Tunze 7077/2 regulator installation

[sccoringao]

Hello,
I have just acquired a Tunze 7077/2 regulator and have some questions regarding it's correct installation:

Can the CO2 cylinder be placed horizontally?
Even with the cylinder in the horizontal position, I could still install the regulator in the upright position. Is this acceptable?
Could this cause any damage to the regulator or make CO2 bubble regulation more difficult?

Thanks,
Andre

 

[rvitko]

The danger of this is that liquid CO2 could freeze the seals and damage the regulator. It is not recommended.

 

[sccoringao]

Roger,
I installed the cylinder in the vertical position as recommended. I was also careful to follow the Tunze installation instructions exactly.

After 2 days of usage, the regulator stopped working. No CO2 bubbles would come out. The first pressure gauge showed 60 bar for the cylinder pressure and the second gauge would show zero (initially it was set to 0.5 bar), no matter how much I closed the adjustment screw.

I talked to shop where the regulator was purchased, and they gave me a new one, which I installed on Wednesday (Dec 19th). It worked perfectly until tonight, when the same problem appeared: The regulator shows zero on the second gauge, and no CO2 bubbles will come out.

Have you seen this problem before? Am I doing something wrong or am I just "lucky" enough to get two defective regulators in less than a month?

Best regards,
Andre

 

[rvitko]

You don't have enough pressure. The bottle needs to be open all the way. The first gauge is the bottle pressure which should be about 60bar. For the second gauge you need to have about 2 bar. At a lower pressure you cannot get a reliable fine adjustment, it is not enough pressure to open the valve.

 

[sccoringao]

The first gauge is showing 60 bar and the bottle is open all the way. The problem is that the second gauge is always measering zero bar, and no CO2 bubbles will come out, no matter how much I close the adjustment screw.

 

[rvitko]

The large valve at the front of the regulator is the one that makes this adjustment, not the small needle valve. I have never heard of this happening so I can only imagine two possibilities, you are using the wrong adjustment valve or the valve is frozen from liquid CO2.

 

[sccoringao]

I am using the large valve at the front of the regulator to do the adjustments. I closed (and also opened) this valve all the way, but the CO2 will not come out, and the second gauge will always show zero.

How can liquid CO2 freeze in the valve? Can this happen even with the cylinder in the vertical position? Will that damage the regulator permanently?

Thanks,
Andre

 

[rvitko]

Inside the valve are rubber pieces they can freeze so they don't open, if the bottle was overfilled or tipped on its side at some point or it is very cold it cold possibly freeze the regulator.

 

[sccoringao]

But, does this damages the regulator permanently?

How do I know if my CO2 cylinder was overfilled?

 

[rvitko]

I don't think it was if you only get 60bar, but if the cylinder was on it side or got hot in the sun, it could vent some liquid CO2 it is also possible if the valve was completely open immediately. It could do permanent damage but I don't think it would if it just happened one time. The same thing happens in CO2 powered pellet guns if you shoot really fast the valve freezes from the liquid CO2, after many times the seal expands and leaks. I just have never had a regulator break except by shipping damage and then only to the gauges so I am very surprised if it does not work.