CO2 check valve

[scottward]

Hi Guys,

Bit of a strange question....over the weekend I was cleaning some of my CO2 gear and I tried to blow through the CO2 check valve. I couldn't blow through in the opposite direction to the way the valve is supposed to work, as expected, but, when trying to blow through the correct way, (I just had a piece of airline tubing in my mouth), it was extremely difficult almost impossible.

The check valve does work though, CO2 is getting through as I can see the bubbles in the bubble counter.

Is the check valve means to be this restrictive though? My concern is that if this is very restrictive the backpressure (exacerbationof leaks etc) would be high?

Scott.

 

[dutchy]

Hi Scott,

Some of these valves have a 0,5 atm. loaded ball and spring valve. This means you can't blow through, but your CO2 system has no problem as long as the system pressure is higher than that.

 

[scottward]

Thanks Dutchy.

1 atm from memory is = 1 barr which = 15 psi. I set my regulator to 1 barr working pressure, so no problem there.

Out of interest, why does the pressure have to be that much before the valve opens? Am I right in thinking that that would make any small leaks worse?

I've never ever thought about this before - but any idea how much output pressure the human breath can put out? I guess less than 0.5 atm if this check valve is anything to go by!

Scott.

 

[dutchy]

No idea why. My CO2 system pressure is set at 0,5 atm. I use the small ball valves that usually come with aquarium O2 membrane pumps. They open at a very low pressure, so CO2 will keep working even when the bottle pressure falls below that. That way I can use a bottle about a week longer.

Humans are not capable of producing more pressure than 0,1 atm.

 

[scottward]

Thanks duchy. I guess the valve has to close very quickly so that absolutely nothing can sneak past in the opposite direction.