PTS Flowbench Forum

I've been wanting to build a PTS bench for a while and when my wife asked what I wanted for my birthday I said flowbench plans.

I am now seeing that it looks like the PTS is only a digital deal with motor controller. I was wanting a mechanical bench and was wondering if the PTS can be successfully modified for manual control ? Also wondering if it can be built strong enough for 40" depression ?

Thanks,
Marty

gowest
I am now seeing that it looks like the PTS is only a digital deal with motor controller.

That is simply not true Sir
The PTS flow bench design will work with U tube manometer & incline manometer that you can build or buy
the design is strong .

Hello Marty ..
The PTS bench was originally analog and mechanical controls, but to this day even better is digital.

Something in the old forum about the beginning of everything ..


http://www.tractorsport.com/forum/

The PTS bench can be built many ways but it was never configure to work with the old style pudding bowl mechanical air flow control.

The PTS bench can be built with water monometers and there is allot of support here for those too. As for motor controls it is the cheapest easiest and quietest way to operate a bench. The motor control does not have to be fancy it can be as simple as using a $20 router speed controller, which you will not by two pudding bowls, all thread, rubber gaskets, crank handles, nuts, etc. to operate the bench with for 20 bucks. Let alone deal with leaks and noise.

This design if you are frugal enough can be built cheep, dumpster vacuum motors, vinyl tubing etc. but can be calibrated to be dead nuts accurate and repeatable.

I think you should read more of the old forum, then move to the new one before you order plans. Make sure you know what you are getting into.

Rick

I have done alot of reading on this and the old forum and that is why I started thinking the PTS setup was electronicly based. I did realize router controls or equivalent could be used along with water manometers. It is the automatic depression control that I was thinking must get its signal from the Digital Manometer in order to set depression. Maybe I assumed wrong.

Actually I like what I've seen of the videos Bruce has of his system working. It does run costs up but I think the main thing is electronic/electric things and I don't get along very well. If a momometer breaks or if I screw up and shoot all the fluid out I can see that real quick but if an electronic device is telling lies or breaks I have no clue how to fix it. All these things have to be calibrated and then hooked up to yet another computer to tell us what it means. Also what is the life expectancy of these electronic devices and how well do they hold tolerance ? Sooooo............. now it's up to you all to convince me that is what I need and could possibly even get it to work !

I would like to be able to test at 40" without fear of disaster so suggestions for upgrades in this area would be appreciated.


Thanks,
Marty

gowest wrote: It is the automatic depression control that I was thinking must get its signal from the Digital Manometer in order to set depression. Maybe I assumed wrong.

The automatic depression control can be used all by itself, there are no connectiions between it and the digital manometer.
It would work perfectly well on a bench that uses water manometers.

All these things have to be calibrated and then hooked up to yet another computer to tell us what it means. Also what is the life expectancy of these electronic devices and how well do they hold tolerance ? Sooooo............. now it's up to you all to convince me that is what I need and could possibly even get it to work !

I believe there are now something like 200 of these PTS electronic flow benches in use all around the world, and they have proven to be very reliable, and hold tolerance really well in some pretty extreme climates.

All the Forum members here that have built electronic benches seem to be very happy with the final results, just reading through some of the old threads here should convince you of that.
There is plenty of help and assistance available right here on the Forum to sort out any questions you may have (or problems) and Bruce is always very quick to respond.

Calibration is just a matter of initially checking digital readout test pressure against a water manometer, and checking flow numbers against one of Bruce's calibration plates.
Its not difficult, and Forum members can guide you through the whole process.

The basic PTS Design is not setup for 40" you would have to modify it to suit your needs.

I do sell a 100" digital manometer (DM) and some have built flowbenches to go to higher depressions.

You crap-out a DM you will find I am very fair in getting it working right again. I have had guys over pressure them and send them back, I fix what's wrong and get it back ASAP.

As Tony said there are +200 digital products out in the field and many more running water gauges, most who go water usually end up going digital after they make some money doing heads for others.

I do not try and convince anyone to buy my products, I do not like spending someone else's money so you have to make the call on what suits you. I can guide you to find that "happy flowbench place" though