# How do I convert a Pressure canner with a dial to a weight?



## CraftyCathy (May 8, 2013)

Can some one tell me how I would convert my pressure cooker from a dial to a weight?

I have a Presto 17 Quart, Model Number 0175001

Also I don't know anything about the weight. How its suppose to sound or anything. Can some one explain this to me also... Thank You


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## po boy (Jul 12, 2010)

You have to replace the weight you have now with a 3 piece or  this type and you may need to change the vent pipe. I did mine using parts from these folks

It's best to call them..

I left my dial on. If your flame/heat is too high you can hear steam venting and maybe the weight rock. You should adjust the temp down until it just rocks every few seconds.

Good Luck


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## katlupe (Nov 15, 2004)

I bought one of the regulators for both of my dial canners. Same as the first link above from po boy. 

What you will hear is the weight rocking. If it stops rocking, you need to turn it up. That constant rocking tells you that it is up to pressure. I love using it!


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## MichaelK! (Oct 22, 2010)

The 0175001 already is supposed to have a weight. Look at this parts list and see if you can identify it. It's called the 9978 Pressure Regulator.
http://www.pressurecooker-outlet.com/175001.htm

The gauge is your friend, and you don't want to get rid of it.

When you first start up your canner with jars inside, you leave the lid off till the water starts to boil. Then you attach the lid, but WITHOUT the weigh. You continue letting the canner run at full burner for another 10 minutes. You will see a steady stream of steam flushing out of the weight stem. The purpose of this is to flush out all the air from the inside of the canner so the atmosphere inside is 100% steam. The reason is that air acts as an insulator, and you don't want any air inside the canner preventing heat from the steam penetrating into the jars.

After 10 minutes you drop the weight onto it's stem and start to watch the pressure gauge start to raise. The weight will be still till the canner starts to approach 15 psi. When it reaches 15, the weight will start to jiggle and you'll hear steam escaping, making a stssss, stssss, stssss sound every second or two.

Here is where you want to turn down the stove, to maybe 40-50% of the burner maximum. The weight will go stsss every 5-10 seconds when you find just the right burner setting. The gauge should hold steady at 15 through this whole process. You start timing the moment you start hearing the first stssss. At the end of your timed run simply shut the burner completely off and let the canner slowly cool on its own till the temperature drops below boiling.

I have my own autoclave thermometers, so I can validate the operation of my own canners. I've bought several canners used at the flea market, and I've yet to find one that was miscalibrated. Yours could potentially be off though. As long as you run the canner by the action of the weight rather than what the gauge says you'll still be fine. Just make sure the the weight stem is clear of any food particles or debris that might clog it.


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## ralph perrello (Mar 8, 2013)

My Presto holds only 4 pts. It has one tapping. I had a weight but it was only for 15 PSI and canning is done @ 10 PSI. I bought a gauge and put it on. Controling the pressure with a gauge is a pain in the neck. I then found a weight that is 3 parts. The whole weight is 15 PSI. Remove one piece and it is 10 PSI. Remove 2 pieces and it is 5 PSI. There is much eaiser control with a weight.

The Ball canning book says to can @ 10 PSI. 

The gauge and/or the post for the weight is threaded and can be removed.
Use some teflon plumbers tape on the threads when replacing either and do not tighten too much or the aluminum lid will split.

If your pressure canner has two tappings by all means do use both a gauge and weight.


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## CraftyCathy (May 8, 2013)

We live under 1000 ft. So suppose to can at 11lbs. Which according to what I have read the 10 lb weight is actually 11lbs. 

My problem is... No matter what we do we can not keep it on 11lbs on the gauge. We have used electric and propane, stoves. We think we have it set and all a sudden it either starts going up or down. 

The instructions say, if you don't keep it at 11lbs. You have to start over your timing... Well if that is the case, we would still be canning our 1st batch. 

So I thought a weight might work better. But then the more I read, I am not sure it will. 

Any advice???


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## Debbie19 (Jul 23, 2020)

MichaelK! said:


> The 0175001 already is supposed to have a weight. Look at this parts list and see if you can identify it. It's called the 9978 Pressure Regulator.
> Presto 0175001 Pressure Canner Parts - Pressure Cooker Outlet
> 
> The gauge is your friend, and you don't want to get rid of it.
> ...


The weight is 15 psi. It's NOT a weighted jiggler You must buy a new vent pipe with a multi weighted jig. Usually 3 piece main jig with 2 5 psi washers. If you need to can at 10 psi you would have 1 washer on the jiggler.


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## gleepish (Mar 10, 2003)

CraftyCathy said:


> We live under 1000 ft. So suppose to can at 11lbs. Which according to what I have read the 10 lb weight is actually 11lbs.
> 
> My problem is... No matter what we do we can not keep it on 11lbs on the gauge. We have used electric and propane, stoves. We think we have it set and all a sudden it either starts going up or down.
> 
> ...


Maybe start your canner off at a lower temp, let it gradually build pressure. It will take longer, but it may be easier to maintain your pressure. And you are right, if you drop below the required pressure you do need to restart the time all over but you don't need to start over if you go over pressure.  I'd also check the BTU's on your propane stove AND what the recommended max BTU of your canner is, if your stove's BTU is too high, that would be a huge contributing factor to not being able to maintain temp.


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