Sight Glasses

The Installation of a sight glass is a way to check flow in a tube/pipe etc. It allows you to see if the fluid is moving as expected. It can assist in identifying system inconsistencies such as faulty valves, blocked strainers, faulty steam traps and other faulty plant items. Sight glasses are usually available in a number of materials, connections and sizes for use in many applications. Some sight glasses are fitted with just plain clear glass and some may have visual indicators inside to make it easier to identify flow and direction.

Usually provided with tough hardened glass to resist thermal shock etc, sight glasses allow you to see inside your system/pipework etc providing a quick and easy visual inspection of your system. They help you assess correct flow directions. You can identify a change in the normal flow, which may be the result of a blocked flow situation, or in the case of steam traps, can help to identify live steam leakage. You can also use them to Inspect the colour of a product in a process. Sight Glasses fitted with flaps or balls for movement indication of the flow status, give superior visibility.

This really depends upon the environment and the quality of the media that the Sight Glass operates in. Correct selection is important as sight glasses are designed to operate within specific ranges. Depending on the requirement, a correctly selected Sight Glass should perform for many years. Operational inspection should be carried out on a regular basis depending on the operating conditions, at least twice a year.

In general, Sight Glasses are installed in pipelines transporting fluids, gas etc. They are usually supplied with screwed connections or can be flanged. Emphasis on securely sealing all joints is mandatory. They can normally be installed in any position, vertical or horizontal. As they obviously require the ability to be visually inspected, they should always be located in areas of easy access for viewing. The glass in any sight glass can become dirty on the outside and possibly discolored on the inside. While most sight glasses are designed and manufactured with durability and reliability in mind, if installed in harsh environments or with poor installation practices sight glasses can become a weak point within the system. It can break due to thermal shock, chemical attack, over-pressurisation and or erosion, fair wear and tear will eventually cause a sight glass to fail in some fashion. Installation in food preparation areas, ceiling spaces and in clean sterile areas should be avoided or at least should always be considered with potential leak or breakage in mind. In every case easy access for repair and maintenance is paramount. Installation, Inspection, maintenance, repairs, disassembly, adjustment should be carried out only by competent/trained personnel.

They can play an important role in identifying process equipment faults, which can seriously impact production. Equally they can provide confidence that all is operating as expected. Most commonly they are used to Inspect the operating status of equipment by viewing the flow of water, hot water, compressed air, steam/condensate, etc. Anywhere that a visual indication of what is happening inside the system is needed. Also widely used as a basic operational check of steam traps.

This depends upon where you are based and the freight method chosen. If the express freight option is selected it is usually next day delivery to metropolitan areas in Australia for under 5kg. If free freight has been selected it will go by road freight which can be anywhere from 2 to 10 days depending upon your location. It usually averages 3 days.

All of our products come standard with a 12 month warranty. The good news is we have very strict quality controls and all sight glasses leave our warehouse factory tested and inspected so there are rarely any issues.