[APD] Re: co2 won't stop

[Bill Wichers <billw at waveform_net>]

> "If the regulator main valve doesn't have an effect,
> then
> it's not jsut a leaking solenoid."
>
> As of yesterday, it has been working properly.  I'm
> guessing that there was just too much co2 in the
> bottle to begin with.  Possible?
>
> Thanks, Cavan

Probably not likely that your problem was caused by an "overfilled" bottle. 
The CO2 cylinders actually contain *liquid* CO2 (back when I was doing 
visual effects stuff we called them LCO2 cylinders for Liquid-CO2), and as 
long as there is some liquid in the cylinder the pressure will remain 
constant at a given temperature (around 900 PSI if I remember correctly). 
Higher temperatures will result in higher pressures which is why it is 
recommended to not keep CO2 tanks in sunlight or other areas where they 
will be subjected to large temperature swings. Large temperature increases 
*can* be a problem in relatively full tanks.

I suppose it would be possible maybe to have so much liquid in the tank 
that some got into the regulator but that seems very unlikely *provided you 
have the tank in an upright position*, which I'm assuming you do. The idea 
is that the CO2 gas "boils off" in the tank, and the gas collects at the 
top where the regulator is. Tilting the tank can be a problem since the 
regulator will not operate properly if liquid gets into it.

I think the most likely cause of your problem is either excess gas in your 
line before the needle valve (something like ballooning, with the line 
acting as a reservoir of CO2 until the pressure bleeds off), or possibly a 
sticky solenoid valve. Cycling the solenoid valve a few times manually in 
quick succession (few seconds on, few seconds off, and repeat maybe 5-10 
times) should help to deburr the valve mechanism if that's the problem.

Try to keep track of any changes you make to your system for a while so 
that if the problem occurs again you can determine what change may have 
caused the problem.

        -Bill


*****************************
Waveform Technology
UNIX Systems Administrator

_______________________________________________
Aquatic-Plants mailing list
Aquatic-Plants at actwin_com
http://www.actwin.com/mailman/listinfo.cgi/aquatic-plants