Air reg snap

[sberry]

So I am fooling around with air today, checking a drain I put in, all is ok. I am standing there picking my nose buffing this alum tray I clamped up that is now holding parts to what used to be a regulator.
I was about 20 ft away and hear an escape. I still had the lights off so it was dark and took me a minute to see pieces all over the floor. I thougt I did something to tig ad heard a hose pop whoosh. This was a reg, not a filter/reg but the bowl or what ever it is, didn't look at the parts list but threaded plastic ring snapped off and spring, guts and all dropped out the bottom.

 

[sberry]

Ok, I have been meaning to buy a couple new ones and someone gave me a piece this summer. No time like the present to see if it works. For the plumbing junkies I snapped a couple pieces from extension parts, a T and a reg to go around it and hook plasma and hose reel back.
The old silver piece on my bench is sized right and will plumb directly in. The one to a manifold is really too small for this circuit on occasion as is the inline I put in temp.

 

[sberry]

This happened while I was standing there. If I wasn't would have come back to,,,,,,,,, nothing. Its got a valve in it in case the secondary comes all uncunted and lets loose. Shut the unit right off. It would have been a whisper if it wasn't for the air in the reel.

 

[sberry]

More to this dull adventure later, the garage saga goes on .

 

[Will S.]

Well, it reached it's EOL, and you were there as witness. Glad no one was hurt.

 

[countryroad82]

I've had air hoses blow but never a regulator! But this is one of those reasons I shut my compressor off when I leave.

 

[sberry]

I wouldn't even knew it till I went to use it if I hadn't heard the air from reel release.

 

[sam.coll]

You have a lot of quick connect fittings there, these can restrict the airflow!

 

[ovrrdrive]

I've heard of that happening a lot lately. I think it's mainly because most of the regs made today are less than 150psi rated but the compressors are all creeping up to higher and higher pressures.

Might be a market for lexan regulator shields. lol

 

[sberry]

It simply fell apart, once the spring pressure was off it closed. The label is scuffed off the one I put on but its aluminum and the old was plastic and it simply snapped off at the threaded ring.
I tool the alum apart and cleaned it after it had leaked, all appears well and I have it all housebroke again.
The one I had on was 250 psi,,, you never know if it had got bumped along the way.

 

[sberry]

You have a lot of quick connect fittings there, these can restrict the airflow!

I do have some connectors on this setup, for a couple of reasons. One was it got started that way and I had the fittings, these are large type H and I can unhook the reel there and puton a section of 1/2 hose for 3/4 impacting. Second,, this only needs and can use so much air, the plasma or any tools on the end of the 50 ft hose connected to it wont suffer. They don't leak at this point either.
Normally I do advocate removing un needed fittings, the small auto fittings do add a pinch and they do leak and it prevents people from tampering when its all screwed.
I removed the handi box in this set up as I don't need 4 outlets there anymore. It was a left over from move in when we needed more where the building wiring wasn't complete and had cords strung everywhere.

 

[sberry]

Money shot.

 

[G_P]

I have that same regulator. Its a Speedaire I believe. Guess I'll be keeping a close eye on mine.

 

[sberry]

I tossed it but believe it said Parker. Didn't hurt anything.