Help with CO2

[Khuligirl93]

I just got the final pieces for my paintball co2 setup and got it running today.







All seemed well until my lights shut off (on same timer as solenoid for pb canister) and the solenoid turned off, but the CO2 kept coming out! I gave it a few minutes thinking it just needed to release some final pressure or something, but it kept going strong. I finally just turned the knob to completely shut it off. Does anyone know why the solenoid didn't turn it off?

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

When you plug and then unplug the power to the solenoid, to you hear an audible click (of course when the timer is set to manually on position)?

 

[Khuligirl93]

Yes, I do.

I even unplugged the solenoid completely and the gas kept coming out. It does not seem to control it at all.

Could I have assembled it wrong somehow? I basically just screwed in the regulator as tight as I could with my hands and then plugged it in and turned the main control knob left until bubbles started coming out.

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

I'm not sure... could be a faulty or leaky solenoid valve. I'm just guessing though. If you're hearing the valve get actuated with an electric current being applied and removed (with an audible click), the mechanism is working but yet the co2 keeps going long after its off, I'd suspect its defective. Maybe you should return/exchange it?

 

[Khuligirl93]

great. This would happen to me! Thanks for the advice

 

[Khuligirl93]

So when it is unplugged or timer is on light off setting, I should be able to turn this knob left and nothing should come out?

 

[hecurcia]

I got the same problem as you. It actually happened twice. If there is no leaks on your setup, then the selenoid is the problem. I fixed by taking the selenoid apart( the black box) and blow some air into it ( with a camera blower bulb). Both times I found a tiny piece of copper which did not allow a complete blockage of the vent path. Thus, allowing co2 to flow. Remember that even if you close the co2 tank valve, some co2 still present on the setup and you will still see some bubbles.

 

[jetajockey]

Try cycling the solenoid a bunch of times (plugging in and unplugging it) sometimes they stick open. But yeah, when it's unplugged it should not have any flow going escaping out of it.

 

[Khuligirl93]

Thank you, that gives me some hope ( because I really don't want to deal with having to ship it back!). I will see if my dad and brother who are more mechanically inclined can help me with that.

It seems to me it might be a leak.. I could have sworn yesterday the internal pressure was closer to 1000psi than it is now.

Does this pressure look normal for it having just been filled yesterday?

 

[Jkeating8]

Something is leaking, I think. I doubt that you used that much co2 in the amount of time. My paintball canister is 1000psi when fully filled.

 

[Khuligirl93]

Aha! Fixed it! It doesn't appear as if the solenoid was the problem, but the regulator itself. The place where the metal cylinder with rubber on the tip and the spring went into the hole, there was a tiny piece of plastic on the end of the rubber which possibly prevented the rubber from completely blocking the gas input.

 

[Khuligirl93]

Thanks jkeating8, I also got a wrench and tightened the connections so maybe that will solve that problem too, but ill keep an eye on it.

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

Glad to hear you got your problem resolved. Out of curiosity, what brand regulator is that? EBay?

 

[Khuligirl93]

It was from amazon. Shipped from "Pet Fulfillment Center" in Lancaster, PA.

 

[Jkeating8]

There's a massive fish store in Lancaster, PA. It about 35 minutes from me. It's pretty awesome! I saw this regulator on the shelf last time I was there.

 

[EMS Chris]

I also live 30 minutes east of That Fish Store in Lancaster. Amazing selection

 

[Khuligirl93]

Glad to know its well known hopefully this is a good quality choice and I won't have any further issues!

 

[Jkeating8]

On the "that fish place" (yes, that's the name- ha) website, it got only 5 star reveiws I think.

 

[Khuligirl93]

Glad to hear it!

But I still think the internal pressure is going down way faster than it should be... What's the best way to figure out if there's a leak? I'm assuming NOT putting the whole thing under water? Haha

 

[EMS Chris]

Mix half water and half bubbles ( the regular kid bubbles with the wand) in a spray bottle and spray the fittings. You will instantly see bubbles even for the smallest leaks. Obviously dont spray the bubbles near the fish tank. You want to spray any connection and anything that moves inline. Then just wipe off.