Co2 Cylinder Screw-down Valve: Your Worst Nightmare

[crundle]

My guy tests also, so I trust what he says to me, but the homebrew stuff is only small change in his business, so not really worth his effort in pursuing. I have tried places like Enzed and Pirtek, but have not had any success. For me, I think the best path now is to try the slightly larger O ring and see how it goes. If my guy is happy to give it a whirl, so am I. I can always put in a larger O ring while it is disassembled and see how it goes in dry use, as a mate has lent me a spare CO2 cylinder to use in the meantime (proper cylinder with screw down valve!).

The search goes on......

Crundle

 

[claymen]

My guy tests also, so I trust what he says to me, but the homebrew stuff is only small change in his business, so not really worth his effort in pursuing. I have tried places like Enzed and Pirtek, but have not had any success. For me, I think the best path now is to try the slightly larger O ring and see how it goes. If my guy is happy to give it a whirl, so am I. I can always put in a larger O ring while it is disassembled and see how it goes in dry use, as a mate has lent me a spare CO2 cylinder to use in the meantime (proper cylinder with screw down valve!).

The search goes on......

Crundle

It's funny but what you just said also lends credence to the fact that it is legal. What business would risk huge fines for a small group of homebrewers..

 

[cooperplace]

It's funny but what you just said also lends credence to the fact that it is legal. What business would risk huge fines for a small group of homebrewers..

Crundle's summing up is 100% on the money.

BTW, the right valve can probably be got from an Italian crowd called Cavagna, according to their catalog. I've been trying to contact them and their Uk agents. Their Oz agents in Brisbane were quite unhelpful, and so far their UK agents likewise. If I get lucky I'll let the forum know.

Peter

 

[KHB]

Well i got my fire extinguisher filled again today and the valve replaced for the 2nd time in a year and no more than 8 hours after getting the valve replaced its failing again and this time worse! When i depress the handle and let it come back up again it leaks until the reg drains then stops. luckly the valve dosnt keep emptying the cylinder but im not taking the chance that it will. Off to buy a MKOL cylinder tomorrow.

Scotsman

 

[claymen]

Well i got my fire extinguisher filled again today and the valve replaced for the 2nd time in a year and no more than 8 hours after getting the valve replaced its failing again and this time worse! When i depress the handle and let it come back up again it leaks until the reg drains then stops. luckly the valve dosnt keep emptying the cylinder but im not taking the chance that it will. Off to buy a MKOL cylinder tomorrow.

Scotsman

Why are you trying to use the handle valve? Why not get a correct fitting replacement valve assembely? Just seems like the whole issue could be avoided by using the correct valve in the first place.

 

[KHB]

Why are you trying to use the handle valve? Why not get a correct fitting replacement valve assembely? Just seems like the whole issue could be avoided by using the correct valve in the first place.

I thought the whole argument on here was about how hard it is to match these up. Im sick of my gass running out because of leaks and wish i spent the money on a MKOL cylinder in the 1st place

 

[cooperplace]

Well i got my fire extinguisher filled again today and the valve replaced for the 2nd time in a year and no more than 8 hours after getting the valve replaced its failing again and this time worse! When i depress the handle and let it come back up again it leaks until the reg drains then stops. luckly the valve dosnt keep emptying the cylinder but im not taking the chance that it will. Off to buy a MKOL cylinder tomorrow.

Scotsman

Depressing, and I sympathise. The right screw-down valve is the answer, is it not?

Peter

 

[KHB]

Depressing, and I sympathise. The right screw-down valve is the answer, is it not?

Peter

Yep picking up MKOL cylinder today

 

[claymen]

I thought the whole argument on here was about how hard it is to match these up. Im sick of my gass running out because of leaks and wish i spent the money on a MKOL cylinder in the 1st place

No the argument was about the suposed "modding" of the tanks themselves e.g. using the existing handle valve instead of replacing it properly. With that said surely a cylinder place could sort you out with the correct valve so you don't get leaks. I mean if they can do it in WA surely they can do it anywhere.

 

[crundle]

No the argument was about the suposed "modding" of the tanks themselves e.g. using the existing handle valve instead of replacing it properly. With that said surely a cylinder place could sort you out with the correct valve so you don't get leaks. I mean if they can do it in WA surely they can do it anywhere.

