Promised I’d do this if there was a problem, even though probably no one (other than myself) remembers.
Had an HPA regulator problem.
Got two general types of paintball type regulators, one that runs off a coil spring, and one that runs on spring washers. None of the metal work has failed. In fact, by design, as the springs (coil or washer type) weaken, the output pressure DROPS.
The offending tank has been in use for about 2 ½ years, with something between 8,000 and 9,000 shots taken (tank has been used on three guns, but found a home for the last year and a half on a QB78 .25 conversion).
The regulator piston that supplies the regulation runs on o-rings, and those o-rings wear. If they BOTH wear, then no matter how the regulator triesa to supply one pressure of air, if the internal piston leaks at both ends, high pressure will creeps up.
Starts off at the set out put (in this case, 1050PSI) but within 15-20min., had crept up to a bit past 1320 psi. Would probably eventually creep up to whatever pressure was in the HPA tank, blowing the burst disk (hopfully) before blowing the seals out of the gun.
ALL the HPA conversions use a RAP4 on/off. This has a gauge that reads output pressure and a 1.8K burst disk. IF NOT FOR THAT GAUGE, I WOULD HAVE HAD NO CLUE OF THE PROBLEM UNTIL THE BURST DISKS BLEW!
I’ll keep using them, but suggest the following rules:
1. USE an on/off…and the RAP4 gauged on/off is much preferred. If something seems amiss, like shooting too powerfully or too weakly, look at the gauge.
2. STORE the guns with the on/off on “offâ€. This would avoid the pressure-creep problem in storage.
3. Use only a regulator with TWO burst disks; the one dedicated to the output side a 1.8K rated disk (if running higher than CO2 type pressures in a co2 rated gas tube, aren’t really concerned with safety, and will ignore this post anyway).
4. Buy a rebuild kit for the regulator BEFORE you need it.
In my case, gassed the bottle down to empty, took apart the regulator, cleaned it, and replaced the 2 o-rings. That seems to have cured it, but have the right (factory) replacement parts on the way.
