20lb CO2 O-ring question

[Editour2]

I'm in the process of putting the calc reactor on line....whenever I turn the CO2 on I have a leak....Joe Lanzon, (who was helping me out), noticed that this was due to a missing O-ring between the regulator and CO2 cannister. I went to Lowes and purchased a bunch of probable O-rings. #9 seems to be the correct diameter however it is too thick. Anyone know exactly which O-ring or washer etc. I should be using? and Where to get it? The regulator has a white plastic washer in it so I don't think I'm missing anything there.
thanks,
Frank

[Vinny Kreyling]

Frank - mine is plastic.
Try a welding shop they have regulators and that's where I get refills when needed.
Take it with you to be sure.

[Editour2]

Vin,
not sure which type...traditional o-ring or plastic. The regulator has a white washer in it but it seems like there should be another one on the tank itself....there is a groove there.
Frank

[username in use]

Id try the welding shop or a dive shop, just think of the closest place to your house that uses pressurized cylinders and see what they think.

[cm11599ps]

http://www.airweld.net/locations.html

[billsreef]

The standard is a nylon washer on the regulator side. Could be the one you have needs replacing.

http://www.northernbrewer.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/265x/5e06319eda06f020e43594a9c230972d/k/0/k004.jpg

http://www.northernbrewer.com/brewing/kegging/gas-hardware/regulators/co2-nylon-washer.html

[qy7400]

Bill the washer was in there but no matter how tight we made it the regulator leaked, you heard it so wasn't a small one. The tank he has looks like an o-ring should be there to seal the regulator but I didn't inspect the washer that well.

Frank, I remember there was a second washer in the box, try swapping them out and see if you can get a good seal.

[DgenR8]

I don't know where in Suffolk you are, but there's a place called LI Soda Systems in Bohemia (Lincoln Ave and Church St.) that I use for refills that can probably set you up.

[Vinny Kreyling]

Since there is a problem wherever you go take the tank & regulator with you!
If you need a regular "o ring" get a spare or 2 if you plan on reusing that specific tank again.
Better to do it once the right way rather than have CO2 leaking into a closed space.

[Editour2]

See the pics below: 1) look at the guage on the right it is starting at 10 rather than zero and when I turn on the CO2 it moves towards zero....seems like a problem to me.
2) second pic: this appears to be a pressure release valve...it is similar to an allen wrench screw..underneath it is a spring with a small pin.
Initially this was loose and when I turned on the CO2 it leaked heavily...I tried tightening this not sure if a slight amount of gas is still being released.

Never had a calc reactor before so I'm not sure what is NORMAL. All I know is I can't get this to work properly with the controller. I did initially get a burst of CO2 to the bubble container but then it stops...not sure if this is because the controller ph is reading below the parameters set and as such shutting down the regulator.

[pecan2phat]

1st, what is the controller ph reading and what is the value that you set it for to?
ex: if ph is < 6.9 then Co2 on
if ph is > 6.5 then C02 off

2nd, when you have the regulator on the cylinder and open the valve, is the 1st gauge showing above 500 psi?
Did you possibly blowout the regulator by opening the cylinder gas with the regulator fully in the open position?

[Editour2]

Warren,
anything is possible or should I say everything is impossible....anyway Joe helped me set it up and the controller is set similar to what you are stating but I'm not sure if I blew it out or not...I thought that the default for the regulator was in the closed position. If I blewout the regulator can it be fixed or would it be shot? We turned the cylinder up slowly and noticed a leak right away. Unfortunately I don't recall if the gauge was like that before we attempted to set it up.
Frank

[billsreef]

See the pics below: 1) look at the guage on the right it is starting at 10 rather than zero and when I turn on the CO2 it moves towards zero....seems like a problem to me.

The gauge on the right is to set the delivery pressure. The one on the left tells you the tank pressure.

2) second pic: this appears to be a pressure release valve...it is similar to an allen wrench screw..underneath it is a spring with a small pin.
Initially this was loose and when I turned on the CO2 it leaked heavily...I tried tightening this not sure if a slight amount of gas is still being released.This is a problem, and that allen screw is something the end user should never need to touch. Sounds like the regulator needs to be checked out by someone that truly knows regulators...to the point of rebuilding if needed.

[DgenR8]

Before attaching the regulator, the tank should be opened very briefly, to blow out any debris that may have gotten in there. The knob on the regulator that controls bubble size should always be all the way out (turned counter clockwise) when connecting the regulator to the tank, and kept that way until the valve on the tank is opened. My guess is that you blew out that delivery pressure gauge. Good news is the regulator can function without it. That allen screw thing is a much bigger issue, and needs to be addressed by someone that repairs these regulators.

[Vinny Kreyling]

Frank- After following the above advice - next time you set it up do it WITHOUT the controller to get it set correctly.
When you are satisfied with its performance THEN connect the controller .

[qy7400]

Frank I think you're confusing everyone a little, we never got the CO2 tank opened to worry about the controller. If swapping the washer didn't stop the leak I would follow Bills advice and get the regulated checked out, also remember it was a second hand regulator so we have no way of knowing if it had a problem before we even connected it.

[Editour2]

Frank I think you're confusing everyone a little, we never got the CO2 tank opened to worry about the controller. If swapping the washer didn't stop the leak I would follow Bills advice and get the regulated checked out, also remember it was a second hand regulator so we have no way of knowing if it had a problem before we even connected it.

Joe, you are correct...but I made a few attempts after you left...when I tried changing out the washer etc....I guess I'll try and see if the regulator is worth salvaging. Dr's Foster & Smith has 1 on sale for $80. Then I'll take Vinny's advice and run the tank directly first before I hook it up to the controller.

[qy7400]

Vinny any insight as to why you'd want to run without a controller, I've always run one in fear of dropping the tanks pH to low. I have the controller set to shut the CO2 if the tank drops to 7.9 or effluent to 6.6.

[Editour2]

Vinny any insight as to why you'd want to run without a controller, I've always run one in fear of dropping the tanks pH to low. I have the controller set to shut the CO2 if the tank drops to 7.9 or effluent to 6.6.

Joe,
I think he is just referring to the testing phase. When I ran the tank with the controller I got a burst of CO2 into the bubble counter and that may have automatically triggered the controller to shut the CO2 down...I then couldn't tell if the regulator was working properly etc.
Frank

[Vinny Kreyling]

Right Frank - get it set up without any controller intervention clouding the picture.

[Editour2]

Tested the regulator on 1 on Joe's CO2 tanks....it leaks. Called airweld and a couple of other places...minimum of $60 to $75 for repairs...Ebay has a brand new regulator w/solenoid for $62..so just going to buy a new one.

[billsreef]

At that price for repair, a new is definitely the way to go. If your feeling brave, you could always try rebuilding it yourself as a spare.

[DgenR8]

I have a bunch of pieces of old regulators laying around. Where is your leak? I might just have the piece(s) you need, and I'll give them to you.

[Editour2]

Larry,
we're not 100% sure where it is leaking from...even from the soapy water test. We can hear the gas escaping but don't know difinitively. I suspect it is from the release valve.
Frank

[qy7400]

The only parts we didn't test were the gauges themselves or the solenoid, could be that valve not closing and we never soaped past it.