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Thread: What should i check in CO2 Tank leak?

  1. #1
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    What should i check in CO2 Tank leak?

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    Hi, my CO2 tank flat again. I have check the CO2 tank and the solenoid. The solenoid only leak CO2 when power is on. I am able to maintain first vault at 1000PSI, second vault at 5PSI (outlet all tightly closed) without turning on the power.

    Once i on the electricity, the reading of first vault start to drop slowly. Within 5 miniutes it drop from 1000PSI to less than 10.

    Anyone can tell me what to check as soon as i get my refill in?

    Thanks
    KeeHoe.

  2. #2
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    Kee Hoe, check whether the cylinder's main valve is leaking. Then check the rubber seal of the solenoid valve where it is attached to the cylinder output head. Usually its the rubber seal that is damaged or worn out and this will cause leakage.

    Apart from this, test your solenoid. There should be a click sound when the the power is on. That's when your solenoid should release the gas slowly into the tubing and into the bubble counter.

    If the gas comes out before the solenoid is switched on, then you have a faulty solenoid valve.
    Fish.. Simply Irresistable
    Back to Killies... slowly.

  3. #3
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    But there is no leak when the power is off. Both vault meter show 1000 and 5 PSI respectively.

    Only when the power is on and the 3 outlet remain tightly close. The leakage happen. Anyway to control how slowly the solenoid release the CO2 from 1000PSI vault to 5 PSI vault?
    KeeHoe.

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    Kee Hoe,

    Is your gas flow like this?:
    Cylinder valve -> gauge 1 -> gauge 2 -> solenoid valve -> fine valve -> bubble counter -> aquarium

    If yes, to test leak:
    1) Betwen cylinder valve and solenoid valve
    - turn off the solenoid and open fine valve fully
    - open the cylinder valve, it will pump up the 2 gauges in split second
    - close the cylinder valve
    - wait for say, 30 minutes. Both gauges should not show any drop in reading.

    2) Betwen cylinder valve and fine valve
    - turn off the solenoid and close fine valve fully
    - open the cylinder valve, it will pump up the 2 gauges in split second
    - close the cylinder valve
    - turn on the solenoid valve
    - wait for say, 30 minutes. Both gauges should not show any drop in reading.

    I think you had done test 1) and it is fine. Perhaps, you had done the test 2) without closing the fine valve. Otherwise, it may means that the fine valve is leaking or may be the CO2 tube there is not connect properly. Use diluted soap to confirm the leak source.

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    Hi Kee Hoe,

    What I understand is that one pressure gauge measures the cylinder pressure and the other measures the output pressure.

    To control the output from the solenoid you should have this needle valve attached. I use that to control my bubble per second rate.

    Probably you have a faulty gauge somewhere or a leak happened in one of the joints. Do a check like what Freddy has mentioned.

    Good luck.
    Fish.. Simply Irresistable
    Back to Killies... slowly.

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    Hi Fred, yangyang

    I have done the test two. The result of test two depends on whether the power is on. I suppose from cylinder till the solenoid is OK. But when the solenoid release the co2 into fine tuning (the one right before the flow control vault.

    I suspect is the solenoid to threeway spliter. But it is so tightly connected that i scare of breaking the plastic solenoid. Is there another control at the solenoid itself for "rough tuning". My fine tuning is at the end of the three spliter. One each.
    KeeHoe.

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    Your gas flow:
    Cylinder valve -> gauge 1 -> gauge 2 -> solenoid valve -> 3 splitter with fine valve -> 3 bubble counters -> aquariums

    You can do your test this way (! follow the sequence closely):
    2) Betwen cylinder valve and fine valve
    - close the 3 splitter fine valves fully
    - open the cylinder valve, it will pump up the 2 gauges in split second
    - turn on the solenoid valve
    - close the cylinder valve
    - wait for say, 30 minutes. Both gauges should not show any drop in reading

    If the readings drop, there must be leakage at the 3 splitters. Please use soap to confirm that!

    From what you said, you seems to have the 3 splitters connected directly to the solenoid. Am I right? Can you share your setup with picture?

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    Thanks, but it is wire to electical out let. Soap water .........
    KeeHoe.

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    Just soap the 3 splitter section. If you also want to test the solenoid valve using soap, take out the solenoid portion leaving the valve. This can be done by removing the nut at the bottom of the solenoid.

    The valve, by default, should be at the closed position.

    I suspect that the leak could be at the interface between the solenoid valve and the 3 splitter. Not tight enough. Did you use white tape along the threads?
    Zulkifli

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    Caution:

    White (teflon) tape is great for water lines, as the teflon doesn't wet and the tape is a good lubricant for getting the joint tight. Even poor joints won't leak.

    For gas lines it is far less effective, and can be very dangerous if a high-pressure source has to pass through a narrow restriction, such as a needle valve. The tape tends to shred, and little particles can jam the needle valve, allowing a pressure buildup, in some systems, that can become explosive.

    When I was with Hewlett-Packard Labs, the use of teflon tape was banned company wide, after several unpleasant incidents. Use a goop in a tube, instead.

    Wright
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    805 Valley West Circle
    Bishop, CA 93514 USA

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    Thanks Wright. I will becareful of that. Just manage to pull the whole thing apart. Took two spanner to do that. After i put them back in, i have to use hammer to losen the spanner.

    Lost a lampeyes fry because of that. As i remove the CO2 system from the tank. The fry get frighten and jump into CD rack. When i found it, it is already dried. Took me 5 month to bring it to this size... Those that were calm enough not to jump were looking for the missing brother everywhere. How i know? Because my lampeyes don't normally dive more than 3 inch from the surface of the water for extended time. Yestherday, they does.

    Will be collecting my CO2 tank tomorow. Geee lots of work.
    KeeHoe.

  12. #12
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    Hi KeeHoe, when you said the tank flat in 5 minutes, are you sure it is really out of gas ?
    Don't know if its any help, but it happened to me before. I got solenoid regulator that malfunction (registering null pressure) few minutes after I turn the electricity on, just like yours.
    Turned out that the check-valve was faulty and water sipped into the needle-valve / solenoid area. I took out the regulator completely then turn on the main cylinder valve to find out that there were still good CO2 inside.
    regards, Budi
    MY PHOTO ALBUM

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