NA - OF electrical solenoid + 3L Co2 Cylinder

[Wingless]

Hi All,

I bought a Co2 set from NA on Friday and i need some advice before heading back to NA.

The setup comes with OF electrical solenoid, 3L Co2 Cylinder, brass check valve (arrow pointing towards the tank) and co2 tubing.

The problem is after I set up the items, there is still no bubble coming out from the diffuser after 1 hour. The bubble counter is 2 bubbles per second. Pressure from reading gauge was 1000 and psi is 30.

Please advise me if there is any possible reason that's causing the problem. Or should i wait longer because it's initial setup?

Thanks in advanced.

Best Regards,
MingXiang

[kakashi]

My guess is either that your diffuser requires higher pressure to work or it spoilt/chocked. Try removing the diffuser and see if bubble gushing out from the tubing. If that is the case, you may want to change to other type of diffuser.

[Wingless]

Thanks for the prompted reply bro kakashi.

Yesterday i was using an air stone and nothing comes out so i removed the airstone but result is the same. I bought a co2 tube after work yesterday and try reconnecting everything this morning.

I just pump it up to 6-7bubble per second 15mins ago and the water in the hose start "moving/flowing" back to the tank. 2 hours since co2 is running and still water in hose.

[kakashi]

Do you use check valve? Could it be that the check valve was installed the other way around?

Check also for any leaking, especially at the bubble counter.

[Wingless]

I am using a brass check valve and the arrow is pointing towards the direction of tank. As for leak check, i have done second round of check but didn't manage to find any leakage

[Wingless]

Found the leakage, it's at the bubble counter top thread (near to the solenoid). Thread seal it and mist coming out from diffuser.

Thanks bros!

[mt09]

I encountered the same situation as u,also solenoid and tank from na,apparently leakage from the same place as u encountered..

[magpie]

My advise is not to use the brass bubble counter and change to a plastic bubble counter instead.

[Wingless]

Hi bro magpie,

Is it because of the leakage?

It comes as a set so currently i am still using it. If that's the reason, i will change to other bubble counter if it fails again.

[magpie]

My o-ring of the brass bubble counter got distorted and leaked.

[li_gangyi]

CO2 does have the nasty habit of attacking anything that's made of incompatible plastic/rubber. So I'd expect rubber Orings and stuff to break down over time. I usually monitor my usage rate, and if that drops off, I know I have a leak somewhere. Just recently had a plastic check valve crack through and leak on me.

[Wingless]

Oh man. The same place leaking again (top part of brass bubble counter). Thread seal twice but failed miserably, wasted 1 hour waiting.

In the end, i remove the brass bubble counter after i set it to 2 bps. Leaving only the bottom part of the brass bubble counter (inbuilt check valve) and connect to my UP atomizer and luckily it works!

Might have to get external bubble counter and prays everything works. *Cross my finger*

[qngwn]

The arrow of the check valve, is point towards which tank? your fish tank i suppose?

I would recommend getting an external separate bubble counter. lesser parts, lesser chance for problems.

there are many things that can fail with the attached bubble counter:
- Leaking check valve in bubble counter -- spoiled solenoid
- disintegration of o ring at bubble counter -- leaking bubble counter (both at top and bottom)
etc.

[Wingless]

Hi Bro qngwn,

Solenoid is working fine and the valve is pointing towards the tank. The place that leaks is at post #12, bubble counter top thread where i unscrew to fill up water.

Planning to get an external bubble counter this weekend, probably a whole piece glass type. Had bad experience with bubble counter with thread, always leaks!

[qngwn]

Glass, will need to worry that it will break in case you're using high working pressure. Maybe you can experiment and let us know at what psi the glass will crack!

You can try using the white tape to secure the top part before screwing the top. Last time mine works well after using that.

To prevent the opening and closing of the screw, I reduced the evaporation of the water in the bubble counter by using glycerine.. Makes bubbles easier to count too..


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Wingless]

The pressure was set to 30psi by default. Glass bubble counter shouldn't be a problem i guess, will try it out

Already tried white tap as shown in the same post (#12). Remove and retape thrice but problem persists, even check the direction while tapping to make sure the white tap won't come when i screw in.

Can Glycerine be bought from Watson?

[hann]

Why don't you remove the leaking bubble counter completely from the solenoid and use a normal plastic bubble counter? I have the exact leakage problem with you but now using a plastic bubble counter. And I am very happy with it

[felix_fx2]

use a separate bubble counter, used these type before & it leaked and flowed right into the valve.

most of our kiasu & kiasi people, use 2 check valve. The 2nd is a fail safe.
i am using one before and one after bubble counter, can confirm my plastic check valve slowly let the water thru but never went beyond the 2nd check valve.

abit off topic, is there a brass check valve with a lock? Found UP brand check valve has a version which a lock for airtube.

[Wingless]

Why don't you remove the leaking bubble counter completely from the solenoid and use a normal plastic bubble counter? I have the exact leakage problem with you but now using a plastic bubble counter. And I am very happy with it

Hi Bro Hann,

I have removed it totally. I left the bottom piece of bubble counter attached cause it has the check valve and only place left for me to connect to the hose.

use a separate bubble counter, used these type before & it leaked and flowed right into the valve.

most of our kiasu & kiasi people, use 2 check valve. The 2nd is a fail safe.
i am using one before and one after bubble counter, can confirm my plastic check valve slowly let the water thru but never went beyond the 2nd check valve.

abit off topic, is there a brass check valve with a lock? Found UP brand check valve has a version which a lock for airtube.

Hi Bro Felix,

Currently i am using brass check valve. Not sure if the water will leak through anot.

I will be getting either glass bubble counter or UP bubble counter.

[felix_fx2]

IMO, all the check valve have chance to leak. Heard brass ones leak before also.
depends on your liking, i am a careless man. So i would never buy since i would very likely break one every now and then.
The UP brand co2 items, current series all have a lock for the air tube. oh yah just to mention the 1st check valve (after bubble counter) happens to be the UP one. seems every single brand i use there lets abit of water through.