Diver's tank question

[Al Downie]

I think the main valve on my tank might have developed a fault: when I open the tap to fill the gun, I'm used to hearing a bit of hissing from the bleed valve (because it's a rubbish wee knurled k.n.o.b which requires pliers to tighten to airtight level), but now I'm getting air hissing out of the main tap when I open it - gets louder as I open further. It still fills the gun ok, but leaves no air in the pipe for the bleed valve to remove, so it seems to be a leak in the backwards direction if you know what I mean.

 

Has anyone ever experienced anything similar? I'm slightly concerned about safety so will probably take it back to the shop for servicing or replacement, unless someone has alternative advice?

 

Cheers,

 

Al

 

Edit - in a forum where lots of people look for technical advice, it seems a bit harsh to include the word 'k.n.o.b' in the swear filter!

Edited May 4, 2010 by Al Downie

[DIVERD]

There is a wee o ring on the stem behind the handle. This will have become displaced. It is not dangerous as it is there to stop air leaking out when the valve is open and not to hold the mechanism in so my advice would be simply use up the air in the cylinder to fill your gun and then when you take it to the shop to get it re filled ask them to repair it. It should take them a couple of minutes and i would not expect them to charge, or if they do it should only be a couple of pounds.

 

if the handle is difficult to turn, and you also have this leaking problem it may however be wise to get them to do a full service. Being tight could be a build up of crud on the valve stem, or the valve slug, a metal or plastic seal that stops the air flow. Again both easy and cheap to fix but this will probably involve removing and stripping down the valve, and there will most likely be a charge for this. However it is worth getting done as the next problem you will suffer it that one day you will open the valve and it will not close off, you will loose all the air. Once serviced you should get years out of it.

[Al Downie]

Dave - thanks very much - that's reassuring. I'll follow your advice and get the next refill done at a diving shop, and ask them to have a look at the valve.

 

Cheers,

 

Al

[lineshooter]

Al, I had the same problem as you, where I get my bottle filled serviced the valve in the tank but the guage and bleed valve assembly had to go back to the manufacturer, fair play to them they fixed it FOC.

 

You would be best getting that repaired as, like mine one day you wont be able to tighten the bleed enough with the pliers and the gun will not fill .

[Al Downie]

You would be best getting that repaired as, like mine one day you wont be able to tighten the bleed enough with the pliers and the gun will not fill .

 

There's a dive shop just along the road from me so I'll take it along sometime soon (it's difficult to find a convenient time because they seem to be out flippin' diving every day - wasters! The shop is only open something like "every third Tuesday from 11.30am-12.02pm, unless it's sunny"). While I'm there I might look to see if there's a different valve system with a better bleed tap - one I can tighten with my shovel-like hands...

[Clubshot]

Most Air Gun Heads are made via MDE Leicester

 

They are designed not to be over tighten -

 

It's a Plastic Gromit that can be exchange the next time it's in for filling

 

Bottle needs to be empty - as head comes off .........

 

Cost me £5.00 - after about 6 years of use - 2-3 Fills per month - club Air Bottle

 

BOB/R

[lineshooter]

Mine was an MDE valve, Now Al if you had a shooting shop, you`d be out shooting when it was sunny and what would your customers would be saying about you

 

Good luck with getting it fixed.

Edited May 6, 2010 by lineshooter

[Al Downie]

Now Al if you had a shooting shop, you`d be out shooting when it was sunny and what would your customers would be saying about you

 

True! In fact I do often answer work emails on my iphone, while lying on the beetle-bank waiting for bunnies to come out of the hedgerow. I try to avoid taking calls though, because people get the wrong idea if I start whispering down the phone to them.

 

Mine is an MDE valve too - thanks for the info Bob. If such a thing exists, I'd really like to get a valve which will A) have a more finger-friendly bleed tap, and have a gauge which shows remaining air pressure in the tank, as well as one which shows pressure in the hose. Will talk to the diving guys and see what they can do.

 

Cheers all,

 

Al