Using a JBL Profi Set 2/m500 Reg with an FE

[mjenner]

Hi Guys,

I've got a JBL Profi Set 2 and I'm just getting back into planted tanks after a 2 year absence having moved and done a lot of work on our house and it's led me back to a problem I was working on shortly before I moved.

I wanted to convert to using a Fire Extinguisher from the standard JBL bottles in order to avoid the extortionate charges for refils on the 500g cylinder which was emptying far too quickly.

I've read that the JBL regs could work with fire extinguishers and gave it a try, but I couldn't get a good seal and the CO2 leaked as soon as I pressed the trigger. Now I'm starting up again, I'm trying to get the fire extinguisher working again as it's now about £18 for a refil at Maidenhead Aquatics!

I've read that with the older JBL regs (and I think mine is one of the older ones (2 green dials towards the top of the reg)) you need to adapt the regulator by sanding the chrome away with some wet and dry paper, but I can't seem to find a guide to do this, has anyone here done this and can give me some advice (how much to sand away, where exactly to sand etc) and do you think that this is worthwhile? Otherwise, should I just sell the kit on ebay and buy a dedicated FE regulator?

Alternatively do you think I could canibalise the Solenoid off this reg (screwed directly into the regulator, is this connection standard across regulators?) and buy a cheaper non-solenoid reg as this seems to be the most expensive part of the kit?

Thanks,

Matt

 

[Themuleous]

Hi Matt,

You are right about the older JBL regs not fitting properly. From memory it was necessary to sand down the first few threads on the cylinder in order to get it to fit, I assume so that it fitted further into the reg connection. I've not dont it though but people used to say it worked.

If you've got the rest of the kit (diffuser, tubing, etc) then a new reg isn't all that expensive so it might be better to do that than file down each FE you buy; I cant see the fire place being too pleased when you take it in for a refil!

As you have said, you should be able to unscrew the solenoid from the exisitng reg and attach it to the new one. So you could save that part at least.

Sam

 

[gmartins]

You should try refilling your cylinder in the fire place as well. I refill my JBL cylinder (old one) in the same place FEs are. no problems at all.

GM

 

[mjenner]

Oh blimey, I thought it was a case of modding the Reg, not the Cylinder! 🙂

Yep, I think they would probably reject it as soon as you went for a refil, although mine would need to be pressure-tested again anyway before it was refilled as I think it's just ticked-over the 10yr mark (providing I'm reading the stamped date right on the cylinder)... 🙁 Probably cheaper to buy another one and I think to have it in the house it needs to be in-date otherwise I have heard that it can invalidate the insurance? (need to check that, it's in the shed at the moment, so shouldn't be a problem).

Ok, well it's good to know that I can salvage the solenoid at-least 🙂 Just got to try and get that purchase past my wife... she's on Maternity leave with our little-one so will see all the packages being delivered!

------------------

GM - Yes, I might try this but I'd be back and forth very regularly and living in Surrey there aren't many local FE or CO2 places. I think my nearest is in Croydon which is a bit far to just "pop" over there every few weekends or so (I used to use up 500g in around 3-4weeks from memory?).