[Ramirez]

I've just hooked up a new Milwaukee regulator and it is making a "creaking" or metallic "tick, tick, tick" noise. It's not the solenoid, that sound is actually much louder. This noise seems to be coming from behind the black main valve on the regulator. I don't think it is a leak, since it only makes a noise the needle valve is open and CO2 is flowing. Soap bubble test is negative.

The noise happens about every five seconds and lasts for a second or two. I've noticed that sometimes the ticking sound matches the frequency of the bubble rate. Is this just CO2 passing through the regulator, and normal? I have been having problems keeping a constant bubble rate and constant working pressure. I'm trying to keep the working pressure at 30 psi. It drifts down about 1 mm and then bounce back up each time I hear the "tick".

Any ideas? Is this normal? Do I have a defective regulator?

 

[Rex Grigg]

I would not say it's defective. I have heard other people with the same thing happening to that brand of regulator.

I once built a regulator for personal use that at a certain low side pressure and bubble rate would knock like there was no tomorrow. Raise or lower the low side pressure or bubble rate and it was fine.

Do you have the main tank valve fully open?

The stability problem is fairly common.

 

[Ramirez]

Yes, the main tank is fully open. It reads 900 psi and steady.

"Knock' is a good way to describe it. I have tried different working pressures, 20, 30, and 40 and it does it at all of them. It even does it, but more slowly when there is next to nothing for working pressure, according to the Milwaukee instructions.

The ticking has become more consistent now, with a little loss in working pressure.