CO2 Solenoid/Regulator Problem?

**pususuti** · 27th Jan 2006, 10:47

After my CO2 comes on, it stops after about 2 hours. The regulator drops to "0.0" I then tightened the connection to the bottle and release excess CO2, and then it begins functioning again for another 2 hours or so. Is the Regulator faulty and needs changing? Has anyone been through this problem? Need some advice. Thanks.

**tawauboy** · 27th Jan 2006, 11:00

have you turned the main valve (on top of cylinder) 1/2~3/4 turns?
what are the reading on the gauges?

**Weirong** · 27th Jan 2006, 11:24

I think something is loose somewhere.
Dip the whole thing in water to test for leaks.

**pususuti** · 27th Jan 2006, 16:38

Yes, I normally do a 3/4 turn or more. The pressure guage reads over 50, while the content guage reads 2. Then after two hours the content guage falls back to 0. After discharging the extra CO2, and resetting the process, it jumps back to 2. I have been doing this for the past 4 days, whenever the bubble stops coming through every two hours or so.

**valice** · 27th Jan 2006, 19:23

Originally Posted by Weirong

I think something is loose somewhere.
Dip the whole thing in water to test for leaks.

DIP THE WHOLE THING!?

Using soapy water on the joints instead would be safer... Check to see if bubbles form on the surface... But I don't think it is a leak... It could be a faulty regulator... But first let's rule out a leak first yeah?

**tawauboy** · 27th Jan 2006, 20:30

Originally Posted by pususuti

Yes, I normally do a 3/4 turn or more. The pressure guage reads over 50, while the content guage reads 2. Then after two hours the content guage falls back to 0. After discharging the extra CO2, and resetting the process, it jumps back to 2. I have been doing this for the past 4 days, whenever the bubble stops coming through every two hours or so.

bring your set back to the shop where you bought. looks like faulty regulator.
a output of functioning regulator does not drop to 0 pressure.

**taz_boy** · 27th Jan 2006, 22:46

Originally Posted by valice

DIP THE WHOLE THING!?

Using soapy water on the joints instead would be safer... Check to see if bubbles form on the surface... But I don't think it is a leak... It could be a faulty regulator... But first let's rule out a leak first yeah?

soapy water sometime needs some skill....need to make those concentrated type...if not they'll just drip off, need careful observation to see if any bubbles are forming,....and certain places pretty hard to test

**bclee** · 28th Jan 2006, 00:42

Have you open the main valve on the cylinder fully? Try opening the main valve more.

BC

**valice** · 28th Jan 2006, 00:42

Actually don't really need very soapy or concentrated... Just need to use those that you use to wash the dishes... It will be more than enough... We do air pressure tests in the workshop with very diluted soap water...

**taz_boy** · 28th Jan 2006, 01:03

oic....ha...tmr i gonna test my co2 for any leakage aft the top up....i also using dish washing liquid..

**bclee** · 28th Jan 2006, 01:12

Originally Posted by pususuti

Yes, I normally do a 3/4 turn or more. The pressure guage reads over 50, while the content guage reads 2. Then after two hours the content guage falls back to 0. After discharging the extra CO2, and resetting the process, it jumps back to 2. I have been doing this for the past 4 days, whenever the bubble stops coming through every two hours or so.

From your description, it should not be a leakage problem.

I just check out my own cylinder. I think you need to turn more than 3/4 turn. Try turning it more.

What is happening now is that after you turn the valve 3/4 turn, the pressure builds up before the solenoid. After you turn on the solenoid, the pressure releases and the main valve will close, thus cutting off the CO2 supply.

(Let me guess... you are using a ceramic diffusor...

)

BC

**pususuti** · 31st Jan 2006, 16:03

Thanks BC Lee. How can I tell whether it is a ceramic diffusor? I am likely to get a new one, as my present regulator has lasted me nearly ten years.

**elmike** · 1st Feb 2006, 10:09

Originally Posted by bclee

Have you open the main valve on the cylinder fully? Try opening the main valve more.

BC

With the cyliner at 1000 psi, I doubt a more generous turn would make any difference. I would think whether you do a quarter turn or a half turn, you get the same result.
I've learnt that a small turn is enough for the meter to hit 1000 psi, and 20 on the other, and that's all that matters.

**bclee** · 1st Feb 2006, 10:32

Originally Posted by elmike

With the cyliner at 1000 psi, I doubt a more generous turn would make any difference. I would think whether you do a quarter turn or a half turn, you get the same result.
I've learnt that a small turn is enough for the meter to hit 1000 psi, and 20 on the other, and that's all that matters.

I happened to me when I first started to use the CO2 cylinder.

So I thought it might just be the same problem.

Usually when gas regulator fails, it does not happen like what pususuti described. I can't really think of a mechanism how the regulator fail in this scenario.

BC

**bclee** · 1st Feb 2006, 10:35

Originally Posted by pususuti

Thanks BC Lee. How can I tell whether it is a ceramic diffusor? I am likely to get a new one, as my present regulator has lasted me nearly ten years.

Ceramic diffusor is a CO2 dissolution device that forces the CO2 through tiny pores in a ceramic plate creating tiny bubbles to help CO2 dissolve into the water.

BC

**elmike** · 1st Feb 2006, 10:36

Originally Posted by bclee

I happened to me when I first started to use the CO2 cylinder.

So I thought it might just be the same problem.

Usually when gas regulator fails, it does not happen like what pususuti described. I can't really think of a mechanism how the regulator fail in this scenario.

BC

???
What saying you???

**pususuti** · 1st Feb 2006, 13:22

Yes I am using a ceramic diffusor. It works OK for about two hours, then it stops; i.e. CO2 does not comes through the diffusor. So is it a diffusor or regulator problem??

**valice** · 1st Feb 2006, 13:32

To know if it is a diffusor or regulator problem, just remove your diffusor... But doubt that it is a diffusor problem...

**bclee** · 1st Feb 2006, 14:07

Ok ok... let me clarify the problem.

1. What type of regulator do you have? Does it have 1 or 2 guages?

2. When you said that the pressure drop to 0 after 2 hours, which guage you are refering to? Input pressure or the output pressure?
If it is the input pressure that dropped to zero, it might not be the regulator problem. It might be a problem with the main valve of the cylinder. (I suspected this initially.) If it is the output pressure that dropped to zero, it could be a problem with the diaphram valve on the regulator. This cannot be a problem with the diffusor.

BC

**pususuti** · 1st Feb 2006, 17:26

Thanks BC. I have a 2 gauges regulator. The gauge that drops to "0" is the right-hand gauge; I assume it is the output gauge. I have two CO2 cylinders, and they both give me the same problem.

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