How to build a CO2 regulator for your calcium reactor.

[LQT]

When the nut is tightened, the compression ring that sits above the ferrule should push down and press down onto the ferrule, thereby compressing around the CO2 tubing, cinching it down for a tight fit. It shouldn’t be loose at all.

The CO2 tubing should go through the nut -> compression ring -> ferrule -> metering valve.

 

[Jeramirez85]

Great thread and god idea will be trying this myself

 

[Ted_C]

I've got a question on the solenoid part if anyone could help.

I have a Pacific Sun Calcfeeder AC4 pro that comes with a 12V 4.8W solenoid (1/4" NPT but its plastic and doesn't work well with stainless steel threads). It has a 1/4" stereo headphone connection to the Calcfeeder's master unit.

The regulator AlanLE built for me has burkett 6011A (1/4" NPT) that has been on continuously for three months now (and it runs very very hot).

What I would like to do is have a single solenoid. I am limited here by the Calcfeeder PRO's control of the solenoid valve. SO it's going to have to be something that works with the Calcfeeder's requirements.

So my questions:

If I find a solenoid where the pole of the fitting fit's the electronics of the Calcfeeder PRO's solenoid - will this work regardless of Voltage / Wattage? The burkett 6011 pole doesn't fit the Calcfeeder's electronics portion of the solenoid (it's loose). The calcfeeder's solenoid has what looks like a copper or brass sleeve around the pole and the burkett does not. If I just put this on the burkett - would it work despite not being a tight fit and different voltage/wattage?

Where could I find a 4.8W 12V DC stainless steel 1/4" NPT solenoid? I can wire the 1/4" stereo headphone jack myself - so that's not a big deal to me. is that only going to be ebay? any other sources?

 

[Ted_C]

So my questions:

If I find a solenoid where the pole of the fitting fit's the electronics of the Calcfeeder PRO's solenoid - will this work regardless of Voltage / Wattage? The burkett 6011 pole doesn't fit the Calcfeeder's electronics portion of the solenoid (it's loose). The calcfeeder's solenoid has what looks like a copper or brass sleeve around the pole and the burkett does not. If I just put this on the burkett - would it work despite not being a tight fit and different voltage/wattage?

Where could I find a 4.8W 12V DC stainless steel 1/4" NPT solenoid? I can wire the 1/4" stereo headphone jack myself - so that's not a big deal to me. is that only going to be ebay? any other sources?

Answered my own question. I put the Pacific Sun Electronics part over the burkett 6011's mechanical part and it seems to properly open/close it as the controller turns it on and off.

 

[lanshark]

Hi guys,

Am building out this regulator and searching for solution to thread variations on inlet to start? What are options for inlet from Cga 350 to 320 where on regulator nipple side, thread needs to be larger than fine 320 threads?

 

[aakinego]

Answered my own question. I put the Pacific Sun Electronics part over the burkett 6011's mechanical part and it seems to properly open/close it as the controller turns it on and off.

Why not just take the Burkert solenoid off?

 

[Ted_C]

because the pac sun one has plastic threads. Doesn't work too well with stainless steel.

 

[Ted_C]

Does anyone have any documentation / links on how to tear down and re-build a dual stage regulator? Internet searches for Regulator rebuild shows me bunches of natural gas / gas grill rebuilds. Searches for CO2 regulator rebuilds shows me bunches of how to attach my regulator to a CO2 bottle for my kegerator...

I'm stuck at the moment with a non-functioning regulator and no Calcium reactor running.

 

[LQT]

What has gone wrong with the regulator that Alanle built for you?

 

[royvoss]

from my experience , most dual stage commercial regs need to be sent back to the factory or a dealer for repair. some are cheap to have done some are not.
they flow test and calibrate them. not a cheap fix, but the reg will perform like new.

 

[Ted_C]

Thats what I'm thinking too royvoss. The lack of videos or pictures on the internet is great evidence of this.

LQT: if something went wrong - its most likely entirely my fault. Here's are the steps I did:

1: I wanted to see if the solenoid could be replaced with the pacific sun solenoid. The pacific sun solenoid is a plastic casing around the plunger - but does have 1/4" plastic threads so I thought I could make it work.

2: I shut the gas off but did not bleed the excess pressure. I removed the regulator from the CO2 bottle (slowly to let the excess pressure bleed off).

3: To remove the solenoid, I had to remove the blow-off fitting

4: I tried replacing the solenoid with the pacific sun solenoid. Since it's plastic - it never made a tight fit. Tried using tape + rectoseal (the yellow gas line rectoseal) to seal it up (this might have messed up the regulator - the gas line rectoseal)

5: while removing the blow-off fitting - I must have bent the needle on the low pressure gauge. Didn't notice though until I tried turning everything back on.

6: Forgot to re-attach the blow-off valve when testing the pac-sun solenoid (this might have damaged the regulator).

7: re-attached the blow-off fitting and tested again. wasn't getting any movement on the low pressure gauge (due to bent needle). Turned it all the way up and the low pressure needle released and red 150 PSI).

