Tire P gauges

I'm using the pen type that are pushed concentrically onto the valve stem to prevent leakage, and when engaged in this manner the air pressure in the tire flows into the tire gauge.

The air pressure pushes a plastic graduated column out of the gauge body, and it stops pushing the column when maximum available pressure is attained.

Once this part of the process is complete, I inspect the graduated column, which is marked in divisions of one PSI minor in black and five PSI major in red. The red major divisions are further defined by the engraving of a number in the column next to each five PSI mark.

The numbers are scaled in multiples of five, e.g. 5, 10, 15, 20, etc. up to 50 PSI. The graduated column exits the gauge body opposite the end with the valve stem fitting, and that exit point is considered the identifier or pointer for the graduated column.

Reading the nearest multiple of 5 PSI red number to the gauge body exit plus adding any visible black hash marks indicating one PSI increments to the red 5 PSI multiple increments gives me the total air pressure the tire is holding.

For example, if I see a red 20 and 3 black hash marks on the column nearest its exit point from the gauge body, the tire is inflated to 23 PSI.

This type of gauge is easy to use, and the familiar analog function gives the user confidence the measurement provided by the gauge is accurate.
 
I use a calibrated eyeball that precisely measures tire deflection under load for given air pressure, taking into account aircraft loading, ambient temperature, tire tread wall construction, and tire temperature /heatsink.
 
I use the pen type or a digital gauge. I check one against the other periodically to see if they come up with the same reading.
 
If it ain’t sitting on the rims, it’s ready to fly. You guys are making it waaaay to complicated. Mark I, Mod O eyeball works every time.
 
I have a cheap dial gauge. I check it against ones I regard to be accurate. The Harbor Freight one in the tire inflator gizmo on my air compressor is way off.
 
Pen/pencil type. Cheap, takes up less space in pocket or tool box and has a deflator feature in case of overfilling.
 
Kick the tires and light the fires...
 
Unit74 said:
If it ain’t sitting on the rims, it’s ready to fly. You guys are making it waaaay to complicated. Mark I, Mod O eyeball works every time.
Click to expand...
When radial tires were first a "thing", many with that exact thought process inflated them to 80 PSI or so, to get that bulge out of the sidewall.
 
My tires are squares, do I need a different gaugeo_O
 
I am having continuous failures of the cheap pen types.
Wondering about longevity and accuracy of the digital ones.

Links to ones you have purchased which you are happy with are welcome.
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
I am having continuous failures of the cheap pen types.
Wondering about longevity and accuracy of the digital ones.

Links to ones you have purchased which you are happy with are welcome.
Click to expand...

Go to the Summit Racing website. They have a wide selection of analog and digital gauges.
 
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