Published on November 11th, 2017 | by Sunit Nandi

Knowing what to look for when choosing the right pressure sensor

Picking the right pressure transducer is something that needs to be done right the first time around. While in other situations you get the opportunity to circle back and retrace your steps to point where the project started to collapse, something like getting the best level sensor for liquids doesn’t really work that way. Now, whatever type of project you might be working on, it can be fairly easy to forget about key elements or essential steps for a variety of reasons. Maybe passion overclouded your judgment or maybe you just got lost in the plethora of elements coming at you from all directions. Here, we will give you some indications as to what to look for when choosing a pressure transducer.

Consider the range

Range determines which is the highest value that the pressure sensor can record, and it’s something that needs to be on your mind while considering options for a pressure sensor. You have to make sure that you are selecting a sensor that can keep up with the pressure requirements of your project from start to finish.

Get the right type

Another important factor is to get a sensor that will record the type of pressure you are interested in measuring. If you want to use atmospheric pressure as the guideline, you need to invest in vented pressure. There are also sealed pressure sensors which differ through the fact that it measures everything in regards to a sealed reference point.

Selecting the output

Your pressure sensor output will provide convenience and functionality, depending on how it is paired with your controller. What kind of controller unit does your project require? Will the sensor be a standalone device? Base your choice of sensor output based on how you answer these questions.

Make it fit in your pressure port

It can be very frustrating when you have a pressure sensor that is not compatible with your designated pressure port. In order to avoid such an inconvenience, make sure that the one you pick out will fit in the actual pressure port it is needed for.

Buy based on your environment

Where you will end up using your sensor matters. Indoor and outdoor conditions are not the same, and the differentiations between the two will play a big role in how impactful or useful your sensor will also end up being. Depending on what kind of environment you will be using the sensor in, choose one that can handle those conditions.

Keep brand and quality in mind

No matter how hard you try to make the different pieces of the puzzle match, you will eventually run into technical issues. Getting a high quality brand that pertains to the catalogue of a company with excellent tech support will help you get the problem solved as soon as possible and reduce downtime.

Tags: choosing, pressure, sensor

About the Author

Sunit Nandi I'm the leader of Techno FAQ. Also an engineering college student with immense interest in science and technology. Other interests include literature, coin collecting, gardening and photography. Always wish to live life like there's no tomorrow.