Something wrong with regulator?

[trustyrusty]

Hi I had 2.6kg tank and bought 6 kg when I turn on it blows out top even with smallest turn and keg pressure just goes up ? Do you need a different regulator? Mmmmm

 

[trustyrusty]

I must have become invisible?

 

[Coalminer]

Same pressure in both bottles. Guess your regulator is faulty

 

[trustyrusty]

Strange, that’s what I thought and was fine on other tank even when it was full? Could it be anything to do with the coupler/ valve inside the nut ... not sure what’s it’s called.

 

[MHB]

Odds on, the new bottle had a bit of **** (technical term) in the valve, when you hooked up your reg it got blown into the seat valve and has blocked it, Some regs come apart and can be cleaned, for others there is another technical term Fuc…….
Going to depend on the reg and how well it was made, if it was a cheap one, probably easier to replace than repait.
Mark

 

[trustyrusty]

Thanks... I think it cost about 80.00 not sure how that fits in regulators hall of fame but I can take it apart... if means I could clean ? Sure there is YouTube vid on this somewhere , unless you know of one? Thanks

 

[MHB]

A picture or even a model name/number would help, otherwise just guessing.
Mark

 

[trustyrusty]

Thanks keg king I believe, cheers

 

[MHB]

Ok - not a model I know well so just generic steps.
Loosen the pressure adjustment knob as far off (anticlockwise) as it will go.
Unscrew the top of the housing, might be a couple of flats to fit a shifter, otherwise large multigripps.
Under the housing there should be a spring, a thrust washer and the diaphragm (usually black rubber).
Peel off the diaphragm
Under the diaphragm will be the "cassette" in the centre there should be a button, see if the button can be depresses and it bounces back up. If it sticks you probably have some crud stuck in the cassette, (well come back to that).

Crud in the works is where I suspect the problem lies.
This is where it can get a bit hairy, If you connect the reg to the gas bottle, remember there is about 1/2MPa in there and that's enough to give small parts a rifle like velocity (well air rifle), so make dam sure your head isn't in the line of fire. Be a good idea to loosely screw the reg housing back onto the body - without all the bits and pieces inside.
Very gently open the bottle valve, if the casset is working there should be no gas flow, if you can hear CO2 coming out, again probably crud in the cassette.

Sometimes you can get rid of the crud by gently tapping on the center button, use the handle of a screwdriver, letting out little puffs of gas and hopefully any crud.
Sometimes I miss old AV equipment at lease we all had head cleaner handy, have occasionally had some luck, taking the reg back off the bottle and flushing out the cassette with a no residue solvent, then reconnecting and blowing through with CO2 again.

Usually taking cassettes apart and trying to clean the internals is very hard work and unless you have a small parts kit rarely effective.

Good luck and be careful, a regulator is a safety device its there to make something dangerous more manageable if you are working with bottle pressure think safety first.
Mark

 

[Malted Mick]

Odds on, the new bottle had a bit of **** (technical term) in the valve, when you hooked up your reg it got blown into the seat valve and has blocked it, Some regs come apart and can be cleaned, for others there is another technical term Fuc…….
Going to depend on the reg and how well it was made, if it was a cheap one, probably easier to replace than repait.
Mark

Always good practice to crack gas cylinders (quickly open and close the valve) before fitting the regulator. This will remove any bits of **** in the bottle outlet port.

 

[trustyrusty]

Thanks, that cassette or nib can be depressed. I might put this on the old bottle with less pressure and see it might clear anything.. cheers

 

[trustyrusty]

Hi I put on old gas tank, blew gas through... nothing seemed blocked and I would assume any bits blow out but didn’t see anything. Put back on new tank . Still blowing through pressure release .. dink dink dink .... Any other places to check or ideas? Thanks

 

[trustyrusty]

Very gently open the bottle valve, if the casset is working there should be no gas flow, if you can hear CO2 coming out, again probably crud in the cassette.

. When did this there was gas coming through, and the nib popped out, I thought that is what was supposed to happen? You say there should have been no gas coming through with nib off? Looks like solvent needed? Does Bunnings have that? Clean everything? Are you saying I can clean this reg with solvent or is that the old ones? It’s doing it now on old tank so some dirt or something in there, .... can’t see anything atm. If I could dip in cleaner, if I could? “ACETONE. Acetone is a residue-free, solvent thinner and cleaner. Due to quick evaporation, it's perfect for projects needing fast drying times.”ACETONE. Acetone is a residue-free, solvent thinner and cleaner. Due to quick evaporation, it's perfect for projects needing fast drying times. Acetone apparently is solvent free ? Cheers

 

[MHB]

You can try it.
That button in the middle, when its up there should be no gas coming through. Depending on what is wrong under it, could be crud and Acetone might dissolve/free it, you might be able to unscrew the hex nut and physically clean what ever is underneath, might be a seat or o-ring that has worn...
As above if it doesn't blow clean opening up the cassette is rarely successful unless you have a parts kit and can replace the internals.
Mark

 

[Malted Mick]

Thanks, that cassette or nib can be depressed. I might put this on the old bottle with less pressure and see it might clear anything.. cheers View attachment 118169

You have to be very carefull servicing regulators and gauges, remember they are a safety device. Have a close look at the diaphragm and seat (black and white bits) for any damage, tears or deterioation. I would not use acetone it may damaged the diaphragm. Did you remove the brass inlet valve assembly, this is the nut bit in the middle? But for starters the inlet pressure guage is suspect, it should be back at zero when depressurised. I suspect the inlet valve is blocked, hence the gauge not returning to zero. May be time to get a new regulator!

 

[trustyrusty]

Thanks. Gauge is bit out of whack as it feel over once and I could get it back to zero but it’s worked like that for years. Yes I did remove brass inlet. You mean when I blew gas? I have taken everything apart... I wonder if diaphragm needs good clean? Photo shows all bits, diaphragm looks ok.. looks clean in middle... wonder if get hair dryer and blow air around??? I had to bottle and turned on, gas comes through the middle.. is supposed to or not at this stage?

 

[Malted Mick]

Ok. Again I would be carefull using a hair dryer on the diaphragm, you may damage it. It sounds like gas is passing through the inlet valve or diaphragm, if they are clean and undamaged the cause is anybodys guess!

 

[MHB]

I doubt its the diaphragm, if it was it would be leaking up through the top of the body not clocking out. Almost certainly the cassette (inlet valve assembly), have a look at where the gas goes into it see if you can see any crud (bits of O-ring, swarf, fragments of nylon washer...) you might be able to soak it in some cleaning liquid (Acetone will do) then put the little button in press it down and blow through it just to move crud around.
This bit

It might come apart, probably not most cheap ones are non serviceable, but if it does nothing lost by having a go.
Might be worth asking KK if they sell a replacement, not sure what they will call it, but it is probably either that or a new reg.
Mark

 

[trustyrusty]

Been perfectly fine for years, all I did was change gas, frustrating ..

 

[MHB]

Odds on as Malted Mick said, there was some crud in the valve of the new bottle, when you hooked up and turned it on, you blew it into your regulator. Its is a good habit to blow out the valve before connecting any reg.
Better regs usually have at least 1 and sometimes 2 sintered filters between the bottle and the cassette designed to prevent exactly this type of problem.
At $80 it is very much a case of getting what you payed for, I have seen some of the low cost CO2 bottles that rattled when you shook them, hadn't even cleaned out the swarf made when cutting the valve thread into the bottle.
Admittedly they have improved over the years but if I were buying another bottle I would stick with one of the US made Aluminium bottles over the cheaper steel ones, My MKOL 4.5kg was one of the first into the country and its still going strong.
Mark