# JBL kit solenoid



## vauxhallmark (5 Oct 2008)

JBL 2 kit is advertised on swelluk.com as: "The high-quality solenoid valve has its own 12 V transformer, ensuring extra-low voltage for safety and guaranteeing 100% quiet running."

Anyone had it? Think it's any good?

Thanks,

Mark


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## howardish (5 Oct 2008)

Through personal experience, and through what i have read on this site, the best way to go for CO2 is individually pieced kits.

I have the Easy set 1 (without solenoid) and must say the regulator is easy to use and read, however, it does only fit the JBL CO2 bottles and not FEs (unless you buy the adaptor). I have purchased a solenoid off ebay (cant remember what place - just search co2 solenois) and must say i cant praise it enough. Its a piece of pie to set up and is silent (i cannot hear a thing!)

On the other hand...people _have_ had problems with solenoids off ebay...a quick search on the forum should reveal all.

If you buy everything individual ie the reg, solenoid you can set it up with a FE and in the long run (and short run) everything will work out alot cheaper.

Hope that helps

Howard


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## vauxhallmark (5 Oct 2008)

That's great advice, thanks for the reply.

The tank I'm going to use this on is only 60 l, so I was hoping to get a decent amount of time out of the 500g cylinders (6-8 weeks?) and there is no cabinet space and pretty limited behind tank space, so I thought the 500g size would be better. Of course. you've got me thinking now, I will check out the size of fire extinguisher cylinders. 

As there's an adapter that enables this set to connect to fire extinguishers, maybe I'll start with it, and see how the cylinders pan out - I do love saving money, but I'm still a bit leary about putting together my own kit to handle compressed gas - having worked in bars for ten years (a long time ago), and used CO2 on aquariums for 15 years, and dealt with the fire brigade and fire extinguisher maintainers at work for years I've got reasons to respect highly compressed gas. I'm sure the people selling individual components on ebay have some great stuff, but I think that a big branded kit will make me feel a bit more secure. Maybe just being silly, but that's the way I'm going this time. 

Thanks again - as you can probably see from re-reading this post, you've helped me reach a decision!

Cheers,

Mark


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## howardish (5 Oct 2008)

No worries mark, everyone on here has helped me loads so im only passing on their knowledge & my limited experience.

I am currently running the jbl kit with jbl bottles for exactly that reason - i dont quite trust myself with FEs! I have ordered the adaptor & when my bottle supply has depleted i will take that jump, but i agree with you when it comes to using the branded kit for security. 
Good luck with it and let us all know how you get on!

Howard


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## Ed Seeley (6 Oct 2008)

I've got the Easy 2 kit with the solenoid and have had no problems with them at all.  These regs will fit any disposable cyclinders, not just JBL's.  I get mine from Welders Warehouse at 3 for Â£30.  They're High capacity ones too that hold 600g.


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## milla (6 Oct 2008)

Ed Seeley said:
			
		

> I get mine from Welders Warehouse at 3 for Â£30.  They're High capacity ones too that hold 600g.



Machine mart do these for Â£8 each


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## juwelfan (30 Oct 2008)

Ed Seeley said:
			
		

> I've got the Easy 2 kit with the solenoid and have had no problems with them at all.  These regs will fit any disposable cyclinders, not just JBL's.  I get mine from Welders Warehouse at 3 for Â£30.  They're High capacity ones too that hold 600g.



I have the JBL u402 kit. I also am looking for disposable cylinders, is there a specific size nozzle/connector/fitting of the JBL kits or will any bottle that says 'disposable' on it do?

http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/produ ... inder-600g (600g less than Â£10)
http://www.toolstation.com/search.html? ... 2&Search=3 (only 390g less than Â£10)
http://www.thewelderswarehouse.com/Weld ... Gases.html (3 x 600g for Â£30 +Â£6p&p)
http://www.welduk.com/Details.asp?ProductID=88 (Â£17 for 2 x 390g +p&p at ?)


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## Ed Seeley (31 Oct 2008)

They should all be the same.  My last three were from the Welders' Warehouse and they fit perfectly on my Easy kit.


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## vauxhallmark (31 Oct 2008)

Just as an update, I did end up ordering the JBL kit. It took weeks to come, but I suspect the delay was because they've re-released all their CO2 kits with new names. Easy two now has the snappy title 'Proflora U402'! (God, can you imagine the brainstorming session that came up with that?)

Anyway, the kit is fantastic. Build quality is superb, reg is neat with huge easy to turn needle valve knob, solenoid runs off 12v (less electric - I think?), comes with UK plug, and very thin wire (easy to weave around cabinets), and the solenoid produces no heat or noise whatsoever - except a nice solid 'clunk' when it turns on or off.

It comes with a fairly ugly internal reactor, which looks like it would be very efficient, but I'm using an existing glass diffuser. If I had a sump (or perhaps a much larger tank) I would use the provided reactor. It's made of clear plastic. They also provide a non-return valve, bubble counter, drop checker, pipette, colour solution, flexible black CO2 tubing, and loads of JBL fertilisers (which I haven't looked at yet), and a pretty good instruction book. I'm not using the provided reactor, drop checker, or fertilisers, as I already had those in place from previous systems. Always nice to have some spares though. The plug incorporates the transformer, but is no wider than a normal UK plug. It is about 4cm tall, and will usually be sat on top of a timer.

So, in summary, it's certainly not the cheapest way to set up a CO2 system, especially if you already have some of the bits and bobs, but for a one-stop solution, it's pretty impressive. Everything is well designed and made, and little touches like including a pipette to fill the drop checker show great attention to detail. The only thing you need to add is a timer. The whole thing is beautifully displayed and packaged (for shop display) but I did think it could be packaged using less cardboard. However, it is ALL cardboard, so recyclable. Didn't check whether it was recycled cardboard.

That's the end of the mini review!

Best,

Mark


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## SKP1995 (7 Nov 2008)

I'm using the JBL kit as well, can someone point me in the direction of the reg adaptor so I can use it on FE's?


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## howardish (8 Nov 2008)

http://www.aquaessentials.co.uk/index.p ... ts_id=1942

HTH
Howard


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