RobotDeathSquad;50092 said:
Thanks everyone for all the info. I've tried to go through the Dual Stage thread but it's soooooo much information.
You have some very good questions. Let me see if I can help.
There is a ton of good info in the Victor thread at TPT.
Darkblade48 (Anthony) just wrote a regulator summary at TPT that condenses things a bit. It's well done. It's worth a read.
Also, you can ask your questions in the dual stage regulator thread here. There's quite a few very knowledgeable people here that can help you.
http://www.barrreport.com/showthread.php/6470-Dual-Stage-Regulators
RobotDeathSquad;50092 said:
Just to be clear, there's really only 3 main pieces one needs for the actual regulator (I have co2 tubing, and a combo bubble counter/ceramic diffuser i've used with DIY co2 in other tanks).
Those pieces are: Regulator, Solenoid, needle valve and check valve?
That's correct.
The term needle valve is a bit misleading at times. Swagelok's metering valves are what we use. They have a needle valve, but it is too coarse for our use. On the other hand, Ideal makes a needle valve that is terrific and not priced very high ether. Clippard's needle valve is bad. Don't get it. Parker's metering valves are good too. You'll see Nupro and Whitey metering valves. These are other parts of Swagelok's company. We use some of them too.
If it is a Swagelok metering valve, I like to use a medium flow metering valve with:
either 1/8" or 1/4" male or female NPT threads (1/8" is the most common)
either brass or stainless steel construction
with a Vernier handle if I can
RobotDeathSquad;50092 said:
What am I specifically looking for in a Regulator? How do I know if it works with CO2 or not? I see tons on ebay but how do I know if it's ok for CO2?
Those two regulators that I linked for you are new. I'd buy them. The other parts that I linked are good too.
You can post
ebaY links here unlike some other forums.
CGA-320 is the fitting used for CO2 use. It's easier if they have this already, but it doesn't cost much to get the correct nut and nipple. Besides CO2 regulators, you can use regulators for inert gas, air, oxygen and a few more. I don't use a regulator designed for use with a flammable gas.
I like regulators that have 0 to 30 psi and 0 to 60 psi low pressure gauges the best, but those with 0 to 100 and 0 to 200 psi will work too.
Chrome regulators look better and are easier to keep clean than brass ones.
High purity regulators have stainless steel diaphragms.
These are some of the common models of two stage regulators that I look for:
Victor
VTS253A-320 or -580 (CGA-580 is for inert gas)
VTS253B-320 or -580
VTS253C-320 or 580
VTS253D-320 or 580
HPT270
HPT500
SGT500
Matheson
8-320
3102
Concoa
212 series
412 series
RobotDeathSquad;50092 said:
Is there a reason I couldn't buy a setup from bestaquariumregulator.com and then replace just the regulator with a dual stage victor (or similar)?
You can tell Rex that you have a regulator and he can supply you with the rest of the parts. His Fabco and Ideal are very good needle valves. I've used the Ideal, but I've never tried the Fabco because it is best to mount it inline. It has tiny #10-32 threads that require tiny #10-32 male parts than are real easy to break.
SuMo also offers a post regulator kit. You can see it on their site. It comes with everything that you need ... Ideal needle valve, Clippard solenoid, etc.
RobotDeathSquad;50092 said:
Honestly, I don't have much experience doing plumbing or pipe fitting, but I'm pretty handy so I'd like to figure this out.
It is really quite easy to build one. Having access to a vice is mighty handy. I use a non-hardening pipe joint compound instead of Teflon tape for assembly. Sometimes pieces from the Teflon tape break off and lodge in the solenoid which keeps it from closing. This can be deadly for your critters.
Do you know about NPT threads? They are tapered so that the more that they are screwed on, the tighter they get.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Pipe_Thread
I hope this can get you started. Go to Post 1 in the Victor thread at TPT. There is a table of contents. Scroll down until you see one of several parts summaries. The last one of these listed shows all the parts and the order that they can be used on a regulator.