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IamYou
heretic

Registered: 10/11/11
Posts: 704
Last seen: 7 years, 4 months
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Thoughts on increasing PC pressure?
#21715028 - 05/23/15 05:54 PM (8 years, 8 months ago) |
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Was reading a little out of "TMC" the other day and something in there got me wondering... Any tangible benefits of increasing the PC process from 15psi to 18psi?
My 12 quart (7 quart jars) PC has a 5, 10, and a 15psi setting via the little "toggle weight" that comes apart into three pieces. Turns out each part of the weight weighs 22.2 - 22.4 grams. The whole thing (15psi setting) weighs 66.8g.
Ive thought about adding an extra 12 grams to the little pressure control weight (symmetrically, of course) to end up with 18psi. 12 extra grams would actually put me at just under 18psi assuming the weight/vent tube hole are calibrated accurately from the factory...
Im fairly confident that the PC itself can handle ~18psi, structurally speaking, but not sure about the safety valve/gasket blow-out window. I seem to have a very vague memory of reading some of the overpressure valves are set to pop around 21-22psi... Its very possible that i am wrong about that point tho..
Anybody know around how much pressure the safety valve and more specifically the gasket blow-out window can handle on average?
Im sure it depends on brand, valve and gasket condition, and maybe altitude..?
More importantly, is there any real benefits to being able to PC @ 18psi?
-------------------- “Life lived in the absence of the psychedelic experience is life trivialized, life denied, life enslaved to the ego.” - You Remember, be here now...
Edited by IamYou (05/23/15 06:20 PM)
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RyeJar
StrangerDanger


Registered: 04/16/15
Posts: 523
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Re: Thoughts on increasing PC pressure? [Re: IamYou]
#21715225 - 05/23/15 07:00 PM (8 years, 8 months ago) |
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I doubt there are many benefits from going to 18 psi. Plus modifications on a dangerous piece of equipment sounds no bueno. I'd just increase your cook times. I have been doing 110 minutes instead of my usual 90
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IamYou
heretic

Registered: 10/11/11
Posts: 704
Last seen: 7 years, 4 months
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Re: Thoughts on increasing PC pressure? [Re: RyeJar]
#21715352 - 05/23/15 07:38 PM (8 years, 8 months ago) |
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dont AA PC'ers go up to 18?
-------------------- “Life lived in the absence of the psychedelic experience is life trivialized, life denied, life enslaved to the ego.” - You Remember, be here now...
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mogul
Science Seeker



Registered: 09/04/14
Posts: 97
Loc: state of legal bliss USA
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Re: Thoughts on increasing PC pressure? [Re: IamYou]
#21715588 - 05/23/15 08:42 PM (8 years, 8 months ago) |
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I tape a quarter to the top and it gives me 16psi....can't remember where I read about it but I've been doing it this way ever since. Added benefits? I don't know....guess it's just for peace of mind.
-------------------- The Universe has a much greater imagination than we do, which is why the real story of the universe is far more interesting than any of the fairy tales we have invented to describe it. -Lawrence Krauss Whenever you're feeling stupid....just remember....there's still people out there who think the earth is 6000 years old and man rode dinosaurs. How long did dinosaurs roam? The time gap between stegosaurus and t-rex is longer than the time gap between t-rex and man. If geologic time was compressed into a year....man would be born on December 31st at 11:00 pm.
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Buck513

Registered: 04/17/14
Posts: 5,682
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Re: Thoughts on increasing PC pressure? [Re: mogul]
#21715646 - 05/23/15 08:58 PM (8 years, 8 months ago) |
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I think it would just be a waste of time man.
-------------------- Fail to plan and you plan to fail. Enter the Ban Lottery
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NumeroEno
I come from the land of lizards



Registered: 07/24/14
Posts: 9,652
Loc: Gamehendge
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Re: Thoughts on increasing PC pressure? [Re: Buck513]
#21715823 - 05/23/15 10:01 PM (8 years, 8 months ago) |
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The only reason I siliconed some quarters to my PC weight was so it could maintain 15psi without making a lot of noise.
--------------------
Let it grow! Let it grow! Greatly yield! What shall we say, shall we call it by a name As well to count the angels dancing on a pin Water bright as the sky from which it came And the name is on the earth that takes it in DOG FOOD AGAR MY ELECTRIC INOCULATION LOOP
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Milk Man
Here to Fuck Your Wife

Registered: 05/15/15
Posts: 93
Last seen: 8 years, 8 months
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Re: Thoughts on increasing PC pressure? [Re: NumeroEno]
#21715954 - 05/23/15 10:55 PM (8 years, 8 months ago) |
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Quote:
NumeroEno said: The only reason I siliconed some quarters to my PC weight was so it could maintain 15psi without making a lot of noise.
and running out of water will never be a problem with the added weight
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UncleFester
Lord Moldy-Butt



