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Regulator Pressure

C

Contici

New Member
Joined
30 Jan 2011
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15
Reading another thread I saw someone refering to their working pressure being 1.5 bar. I've never checked what the pressure is on my regulator before as everything is working fine. I just checked now and it's 5 bar.

Is this a problem?
I use an up aqua inline. The only thing I've noticed which has concerned me is the plastic on the bubble counter looks a bit like crazy paving which I guess is caused by the stress of the CO2 pressure.
 
You shouldn't need to run at the pressure and should keep your pressure as low as the requirent is. You should be able to run your UP atomiser at about 2bar. So I would advise you to turn it down.
 
davem said:
You shouldn't need to run at the pressure and should keep your pressure as low as the requirent is. You should be able to run your UP atomiser at about 2bar. So I would advise you to turn it down.
Click to expand...

This is all well and good but lots of regulators are set at a FIXED pressure. For example the Aqua Medic one is fixed at 1.5 bar. The TMC one is fixed also. Some are adjustable, but not all it seems.

To the OP. Is yours adjustable ? Which make and model is it ?
 
Contici said:
This is my one.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Aquarium-CO2- ... 25676e4898.

Not sure if it's adjustable, I can see a nut on the front but havent tried to turn it incase the whole thing comes apart.
Click to expand...

Sensible ! There is a nut on the front of the TMC one too. I have avoided it for the same reason.

On my TMC reg though on the working pressure guage there is a red "danger zone" and this does not start until it reaches 6bar. Each reg may be different of course so don't take that as a benchmark. I imagine its what the peripheral components can handle that matters before there is any risk to the reg itself. Have you tried contacting the seller to ask if it is adjustable. I agree that its best to run at "optimal" pressure rather than over or under, but ultimately if the needle valve can handle it along with the bubble counter, hose, diffusor and connections along the way, I personally cannot see a significant problem. Do the instructions say "NEVER RUN AT MORE THAN NNbar PRESSURE" at all ? 5bar does seem high though, but then I thought just under 4 seemed high on the spare one Im borrowing from someone. None of my CO2 components have blasted off into outer space yet though, and this has been running all morning.
 
Alastair said:
5 bar is far too high. I'm surprised your bubble counter hadn't exploded yet.


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Click to expand...

I have only recently started using CO2 and my rig is "pre loved" so I have never purchased a bubble counter as new. When you buy them, do their instructions show a maximum bar rating for working pressure ? Im thinking you might get what you pay for with these items. Just my thoughts though; could be totally wrong.
 
Alastair said:
5 bar is far too high. I'm surprised your bubble counter hadn't exploded yet.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Yep agreed, which is what I was trying to say in my first post, whether the pressure is FIXED or not :rolleyes:
 
All of your fittings and flow valve are most likely rated to 10 bar but bubble counters and check valves may well be much lower, personally I would stick to between 1.5 and 3 bar.
I have seen diffusers that claim to produce smaller bubbles at higher pressures but they normally state a working pressure of 2 bar.
Hope this is helpful.
 
davem said:
You shouldn't need to run at the pressure and should keep your pressure as low as the requirent is. You should be able to run your UP atomiser at about 2bar. So I would advise you to turn it down.
Click to expand...

Whether I need to run at this level or not, this is the pressure it has always worked at and I have no idea how to safely change it. IF anyone has experience of these regs, can confirm it is safe to remove the nut on the front and how to reduce the pressure I'd be very grateful to hear.
 
Contici said:
davem said:
You shouldn't need to run at the pressure and should keep your pressure as low as the requirent is. You should be able to run your UP atomiser at about 2bar. So I would advise you to turn it down.
Click to expand...

Whether I need to run at this level or not, this is the pressure it has always worked at and I have no idea how to safely change it. IF anyone has experience of these regs, can confirm it is safe to remove the nut on the front and how to reduce the pressure I'd be very grateful to hear.
Click to expand...

I think that its unlikely anyone has that specific one. Even if they do, they may not know the answer. Your best bet is to contact the supplier/manufacturer and ask them i would think. If the instructions do not state that it is adjustable it is unlikely that it is. The TMC ones look like they have a "nut" on the front too. But this is not removable or adjustable.
 
Very sorry all,
I've seen the light and realised my mistake. Basically the dials on my reg dont display Bar. They show MPa (Megapascals). What I thought was 5 Bar was the bottle pressure of 5MPa (50 Bar), the working pressure of the reg is 0.3MPa (3 Bar).

Now I know this I feel a bit happier. Thanks all for the advice.
 
LOL. Now that sounds better :) Id be well chuffed with 3bar. Not too big, not too small hehe. How long did it take to come over from HK mate ? Did it come with the little plastic washer that goes inside the nut that connects to the CO2 bottle ? You are using a FE right ? Thanks.
 
Contici said:
Very sorry all,
I've seen the light and realised my mistake. Basically the dials on my reg dont display Bar. They show MPa (Megapascals). What I thought was 5 Bar was the bottle pressure of 5MPa (50 Bar), the working pressure of the reg is 0.3MPa (3 Bar).

Now I know this I feel a bit happier. Thanks all for the advice.
Click to expand...

Thats good news. :thumbup: If your bubble counter has stress cracks I would replace it making sure you get one for 3bar pressure. Some of the cheaper ones will leak at the seal at that pressure.
 
davem said:
Contici said:
Very sorry all,
I've seen the light and realised my mistake. Basically the dials on my reg dont display Bar. They show MPa (Megapascals). What I thought was 5 Bar was the bottle pressure of 5MPa (50 Bar), the working pressure of the reg is 0.3MPa (3 Bar).

Now I know this I feel a bit happier. Thanks all for the advice.
Click to expand...

Thats good news. :thumbup: If your bubble counter has stress cracks I would replace it making sure you get one for 3bar pressure. Some of the cheaper ones will leak at the seal at that pressure.
Click to expand...

Do you recommend any in particular ? I have a fluval one but as its second hand have no idea what its rated to.
 
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