Babbitt Liquid Level Gauge - Manual (Page 12)

TROUBLESHOOTING BABBITT LEVEL GAGES
Babbitt gages are a relatively simple to install and use. The following troubleshooting tips may be
of help during installation and startup but reading the entire manual helps even more.
1. “Float magnetically de-couples from red indicator “bird”.
(Note: if bird is de-coupled, it will fall behind nameplate and will not be visible.)
If this is a recurring problem, it could be caused by several things, most of them resulting
from improper installation of the gage.
a. Check to make sure that scale and channel assemble are tight against the gage chamber
the entire length of the scale so that magnetic coupling is maintained from top to bottom of
the indicator tube. Sometimes, especially with longer gages over 5-6 feet, the glass will bow
out slightly and the float will lose coupling with the bird at some point. Stainless steel tie-wires
are supplied with gages over 5 feet long to keep the glass from bowing out. Make sure these
tie-wires are in place, tightened and secure.
b. Check to make sure the float inside the chamber is right side up. If the float has been placed
in the chamber upside down, it has only half normal magnetic strength and will de-couple from
the indicator bird. All floats are clearly marked “TOP”.
c. If float-stop springs or plates mounted in the top and bottom of the gage chamber have been
removed, the float will continue to rise past the top of the indicator tube and will lose coupling
with the bird at that point.
d. Sudden violent surges of process fluid could cause de-coupling. If this is a common problem,
de-coupling may be minimized by partially closing the process connection valves (or retrofit
gage with flipper/roller option).
e. If the center-to-center dimension has been miscalculated and the gage is slightly too long, don
not force it into place as this may cause the chamber to bow slightly and the float will not be
able to pass freely through the entire length of chamber. This will also cause de-coupling.
If none of the above tips applies to your de-coupling problem, contact Babbitt for more information
or for replacement floats and/or indicators. Also note that magnets exposed to extreme
temperatures (over 1100°) will lose their magnetic properties. Other problems that could damage
float causing de-coupling problems include over pressurization, solids or large particulate lodged in
the chambers or even dropping the float.
2. “Babbitt gage’s level differs from true level in the tank.”
This is a fairly common problem during start-up and is easily corrected. Under normal
conditions, most floats are about 70% submerged in the process fluids (magnets are in upper
portion of the float). It is important to note that the position of the float in the fluid will vary
with different process conditions. To get a true reading, simply loosen the pipe clamps that
mount the indicator scale and tube and adjust the scale up or down the chamber as required
to get exact reading (within ½ inch).