Building an Alanle style dual stage CO2 regulator

Water Dog · Feb 4, 2020

So I wanted to start a build thread on how to put together an Alanle style DIY dual stage regulator. Over the last couple of years, after building a couple of my own regulators, I have been helping a bunch of memebers, both here and on RC, with sourcing parts and putting together their regulators.

Before getting started on your regulator build, please read Alanle’s DIY regulator thread HERE.

Here is my own, full stainless Victor dual stage regulator.

Water Dog · Feb 4, 2020

So this build will be for a member here, @Marc11. I helped him source all of the parts on eBay. Because of Marc’s time constraints, he asked me to put the regulator together for him for some Acro frags. I happily obliged.

Here is the stock regulator purchased from eBay. It’s an Air Products dual stage regulator, E12-6-C445-A

Here are all the parts and their layout, necessary to put this regulator together.

Water Dog · Feb 4, 2020

All of the parts that I recommend for thes builds are full stainless steel.

Here is a stainless steel CGA-320 fitting. Because of the large size of the gauges on the regulator, an extension was required to extend the CO2 fitting so that the valve atop the CO2 tank will clear the high pressure gauge on the regulator. The part is a 1/4” fpt x 1/4” mpt connector, Swagelok SS-4-A

Water Dog · Feb 4, 2020

So for the post body, again all stainless, we will start with a 1/4” mpt x 1/8” mpt hex reducer nipple.

Swagelok SS-4-HRN-2

Water Dog · Feb 4, 2020

One of the most vital parts to these builds is a quality solenoid valve. Alanle recommends the Burkert 6011a stainless steel solenoid valve. The fittings on these valves are both 1/8” fpt.

It is important to note that during assembly, the end marked “P” is the inlet and the end marked “A” is the outlet.

Water Dog · Feb 4, 2020

Then come the two stainless steel elbow fittings. I like to use 1/8” street elbow fittings from Hoke as they are a good bit cheaper than the comparable Swagelok elbows.

Hoke 2SLP316

Water Dog · Feb 4, 2020

The most important part of these builds is an industrial lab grade quality low flow metering valve. A low flow metering valve in the 1/8” to 1/4” size will work. When looking for a low flow valve, search for Hoke 1300 series ending in a 2Y (1/8”) or 4Y (1/4”), not MM as you want it in imperial, not metric or a Swagelok / Nupro SS-SS4 (1/4”) or SS-SS2 (1/8”).

In this build we will be using a 1/8” Nupro SS-SS2 low flow metering valve. Because of the 1/8 size, we will need the proper adapters to connect the metering valve to the 1/8” street elbow and then step the tube fitting back up to 1/4” at the outlet of the metering valve in order to accommodate the CO2 tubing.

So from right to left, we have a 1/8” tube adapter x 1/8” mpt fitting, Swagelok SS-2-TA-1-2, then the 1/8” low flow metering valve, Nupro SS-SS2 and finally, the 1/4” tube connector x 1/8” tube adapter, Swagelok SS-400-R-2.

Water Dog · Feb 4, 2020

I’ll update this thread as I go through the assembly of the regulator.

Marc11 · Feb 5, 2020

Very informative. Definitely will be following. Big thank you to Water Dog for building this for me!

dadnjesse · Feb 5, 2020

Trying to find the Burkert solenoid but I can't find that model. The one I find is 457159 and the one in your photo is 457160. Do you have a link where I can find one.

Water Dog · Feb 5, 2020

dadnjesse said:
Trying to find the Burkert solenoid but I can't find that model. The one I find is 457159 and the one in your photo is 457160. Do you have a link where I can find one.

PM sent.

Water Dog · Feb 5, 2020

Marc11 said:
Very informative. Definitely will be following. Big thank you to Water Dog for building this for me!

It’s my pleasure... I’m a big tinkering geek so this is right up my wheelhouse!

Water Dog · Feb 5, 2020

So tonight, I’m gonna attach the CO2 fitting so that I can perform a leak lest on the regulator. When purchasing used regulators from eBay, it is essential to perform a leak test to make sure that the internal diaphragm is intact and undamaged. It’s part of the reason that when purchasing a used regulator, you want to be sure that the seller offers returns. If a regulator has a leak, it’s pretty much a useless paperweight as it’s beyond our skill set to fix it properly.

For leak test procedures, please read post #12 in Alanle’s DIY CO2 regulator build thread.

This is what we will be putting together.

Water Dog · Feb 5, 2020

I prefer the red Teflon tape as it’s thicker than the blue. I cut a couple of lengths of tape, then I folded them in half along the length of the tape.

Water Dog · Feb 5, 2020

When wrapping onto the threaded fittings, keep in mind three things...

1) For the CO2 fittings, make sure you get three wraps of tape around the threads, for the post body fittings, get two wraps of tape around the threads.

2) Wrap the tape around the threaded fitting in a clockwise direction.

3) Be sure to leave the first threads bare. If you wrap too close to the start of the threads, you risk slicing off bits of tape as you screw the fittings in. These bits of tape can get sucked into the regulator, solenoid or metering valve and jam things up. So please pay careful attention to how you wrap the threaded fittings with Teflon tape.

Water Dog · Feb 5, 2020

To help remove the stock gas fittings and install the new CGA-320 CO2 nut and nipple, I like to use a socket wrench. I use a doubled over paper towel over the fitting before attaching the socket wrench in order to preserve the finish of the new stainless steel fittings.

Water Dog · Feb 5, 2020

The extension piece and CO2 nut & nipple are now securely attached. Now it’s ready for me to perform a leak test to make sure the internal diaphragm is sound.

Water Dog · Feb 5, 2020

Once the leak test is completed, I’ll update this thread when I get working on putting the post body together!

Water Dog · Feb 10, 2020

Again, for detailed leak test procedures, see post #12 HERE.

Part one of the leak test... I attached the regulator to a full CO2 tank and isolated the gas on the high pressure side of the regulator. The high pressure gauge shows a pressure of 900 psi with the working pressure side showing 0 psi.

8 hours later, the high pressure side still reads 900 psi and the working pressure side is still reading 0 psi.

Essentially what it means is that the CO2 nut and nipple fittings are taped properly, sealed and leak free. More importantly, it’s showing that the diaphragm is sealing properly and that during the first part of the pressure test, no gas is migrating over to the working pressure side, as evidenced by the 0 psi maintained throughout the the 8 hours.