How to build a CO2 regulator for your calcium reactor.

[LQT]

THANK YOU LQT...what is VCR fittings?
It says SS-SVR4-VH

If it uses VCR fittings, see if you can return it. VCR fittings use a metal washer to seal the fitting down to the micron level (not necessary for our purposes). The VCR fittings required will be prohibitively expensive. When I built my first regulator, I scored what I thought was a killer deal on a stainless steel dual stage regulator with VCR fittings. I PM’d Alanle with pictures and questions and he advised me to stay away from the VCR fittings due to cost.

 

[Jamsoury]

How can you tell if a regulator is dual stage? A lot of listings don’t really say

 

[ReefWreak]

You usually have to google the product information, and review sales materials and whatever information is out there. Almost none of the auctions will list it, unless they're explicitly trying to charge more for it. There's also a lot of re-branding of regulators done by Praxis and AirGas of regulators so it makes it difficult to find documentation or identify the original regulator itself.

It's usually easiest to surf a few pages of this thread and see what regulators people are using, and then go with that option.

 

[alanle]

Here is my latest system. It's a Parker IR6000. The ports are vcr converted to npt.
-SS Parker IR6000
-SS Burkert solenoid
-SS Swagelok S Series with vernier handle

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[zip70]

Looking good Alanle...question for you...when you connect VCR together, like a male and female do we need any special washer in between?

 

[alanle]

Looking good Alanle...question for you...when you connect VCR together, like a male and female do we need any special washer in between?

Yes you need the metal gasket.


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[zip70]

Yes you need the metal gasket.


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Can you show me what type? Ebay ?
Mine is 1/4.
Thank you.

 

[alanle]

Can you show me what type? Ebay ?

Mine is 1/4.

Thank you.

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[psidriven]

hi alan, my buddy got a reg with solenoid set up from you to use with his calcfeeder which already has a solenoid. can i just remove the burket and connect the needle valve directly to the elbow from the reg? will the threads/fittings fit?

 

[alanle]

hi alan, my buddy got a reg with solenoid set up from you to use with his calcfeeder which already has a solenoid. can i just remove the burket and connect the needle valve directly to the elbow from the reg? will the threads/fittings fit?

Can you upload some pictures?


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[psidriven]

Can I connect the needle valve to the upper elbow? Also, can I connect
RO line to the needle valve instead of airline hose?

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[zip70]

what is inside here to hold the tube? my tube is 1/4 OD and 1/8 ID.

 

[LQT]

what is inside here to hold the tube? my tube is 1/4 OD and 1/8 ID.

It's the essentially the same way you attach a tube connection... in this case the 1/4" OD CO2 tubing acts like the the rigid tube adapter. Slip the ferrule (the cone and ring) over the CO2 tubing and cinch it down with the nut.

 

[zip70]

It's the essentially the same way you attach a tube connection... in this case the 1/4" OD CO2 tubing acts like the the rigid tube adapter. Slip the ferrule (the cone and ring) over the CO2 tubing and cinch it down with the nut.

I tried but it kept falling off.

 

[LQT]

Hand tighten, then use a small wrench or pliers and give it a one and one quarter turn. That will compress the ferrule around the CO2 tubing and lock it on. Make sure as you do the 1-1/4 turn, that the CO2 tubing is inserted all the way in.

 

[alanle]

Can I connect the needle valve to the upper elbow? Also, can I connect
RO line to the needle valve instead of airline hose?

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Yes you can remove the solenoid and attach the needle valve to the upper elbow. You will need this fitting. eBay item # 321826671180

Why do you want RO line? Anyways yes you can use 1/4" OD RO tubing. You will need to use new ferrules. 183043238899
You can also use a check valve and connect the air line to the RO line.


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[psidriven]

Yes you can remove the solenoid and attach the needle valve to the upper elbow. You will need this fitting. eBay item # 321826671180

Why do you want RO line? Anyways yes you can use 1/4" OD RO tubing. You will need to use new ferrules. 183043238899
You can also use a check valve and connect the air line to the RO line.


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thanks for the reply. the fitting link 'eBay item # 321826671180' doesn't seem to work. also, will the 1/4 ferrules work for the airline hose you use or is that another part number?

the reason for the ro line is pacsun calcfeeder uses ro fittings on its co2 solenoid.

 

[zip70]

Finally I finished mine. checked leak but no leak. how come my LP could not stay at 1 spot for few hours? I set at 5 psi and 3 or 4 hours later it dropped to 4 or 3? how come?

 

[LQT]

Sounds like you still have a leak. Do you have other tube connections? I’m thinking / guessing that the tube connection between the elbow coming from the solenoid to the metering valve is not properly tightened (based on our prior conversation involving the CO2 tubing connection). If the tube fitting is 1/4”, then like the CO2 tubing conception, you must give that nut a hand tightening and a 1-1/4 turn with a wrench. If it’s a 1/8” tube fitting, then it needs a 3/4 turn with a wrench. Of course without any pictures, I’m just guessing here.

When you say you have no leaks, did you follow Alanle’s leak test procedure in post #12 after you completed the build?

 

[zip70]

Sounds like you still have a leak. Do you have other tube connections? I'm thinking / guessing that the tube connection between the elbow coming from the solenoid to the metering valve is not properly tightened (based on our prior conversation involving the CO2 tubing connection). Like the CO2 tubing conception, did you give that nut a hand tightening and a 1-1/4 turn with a wrench? Of course without any pictures, I'm just guessing here.

When you say you have no leaks, did you follow Alanle's leak test procedure post #12 after you completed the build?

Thank you LQT.
Yes I did follow leak test with soap water. No leak. I might need to re-tighten everything again. Let me take a picture then.