There is a loose convention across manufacturers for designating the type of reference that a pressure sensing device has, which can be confusing if you are unfamiliar with specifying this often overlooked but critical specification parameter.
To help identify the reference of a particular pressure range found on a product label or technical data sheet a list of abbreviated suffixes is provided below.
Vented Gauge Reference Pressure Range
Measuring pressure with reference to atmospheric pressure, also referred to as Relative and Vented Gauge:
- g
- G
- rel
- REL
- vg
- VG
Featured vented gauge reference related products
Retrofitting ship bubbler tank gauging system with 22mm submersible level probe - A narrow 22mm diameter submersible level transmitter was used to replace an old bubbler system on a ship, providing an easy retrofit solution for fuel tanks without mechanical changes.
KL1 Cable Junction Box for Submersible Level Transmitters - Robust cable junction box for terminating vented electrical cable from a submersible level transmitter. vented to the outside air pressure.
Sealed Gauge Reference Pressure Range
Not vented to atmospheric pressure, but instead the reference is fixed to 1 bar.
- sg
- SG
Featured sealed gauge reference related products
1000 psi USB connection pressure transducer for PC data acquisition - Pressure transducer with USB connection and PC software for data acquisition of pressures from 0 to 1000 psi gauge.
Logger for verifying water supply pressure over 7 days - The P-Triton-P is specifically designed for monitoring water supply pressures and storing readings for long term tests.
Absolute Reference Pressure Range
Referenced to absolute zero pressure or a perfect vacuum
- a
- A
- abs
- ABS
Featured absolute reference related products
Heating appliance chimney draft and barometric pressure testing using differential and absolute sensors - Very low, bi-directional chimney draft pressure and barometric pressure sensor for testing preformance of wood stoves in a research environment.
60 psi / 4 bar Low Pressure Calibration Pump – ADT912 - Set precise calibration air pressures from 95% vacuum up to 4 bar / 60 psi.
Differential Pressure Range
The difference in pressure at point B compared to the pressure at point A.
- d
- D
- diff
- DIFF
- dp
- DP
Featured differential pressure related products
10 kPa orifice plate differential pressure transmitter for water flow measurement - Pressure sensor for measuring the differential pressure generated by water flowing through an orifice plate in a pipe, and converting the output to a water flow measurement. 
Measuring HVAC plenum and sub-floor air pressure in data centers - Monitoring the critical air pressure gradients in data center sub-floors, server rooms, and ceiling plenums. Low range differential pressure transmitter provides stable gauge pressure readings for optimizing HVAC and cooling efficiency.
On product marking labels or any document that includes a description of the pressure range, the reference type is included after the pressure unit type e.g. 15 psi abs or 15 psia.
Related Help Guides
- Measuring vacuum with negative gauge or absolute ranges
- What is the difference between gauge and absolute pressure measurement
- Not reading zero when pressure is vented to atmosphere
- What does negative and positive gauge pressure mean
- Measuring negative pressure using a positive differential pressure range
- What is the difference between sealed gauge and vented gauge reference?
- Can you measure vacuum using a gauge pressure range
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- How do you choose the correct pressure range for a pressure sensor
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- Using an Absolute Sensor to Measure Gauge Reference Pressure
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Related Technical Terms
- Gauge Reference Pressure
- MSL – Mean Sea Level
- Negative Gauge Pressure
- Reference Pressure
- SG – Sealed Gauge
- Vented Cable
- Vented Gauge
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