/diy/ - Do It Yourself

[Anonymous No.2008388]

Chemist here, this regulator valve was making at his at the little bleeder valve immediately visible in the pic. I tightened this clockwise and it made a loud pop and started bleeding gas even louder. What do? I'm scared to tighten anymore fittings

This a CGA regulator for nitrogen btw

Any help appreciated

[Anonymous No.2008410]

Chembro here o/
That looks like an old type of gas regulators. So if I get this right you tighten up too much one of those side ports and then it started bleeding out? I'm guessing you fucked the screw line, best thing you can do is filling it up with something or add a cap with a good amount of PTFE tape also... probably it's time to get a new one

[Anonymous No.2008412]

Call the person who supplies you with the gas chief. Send em a pic and they will come fix it.

[Anonymous No.2008418]

>>2008388
>I tightened this clockwise and it made a loud pop and started bleeding gas even louder.
You most likely ruined the thread, congratulations. You will need a new one.

[Anonymous No.2008636]

>>2008388
turn grey knob on top of tank clockwise
buy new regulator
don't fuck with this shit even if its nitrogen just get a new one

[Anonymous No.2008661]

>>2008636
this plus find competent technician that understands and maintains gas lines
ask him what is what and how to everything
it will be either one of boiler suit guys wandering around or a bloke that delivers gas bottles
it might save your life in future

[Anonymous No.2010297]

>>2008388
are you sure it is being closed CW? gas fittings have threads in opposite direction, maybe this old valve is being closed CCW too, our valves do not though
If not, just order a new valve, shit happens
t. biochemist

[Anonymous No.2010305]

>>2010297
>are you sure it is being closed CW? gas fittings have threads in opposite direction, maybe this old valve is being closed CCW too
Fuel gas fittings go CCW so you don't mix them up. CCW nuts most often have "cuts" in them to let you know what's up.

[Anonymous No.2010338]

>>2008388
Regulator geek and rebuilder here. The blowoff valve (the hexagonal brass fitting at the four o-clock position) is doing its job protecting the rest of the system. The regulator seat is what typically fails then the coil spring loaded valve vents high pressure overboard.

That Victor regulator is a dual-stage (more precise control at low pressures) unit and rebuild kits are readily available. It will be more convenient for you to take it to your local welding supply (the same people who sold or leased you your cylinder) for them to send in for rebuild, or you can send it to a reputable online rebuilder (see the Weldingweb forums for examples with good reputations). The rebuilder will replace all the soft parts and the regulator (which can easily last a century) will be literally good as new. That one has already been overhauled once (I can tell by the aftermarket pressure gauges). Since overhaul outfits replace those if you would like to have the gauges for future projects you can leave the regulator connected to the cylinder to hold it (cylinder valve closed of course) then use an open end wrench to unscrew them counterclockwise from the body.

That classic design is popular because it's simple and reliable. Since it also has that additional fitting at the ~7 o'clock position I'd just have that one rebuilt after which it should serve for decades. I have many SR style Victor regulators (I bought a box of leakers at a welding equipment auction) and prefer them.

Overhaul is much cheaper than buying new retail! I score used regs via Ebay but you need to know why you have that reg and which are acceptable substitutes. Since I may not find this thread again the Weldingweb forum is a good place to ask as they deal with all sorts of industrial gases. Your model will be rollmarked on the side of the housing (exceptions being bald replacement housings but those are much less common).

[Anonymous No.2010340]

>>2010338 continued
If you're just pressurizing a keg or something a single stage cheapy is fine and need not be high quality. You can Ebay that one if ya care or give it to a weldor since CGA 580 fittings work on shielding gas cylinders. A rebuilder (hobby or pro) can convert that to oxygen or acetylene during the rebuild and dual-state regs are nice for very fine torchwork.

[Anonymous No.2010347]

>>2010338
>>2010340

[Anonymous No.2010366]

>>2010340 continued
This glorious Seal Seat catalog covers all the classic gear and the exploded views give you an idea how equipment operates. While the classic style is SR based the VTS and other dual stage regulators show your components.

http://www.sealseat.com/content/VICTOR.pdf

Scroll to around page 45. The design is elegantly simple and millions of Victor and other industrial gas regulators keep civilization going.

While you're at it you might as well learn where to buy high pressure fittings and hoses. Western dominate in the US. NEVER use hardware store mystery parts on high pressure connections unless you hate yourself.

http://westernenterprises.com/enterprises/

Though nitrogen is quite safe never oil or apply chemicals to regulators. Parts may be cleaned to "oxygen safe" (a wise standard to abide by) with acetone.

Industrial gas safety and regulator theory of operation will make your meth lab a safer, more productive place.