Need help fixing dumb move (regulators)

[trawkins]

I guess I'll try the LP port maneuver. Wish me luck.

 

[kwinter]

Slowly unscrew the PG hose from the reg......the o ring will extrude with a bit of a pop and will safely depressurize the system.

Do NOT do this. Use one of the LP ports to bleed it off, not the HP side.


Please pardon any typos. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Chugwhump]

Uh oh....

11 minutes and no update.
Prolly dead with a LP port plug bullet to the brain.

Chug
Has made every known mistake and is still inventing new ones.

 

[trawkins]

Im ready. Lets begin. Will post results.

 

[Agility]

no gloves?
☺

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Pics of missing fingers?

 

[trawkins]

Bomb defused. You guys rock. I have to admit, that was a very edgy moment. We've all seen youtube videos of pressure vessels suddenly becoming unpressurized. I used my "off" hand to move 1/64 turn per second until the o-ring gave and it hissed at me (very scary moment). plug, ring, and everything is fine. No injuries so far today (aw yeah). I totally thought I was SOL for a while before posting. Thanks guys. I'm another guinea pig that proves that this method is the way to go in this situation.

ps. Hole in the wall is a joke. From running speaker wires.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

Better advice would have been to turn it off:
drink beer,
lots of it,
get drunk,
go to bed,
when you have recovered from the hangover....


the air would have bled out.

check that O-ring,,

 

[Luis H]

Better advice would have been to turn it off:
drink beer,
lots of it,
get drunk,
go to bed,
when you have recovered from the hangover....


the air would have bled out.

check that O-ring,,

Sometimes that would work, sometimes it may not.

After servicing a regulator, I normally check for leaks by pressurizing it and then closing the valve and leaving it over night. I am OK as long as the pressure doesn't drop more than 50 to 100 psi over night (from a starting point of anything above 1000 psi). It is not uncommon for some regulator to not drop any measurable amount in a 12 to 24 hour period.

I have left a regulator pressured (with the tank valve off) for more than a week with no measurable pressure drop.

---------- Post added January 25th, 2014 at 12:48 PM ----------

I thought of this, but the actual pressure in the reg does most of the work sealing the ports. My main concerns are that I will either strip the plug, or backing it out to the point that the seal is broken will create a very nasty projectile situation in my bedroom.

The IP force is not enough to be a big deal.

A 3/8 plug has a max pressure area of about 0.11 in square. (A= (0.375^2)x (Pi/4)) This is a worst case approximation.

If you multiply that area times the pressure (0.11 sq in x 140 psi) you get a force of about 15.5 pounds.

I do not recommend this, but if you are very careful you could actually totally unscrew the LP plug while it is pressurized. The force is manageable, but you have to keep control of it, or can accelerate with the flow when it totally disengages. If you loose control, it will not pick up a lot of velocity, but there is no need to risk a loose projectile (even a slow speed).





---------- Post added January 25th, 2014 at 12:54 PM ----------

Slowly unscrew the PG hose from the reg......the o ring will extrude with a bit of a pop and will safely depressurize the system.

Bad idea, considering the options.

---------- Post added January 25th, 2014 at 12:56 PM ----------

Make sure the tank valve is off, then slowly back off on the yoke screw. Check the o-ring when you are done.

Not my first choice either.
I have seen it done with a malfunctioning first stage, but it would be my last choice.


I may actually prefer to unscrew the HP port: Less area = less pressure force.
I have to think about which one of this two options would be better. The force is less on the HP plug/ hose, but I like the control of the yoke screw.


The bottom line is that neither one of this is the best choice when you can deal with 140 psi versus 1800 psi.


With 1800 psi, the pressure thrust in the 7/16" port is about 270 pounds (area of around 0.15 in sq).
For the yoke the area can be close to 0.28 in square. This will develop a pressure thrust of as much as 509 pounds.

 

[Chugwhump]

Better advice would have been to turn it off:
drink beer,
lots of it,
get drunk,
go to bed,
when you have recovered from the hangover....


the air would have bled out.

check that O-ring,,

I guess you do not like James Bond movies with countdown timers either Dumpster.

Chug
Saving the world one LP port plug at a time.
No smokin' hot "Baccarat Babes" yet though.