[DanRhomberg]

Sorry as this has most likely been asked before but I could find no answer to this dumb quesion with a search in any thread......

complete newb to Co2...reg attached and fine up to getting pressure set on second valve..... instructions clearly state attach airline AFTER this step.

ie..."open valve slowly until 10lbs reads on low pressure meter with needle valve fully open(counter clockwise)"......

I try to do this but no pressure will build to set 10lbs as all the pressure is blowing out the top of the bubble counter with all the water as no air hose is attached. bubble counter is only half filled with FW as instructions state.

I know I'm asking a dumb question but I just want to be sure I'm not missing something so answers would be really appriciated...

also...... whats a good bubble count for 8 hours on in a mildly planted 55gal tank?(no electric PH monitor/ just a long term sight monitor inside tank) PH is low now...Been using API liquid Co2 Booster once a day till now....

Thanks so much in advance.....~~~DR1VEN~~~

 

[AdamP.]

sounds like the needle valve is open. turn the needle valve until its fully closed and see what pressure you get on the gauge.

 

[DanRhomberg]

Ha, Ha....lol...

knew it was simple but i'm a stickler for reading manuals and it clearly says "turn needle valve counter-clockwise to fully open position"..... before opening pressure for low pressure gauge....stupid.

ignored the instructions and needle valve is off and pressure built...thanks.


any suggestions on a starting bubble count?

 

[DanRhomberg]

wow...nevermind....I've got a lot of reading to do....

DKH, PH, KH, kjsbdbsefbiwebfihbdv......yuck. What the hell did I get myself into.....lol

 

[Optix]

just get a drop checker

 

[Hoppy]

sounds like the needle valve is open. turn the needle valve until its fully closed and see what pressure you get on the gauge.

NO!!! Never fully close a needle valve. That can damage the needle or seat, and make the valve very difficult to use. The Milwaukee regulator has to have the pressure adjusting knob, the big 3 lobe knob on the regulator, backed off counterclockwise until it is very loose or even removed, before opening the valve on top of the CO2 tank. Once that valve is opened, you then screw the adjusting knob on the regulator clockwise until the output pressure gauge reads 10-20 psi. Then you adjust the needle valve to get the bubble rate you want. Failing to do it this way damages the output pressure gauge, usually making it inoperative.

 

[DanRhomberg]

NO!!! Never fully close a needle valve. That can damage the needle or seat, and make the valve very difficult to use. The Milwaukee regulator has to have the pressure adjusting knob, the big 3 lobe knob on the regulator, backed off counterclockwise until it is very loose or even removed, before opening the valve on top of the CO2 tank. Once that valve is opened, you then screw the adjusting knob on the regulator clockwise until the output pressure gauge reads 10-20 psi. Then you adjust the needle valve to get the bubble rate you want. Failing to do it this way damages the output pressure gauge, usually making it inoperative.

Thanks Hoppy.... but I was already past that step.

the problem was getting no pressure build up in the second guage after the tank was turned on as the needle valve was fully open and no airline attached to the top of the bubble counter.(no pressure can build to set to 20lbs...slowly )

thanks again though....:biggrin:

 

[Bettatail]

Thanks Hoppy.... but I was already past that step.

the problem was getting no pressure build up in the second guage after the tank was turned on as the needle valve was fully open and no airline attached to the top of the bubble counter.(no pressure can build to set to 20lbs...slowly )

thanks again though....:biggrin:

Free flow....

Hoppy is right about the metering/needle valve, only one or two high precision flow control metering valves are designed to completely shut off to stop the air flow, rest are not meant to provide this function.

 

[DanRhomberg]

Free flow....

Hoppy is right about the metering/needle valve, only one or two high precision flow control metering valves are designed to completely shut off to stop the air flow, rest are not meant to provide this function.

so are you two saying "free flow" as in while needle valve is fully open and co2 is blasting out the top of the bubble counter, im somehow supposed to keep opening the valve to build enough of a restricted flow thru the bubble counter airline opening to show 20lbs???? That would be like 100 bubbbles per second.....this is not logical IMO... It would not be a true pressure reading...

Hoppy I really appriciate your knowledge and opinion here. I was able to set the desired pressure in the guage with the needle valve closed and it seems I got lucky and no damage was done. I will not be closing the needle valve completly again with your advice in mind.

I have 20lbs and a bubble count of 1 per second and needle adjustments seem to be working fine.

it still seems very confusing to me on how you can possibly set a pressure on the low pressure guage without a airline attached and the needle valve fully open. I got a 10lb bottle so I guess I will not have to worry about this for a year or so.....

 

[AdamP.]

Sorry guess we learn something new every day. But it doesnt seem like 10 psi would ruin the needle valve and it hasnt on mine, of course I only did it once when I first set up..:icon_redf

 

[Hoppy]

Why would the airline not be attached to the bubble counter? There is never a reason to disconnect that light at the bubble counter. When you shut off the CO2 at the CO2 tank valve, before reopening the tank valve, back off the adjustment knob on the regulator, but leave the rest of the CO2 plumbing just as it was.

 

[DanRhomberg]

Why would the airline not be attached to the bubble counter? There is never a reason to disconnect that light at the bubble counter. When you shut off the CO2 at the CO2 tank valve, before reopening the tank valve, back off the adjustment knob on the regulator, but leave the rest of the CO2 plumbing just as it was.

OK...understand now. you didnt see my origional post Hoppy.

This was the first installation of the reg on a tank. the instructions are shown below ....
. "after opening valve fully and getting pressure in hi psi guage, fill bubblecounter 1/2 way with fresh water, with needle valve completly open(counter-clockwise) then slowly turn main reg valve until 10lbs shows in lo psi guage(trying this just blows co2 and all water out the top of the bubble counter as the needle valve is fully open and no line attached to top of bubble counter.there is no way to build a pressure reading without the needle valve closed and/or an airline attached at this point) the instructions then go on to say...after getting pressure, to unplug the solenoid and then attach an air line to the bubble counter, plug in solenoid and so on....

we're beating a dead horse here as it's all good now, but this should be a good discussion for someone else that has this problem.

thanks again Hoppy...