stupid pressure-canner Q: what brands are weighted gauge vs dial?

[patandchickens]

I am oozing slowly closer to actually buying a pressure canner, mostly so I could put up quarts of soup and stew and such.

I do not want to rely on the accuracy of a dial, as I do not think it is feasible to have it tested yearly around here as is recommended.

So, I want a weighted-gauge canner.

I am having a whole big lot of trouble figuring out which brands are made that way (with the additional complication that it sounds like maybe some brands can be converted by buying an additional widgie from the mfr). Some of the things that some people refer to as having a weighted gauge, have what looks to me like a dial on them, is that an actual pressure gauge or something else or am I just totally confused here or what?

So could somebody please tell me what brands I want to be looking at, to get a weighted gauge model?

Thank you and pardon my stupidity here,

Pat

 

[SKR8PN]

You would be a lot better off WITH a gauge model. The weighted guage models can not take into account barometric pressure or altitude. I bought spare guages for BOTH of our pressure canners, and simply switch them out every year and send the ones I take off back to Presto for calibration. That way my guages are always accurate and I have backups just in case.........

 

[sylvie]

I have a Mirromatic made by Mirro. Found it at a yard sale for $10 and it has performed great for 20 years. Tru Value still carries the gaskets. Try a hardware store.

ETA it is a weighted gauge model and just as accurate as can be.

This is what my weight looks like:
http://www.cookingandcanning.net/m031235.html

it is called a pressure regulator.

 

[patandchickens]

You would be a lot better off WITH a gauge model. The weighted guage models can not take into account barometric pressure or altitude.

I'm below 1000 ft above sea level, and likely to never live higher than that level for the forseeable rest of my life, so adjusting for altitude is not an issue at all.

Does barometric pressure make so much of a difference that you need to adjust for it on a regular basis? If it does, tell me NOW before I buy something...

Pat

 

[SKR8PN]

Altitude is a lot more important than barometric pressure changes. I still prefer a dial guage so that I KNOW what pressures I am cooking with, and can adjust if I want/need to. The chance of a guage going out of calibration that badly, or failing altogether, are slim to none. I have a set of guages/regulators on my torch set that are over 30 years old, and still as good as the day I bought them. Those torches have to regulate and mix oxygen(2000lbs psi) and acetylene(200lbs psi) which combined has a LOT more explosive power than a pressure cooker.
The ONLY reason I have spare guages for the pressure cooker, is to appease "The Wife"

 

[freemotion]

Good man.

 

[Tinychicken]

Hi Pat,

Someone on one of the canning forums I frequent recommended this for my 23 quart Presto canner.

http://www.cookingandcanning.net/pr50prcaprre.html

I contacted Presto directly and the lady said it would fit my model. However, she also told me that if I live at an elevation where 15 pounds of pressure is necessary (and I do), then I could use the pressure regulator on the canner as a weighted gauge.

I don't know if this gauge fits other makes and models.

My elevation is 1050 feet and canning with 15 pounds of pressure will result in overprocessing, so I will likely continue to use the dial. But it's nice to know in a pinch, I have a weighted gauge as a backup.

 

[SKR8PN]

THAT is a cool thing to know Tinychicken! I may just get one of those to help as a backup to my dial AND to help with regulating the pressure. Thanks for posting it!!