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Yea, looks good and cheap. I might find and old magnehelic gauge around work, but your set up looks like a great way to go. So, you just seal up the mouthpiece and suck on the tube, or use the mouthpiece. I suppose it would work either way!One simple but effective test item you can build for little of nothing is a U tube manometer. It's a simple U tube of water (1/4 in plastic) with a ruler attached. Cracking pressure is rated in "inches of water" and that is the scale a water filled manometer displays (or mm of water if you prefer). You can read both cracking pressure and exhaust pressure. It's not as cool as a magnehelic gauge but it's simple and effective. Total cost of this one was less than $10. All parts were purchased at Kmart or Lowes except for the used mouth piece. The can of spray paint was the most expensive item and I have enough clamps and tubing left over for a couple more. The mouth piece is shown connected to an old US Divers second stage.
While your at the hardware store you can also pick up parts for a $15 IP test gauge. The hose is an old LP hose. This one includes an overpressure valve rated at 150 psi. A really good addition but a little nerve wracking when it opens up the first time.
Yes, I agree it must have great resolution.I have a similar set up. The magnahelic gauges are nice, but the DIY manometer is extremely accurate as it is measuring actual inches of water and does not need to be calibrated like a magnehelic gauge.
I'm trying to avoid they bucket 'o' water technique, but thanks for the suggestion.At a minimum, I would start with an IP gauge and a bucket of water. The IP gauge will tell you a lot about the reg and the bucket of water can be used to set the cracking pressure. It won't be as accurate as a manometer but it will work.
If you want to go the extra $10, then herman's mano-mano-meter is a pretty slick setup.