# How to read a dual gauge Co2 regulator?



## KenRC51 (Oct 13, 2011)

I just got a Aquatek Co2 regulator with solenoid. How do I read the gauge and what to look for?

Another thing is that since my bubble counter is horizontal I can't count the bubbles unless I lay my tank down making the bubble counter vertical. Is it ok to lay the Co2 tank down instead of having it stand up vertically?


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## willknowitall (Oct 3, 2010)

reseat the bubble counter so its vertical. tank should not be layed down
is the regulator made for regular co2 tank , but your using paintball adapter?
because regular co2 tank output thread is horizontal but paintball is straight up
so the bubble counter would have to be moved to vertical position
solenoid may have to be moved along with it


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## PlantedRich (Jul 21, 2010)

I've not used that setup of gauges but have a guess. For shipping convenience, they likely screw the parts together so that they ship flat. Can you turn the parts so that the bubble counter is vertical? It is normally good practice when moving thing in this way to turn them a bit tighter rather than turning which will loosen them. It is less likely to leak.


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## livingword26 (Oct 28, 2010)

The guage on the left is the pressure in the tank. It will stay around 800-1000 psi untill all the liquid has evaporated, then it will fall to 0 rather quickly, depending on the size of the tank. The right hand guage is the pressure being sent out through your bubble counter. It is preset at around 30 psi. On both guages, the smaller inside row of numbers is psi.


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## KenRC51 (Oct 13, 2011)

willknowitall said:


> reseat the bubble counter so its vertical. tank should not be layed down
> is the regulator made for regular co2 tank , but your using paintball adapter?
> because regular co2 tank output thread is horizontal but paintball is straight up
> so the bubble counter would have to be moved to vertical position
> solenoid may have to be moved along with it


Yeah it is attached to a pinball adapter to the pinball tank. So I did use a wrench to turn the solenoid clockwise (tighter) so now it is vertical. I didn't know if I was suppose to mess with how it was shipped to me. 



livingword26 said:


> The guage on the left is the pressure in the tank. It will stay around 800-1000 psi untill all the liquid has evaporated, then it will fall to 0 rather quickly, depending on the size of the tank. The right hand guage is the pressure being sent out through your bubble counter. It is preset at around 30 psi. On both guages, the smaller inside row of numbers is psi.



I think my bottle is leaking because my right gauge used to be around the 500psi. Do I tighten all the nuts with a wrench? I only used my hands. Maybe that is why it is losing Co2.


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## livingword26 (Oct 28, 2010)

If your bottle started at 500 psi, it was almost empty anyway, (unless it was very cold). I'm not sure what kind of seal is in between a paintball tank, and the regulator, but it should probably be tightened with a wrench, though not with a lot of torque.


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## livingword26 (Oct 28, 2010)

Can you post a shot of the tank and regulator together?


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## KenRC51 (Oct 13, 2011)

livingword26 said:


> Can you post a shot of the tank and regulator together?


How much psi should it be around when full? I will take photos with it tonight when I get Home from work


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## livingword26 (Oct 28, 2010)

When you fill up a 5 lb co2 tank, you get 5lbs of liquid. At that point it should be around 900 psi. (at room temperature) As the liquid evaporates into gas, and is put into your tank, the weight of the tank will get lighter, but the pressure remains the same, until the last drop of co2 evaporates. Then the pressure will begin to fall. At this point, you don't have much time until it is empty.


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## Starry (Aug 7, 2002)

livingword26 said:


> When you fill up a 5 lb co2 tank, you get 5lbs of liquid. At that point it should be around 900 psi. (at room temperature) As the liquid evaporates into gas, and is put into your tank, the weight of the tank will get lighter, but the pressure remains the same, until the last drop of co2 evaporates. Then the pressure will begin to fall. At this point, you don't have much time until it is empty.


- Sorry to hijack, I'm working on setting up an aquatek system too. - 
What do you mean by not much time? Like a few hours, or two days...? Would end of tank dump happen at the point that all the CO2 evaporates, or after that? I'm wondering if a drop in pressure will give me enough notice to turn it off/get it refilled without risking EOTD.


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## livingword26 (Oct 28, 2010)

With my 5 lb tank, when the pressure starts to drop, with 4 bubbles per second, 10 hours a day, I think it lasts about 2 days. I've never experienced "end of the tank dump", but i've only run the pressure down to about 400 lbs before replacing. Obviously, with a paintball tank, it is going to happen much faster.


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## Starry (Aug 7, 2002)

livingword26 said:


> With my 5 lb tank, when the pressure starts to drop, with 4 bubbles per second, 10 hours a day, I think it lasts about 2 days. I've never experienced "end of the tank dump", but i've only run the pressure down to about 400 lbs before replacing. Obviously, with a paintball tank, it is going to happen much faster.


That's perfect, thanks. I'm getting a 5 lb tank as well, and 2 days warning sounds good. I'll just have to remember to check it often! At 4 bubbles per sec, how long does the 5 lb tank last for you?


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## livingword26 (Oct 28, 2010)

Starry said:


> That's perfect, thanks. I'm getting a 5 lb tank as well, and 2 days warning sounds good. I'll just have to remember to check it often! At 4 bubbles per sec, how long does the 5 lb tank last for you?


About 3 months.


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