When selecting a part number for a pressure transmitter you will need to choose a pressure range. Usually a manufacturer will designate pressure ranges in the most common unit used by it’s customers.
For the USA the most common unit is psi and for Europe it is bar, but what if you are working with other units such as kPa or inHg, is it possible to use a pressure transmitter scaled in bar or psi for other types of unit?
All pressure units are linearly proportional to each other, so if the pressure range is doubled it will also be doubled in whatever units are chosen for conversion.
Featured pressure transmitter products
A pressure transmitter has an electrical output measured in milliamps typically over a range of 4 to 20mA. If the range is 0 to 100 bar, the output will be 4mA at 0 bar and 20mA at 100 bar. Since pressure is read in milliamps it can be converted into any unit using the appropriate bar conversion factor. So a 100 bar pressure transmitter could also be used as a 0-1450 psi, 0-2950 inHg or 0-1020 mH20 as well.
In summary the type of pressure unit specified on a pressure transmitter marking label or data sheet is for reference purposes only and does not restrict it’s use with other engineerings units as long as the correct conversion factor is applied.
Featured pressure transmitter products
Related Technical Terms
- at – Technical Atmosphere Pressure Unit
- atm – Standard Atmosphere Pressure Unit
- cmH2O – Centimetres of Water Column at 4 deg C Pressure Unit
- cmHg – Centimetres of Mercury at 0 deg C Pressure Unit
- daPa – Dekapascal Pressure Unit
- dyn/cm² – Dyne per Square Centimetre Pressure Unit
- ftH2O – Feet of Water Column at 4 deg C Pressure Unit
- g/cm² – Grams per Square Centimetre Pressure Unit
- hPa – Hectopascal Pressure Unit
- inH2O – Inches of Water Column at 4 deg C Pressure Unit
- inHg – Inches of Mercury at 0 degrees C Pressure Unit
- kg/cm² – Kilogram per Square Centimetre Pressure Unit
- kg/mm² – Kilogram per Square Millimetre Pressure Unit
- kPa – Kilopascal Pressure Unit
- ksi – Kilopounds per Square Inch Pressure Unit
- mbar – Millibar Pressure Unit
- mH2O – Metres of Water Gauge at 4 deg C Pressure Unit
- mmH2O – Millimetres of Water Column at 4 deg C Pressure Unit
- mmHg – Millimetres of Mercury at 0 deg C Pressure Unit
- MPa – Megapascal Pressure Unit
- mPa – Millipascal Pressure Unit
- mTorr – Millitorr Pressure Unit
- N/cm² – Newton per Square Centimetre Pressure Unit
- N/m2 – Newton per Square Metre Pressure Unit
- N/mm² – Newton per Square Millimetre Pressure Unit
- oz/in² – Ounce per Square Inch Pressure Unit
- Pa – Pascal Pressure Unit
- psf – Pounds per Square Foot Pressure Unit
- psi – Pounds per Square Inch Pressure Unit
- Torr Pressure Unit
- tsf – Tons per Square Foot (USA, Short) Pressure Unit
- tsi – Tons per Square Inch (UK, Long) Pressure Unit
- tsi – Tons per Square Inch (USA, Short) Pressure Unit
- µHg – Micron of Mercury at 0 deg C Pressure Unit