# leaking co2



## tonyg1 (20 Mar 2012)

my first 2kg fe lasted for aproximately 3 months using a ladder diffuser and now i'm using an inline at 4 bps i'm only getting a month out of them,i've checked for leaks at 1 bar pressure and found nothing is this normal? i'm just about to order my 4th   .


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## Ady34 (20 Mar 2012)

Hi,
id say there must be a leak.... using a 2kg bottle at 4bps in a month! I have a 2kg cylinder at more than 4bps (uncountable its so fast) through an in tank diffuser and it lasted approx 6 months and i thought that was bad!
Id maybe try again to source a leak. Are you using c02 airline?
Cheerio,
Ady.


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## m_attt (20 Mar 2012)

i was getting about the same out of mine, also wondered if it sounded right, couldn't find any obvious leaks


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## Ady34 (20 Mar 2012)

is it possible they were underfilled, or is it just a pressure rating they go by?


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## m_attt (20 Mar 2012)

go by weight


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## Ady34 (20 Mar 2012)

m_attt said:
			
		

> go by weight


 
so in theory we (the buyer) wouldnt necessarily know if it was underfilled?
Ady.


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## m_attt (20 Mar 2012)

weigh it when its empty, then when you get it back put it on the scales, it should be 2kg heavier.


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## O'Neil (20 Mar 2012)

I'd use the soapy water method if that doesn't find a leak then I would weigh the extinguisher next time it is filled, it should say on the side what the filled weight is.
The pressure could also be used as an indicator for how much CO2 has been refilled but you'd have to know what the value should be.
Also rather than getting refills can you not get an extinguisher company to swap for a new bottle, it'll still cost you but mite be worth looking into, but at the same time your not buying a whole new extiguisher each time as you'll be trading yours in.


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## Ady34 (20 Mar 2012)

m_attt said:
			
		

> weigh it when its empty, then when you get it back put it on the scales, it should be 2kg heavier.



Simples!
I suppose its obvious really. For some reason i thought it referred to the weight of the cylinder!   Oh well at least Tonyg1 will be able to use this and check next refill to eliminate/confirm underfilling.
Cheerio,
Ady.


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## Antipofish (20 Mar 2012)

Ady34 said:
			
		

> Hi,
> id say there must be a leak.... using a 2kg bottle at 4bps in a month! I have a 2kg cylinder at more than 4bps (uncountable its so fast) through an in tank diffuser and it lasted approx 6 months and i thought that was bad!
> Id maybe try again to source a leak. Are you using c02 airline?
> Cheerio,
> Ady.



Ady when I asked for CO2 airline at my LFS they said "airline is airline... two types, firmer plastic or silicon which is softer and plyable"  Is there a third type that is SPECIFICALLY for CO2 ?


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## Ady34 (20 Mar 2012)

Im sure there is c02 specific 'airline', i bought some sera stuff, not sure if its for resistance against co2 or pressure (or both), but normal airpump airline wont cut it long term.....so ive been told.
Cheerio,
Ady.


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## Antipofish (20 Mar 2012)

Ady34 said:
			
		

> Im sure there is c02 specific 'airline', i bought some sera stuff, not sure if its for resistance against co2 or pressure (or both), but normal airpump airline wont cut it long term.....so ive been told.
> Cheerio,
> Ady.



No i didnt go for the harder airline, I opted for the silicone flexible stuff but it was no use either.  The wall of the airline was thinner than the stuff I got with my CO2 rig and the nuts on the bubble counter would not grip it properly without it leaking and also the pressure blew it off the check valve because it was not tight enough around the check valve lug.


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## O'Neil (21 Mar 2012)

I use Crosslings and ask for nylon tube, or you could search the web for Nylon tube.
I would try to avoid any rubbery flexible type hose when using more than 1 bar pressure.


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## geaves (21 Mar 2012)

Well if I was using C02 it would be with braided pvc the same type breweries using for C02 connection to beer and soft drinks, along with fibre washers on the connectors and if possible the crimped cable clips or a solid jubilee clip.

This should prevent leaks, and the pipe will withstand the initial pressure from bottle before it reaches the valve/s.


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## O'Neil (21 Mar 2012)

Personally I would just use the nylon hose and standard push fit fittings, the fittings u buy in the uk are industry standard and are rated to 10bar, more than enough for an aquarium.


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## Antipofish (21 Mar 2012)

Porksword said:
			
		

> Personally I would just use the nylon hose and standard push fit fittings, the fittings u buy in the uk are industry standard and are rated to 10bar, more than enough for an aquarium.



But most things that the CO2 hose has to connect to is not suited to pushfit fittings is it ?  Or am I missing the point somewhere  ?


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## geaves (21 Mar 2012)

I agree whilst they may be rated to 10 bar and sufficient for an aquarium, that's not the actual pressure of the C02 bottle, therefore should the reducing valve fail or be faulty the 10 bar pipe would be insufficient to hold the escaping gas.

This is from my point of view and is purely a personal choice.


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## Antipofish (21 Mar 2012)

geaves said:
			
		

> I agree whilst they may be rated to 10 bar and sufficient for an aquarium, that's not the actual pressure of the C02 bottle, therefore should the reducing valve fail or be faulty the 10 bar pipe would be insufficient to hold the escaping gas.
> 
> This is from my point of view and is purely a personal choice.



Its a mute point though because most peripherals such as atomisers and bubble counters would not cope with the full force of an FE pressure release.  Everything we connect our CO2 line to after the  needle valve is designed to contain lower pressure only as far as I know.


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## O'Neil (21 Mar 2012)

Antipofish said:
			
		

> geaves said:
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I agree with Anti' the regulator is the only item reducing the pressure.
Not trying to be an internet troll or anything, actually trying to prevent you spending a fortune on braided hoses and specialised fittings which simply wouldn't help, besides even everything held I guarantee the bubble counter, check valve or diffuser would be destroyed at full FE pressure.


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## geaves (22 Mar 2012)

Porksword said:
			
		

> Not trying to be an internet troll or anything,



 

My apologies, I was getting on my soap box due to a previous bad experience with this stuff, probably one of the reasons why I will probably never use it.


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## John S (22 Mar 2012)

http://tinyurl.com/AECo2-Tube


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## O'Neil (22 Mar 2012)

geaves said:
			
		

> Porksword said:
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No apology needed just didn't want it to come across the wrong way, literally just trying to help.


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