Registered: 09/23/14
Posts: 460
Loc: Where The Sun Don't Shine...
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Re: Thoughts on increasing PC pressure? [Re: mogul]
#21716087 - 05/24/15 12:04 AM (8 years, 8 months ago) |
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Quote:
mogul said: I tape a quarter to the top and it gives me 16psi....can't remember where I read about it but I've been doing it this way ever since. Added benefits? I don't know....guess it's just for peace of mind.
For me when I would do this it would reach 18psi if I didn't turn down the heat to the 4th setting, which I don't recommend doing because you need heat to sterilize. Forget the quarter on the 15psi regulator and just cook it at 15psi for 90 to 120min or more depending on how much you're sterilizing. And I'm not too sure but I think that the quarter might have actually helped warp my pc and now I'm running on a presto 23quart
--------------------
Looking for Penis Envy & Psilocybe Cubensis Cuba spores.
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blackout


Registered: 07/16/00
Posts: 5,266
Last seen: 2 months, 25 days
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Re: Thoughts on increasing PC pressure? [Re: IamYou]
#21716689 - 05/24/15 06:53 AM (8 years, 8 months ago) |
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Quote:
IamYou said:
Im sure it depends on brand, valve and gasket condition,
It will. I run mine at higher pressures. The manual said the max usable pressure, it was something like 29psi. The lid has a section cut out which allows the gasket to vent if the pressure is too high. This seems is not an accurate pressure relief system. It can blow out at 25psi or be fine up to 30psi.
I run mine at about 20-24psi at the start and will drop it back down to 15-18psi. My reason to go high at the start is to get it up to temperature in the core faster.
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Masticore
Perpetually Curious



Registered: 12/16/09
Posts: 1,159
Last seen: 6 years, 9 months
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Re: Thoughts on increasing PC pressure? [Re: IamYou]
#21716752 - 05/24/15 07:40 AM (8 years, 8 months ago) |
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Quote:
IamYou said: dont AA PC'ers go up to 18?
Not mine. It's got a rocker with 5, 10, and 15.
-------------------- Treat my posts like the Bible. I am fallible, subject to human limitation, and usually open to interpretation.
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Juiceh
Dabbing All Day



Registered: 09/25/12
Posts: 3,208
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Re: Thoughts on increasing PC pressure? [Re: blackout]
#21717061 - 05/24/15 10:37 AM (8 years, 8 months ago) |
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I run my AAs at 20psi with some extra weight strapped symmetrically to the rocker weight. I believe AA pcs are tested at the factory in excess of 200psi, so 20psi is no challenge for them. I believe the AA blow out plug pops around 28-30psi, not 100% on that. Benefits of running higher pressure? You can reduce sterilization time, or keep running for the same amount of time you would have at 15psi and have the piece of mind that you have a more thorough sterilization cycle. I run the same cook time with higher pressure.
Quote:
UncleFester said: I tape a quarter to the top and it gives me 16psi... And I'm not too sure but I think that the quarter might have actually helped warp my pc and now I'm running on a presto 23quart
What brand of cooker was this that warped? Did it run dry when it warped??
Quote:
blackout said: I run mine at about 20-24psi at the start and will drop it back down to 15-18psi. My reason to go high at the start is to get it up to temperature in the core faster.
What kind of cooker are you using?
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IamYou
heretic

Registered: 10/11/11
Posts: 704
Last seen: 7 years, 4 months
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Re: Thoughts on increasing PC pressure? [Re: blackout]
#21721668 - 05/25/15 04:37 PM (8 years, 8 months ago) |
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Quote:
blackout... It will. I run mine at higher pressures. The manual said the max usable pressure, it was something like 29psi. The lid has a section cut out which allows the gasket to vent if the pressure is too high. This seems is not an accurate pressure relief system. It can blow out at 25psi or be fine up to 30psi.
I run mine at about 20-24psi at the start and will drop it back down to 15-18psi. My reason to go high at the start is to get it up to temperature in the core faster.
Thanks for the reply, im glad im not the only one that has played around with this idea. The 12qt Mirro i have has the cut-out in the lid and a separate safety valve along with it.
Quote:
Juiceh... I run my AAs at 20psi with some extra weight strapped symmetrically to the rocker weight. I believe AA pcs are tested at the factory in excess of 200psi, so 20psi is no challenge for them. I believe the AA blow out plug pops around 28-30psi, not 100% on that. Benefits of running higher pressure? You can reduce sterilization time, or keep running for the same amount of time you would have at 15psi and have the piece of mind that you have a more thorough sterilization cycle. I run the same cook time with higher pressure.
I would imagine that if the weight added isnt symmetrical, or close enough to it, the pressure regulator might not work right. Thats why im thinkin about using solder... but then again, it prob wont stand up to the heat. Think solder would start to melt @ 250+?
Anyway you could take a quick pic of how you did yours?
If i had an AA, or more specifically a PC that has a metal to metal seal, i would feel a little better about using higher than intended pressures. I think even a rubber gasket PC would be fine at 18ish psi. Only one way to find out for sure tho... Ill post back if i dont blow myself up.. just kidding.. mostly... lol
-------------------- “Life lived in the absence of the psychedelic experience is life trivialized, life denied, life enslaved to the ego.” - You Remember, be here now...
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NumeroEno
I come from the land of lizards



