# DiCi Regulator + Solenoid leak?



## Harshal1992 (Nov 8, 2012)

Hey guys,

I just bought a DiCi regulator w/ a solenoid from AI, and when it shuts off at night with the timer, I can still see some leaking.. if I turn the valve up, more bubbles flow, then it goes back to a very slow pace (still slowly leaking). Is there possibly a leak? What's going on? 

Any help appreciated,

Thank you!

Harshal.


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 4, 2008)

How long does the leaking go on for? Some flow is expected after the solenoid closes, as the residual CO2 will still make its way out.

If there is still flow after (say) 1-2 hours after the solenoid is closed, then there might be some debris that is blocking the solenoid plunger from closing all the way.

A quick blast from your cylinder while the solenoid is open should blow out any debris (it might be best to take your needle valve and bubble counter, if they are present off when you do this)


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## PlantedRich (Jul 21, 2010)

If blowing it out doesn't get it, the solenoids I have seen are normally quite simple to take apart. Not much inside the ones I use. A bit of cleaning and lube on the plunger may be worthwhile. Just a tiny film of Vaseline works for me.


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## Harshal1992 (Nov 8, 2012)

So I just took out the BC and Needle valve and blew out some CO2 for a second, three times. The problem still remains I think. My needle valve is a bit crooked.. will that affect my solenoid in any way?


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 4, 2008)

Harshal1992 said:


> So I just took out the BC and Needle valve and blew out some CO2 for a second, three times. The problem still remains I think. My needle valve is a bit crooked.. will that affect my solenoid in any way?


The needle valve being crooked is another problem in itself (it will not affect the solenoid being able to close all the way).

As I asked before, how long after the solenoid shuts are you still seeing CO2? Even after my solenoid shuts, the gas flows for about 15-20 minutes afterwards.


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## Harshal1992 (Nov 8, 2012)

Darkblade48 said:


> The needle valve being crooked is another problem in itself (it will not affect the solenoid being able to close all the way).
> 
> As I asked before, how long after the solenoid shuts are you still seeing CO2? Even after my solenoid shuts, the gas flows for about 15-20 minutes afterwards.


I guess it really just was some gunk stuck inside, checked after ~2 hours of shutting off, and there's absolutely no flow! Or maybe a bubble per minute. Thanks!


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## exv152 (Jun 8, 2009)

Just a heads up. I also bought a Dici regulator back in January and I noticed another problem. At night when the solenoid went off, the working pressure slowly began going up from 35 psi, all the way to almost 100 psi. Another guy in Toronto who had the same issue but his went as high as 60 psi. I ended up removing the regulator on the advice of several people aquarium and gas people, and the thing's been sitting on a shelf ever since. Something you want to keep an eye out for.


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## Harshal1992 (Nov 8, 2012)

exv152 said:


> Just a heads up. I also bought a Dici regulator back in January and I noticed another problem. At night when the solenoid went off, the working pressure slowly began going up from 35 psi, all the way to almost 100 psi. Another guy in Toronto who had the same issue but his went as high as 60 psi. I ended up removing the regulator on the advice of several people aquarium and gas people, and the thing's been sitting on a shelf ever since. Something you want to keep an eye out for.


Mine is sitting steadily around 60 psi. Is that a bad thing?

Harshal.


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 4, 2008)

If the pressure is 60 PSI when your solenoid is open, then that means your delivery pressure is set too high.

If the pressure is within a reasonable range when your solenoid is open (i.e. say 20-30 PSI), but then increases to 60 PSI when the solenoid is closed, it may become a problem (most solenoids are designed to hold back at least 100 PSI, but it depends on the solenoid).

@exv152: What was the cause of the increase in pressure?


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## exv152 (Jun 8, 2009)

Harshal1992 said:


> Mine is sitting steadily around 60 psi. Is that a bad thing?
> Harshal.


Yup. When your working pressure is set at 35 psi, and the solenoid goes off the psi should not go up more than a couple of psi at worst, on a good regulator it will sit steady and not budge. But if yours is going up another 25psi you run the risk of having something go badly wrong. 



Darkblade48 said:


> If the pressure is 60 PSI when your solenoid is open, then that means your delivery pressure is set too high.
> 
> If the pressure is within a reasonable range when your solenoid is open (i.e. say 20-30 PSI), but then increases to 60 PSI when the solenoid is closed, it may become a problem (most solenoids are designed to hold back at least 100 PSI, but it depends on the solenoid).
> 
> @exv152: What was the cause of the increase in pressure?


These regulators are made in China and they're really cheap. I would not mess around with a gas pressurized cylinder. The working pressure is not supposed to go up that high. 

