# D-D regulator replacement - options?



## nry (20 Apr 2009)

Hi all,

After posting a while back about the seal inside my D-D regulator splitting, then using (as suggested by someone here) some rubber o-rings to seal it again, it's turning out to be very unreliable.  I went to change the bottle today and I just could not get the seal to hold, so basically it is seemingly useless.

D-D said they'd never been asked for the seal before and did not have any to sell either.

I'm going to have one more try to 'make' a new seal from some spare filter tubing - the original seal is a rather solid plasticy-rubber and certainly not a soft rubber like the o-rings.

If this all goes pear-shaped, can anyone suggest the cheapest method to get it all up and running again?  At the moment I'm dosing EasyCarbo until I can get the CO2 back in again.  I'll admit to wondering if I would be as well to stick with EasyCarbo and ditch the CO2 to see what happens?  I have the solenoid and pressure gauge from the D-D kit so I'd not need these, just the bit that connects to the CO2 bottle itself.

Chris


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## nry (20 Apr 2009)

Nope, using spare filter tubing doesn't work...


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## TLH (20 Apr 2009)

Just googling I found this place... http://www.prismplastics.co.uk/spacers.htm who do a range of washers of different sizes. There is a list. Measure yours and see if they have the same size.


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## Nelson (21 Apr 2009)

hi chris,
could you take a photo of the old one,with ruler or tape measure,so we can see it.
thanks 
neil


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## nry (21 Apr 2009)

Should be able to though it'll be tomorrow before I get a chance.


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## nry (21 Apr 2009)

I've sent an e-mail to the company in the link, the washer is a slight conical shape but this might just be from compression within the regulator connection.

I think I've probably been over-tightening the cannister into the regulator which over time has damaged the seal.


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## TLH (21 Apr 2009)

Even if you were all it should have done was press down evenly. To crack it like you describe it would have to have been forced outward which means it didn't really fit well in the first place.


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## nry (22 Apr 2009)

I think that when the cannister starts to tighten too much against the original seal it will start to pull the washer surface around when the cannister is turned - this will damage the washer surface and over time shred it a bit ending up with a knackered washer.


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## Garuf (22 Apr 2009)

I binned my D&D regulator in the end, it always leaked and I could never get a consistent bubble rate. I'd recommend the aquaticmagic or lunapet regs again and again if you're on a budget. Jbl's is good too but I didn't think it was any superior to the lunapet reg which is a third of the price.


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## mfcphil (22 Apr 2009)

Garuf said:
			
		

> I binned my D&D regulator in the end, it always leaked and I could never get a consistent bubble rate. I'd recommend the aquaticmagic or lunapet regs again and again if you're on a budget. Jbl's is good too but I didn't think it was any superior to the lunapet reg which is a third of the price.



Sorry to hear you had no joy in the end....its always good to hear peoples recomendations though


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## nry (22 Apr 2009)

Garuf said:
			
		

> I binned my D&D regulator in the end, it always leaked and I could never get a consistent bubble rate. I'd recommend the aquaticmagic or lunapet regs again and again if you're on a budget. Jbl's is good too but I didn't think it was any superior to the lunapet reg which is a third of the price.



As in AquaticMagic on eBay or a different shop?  Any links?


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## Garuf (22 Apr 2009)

Yeah the one on Ebay, they're good, reliable, if a little bit difficult to adjust on the needle valve but that's a minor annoyance.


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## nry (22 Apr 2009)

Cheers, I've used them for things in the past


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## nry (22 Apr 2009)

What is the difference between the two they sell?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Co2-regulator-for ... .m14.l1262

And:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/CO2-Solenoid-Live ... .m14.l1262

I have a solenoid on the D-D regulator, so could I use this with the cheaper one (first link)?  I also have the low pressure gauge from the D-D kit aswell, would this make the cheaper one a suitable option for me?

I think they fit on fire extinguishers rather than disposable bottles, though I do wonder if this would be workable if my wife is OK with the size


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## Garuf (22 Apr 2009)

I'd look at the lunapet one also on ebay, I'm pretty sure that's less than Â£70.


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## TLH (22 Apr 2009)

I'll vouch for the Lunapet one, thats the set I have and I can't complain at all. Well actually thats a lie as the non return valve didn't work but that's what... a quids worth? I got my whole set for around Â£90 but that was well over a year ago now.

Here's just the reg...
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/CO2-Doppelmanomet ... dZViewItem


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## nry (23 Apr 2009)

So can I use any of my existing D-D parts or do I really need a whole new regulator etc?  Can I use the D-D solenoid with any other kit or just D-D?


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## TLH (23 Apr 2009)

As far as I know the ones that Lunapet (aquarianeversand) sell are exactly the same as the D&D ones. They look it if you compare to the DD one on AE anyway. So I'd have to say everything will fit. You should be able to fit your solenoid 'inline' anyway if it doesn't.


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## nry (23 Apr 2009)

Cheers - does the Lunapet one accept fire extinguishers or the 600gm disposable bottles?


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## LondonDragon (23 Apr 2009)

nry said:
			
		

> Cheers - does the Lunapet one accept fire extinguishers or the 600gm disposable bottles?


Takes FE's, thats how I have been using mine for the past year or so.


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## TLH (23 Apr 2009)

Fits on refillable bottles. The disposable bottles have a 14mm (or something like it) thread and would require an adaptor.


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## nry (23 Apr 2009)

Cheers - having a look through some threads here, I think if money permits I might jump for one of the new regs and a fire extinguisher from one of the UKAPS members.


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## nry (23 Apr 2009)

Unless anyone says why it won't work, I'm going to try one of these:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Co2-regulator-for ... .m14.l1262

It's the cannister connection only and is for an extinguisher at Â£25 delivered.  If it fits my existing solenoid and needle valve then I'll sort an extinguisher out.  It should fit - I assume I'd put my solenoid and needle valve in place of the CO2 tube connector they've got in the picture?  Unsure if I can use my existing low pressure gauge though?  Would be good if I could as then I know the pressure before the needle valve more accurately as the gauge in the link above is for the cylinder pressure as far as I can tell?


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## nry (23 Apr 2009)

Or how about this one for Â£15 delivered?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Aquarium-Single-P ... 240%3A1318


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