Registered: 07/24/14
Posts: 9,652
Loc: Gamehendge
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Re: Thoughts on increasing PC pressure? [Re: IamYou]
#21722238 - 05/25/15 07:35 PM (8 years, 8 months ago) |
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That's why siliconing some coins to the weight works well. It's symmetrical. I use a 23qt presto with a rubber gasket and there's no issue IME. It just allows you to raise the pressure a little more without it releasing huge amounts of steam. That means you can run your PC at the intended pressure quietly. If you're beefing up your PC weight to get sterilization more quickly, you're barking up the wrong tree.
--------------------
Let it grow! Let it grow! Greatly yield! What shall we say, shall we call it by a name As well to count the angels dancing on a pin Water bright as the sky from which it came And the name is on the earth that takes it in DOG FOOD AGAR MY ELECTRIC INOCULATION LOOP
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Juiceh
Dabbing All Day



Registered: 09/25/12
Posts: 3,208
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Re: Thoughts on increasing PC pressure? [Re: IamYou]
#21724974 - 05/26/15 01:56 PM (8 years, 8 months ago) |
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Quote:
IamYou said:
Quote:
Juiceh... I run my AAs at 20psi with some extra weight strapped symmetrically to the rocker weight. I believe AA pcs are tested at the factory in excess of 200psi, so 20psi is no challenge for them. I believe the AA blow out plug pops around 28-30psi, not 100% on that. Benefits of running higher pressure? You can reduce sterilization time, or keep running for the same amount of time you would have at 15psi and have the piece of mind that you have a more thorough sterilization cycle. I run the same cook time with higher pressure.
I would imagine that if the weight added isnt symmetrical, or close enough to it, the pressure regulator might not work right. Thats why im thinkin about using solder... but then again, it prob wont stand up to the heat. Think solder would start to melt @ 250+?
Anyway you could take a quick pic of how you did yours?
If i had an AA, or more specifically a PC that has a metal to metal seal, i would feel a little better about using higher than intended pressures. I think even a rubber gasket PC would be fine at 18ish psi. Only one way to find out for sure tho... Ill post back if i dont blow myself up.. just kidding.. mostly... lol
Solder begins to melt around 360F, so you could get away with adding solder to the weight. But that could be a pain to get the amount right, and is not easily adjustable without having to break out the soldering iron.. Solder may not adhere well to the weight either. I wouldn't want to fuck up the weight. The presto weight I believe is plastic on the top, so a solder blob will probably melt that a bit. May be better off using some silicone and some spare change.
I just use some nickels and micro pore tape. Each nickel is ~5g. If I want to run 17-18psi, I need 20g of extra weight(4 nickels). 8 total(40g) nickels gets me to 20psi. It's really simple. I just ran the cooker unloaded with minimal water once with 4 nickels added, found where the pressure would vent, cut the cooker off and then doubled the nickels up and ran the cooker again to confirm that I found what I wanted. Half of the nickels are stacked up and strapped to each side of the weight. The stacks are mounted not at the center of the regulator weight. But rather a little higher up, but still centered on the weight. To give the regulator some top heaviness which will prevent it from sticking, not that it does, but that's just my reasoning. It's a super cheap upgrade, costs about $0.45. 
I believe the metal to metal seal is exclusive to AA.
I don't have a close up of the regulator weight with the nickels strapped to it, but here is a pic that will give you an idea of how to do it with an AA. With a presto it would be different of course.
Edited by Juiceh (05/26/15 01:57 PM)
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Milk Man
Here to Fuck Your Wife

Registered: 05/15/15
Posts: 93
Last seen: 8 years, 8 months
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Re: Thoughts on increasing PC pressure? [Re: Juiceh]
#21725071 - 05/26/15 02:23 PM (8 years, 8 months ago) |
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bodhisatta 
Smurf real estate agent


Registered: 04/30/13
Posts: 61,889
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Re: Thoughts on increasing PC pressure? [Re: Juiceh]
#21725085 - 05/26/15 02:28 PM (8 years, 8 months ago) |
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RyeJar
StrangerDanger


Registered: 04/16/15
Posts: 523
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Re: Thoughts on increasing PC pressure? [Re: bodhisatta]
#21725383 - 05/26/15 03:58 PM (8 years, 8 months ago) |
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Juiceh
Dabbing All Day



Registered: 09/25/12
Posts: 3,208
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Re: Thoughts on increasing PC pressure? [Re: RyeJar]
#21725502 - 05/26/15 04:35 PM (8 years, 8 months ago) |
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AA sterilizers and pressure cookers use the same bottom and top sections, the only real difference is the hardware attached to the lid. The AAs are made for that kind of pressure and and handle MUCH more. There's really nothing unsafe about running an AA PC at 20psi. Chinese made stuff tho....
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Milk Man
Here to Fuck Your Wife

Registered: 05/15/15
Posts: 93
Last seen: 8 years, 8 months
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Re: Thoughts on increasing PC pressure? [Re: Juiceh]
#21725900 - 05/26/15 06:24 PM (8 years, 8 months ago) |
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my Chinese shit runs at 16 PSI
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