a pet in a dry building and receiving a static shock.

In irrigation, well water pumping, and pressure boosting applications, ESD can cause larger issues than just a small shock to your finger. Because plastics used in PVC pipes are insulators, the moving water builds up static electric charges. Eventually, this static electric buildup will discharge through an ungrounded pathway (e.g. instrumentation or sensors used to control a pump). Continue reading “ESD and Surge Issues in Pumping, Pressure Boosting, and Irrigation Applications”

The Importance of Choosing An Accredited Calibration Laboratory

Picture this: You’re driving on the highway and push your car’s speed to the limit. Suddenly, a police officer pulls up behind you. Your heart races and stomach drops. You hold your breath as your eyes quickly dash to your car’s speedometer, double-checking your speed. Luckily, you aren’t going over the speed limit. Just as the butterflies in your stomach start to settle, red and blue lights start flashing behind you. You slow the car and come to a stop. The officer tells you that you were going far faster than you thought that you were. Turns out, your speedometer is out of calibration. Now, not only are you running late, but you also owe the state a couple hundred dollars.

If your speedometer isn’t calibrated properly, you risk fines, damage to your vehicle, and endangering those around you. You may face similar consequences if your instrumentation is not calibrated at a regularly established interval. You could be subject to disciplinary action from regulatory bodies, damage to your instrument or surrounding equipment, or even harming building occupants by using equipment that is out of specification. Continue reading “The Importance of Choosing An Accredited Calibration Laboratory”

Ask the Expert: Dwyer Applications Engineers

Dwyer strives to be the trusted leader in manufacturing innovative instrumentation solutions for the worldwide HVAC and process automation markets. Providing friendly, timely, and accurate technical service/support is just one way in which we accomplish this mission. It is a source of pride for the whole Dwyer team, and we’re happy to be able to assist our customers with their product application requirements. Continue reading “Ask the Expert: Dwyer Applications Engineers”

Static Pressure in HVAC Systems

In HVAC systems, there are many different parameters that are commonly measured for system performance or building comfort. Some of the most commonly measured HVAC system parameters are temperature, air velocity, humidity and static pressure. Of those parameters, static pressure is extremely important in terms of system performance. Static pressure indicates how hard the HVAC system has to work to move air through the building or how much resistance to flow exists. The higher the static pressure, the harder the system has to work to move air through the building. Continue reading “Static Pressure in HVAC Systems”