I never bothered to discover what the cause was, all I knew was myself and another fella had the same issues, and he brought his back they would not give him a refund, insisting the unit was safe. Yet when he took it to his gas supplier people they told him not to mess around with it and get rid of it. Mine has been shelved ever since. I now have a micromatic and a cornelius. Both stay steady and don't budge a single psi when the solenoid turns off. Just my two cents.


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## Harshal1992 (Nov 8, 2012)

Thanks a lot you guys, I'll be checking the pressure carefully over the next few days just to see what's going on with it. AI definitely does NOT have a good return policy.. so that complicated things.

Thanks,

Harshal.


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## Bettatail (Feb 12, 2009)

exv152 said:


> Just a heads up. I also bought a Dici regulator back in January and I noticed another problem. At night when the solenoid went off, the working pressure slowly began going up from 35 psi, all the way to almost 100 psi. Another guy in Toronto who had the same issue but his went as high as 60 psi. I ended up removing the regulator on the advice of several people aquarium and gas people, and the thing's been sitting on a shelf ever since. Something you want to keep an eye out for.


First, Dici regs are preset output pressure, aren't they? 

I think the problem is that the poppet valve doesn't seal well, or you can call it a "internal leak".
when you set(or a preset) the working/output pressure, that is the pressure the regulator suppose to hold at the output point, no matter solenoid on or off. 
when the solenoid off, the seal at inside poppet valve can't stop the slow leak of co2, so output pressure slowly goes up. The slow rising pressure may stop when the output pressure rise to a point that the diaphragm been pushed hard enough and the poppet valve completely sealed/closed. but if not, it just keep going up until solenoid can't hold.


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## exv152 (Jun 8, 2009)

Bettatail said:


> First, Dici regs are preset output pressure, aren't they?
> 
> I think the problem is that the poppet valve doesn't seal well, or you can call it a "internal leak".
> when you set(or a preset) the working/output pressure, that is the pressure the regulator suppose to hold at the output point, no matter solenoid on or off.
> when the solenoid off, the seal at inside poppet valve can't stop the slow leak of co2, so output pressure slowly goes up. The slow rising pressure may stop when the output pressure rise to a point that the diaphragm been pushed hard enough and the poppet valve completely sealed/closed. but if not, it just keep going up until solenoid can't hold.


Yes they are preset working pressure regulators. Sounds like a good description of what's most likely happening with these regs. That said, and on the advice of various people; gas experts, aquarists etc, do you feel continuing to use these regs is safe? The one I had rose from 35 to 100 psi, and my friend's rose from 35 to 65 psi after the solenoid went off. I tried examining to see if I could open the regulator, but it seems to be hermetically sealed, and I think the thing would be ruined if I opened it to try and maybe replace the faulty part. Any thoughts?


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## Drewsplantednutz (Jan 25, 2012)

I was thinking of saving the $40 bucks and getting this Dici regulator from hong kong rather than the milwaukee one. Thanks you just made my mind for me!!! Ill stay with american made. Anyone know of a better regulator with solenoid for under $100 than the milwaukee ma957??


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## Harshal1992 (Nov 8, 2012)

Drewsplantednutz said:


> I was thinking of saving the $40 bucks and getting this Dici regulator from hong kong rather than the milwaukee one. Thanks you just made my mind for me!!! Ill stay with american made. Anyone know of a better regulator with solenoid for under $100 than the milwaukee ma957??


I've heard some bad things about the Milwaukee 957, which is why I didn't go with it. Apparently it's quite the hit or miss with it.


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## Harshal1992 (Nov 8, 2012)

Just checked my regulator after it's off, it went from ~50 psi to ~65 psi. Should I be worried?


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 4, 2008)

Harshal1992 said:


> Just checked my regulator after it's off, it went from ~50 psi to ~65 psi. Should I be worried?


As Bettatail mentioned, it would be a little worrying, since it is possible that the seal is not really stopping the leak of CO2. 

If the pressure continues to rise past the point where the solenoid cannot hold it back, you will probably begin to get leakage.


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## exv152 (Jun 8, 2009)

Darkblade48 said:


> As Bettatail mentioned, it would be a little worrying, since it is possible that the seal is not really stopping the leak of CO2.
> 
> If the pressure continues to rise past the point where the solenoid cannot hold it back, you will probably begin to get leakage.


Or worse, you could get a cylinder flying through your wall like a ballistic misile. I personally wouldn't mess around with it.


