Dual Stage Regulators

S&KGray

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Nov 18, 2009
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Darkblade48;93589 said:
Aha, how silly of me. I did not sit down and think it through. You are right, you only need to replace the nut, and not the stem.

As long as you get a regulator that has the correct stem, you should not have any problem replacing just the nut...though now that leads me to thinking whether the CGA320 stems are compatible with DIN nuts.

Do you have dimensions/pictures of the DIN nut? I am quite curious about this now.

I have pics of a DIN 477 #10 (nitrogen) nut and nipple in this thread: Linde regulator question (German model)

I was asking for help to convert that regulator for CO2 use in the US.
 

Thraen78

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Feb 1, 2013
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New here

Long time lurker but I'm ready to ask for help/join this club of reg owners. Ok so after messing around with DIY co2 for a couple of months and noticing the ups and downs it creates with growth I decided to start looking into pressurized, read all the topics here and in other forums. Looked at all the pretty pics of set ups put up by leftc, bettatail, old punk(love the pic of the chick with purple eyeshadow over at pt) et al, and decided I wanted a shiny 2 stage, looked all around trying to find something inexpensive and came across a concoa 212 on eBay that was listed at .99 open to bid. Well I won for 1.04

http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-5...0001&campid=5338187531&icep_item=350716025086

I know the thing is in sad shape but I figure I'm starting at next to nothing invested. So my questions,
Will any set of guages that I put on the thing work or do I need to source concoas. Intuition tells me guage is guage is guage as long as threads are the same has proper range and it's rated for gas use. Second question. I want the post body as compact and tight as possible. I was thinking 90 out straight down into solenoid (Burkert 6011 ss) 90 out straight forward into metering valve (ideal V52-1-12 chromed) pointing up and then check valve then tubing adaptor, or possible tubing with check valve inline a few inches off so as to see if fluid as flowed back.
Am I on the right track here? Let me know.
 

kevmo911

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Oct 19, 2010
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You can put any gauge on it. You can probably even leave the low pressure gauge on it, though it'll be extremely vague. The reg itself has a high output range (though not as high as the gauge) of 200 psi, which is still very high - higher than anybody would recommend. Still, it'll work. If you wanted, you should be able to score a matching set of simple brass gauges for maybe $30 shipped.

The post body sounds pretty standard, and should look nice. I prefer the inline check valve (option number two that you mentioned).

Overall, sounds like a plan!
 

Thraen78

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Thank you for the quick response. I'm glad my suspicions about gauges was correct and i may just leave the ugly mis-matched brass one on there for awhile and concentrate on getting it up and running first, save a little short term. I'm aware the pressure range is extreme. I was actually looking for a reg in in the sub 100psi range but couldn't resist the price of basically free. I have a cerges reactor on my tank so psi control isn't super important I'll just dial it back far enough that the solenoid and metering valve can handle it. Nobody will mess with it in my house so it shouldn't ever get turned up. Plan is to put together a rock solid post body and therefor if I ever feel I need better control I can get a new reg then. Meantime my plants get a steady stream of life stuff.


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Left C

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Thraen78;94501 said:
Thank you for the quick response. I'm glad my suspicions about gauges was correct and i may just leave the ugly mis-matched brass one on there for awhile and concentrate on getting it up and running first, save a little short term. I'm aware the pressure range is extreme. I was actually looking for a reg in in the sub 100psi range but couldn't resist the price of basically free. I have a cerges reactor on my tank so psi control isn't super important I'll just dial it back far enough that the solenoid and metering valve can handle it. Nobody will mess with it in my house so it shouldn't ever get turned up. Plan is to put together a rock solid post body and therefor if I ever feel I need better control I can get a new reg then. Meantime my plants get a steady stream of life stuff.


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Oreo built a nice looking Concoa. I don't know if you have seen it, but here is his post. I like the look with the small gauges and the vertical orientation.

Oreo;50995 said:
Finally got my bubble counter from the opposite side of the Earth. Time to show off my creation:

$62 - Concoa 312-2331 regulator
$17 - two Micro gauges
$18 - Parker solenoid valve
$45 - Swagelock B-2MA2 metering valve
$18 - JBJ / Aquamagic bubble counter.
$20 - Brass fittings
================
$180

If you add in:
$120 pH controller (& ORP monitor)
$07 - PVC braided tubing
$60 - 15lb empty CO2 tank
$23 - CO2 tank fill-up
$29 - Parker 2M-C2L-1/3-SS stainless check valve
================
$239

That's about $420 grand total (including shipping) for an up-and-running, kick-ass CO2 system. That's over $100 less then the best system offered by GLA and that would be a single stage reg & 10lb CO2 tank. Ebay rocks!