It would seem the answer to that is no. People from WA seem to have found the only guy in Australia who has the correct type of extinguishers (steel, not aluminium) and the correct valves to attach to them. And he has pretty much run out of those for now. I am going to get mine refilled again and see how it flies, but I may have to go the path of Scotsman06 if it happens again, or brew much more beer so I use up the gas before the valve gets a chance to fail on me!

Crundle

 

[Snow]

I don't understand why you guys with fire extinguishers keep turning your valves on and off? I have had an extinguisher for 5 years and when I get it re-filled, I just open the valve once and it stays open for the 1-2 years it takes for me to use the gas up. The valve on the regulator works just fine when I need to turn the gas off.

Cheers - Snow

 

[cooperplace]

It would seem the answer to that is no. People from WA seem to have found the only guy in Australia who has the correct type of extinguishers (steel, not aluminium) and the correct valves to attach to them. And he has pretty much run out of those for now. I am going to get mine refilled again and see how it flies, but I may have to go the path of Scotsman06 if it happens again, or brew much more beer so I use up the gas before the valve gets a chance to fail on me!

Crundle

Hi all,

My numerous phone calls to Perth completely confirm Crundle's view of things.

Peter

 

[cooperplace]

I don't understand why you guys with fire extinguishers keep turning your valves on and off? I have had an extinguisher for 5 years and when I get it re-filled, I just open the valve once and it stays open for the 1-2 years it takes for me to use the gas up. The valve on the regulator works just fine when I need to turn the gas off.

Cheers - Snow

Snow, you may be right. I do suffer from what some call an excess of paranoia, which in other areas (eg motorcycles) has served me well.

Peter

 

[crundle]

I don't understand why you guys with fire extinguishers keep turning your valves on and off? I have had an extinguisher for 5 years and when I get it re-filled, I just open the valve once and it stays open for the 1-2 years it takes for me to use the gas up. The valve on the regulator works just fine when I need to turn the gas off.

Cheers - Snow

Hi Snow,

I have tried both only using the gas on demand and leaving it on the whole time. Both have failed me. When I use the gas on demand, the O ring gets worn down in the tunnel eventually, then it leaks gas when I turn it on the next time. When I leave the gas on permanently, it works for much longer (around 6 months) but then it too fails on me, with the O ring letting gas past. I am checking out some replacement O rings from Fitch the Rubber Man today, and will test them in my fire extinguisher head in a dry run to see how it goes. I intend to press the handle repeatedly for as long a time as possible to simulate on demand use, and then check the O ring for damage after.

When I spoke to Paul from WA (the screw down valve fire extinguisher guy as people over there know) he said that it might be a good idea for me to apply some food grade lubricant to the O ring to help protect it from both wear and I presume oxidation or similar (much like O rings on kegs that develop cracks in them if they are not kept in use, either through exposure to air or sunlight - not sure which really).

I measure my existing O ring as being 5mm outside diameter and 1.5mm inside diameter. I might take the fire extinguisher handle to the fitters at work to get measured for the diameter of the tunnel the pin fits into.

Crundle

 

[KHB]

Hi Snow,

I have tried both only using the gas on demand and leaving it on the whole time. Both have failed me. When I use the gas on demand, the O ring gets worn down in the tunnel eventually, then it leaks gas when I turn it on the next time. When I leave the gas on permanently, it works for much longer (around 6 months) but then it too fails on me, with the O ring letting gas past. I am checking out some replacement O rings from Fitch the Rubber Man today, and will test them in my fire extinguisher head in a dry run to see how it goes. I intend to press the handle repeatedly for as long a time as possible to simulate on demand use, and then check the O ring for damage after.

When I spoke to Paul from WA (the screw down valve fire extinguisher guy as people over there know) he said that it might be a good idea for me to apply some food grade lubricant to the O ring to help protect it from both wear and I presume oxidation or similar (much like O rings on kegs that develop cracks in them if they are not kept in use, either through exposure to air or sunlight - not sure which really).

I measure my existing O ring as being 5mm outside diameter and 1.5mm inside diameter. I might take the fire extinguisher handle to the fitters at work to get measured for the diameter of the tunnel the pin fits into.

Crundle

I was the same on all the time and failed after about 6 months but then it failed the same day it got replaced!!

 

[crundle]

I was the same on all the time and failed after about 6 months but then it failed the same day it got replaced!!

That sucks big time. I hope all works out well with your new cylinder.

Crundle