Point me on the right direction, please ! lol

[ingg]

Are you sure it's the needle valve? Do you use an inline check valve, it so the CRP (cracking pressure) may be too high. I paid $20 for this little plastic piece to have a CRP of 0.017 but it's great and will not create problems at low bubble per second rates.

I've never heard of a check valve causing issues in bubble rates. I would assume that those for our industry are a lift check type, meaning they allow pressure from one side to open them, and are autoshut.

Are you referring to the valves within the regulator membrane itself here, or the after regulator little in line ones?

It'd be awesome in an "ooohhhh, lookit that!" sorta way to see a check valve actually capable of blowing out CO2 tubing before opening - but I'm not sure any of the tiny ones we use'd be capable of it. At a guess, I'd think ceramic diffusors, which can stop a DIY rig, would have more resistance than a check valve gate.... no? Another curious one to look up dangit!

[150EH]

I don't know if it would be enough pressure to actually blow the tubing but it can deform it from the original diameter, it's one of those things people don't pay much attention but it can cause problems on automated systems being at the most risk.

But say it takes 5 psi to open the check valve and that's equal to 10 bps, so after it's open you back it down to 1 psi which is 2 bps, perfect for your tank until the solenoid kicks it off and now there's not enough pressure to open the check valve and the pressure is behind it until you figure out the problem. Then what do you do, you keep turning it up until it stays open after a cycle of the solenoid.

[ingg]

Understand where you are coming from - honestly though, unless you are using improper equipment, I don't think it can really happen. Again, ceramic disk diffusors require far more PSI than any check valve I've ever personally heard of (That we would/could use anyhow) and they don't blow out tubing. Ceramic diffusors will occasionally pop off loose tubing though from their slip on connection, done that one a time or... uhhh.. twenty.


I'll take a shot that the real issue here is this is a single stage "regulator", and I use that term loosely, along with a crap needle valve. This is a paintball regulator that is meant as a kind of quick connect for markers (paint ball guns).

These style regulators have preset output pressures matched to the guns they are meant for I believe, and that pressure is simply OODLES more than what we want.


Two issues here.

First, can't back down the low side pressure in this single stage "regulator" - meaning, that dial we all have reduces that 600 psi tank to a more reasonable output of a small percentage of that, like maybe 20 psi, simply is not there.

Second, are depending on a needle valve to do that second stage job, which is a) never designed for it in pressures like this in the first place, and b) not able to work all that well in variable pressure situations.

Technically, I think you could get a needle valve to work, if you wanted to tinker with it nonstop for a coupla hours to set rate and could lock it into position, and don't mind it getting beat on from the pressure, AND keep all other variables (water height, diffusor position, high side tank pressure, etc.) absolutely constant.... but yeah, like that is gonna happen!

[ddavila06]

so what you are saying Dave is that no matter how much toying around i do with it is just not gonna work? well i have this, and that and some more of something else coming up so maybe i will just sell it all off and get a real regulator (or splitter and get the co2 coming from my large tank divided into this...)
i got most stuff for nothing but plants anyways lol

[GOT MTS?]

Damian-

It seems to me you are looking to do this on the cheap. That being said maybe I can help you out. I bought 2 of these paintball regulators a few years back. I found that the needle valves once set, stayed pretty consistent. That being said I would still recommend changing the co2 tank BEFORE it ran out, in order to prevent end of tank dump. I am willing to sell you one of them if you are interested. They are 22.50 on ebay, I'll sell you mine for 15 or trade for plants if you have something I want. I also have 2 20 oz co2 tanks with Hydro good for 3 years. PM me if your interested.

[ddavila06]

thats the same thing i got with the first trade i made. it was missing the needle valve, not sure if you saw but i was asking for one a month and half ago or something..finally i purchased the one ih ave now but found out how it works, kind of crappy
i also have two tanks now =)
did you need an adaptor to use that with paintball tank? because the one i have is not wanting to work...i assumed that it was a regular regulator and it needed that adapter for paintball....

what u talking about man! i always want cheap stuff! however, this time there is a reason! space...look at the pics

this sits on the kitchen counter, no room to move towards the front anymore because of the light, wich is barely in under the cabinet! lol also the filter you sold me worked great! much appreciated!!

so running a hose to a splitter to my 10 pound tank would be my other option because is only about 10 feet away hehind the wall =)

[GOT MTS?]

I like your background Is that a fluval tank? Looks like mine but I think my background is slightly different. Also to answer your question no adapter is needed. It has a little nub that depresses the middle of the paintball tank.

[ddavila06]

strange, maybe the one i have got damaged or something...let me think about it..i have so much stuff at this point! lol...let me try the needle valve that Cristy sold me and see how it goes

BTW, what plants interest you?

[ingg]

I think you could force it to work, with some diligence and making sure the tank are never allowed to actually run low. <--- I would get it to run low and do the EOTD. I'm pathetically lazy that way, yes I am!

Typical inline setup might not work because of the PSI between it and the regulator itself - or might. One way to find out if it'll blow the barb connections, hook one up!

Tinkering with this stuff is something you do for the love of it - I've never found it to be actually cheaper personally. I'm lazy (remember? ) , don't love it, and so I buy the equipment and move on . Others love to tinker and get it to work.

[ddavila06]

please define EOTD =) dohh never mind! .....
im lazy too and oportunities came up so im tinkering with it =)
again, if no sucess then sell and move on! i can get a splitter and go from there..another regular size tank is not an option unfortunately...