P1012897.jpg


P1012894.jpg
 

D-Linquent

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Feb 25, 2013
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Edit: I had posted some questions, but they are unnecessary now. I'm going to follow the noob guide and put together my own. Thank you so much for all of the effort you guys have put into this forum. You have made this project seem manageable. I can't wait to put everything together.

I think I'm going to use the VTS250 (mainly because there are serveral available on ebay.) We'll see how it goes. Fingers crossed...
 
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GillesF

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Nov 1, 2010
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Holy crap, that Concoa regulator looks AWESOME and the price is great too. I assume this was a second hand regulator?
I'd love to have one like that but overseas shipping would be a pain.

By the way, I've noticed that regulators for horticulture use "flow meters". What does it do? And is it useful for aquariums?

Cheers
 

Darkblade48

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Dec 16, 2009
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The flow meter is probably like the low pressure gauge on regulators. However, as their name implies, rather than measuring the pressure, they just measure the flow rate of a gas (think of CO2 and argon welding regulators that do the same).
 

oldpunk

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Dec 1, 2009
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Thank you. I have a Swagelok check valve I'm going to run inline a couple inches out from the metering valve.
 

D-Linquent

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Feb 25, 2013
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[attachment=1469:name]

My first regulator is done. I should be able to see how well it works tomorrow. But for now at least, it works perfectly!

Thanks again for all of the effort you guys have put into this forum. I wouldn't have even thought to do this without all of your posts. I'm pumped to get this system up and running.

20130405_152028.jpg
 

Thraen78

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Feb 1, 2013
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In the spirit of sharing first regs. Here's mine. I liked Oreos a lot so I imitated. View attachment 4320
The blue is "mega tape" thicker version of pipe tape. All stainless swagelok Burkett and an ideal post body. Concoa 212 reg. I like it! Thank you to those who have blazed the trail for the rest of us to follow.

ImageUploadedByTapatalk 21365796834.028010.jpg
 

herns

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Jul 29, 2007
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Working Pressure Gauge not working properly

I have Victor VTS320A that I have been using for almost 2 years now. It was brand new when I first use.
After siwtching from Co2 atomizer to CO2 glass diffuser, I notice the working pressure neddle gauge goes up to 25 psi overnight when the CO2 is turned off. In the morning when CO2 is turned on, the gauge neddle goes back to 10 psi. The bps setting is not affected by this cycle.

Is there a way to fix this or it's fine to leave it this way?
 

Matt F.

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The static to working pressure difference should not be that much. 5-8 psi max. Otherwise something else is going on. Also does the static pressure rise over time if the solenoid is closed? This could be the first case of a damaged low pressure regulator (A range) due to a higher pressure atomizer-style diffuser. Also double check that model number. I don't recognize a VTS320A. Did you mean a VTS253A-1993? or a VTS253A-320?

herns;114267 said:
I have Victor VTS320A that I have been using for almost 2 years now. It was brand new when I first use.
After siwtching from Co2 atomizer to CO2 glass diffuser, I notice the working pressure neddle gauge goes up to 25 psi overnight when the CO2 is turned off. In the morning when CO2 is turned on, the gauge neddle goes back to 10 psi. The bps setting is not affected by this cycle.

Is there a way to fix this or it's fine to leave it this way?
 
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herns

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Jul 29, 2007
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Matt F.;114270 said:
The static to working pressure difference should not be that much. 5-8 psi max. Otherwise something else is going on. Also does the static pressure rise over time if the solenoid is closed? This could be the first case of a damaged low pressure regulator (A range) due to a higher pressure atomizer-style diffuser. Also double check that model number. I don't recognize a VTS320A. Did you mean a VTS253A-1993? or a VTS253A-320?

Hi Matt,


The pressure gauge needle does not change when the solenoid is off.

I tried turning off the solenoid for a couple of hours and both inlet and working pressure do not change. But, shutting off overnight until the solenoid turns on at 2pm the working pressure reaches to 25 psi.

I was also thinking it was the atomizer. I have the working pressure dialed to max when I run the up aqua.
The Victor model was VTS253A-320. Sorry, I didn't get that right. I was in a hurry typing.