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## FlyingHellFish (Nov 5, 2011)

exv152 said:


> Just a heads up. I also bought a Dici regulator back in January and I noticed another problem. At night when the solenoid went off, the working pressure slowly began going up from 35 psi, all the way to almost 100 psi. Another guy in Toronto who had the same issue but his went as high as 60 psi. I ended up removing the regulator on the advice of several people aquarium and gas people, and the thing's been sitting on a shelf ever since. Something you want to keep an eye out for.


That would be me. I got a thread on it somewhere here. I also been advise by numerous people not to toy around with something such as a Co2 tank. I really hope you don't either, 80 dollars is not worth the trouble of something going wrong. The very name of the product implies that the pressure should not change that much - it's a "regulator" isn't it? 

I brought a Aquatic Life regulator and it been stable with a preset PSI, I think any of the choices of "Aquatek, GLA, etc" will be fine. I think DarkBlade is also making some Dual Stage regulator so you might ask him how much. 

Hey exv152, the solenoid and Gauges might be still useable, don't toss that thing out yet  The seal is pretty strong and you need a vice grip but sometimes with inferior products they can break easy. The solenoid is easy to take off, we also have the bubble counter. Not a total loss I guess  

What are you using now?


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 4, 2008)

FlyingHellFish said:


> I think DarkBlade is also making some Dual Stage regulator so you might ask him how much.


Indeed I am 

Already sold a nice Matheson dual stage and have another Victor dual stage coming soon.


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## Harshal1992 (Nov 8, 2012)

Darkblade48 said:


> Indeed I am
> 
> Already sold a nice Matheson dual stage and have another Victor dual stage coming soon.


How much are you selling them for? :O


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## FlyingHellFish (Nov 5, 2011)

For the price of 5 high grade Crystal shrimps, or 1 King Kong Black shrimp.


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 4, 2008)

Harshal1992 said:


> How much are you selling them for? :O


Check your PM


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## Harshal1992 (Nov 8, 2012)

This may be unrelated or related to this topic, I have no idea. I recently fixed my sleeping pattern (Now going to bed at 12, waking up at 7:30 - 8 instead of sleeping at like 5 and waking up at 3), but I feel tired in the middle of the day, around 12. My planted aquarium is in my room, and I was wondering if the CO2 cylinder may be a cause for my sleepiness?


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## exv152 (Jun 8, 2009)

FlyingHellFish said:


> Hey exv152, the solenoid and Gauges might be still useable, don't toss that thing out yet  The seal is pretty strong and you need a vice grip but sometimes with inferior products they can break easy. The solenoid is easy to take off, we also have the bubble counter. Not a total loss I guess ...


Thanks for the tip, I will definitely do that. I didn't think about the solenoid but it does work quite well. 



Harshal1992 said:


> This may be unrelated or related to this topic, I have no idea. I recently fixed my sleeping pattern (Now going to bed at 12, waking up at 7:30 - 8 instead of sleeping at like 5 and waking up at 3), but I feel tired in the middle of the day, around 12. My planted aquarium is in my room, and I was wondering if the CO2 cylinder may be a cause for my sleepiness?


From what I've read exposure to CO2 can produce effects such as headaches, dizziness, restlessness, a tingling or pins or needles feeling, difficulty breathing, sweating, tiredness, increased heart rate, elevated blood pressure etc, in higher than normal ppm concentration, like 1000-5000 ppm. Anything below 1000 is normally present in any everyday urban environment.


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 4, 2008)

Harshal1992 said:


> This may be unrelated or related to this topic, I have no idea. I recently fixed my sleeping pattern (Now going to bed at 12, waking up at 7:30 - 8 instead of sleeping at like 5 and waking up at 3), but I feel tired in the middle of the day, around 12. My planted aquarium is in my room, and I was wondering if the CO2 cylinder may be a cause for my sleepiness?


You're just like me. I like to go to bed around 5-6 am and then wake up at 2 pm or so. 

If I try to "fix" my schedule to 12 am - 7 or 8 am instead, I get tired by 1 pm anyway, regardless if I am in my room or at work. 

In any case, I wouldn't worry about the CO2.


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## wlevine09 (Apr 7, 2014)

Drewsplantednutz said:


> I was thinking of saving the $40 bucks and getting this Dici regulator from hong kong rather than the milwaukee one. Thanks you just made my mind for me!!! Ill stay with american made. Anyone know of a better regulator with solenoid for under $100 than the milwaukee ma957??


I have the aquatek deluxe on a 5# tank that I am very happy with. Got it on sale for 85-95 a few years ago. it's 99 on amazon right now Amazon.com : Deluxe AQUATEK CO2 Regulator with Integrateoid Solenoid for Hydroponics and Indoor Garden : Aquarium Treatments : Pet Supplies


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