Co2 regulator issues...

SpecialEffect · 01-29-2013, 09:18 PM

Problem after problem...
(This is the red sea deluxe kit)
My co2 ran out, took 4 days to get it refilled.
Got it filled up, forgot to ask for a new nylon seal... Instead replaced that with those plumber washers. Seems to be doing the job, no leaks.
Everything was fine, bubble counter showed my normal bps.
I come back later on and my bubble counter completely stops.
I slapped the BC and nothing happends.
I hit the needle valve and bam, bubbles start again. This happened every 30 mins figured maybe its defective now. (Probably from high bps? Idk)
I had another one and replaced it. Everythings working swell.
Next thing you know, had the issue again.
I looked at my working pressure and i see it bouncing from 15 and 18 quite slowly.
(Im not too sure but before i turned the co2 tank nozzel higher it was bouncing from 12 and 15 but pretty quickly)

What could be the issue? Has the regulator gone bust?

**oldpunk78** · 01-29-2013, 09:27 PM

It's possible that you may have a piece of debris in the regulator causing it malfunction. I'm not sure if the red sea reg has any filters or not but it sounds like this might be the case since you just installed a new cylinder.

TwoTacoCombo · 01-29-2013, 09:28 PM

Do the leak test with some soapy water. Just because you can't hear it doesn't mean a leak isn't there. What are you using as a diffuser? check valve? What are the cracking pressures on them? Nothing will flow through the BC if gas can't get in OR out of it, so try to narrow the problem down to which end it's coming from.

**oldpunk78** · 01-29-2013, 09:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TwoTacoCombo

Do the leak test with some soapy water. Just because you can't hear it doesn't mean a leak isn't there. What are you using as a diffuser? check valve? What are the cracking pressures on them? Nothing will flow through the BC if gas can't get in OR out of it, so try to narrow the problem down to which end it's coming from.

While it's entirely possible that there's a leak, the low pressure gauge should never bounce back and forth between different psi's.

Before going nuts looking for leak, take everything off the reg you can before the needle valve, turn it up all the way and blast some gas through it a couple of times and see if that makes a difference.

SpecialEffect · 01-29-2013, 10:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oldpunk78

While it's entirely possible that there's a leak, the low pressure gauge should never bounce back and forth between different psi's.

Before going nuts looking for leak, take everything off the reg you can before the needle valve, turn it up all the way and blast some gas through it a couple of times and see if that makes a difference.

Dissemble everything or just unhook the tubuing from the needle valve an blast air?

**oldpunk78** · 01-29-2013, 10:46 PM

Just unhook the tubing so you can get a good blast of gas going.

SpecialEffect · 01-29-2013, 11:28 PM

I unhooked the tubung from the needle valve and gas came out... Put it back and its still shiftin the workinh pressure up and down... Could there be debree inside the regulator itself?

**oldpunk78** · 01-30-2013, 12:38 AM

^ ya.

TwoTacoCombo · 01-30-2013, 06:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpecialEffect

I unhooked the tubung from the needle valve and gas came out... Put it back and its still shiftin the workinh pressure up and down... Could there be debree inside the regulator itself?

did the pressure stabilize when there was nothing attached to the valve? Do you have a check valve somewhere in the line?

SpecialEffect · 01-30-2013, 10:58 PM

When i had the tubing un hooked from the needle valve it didnt stabalize. My next thing im going to take it off
From the co2 tank. And see if theres debree

SpecialEffect · 01-31-2013, 12:12 AM

When i have no tubung connected to regulator my working pressure is stable.

When i have tubing from regulator connected to nothing my working pressure is stable.

When connected to needle valve its un stable with or without solenoid.

I have no idea whats wrong...
I even changed the tubung to lees tubing

danakin · 01-31-2013, 12:29 AM

Do you have a check valve somewhere in the line? I've seen this happen when there's a condition that has backpressure in to the line (on my reactor it happened)

SpecialEffect · 01-31-2013, 01:08 AM

I belive theres a checkvalve in the bubble counter.

