Faulty Solenoid Regulator?

[PlAnTaNoOb]

Hi all,

I bought a complete CO2 set from NA recently. However, I've been noticing that the bps keeps increasing gradually over time (from 1.9 bps to 2.4 bps over 10 hours today). As such, I have to keep adjusting the needle valve. Is that normal? Or should I bring the regulator down to NA? Its a JBJ solenoid regulator.

[tawauboy]

did the output pressure change over that period of time?
did you observe the bubbling rate over a few days with a "fixed" flow rate?

[PlAnTaNoOb]

thanks for the reply tawauboy
I'll monitor the output pressure and let you know again. The cylinder pressure, however, has always been constant at slightly below 1000.
Not sure what flow rate you're referring to, but my eheim 2224 flow rate has always been the same, unless its clogged up inside over 7 days, but I doubt so. I've not turned the knob of the needle valve, so I guess the CO2 flow rate should have been constant.
It's just that the bps count increased over time without me doing anything. Wondering if that's normal, and I should just adjust the needle valve every now and then, or there's something wrong?

[jacian]

Since you are having the solenoid, why not just leave it for a few days and see if it will stablise at a constant rate?

[torque6]

which solenoid are you using ? JBJ/upz/or the huey heng's ones ?

[PlAnTaNoOb]

I'm using JBJ.

And, Jacian, ok. I'll monitor for another week without adjusting.

[zenscape]

Mr Chan of NA is a responsible chap. If your JBJ solenoid is really faulty, I am sure he will replace one for you. No worry.

[bossteck]

From what I know, solenoids only serve the purpose of shutting off the co2 feed. If (and this is a big 'IF') there's anything wrong with your set, you should be looking at the needle valve rather than the solenoid.

To determine if the solenoid is working fine, switch it on and you will see bubbles, turn it off, bubbling will stop after maybe 30seconds to 1 minute.

To determine if your bps is increasing over time (sign that there might be something wrong with your needle valve), don't count the bubble-rate immediately after adjusting the valve, let it 'run' for say 1-2minutes, then start counting. After a couple of hours, check the buble-rate again.

Update us again yah?

Cheers!

[PeterGwee]

Do you have some back flow of water into the CO2 line after the CO2 is off? It takes sometime for the rate to stabilize since water needs to be pushed out and if you use a reactor, the back pressure will play a part as well. Getting a better quality needle valve would likely solve your issue but might be hard unless you are good at DIY and resourceful.

Regards,
Peter Gwee

[PlAnTaNoOb]

Hi zenscape, bossteck andPeterGwee,
thanks for your replies!
That's reassuring. Thanks zenscape

Bossteck: bps was at 1.9 this morning 9am. At 8pm tonight, it was 2.3bps. I'll note the bps again tomorrow, and post it here.

PeterGwee: Yup. I have backflow into the CO2 airline. Yes again. I'm using Ista external CO2 reactor, powered by eheim 2224. The pressure into the airline's quite impressive. But am I right to say that considering all these, the BPS would stabilise at this range and not go beyond it? ie, the bps won't keep increasing and not come down?

[PeterGwee]

The rate would move around but shouldn't be excessive. Workarounds can be done by changing to a quality needle valve like those of swagelocks or remove the solenoid and run the CO2 24/7 but getting a dedicated pump to drive the reactor instead of the filter and hook the pump up to the timer.

Regards,
Peter Gwee

[PlAnTaNoOb]

You mean I can change only the needle valve? Wow... that's pretty difficult stuff.

Please advice. How can powering the reactor using a dedicated pump solve the issue of the bps? Actually I didn't do that at the outset, because I was worried that there might be too much current/flow in my small 2ft tank.

[PeterGwee]

The CO2 supply won't be shut off without the solenoid valve in place hence it would be 24/7 going into the reactor chamber but no flow is moving since the dedicated pump is off as it is being hooked up to the light timer. The rate doesn't move much until the main pressure of the tank drops. (No water back flow issues since CO2 is supplying 24/7).

Regards,
Peter Gwee

[PlAnTaNoOb]

oh! I see!
Thanks! But the Ista reactor is designed in such a way that air wiill be trapped inside and build up if there's no water flow. Haha. So I guess I can't do that.
I guess I'll stick to my current setup, and bear with the slight fluctuation in bps. Anyway, co2 tends to build up in the reactor, such that it acts as some sort of a buffer, to even out CO2 injection. ie. 3bps seems to have the effect as 2bps, since the excess co2 gets trapped in the reactor. As long as the valve's not faulty, and the bps won't keep increasing to 9-10bps, i'm satisfied. Thanks a lot for your input!

[torque6]

If using the JBJ solenoid, the needle valve comes with it as a set. I do not own 1, so am not sure if the needle valve can be unscrewed and reattached with another compatible valve. By the way, JBJ already has a bubble counter as well, mind taking note of the bps from this indicator instead of relying on the Ista reactor.

[tawauboy]

as Jacian has said, leave your co2 setup alone for a few days and monitor the co2 flow rate (i am refering to this).

[PlAnTaNoOb]

yea. Thanks bros. Monitoring now.

[PlAnTaNoOb]

Hmm.. This morning the condition of the needle valve seems to have worsened. Instead of a constant rate, the bubbles are coming out in a pattern. ie. the duration between the bubbles is different. To be more specific, its "B_B_B.B" (and this set of pattern repeats itself), where "B" = Bubble, "_" represents long time interval and "." represents short time interval.

Is that a sign that something is wrong with the needle valve?

[PeterGwee]

Either you have a leak in the line or as mentioned previously water in the tubing and back pressure.

Regards,
Peter Gwee

[tawauboy]

remove the co2 reactor/diffuser and dunk the tube into shallow water.
observe the bubble rate in bubble counter and open end tube.
are they bubbling at identical rates?