help needed - regulator problem

[Kyle]

I have the basic Corny regulator. The Hi side is left hand thread and the Lo side is right hand thread.

I have been applying an immense amount of pressure via vice grips and a hammer to try to remove the Hi guage such that I can install an additional regulator. To no avail.

Any suggestions?

tool-wise I have hammer, vise, vise-grips x 2, and a large clamp.

I hesitate to put more brute force into it lest I fry a guage.

[Brian_S]

Well....metal expands with heat so have you got any way to apply directed heat?  I would suggest a small torch.  

I keep my reg in the fridge so I do have to let it warm up before I even think of touching it.

B

[Jmac00]

vice grips will make a mess and chew up your gauge. Try and borrow a proper wrench...and apply constant force...if no avail..bigger hammer or some heat

where you located? and did you already get the nipple used to attach the two regs together? if so, curious where you bought it?

and not to insult you, but you are turning it the correct way?..being LHT and all.

[Kyle]

The other regulator, including: Lo guage, attachment nipple, and barbed check valve came as a set, as the Foxx "Add-A-Reg" in their catalogue.

Yes, I am aware that it is lefty-tighty, rightey-loosey in this case.

The vice grips did some chewing, so I decided to just take it to Air-Liquide, where I am a current customer, and see if they will fix it for me. I also discovered that the nipple is stardard (right handed thread), so I will need some kind of adapter to take it from that to LHT.

I'm afraid to bring the blowtorch anywhere near the body of the reg, since it is a sensative measuring device.

[Kyle]

I should add that I do have a pile of wrenches, but it is actually a square shape rather than a hex.

[Jmac00]

open end wrench should still work...did for me...i think its around 12mm or so, can check mine tomorrow to see what size mine uses.

i've tried to find LHT nipple but can't find them in this city...seem to be hard to find. if you have any luck finding something, let me know pls.

[Kyle]

Yeah, I do have adjustable, open-end wrenches, still no luck, as the handles are too short to provide sufficient torque.

[Dave Savoie]

I used a vice and wrench with a long metal tube for leverage !!!!

[Kyle]

I tried clamping it in the vice and using a wrench, but again no luck. Air Liquide said that the LHT /RHT mismatch was an issue. I'm going to speak with welding supply shops this week.

[brew]

Hi Kyle - I should mention, the "high" ports on your current reg (a primary) will deliver the pressure of the tank. The low side is the one that is adjustable. Secondary regulators (like the "add-a-reg" at hopdawgs) receive a much lower pressure (which is why they are cheaper) like say 100 psi on their high port (it will be marked on the tag stuck to the reg) and will then regulate down to 0-60 psi for the low side. So make sure you are connecting the new secondary you are getting to the _low_ port on your primary, not the high port.

As for your stuck gauge - can you see if there's any "goo" on the threads? Often reg's will be sealed with lock tight making it near impossible to come off. Also, with the opposing threads (LHT/RHT) some of the force loosening one way will go towards tightening the other.

Lock tight (Red) will turn back to liquid around 300F - if you have a soldering iron you could apply heat to try to loosen it. Acetone will also dissolve the stuff, you could soak a cloth and leave it around the base of the threads for 8 or 12 hours.

After soaking / heating - if you have the right vise, you can clamp the nipple part of the gauge - holding the entire reg. Then grab the entire reg body with some good gloves and apply hard constant pressure. If it doesn't come off you can soak it for another few days and try again...

There's no guarantee it will come off but there's any hope the above should do it...

Edit: As a side note Kyle - if you are getting the Add-a-reg from Hopdawgs, its input is barbed, just like the low out of your primary - all you really need to connect it is a piece of CO2 hose and some clamps. Turn your primary down to the highest pressure you want (like 30psi) and then you can have a second port / tee off your primary to the new secondary for turning down to a second lower pressure...

[Jmac00]

I've tried the welding shops for LHT fittings...and had no luck. I've tried fastenal, and the place around the corner from them (J.C. Chase or something like that..they deal with fittings and hoses) and they had nothing. Called Fairview fittings and they don't have em, but they do have listings for the gauges if you end up breaking yours.

[Kyle]

Thanks for the info.

I actually have the Foxx (Chudnow) "add a reg" from hop dawg with a 1/4" NPT RHT brass nipple in place of the barbed fitting. Also, the one I have is indeed a primary regulator (it was $50) and it is rated to 2000psi CO2 / 3000psi N.

However, following my troubles getting the thing to work for its original purpose, I am going to hook it up to a paintball tank and use it to drive a backyard keg cooler.

try these guys for gas fittings:
Electric Motor Service Co
556 Bishop Dr, Fredericton, NB E3C 0B4
 
(506) 458-8770 ?
electricmotorservice.ca

[brew]

Electric Motor Service is great, and Praxair is good as well - I get gauges from them among other things...