No gas flow (BOC Argoshield)

[cprobertson1]

Having problems getting gas out my cylinder (BOC Gases Argoshield Universal): the regulator has a bullnose at the bottom and fits in fine - but I can't get any pressure from it - any ideas?

I'm sure I'm just doing something daft as opposed to there actually being something wrong with the regulator or cylinder - but I thought I'd check up on here before I start bothering the BOC folk

I believe the cylinder is only 1/4 full - but I can't get an actual read on the pressure. I think the problem may be with the regulator not depressing the little pin at the very bottom of the cylinder outlet but I've not confirmed that yet.


Any ideas what's going wrong :P?

Many thanks

 

[madkayaker]

Try removing the regulator and very slightly turning to bottle on with the bottle key. Only very slightly as pressure in the bottle is very high so they will be lots of gas expelled. If there isn't any then its fault with bottle if there is fault is in regultor

 

[cprobertson1]

No gas flow even when fully opened - however I also tried depressing the pin with a piece of spare metal and managed gas flow (hence my original suspicion that the regulator night not be depressing it)

Going to try it with a different regulator later on.

 

[madkayaker]

That's a none return valve to prevent filling so if its letting gas in when pressed its empty.

 

[cprobertson1]

Nah, letting gas out when its pressed :P

It may actually just be empty though (though as I said, it was supposed to be 1/4 full - I was using it for lab work originally)

 

[madkayaker]

Sounds empty was the gas coming out violently or just a little puff?

 

[cprobertson1]

It wasnt much - but then again I didnt have the valve open very far (i pushed the pin and opened the cylinder until I got flow)

It's just bugging me I've lost a quarter of a cylinder - unless somebody in the lab used and didn't tell me before I borrowed it =/

The gauge in the lab was reading over 50 bar when I last looked at it.


--edit--

if this is empty I am going to laugh so hard... and then apologise lots for posting here

 

[cprobertson1]

Yeah it's pretty damned near empty - rigged up a tire gauge to it - reading around 0.5 bar... somebody in the lab probably didnt close it all the way...

Sorry to have been a nuisance / n00b =/ and thanks for the assistance!


Well At least I know my tyre gauge works...

 

[Welderpaul]

You are screwing the regulator knob clockwise to open?...
Dont stick anything in the neck of the bottle. If you crack the valve open very slightly, using a bottle key, you will know if there is gas in. Keep all body parts away from the neck....
Look here

 

[cprobertson1]

Sent it away to BOC to get a filled - apparently it was an old bottle and there was a leak in the valve (air was leaking out the front - where you put the key in)

Quick question; see the hex nut at the bottom of the valve (where you shove the regulator all up it) - what is that for :P? I'm just curious - I have no intention of adjusting things that aren't for me to adjust :P (this is the problem with being a scientist... you take one look at something and immediately spot the bit nobody mentioned to you )

--Edit-- Thanks for all the help btw xD

 

[backpurge]

All BOC cylinders are fitted with a positive pressure valve in the neck valve, this is to ensure you cannot completely empty the cylinder, this is to stop the ingress of contamination into the cylinder