But i think i figured out my problem affer going crazy.

I replaced the tubing thats connected from the reactor to the needle valve with lees sleek tubing.

All the other tubings are the same... Now my bubbles dont stop (like it did before)

My working pressure finally settled down alot. It moves abit but not enough to notice!

I guess my tubing was the issue

01-29-2013, 09:18 PM	#1
SpecialEffect Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Montreal, Canada Posts: 91	Co2 regulator issues... Problem after problem... (This is the red sea deluxe kit) My co2 ran out, took 4 days to get it refilled. Got it filled up, forgot to ask for a new nylon seal... Instead replaced that with those plumber washers. Seems to be doing the job, no leaks. Everything was fine, bubble counter showed my normal bps. I come back later on and my bubble counter completely stops. I slapped the BC and nothing happends. I hit the needle valve and bam, bubbles start again. This happened every 30 mins figured maybe its defective now. (Probably from high bps? Idk) I had another one and replaced it. Everythings working swell. Next thing you know, had the issue again. I looked at my working pressure and i see it bouncing from 15 and 18 quite slowly. (Im not too sure but before i turned the co2 tank nozzel higher it was bouncing from 12 and 15 but pretty quickly) What could be the issue? Has the regulator gone bust?

01-31-2013, 12:29 AM	#12
danakin Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (1/100%) Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Midland, MI Posts: 504	Do you have a check valve somewhere in the line? I've seen this happen when there's a condition that has backpressure in to the line (on my reactor it happened) __________________ My 40g Breeder Stress Reliever

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01-29-2013, 09:27 PM	#2
oldpunk78 Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (102/100%) Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Redding, CA Posts: 4,477	It's possible that you may have a piece of debris in the regulator causing it malfunction. I'm not sure if the red sea reg has any filters or not but it sounds like this might be the case since you just installed a new cylinder.

01-29-2013, 09:28 PM	#3
TwoTacoCombo Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (12/100%) Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 387	Do the leak test with some soapy water. Just because you can't hear it doesn't mean a leak isn't there. What are you using as a diffuser? check valve? What are the cracking pressures on them? Nothing will flow through the BC if gas can't get in OR out of it, so try to narrow the problem down to which end it's coming from.

01-29-2013, 10:46 PM	#6
oldpunk78 Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (102/100%) Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Redding, CA Posts: 4,477	Just unhook the tubing so you can get a good blast of gas going.

01-29-2013, 11:28 PM	#7
SpecialEffect Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Montreal, Canada Posts: 91	I unhooked the tubung from the needle valve and gas came out... Put it back and its still shiftin the workinh pressure up and down... Could there be debree inside the regulator itself?

01-30-2013, 12:38 AM	#8
oldpunk78 Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (102/100%) Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Redding, CA Posts: 4,477	^ ya.

01-30-2013, 10:58 PM	#10
SpecialEffect Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Montreal, Canada Posts: 91	When i had the tubing un hooked from the needle valve it didnt stabalize. My next thing im going to take it off From the co2 tank. And see if theres debree

01-31-2013, 12:12 AM	#11
SpecialEffect Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Montreal, Canada Posts: 91	When i have no tubung connected to regulator my working pressure is stable. When i have tubing from regulator connected to nothing my working pressure is stable. When connected to needle valve its un stable with or without solenoid. I have no idea whats wrong... I even changed the tubung to lees tubing

01-31-2013, 01:08 AM	#13
SpecialEffect Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Montreal, Canada Posts: 91	I belive theres a checkvalve in the bubble counter. But i think i figured out my problem affer going crazy. I replaced the tubing thats connected from the reactor to the needle valve with lees sleek tubing. All the other tubings are the same... Now my bubbles dont stop (like it did before) My working pressure finally settled down alot. It moves abit but not enough to notice! I guess my tubing was the issue