8: disassmbled from CO2 bottle (without bleeding excess pressure - I had to bleed the pressure at the CO2 bottle / regulator fitting) - this may have damaged the regulator

9: put the regulator in-line with my solenoid turned on - not getting any gas flow past the needle valve (or solenoid - or regulator - dont know).

10: tested pac-sun electronics portion of solenoid with the burkett 6011 mechanical pole. Worked. Decided to dissassmble solenoid to re-install burkett 6011.

11: cleaned out the rectoseal as best I could from the fittings to ensure gas could flow. Using 100% teflon tape from this point forward.

12: re-assembled with burkett solenoid pole and pac-sun electronics. No reading on the low pressure gauge at this point no matter where the valve was.

13: attempted to dis-assemble regulator valve to ensure no damage to parts. No damage visible but had no idea how the parts are arranged to put it back together.

14: re-assmbled the valve as best I could and re-tested. still no pressure reading on low pressure gauge.

Throughout all of this - the high pressure gauge continued to work - reading around 900 PSI.

 

[LQT]

I wonder if it’s as simple as replacing the low pressure guage if the needle is bent and you’re not able to get a reading out of it. Try PMing Alanle with what you posted above, he’s has been quite responsive via PM as I was going through my build process.

 

[Ted_C]

The needle was bent. Its fine now - I can swing it around no problem.

I actually PM'd AlanLE before I started posting this. I might be looking at a different set-up anyways - so I might send this back to him for some changes / rebuild / new regulator.

 

[Ted_C]

Looking through this thread and all the broken pictures made this determination hard:

Does anyone know of an in-line bubble counter that has a horizontal outlet instead of a vertical outlet? Most i see have gas glowing into the bottom of the bubble counter and flowing out from a compression fitting on the top of the bubble counter.

What I'd actually like to do is:
Regulator
Bleed Off Valve
Solenoid (one that fits the Pac Sun electronics - preferably 12V 4.8W)
Needle Valve
(Check valve?)
Bubble Counter
Check Valve

If you look at my pic below - I'd like the final hose coming out of all of this to be parallel to the lid of the calcium reactor - that's why I'm looking for a horizontal bubble counter.

 

[zachrabbit15]

Looking through this thread and all the broken pictures made this determination hard:

Does anyone know of an in-line bubble counter that has a horizontal outlet instead of a vertical outlet? Most i see have gas glowing into the bottom of the bubble counter and flowing out from a compression fitting on the top of the bubble counter.



I would just get a right angle push-loc connector.

 

[Joshsmit56001]

I am looking at a DIY build of a reg but I don't have a ton to spend so looking at used 2 stage. A lot of these on eBay we have no idea what gas was pushed through them previously. Should there be a worry to buy a used reg with not know what gas was used or will the gases not leave any residuals that would harm a reef tank? Also a lot of people suggest a 2 stage due to end of tank dump. Isn't that what the solenoid is supposed to prevent by closing the solenoid if the ph goes to low? Is it not fast enough of a response and that's the issue?


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[vhuang168]

Looking through this thread and all the broken pictures made this determination hard:

Does anyone know of an in-line bubble counter that has a horizontal outlet instead of a vertical outlet? Most i see have gas glowing into the bottom of the bubble counter and flowing out from a compression fitting on the top of the bubble counter.

What I'd actually like to do is:
Regulator
Bleed Off Valve
Solenoid (one that fits the Pac Sun electronics - preferably 12V 4.8W)
Needle Valve
(Check valve?)
Bubble Counter
Check Valve

If you look at my pic below - I'd like the final hose coming out of all of this to be parallel to the lid of the calcium reactor - that's why I'm looking for a horizontal bubble counter.

If you rotate the needle valve by 1/4 turn, the tubing will exit horizontally.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[vhuang168]

Looking through this thread and all the broken pictures made this determination hard:

Does anyone know of an in-line bubble counter that has a horizontal outlet instead of a vertical outlet? Most i see have gas glowing into the bottom of the bubble counter and flowing out from a compression fitting on the top of the bubble counter.

What I'd actually like to do is:
Regulator
Bleed Off Valve
Solenoid (one that fits the Pac Sun electronics - preferably 12V 4.8W)
Needle Valve
(Check valve?)
Bubble Counter
Check Valve

If you look at my pic below - I'd like the final hose coming out of all of this to be parallel to the lid of the calcium reactor - that's why I'm looking for a horizontal bubble counter.

If you rotate the needle valve assembly by 1/4 turn, the tubing will exit horizontally.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[lilchris]

I have a question concerning my regulator and needle valve. I have noticed I'm getting multiple bubbles in the bubble counter at a time. I rate of the bubbles is good but when The bubbles are released it's not just one bubble at a time it would be 2 at a time. Is this normal or is this an indication of a faulty needle valve. I have a swagelok metering valve on my set up.

 

[vhuang168]

What pressure are you running at?


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