Building an Alanle style dual stage CO2 regulator

[Water Dog]

In part 2 of the test, I now let the gas gas move over to the working pressure side of the regulator. I set working pressure side to its max psi.

Now I isolate the gas on the working pressure side and remove it from the CO2 tank. It’s reading around 29 psi,

I let it sit for over 24 hours and it was still holding pressure steady at around 29 psi.

This is confirmation that the diaphragm is sealing properly. Both the tank side and the working pressure sides are showing that they can isolate and hold pressure without gas migrating to the other side.

Leak test is complete!

 

[Water Dog]

Next step... building the post body!

 

[Water Dog]

Very cool.

Though I imagine it is, because otherwise why go to effort, how is this better than the off the shelf carbon doser regulator?

If you’re diligent enough in sourcing parts, you can build one of these regulators for a good bit less than the $350 price point of the CarbonDoser. While the CarbonDoser makes dialing in CO2 very easy, at the end of the day, it’s is an electronic Clippard Mouse solenoid attached to a cheap $10 brass single stage regulator. Electronics will fail. These DIY regulators use industrial lab grade stainless steel parts (extremely precise metering valves) that will still work precisely and consistently long after you and I are gone... and I’m not even getting into the single vs dual stage end of tank dump discussion.

There is no question, the CarbonDoser is easy to use and has a loyal following. I‘m just presenting a guide based on the Alan Le DIY regulator thread for people like to build things and are interested in a quality alternative.

 

[DarkSky]

I need to get back to building mine, and should pick up where I left off. Unfortunate family issues sidetracked me when I was last working on it.

 

[User1]

Great job!

 

[Water Dog]

I need to get back to building mine, and should pick up where I left off. Unfortunate family issues sidetracked me when I was last working on it.

Hope everything is getting better on the family front. If you need any help with your build, shoot me a PM.

Great job!

Thanks!

 

[Water Dog]

In order to start putting together the post body, we need to take off the stock output valve assembly. Because of the protruding valve handle, we must first take off the working pressure gauge.

 

[Water Dog]

Tape job for all the threaded pieces of the post body is complete.

M

 

[Water Dog]

Here it is, with all the threaded pieces assembled.

Please note, the orientation of the Burkert 6011a solenoid valve matters. The end labeled “P” is the inlet, the end labeled “A” is the outlet.

 

[Water Dog]

And here is the completed regulator.

Please note that because the metering valve used here is 1/8” you must give the captive nut a 3/4 turn in order to “Swage” the tube fittings together. If we were using a 1/4” metering valve with 1/4” tube fittings, we would give the captive nut a 1-1/4 turn in order to “Swage” the fittings together.

Please see this video from Swagelok for reference...

 

[Water Dog]

Now, I have to perform a leak test to ensure my post body connections are leak free. Then I will use a remote bubble counter to test the solenoid and put the metering valve through its paces.

Fluval 88g-CO2 Bubble Counter - 3.1 Ounces

 

[GoVols]

@Water Dog

Great thread!!

Thanks so much for taking the time, and sure admire your skills.

Looks like a masterpiece from here... ;Woot ;Woot

 

[Water Dog]

@Water Dog

Great thread!!

Thanks so much for taking the time, and sure admire your skills.

Looks like a masterpiece from here... ;Woot ;Woot

Thanks dude! Though I have to give full credit to Alanle for being so helpful via PMs when I was putting together my first regulator build. Happy I can pay it forward!

I actually also want to use this thread as a resource for members who PM me for help with their regulator builds. I can link to this thread as a reference so I don’t have to repeat instructions over and over via PMs. It’s a shame that a lot of the good assembly photos in the original Alanle DIY thread on RC are gone.

 

[Marc11]

Thank you very much! Can’t wait to see it in action.

 

[Water Dog]

Thank you very much! Can’t wait to see it in action.

It’s my pleasure! Like I said, I’m a geek with this DIY and tinkering stuff. I’ve got to fill up my spare 5# CO2 tank and put it through it’s paces. Hopefully everything will run smoothly!

 

[Fishnugget]

Looks great, as I just ordered my Alanle regulator. It will be a good reference thread for how the parts are supposed to be assembled. Keep posting pics!!

 

[ua hua]

Great write up. It will be very helpful to people wanting to DIY their own regulator. I know AlanLe from the planted tank forum and he has made some top notch regulators. I made this one myself 7 years ago from sourced parts and has been a solid piece running on my planted tank since.

 

[GoVols]

Looks great, as I just ordered my Alanle regulator. It will be a good reference thread for how the parts are supposed to be assembled. Keep posting pics!!

I still remember Alanle being active on RC.

Good to know that he's still out there.

Does he sell on Ebay and is so, what's his Ebay seller name?

 

[GoVols]

It’s a shame that a lot of the good assembly photos in the original Alanle DIY thread on RC are gone.

Yelp,
I noticed that they were gone too...

Thanks for passing it up!!!

It would be nice if you could cut your knowledge (with Staff) into a Reef 2 Reef article.

Have a great night, Water Dog

 

[Water Dog]

Yelp,
I noticed that they were gone too...

Yeah, darn Photobucket! :mad:

Good to know that he's still out there.

Does he sell on Ebay and is so, what's his Ebay seller name?

I don’t believe Alan sells on eBay. He sells directly on a per order basis. His contact information is on page 90, post #1348 on his DIY regulator thread on RC.