If it makes a difference it is the 23 qt.

Got it figured out I think, pressure is rising and the weight stack is doing the Hippy Hippy Shake.

Need more info Pete. 3 quarts is usually plenty so have to find out why it didn't come up to pressure. Some use 3", some use 4" and this is before putting in the jars. Only time you'd need more is if it is a really long processing time.

Dave

I just used my new Presto canner last night. It said to use 3 quarts which came just a hair under that first measuring line. I am going ot have to get the weighted gauge though since the dial gauges are unreliable.

Well it seems that it was a combination of 2 different things. You will have to realize that I was making a triple batch of Annie's Salsa after working out in the garden in our 95 degree days we've been having here lately. So I was pretty danged tired by the time I got around to actually doing the canning part. I was using one of the smaller burners on the stove and even though the water was boiling I guess it didn't have quite the oomph it needed and the air vent/cover lock wasn't popping up all the way (first time I used the pressure cooker so maybe that's from the newness). But I moved the canner to a bigger burner and once the vent popped back up some I just pulled it up by hand and the pressure started building and everything was okey dokey from that point on. Thanx for the replies.