Paintball CO2 froze, blew out...

[DubbelDach]

Rigging up a portable serving keg for Saturday night. Have a 12 oz paintball cylinder with an adapter, into a single gauge regulator. Regulator is brand new, just got it today. Cylinder was used.

I hooked everything up and had the gas shutoff closed on the regulator. I put it away in the garage. About 30 minutes later, we heard it. I ran out and stuck my hand there and it was coming out of the safety valve on the cylinder. The regulator safety is rated to 45 psi, but that was intact. And everything was frozen from the cylinder through the adapter, up just short of the regulator body itself. So I just opened the main valve and let it empty.

Also noticed the last o-ring on the end of the paintball cylinder was cracked open after the fact. It was probably old... Should have replaced it, but not sure if the cracking was caused by the freezing.

What should I do? Does the safety need replaced? Do I need to ditch this tank and buy a new one? Is this a viable system to serve with on Saturday night (only 48 freakin' hours away...)? Need some quick advice so I can shop for solutions over my lunch break Friday. Thanks! Pics:

 

[DubbelDach]

Two more things... I did not have it hooked up with a hose to the keg... need to buy tubing tomorrow. Also, when returning keg to garage, the cylinder may have tilted up to 45 degrees from vertical.... There's no beer in that keg, and holding by one handle, it tilted.

 

[onthekeg]

Its a rupture disc that blew on the tank I bet. They are cheap. That goes inside the little bolt on the tank where it attaches to the regulator adapter. They sell them at any store that will sell airsoft guns. Get the cylinder refilled after you put a new rupture disc in. The tanks can be upside down when they are full, but you don't want liquid CO2 in the regulator.

 

[pwellbball]

It doesn't sound like a burst disc issue to me. I used to play a ton of paintball so I have seen this on quite a few occasions. I would be willing to wager it's simply the tank o-ring. A burst disc will usually fail from a full tank left in the heat. Let us know what you find out.

 

[JKalpowsky]

I'll be honest, I don't know too much about paintball type CO2 tanks, but I'd say take it to your local paintball shop. Worst comes to worst, you pick up another tank (maybe just one to be safe, or have a spare) That size tank, IIRC, is rather cheap, and those guys would have a lot more experience with tanks and what they do.

my $0.02

 

[o4_srt]

You don't need another tank, just replace the relief valve and o-ring.

iirc, Standard paintball pressure is around 800 psi.

That relief valve will only vent if pressure builds to a certain point, so the bottle doesn't explode. The only way it will vent is if it's faulty, or pressure increase significantly. Since using the co2 will cause pressure to drop, I'm banking on a faulty valve, if in fact, that's where the gas was leaking.

Years ago, there used to be several paintball shops in the area. I'm not aware of any these days.

Sports authority should have o-rings, they're cheap. Or, I could give you one, I think I have some spares.

 

[Cpt_Kirks]

It doesn't sound like a burst disc issue to me. I used to play a ton of paintball so I have seen this on quite a few occasions. I would be willing to wager it's simply the tank o-ring. A burst disc will usually fail from a full tank left in the heat. Let us know what you find out.

Yeah, the adapter was not tight enough (or the o-ring was mangled), and you got a leak. The leak shredded the o-ring, and the leak got BIG quick.

I have to replace the o-ring EVERY time I take the adapter off, unless the tank is empty. The pressure escaping tears up the o-ring, every time.

Just pick up a box or two of o-rings. And a roll of teflon tape. Every time you screw the adapter on the tank, do a soapy water check for leaks.

 

[DubbelDach]

Great advice, all! Last night after things started thawing out, I was playing with the relief valve on the cylinder. I can open it and close it with pliers. So... I don't think the disc is ruptured since I can close it and it holds pressure/stops the gas. Does that make sense? Thing is, there was air coming out of it when things blew (or was it the space blown out of the o-ring that just happened to be right where that valve was?!?!?)... So does it still seem like the culprit, or not since it holds pressure?

The O-ring DEFINITELY needs replaced... Sounds just like Kirk's description. Will pick up a bunch of them. So put the O-ring on, tef tape the threads lightly, and really get that adapter on tight? Then soap test...

 

[audger]

the rupture disk is that hex nut on the side of the cylinder neck itself. they are usually 1.5k PSI on 16 or 20 oz tanks, and any place that will fill a paintball tank should be able to replace it for you for $2 or so. they should also have replacement tank o-rings. it does not sound like your disk ruptured though, sounds more like an o-ring leak.

i would not use teflon tape as you are not sealing with threads like NPT pipe; you are sealing with o-rings on the bottle. for paintball its recomended to put some marker oil on the o-ring before screwing your tank into the gun. tape wont hurt really, its just unnecessary.

because its used for food- you might not want to use marker oil, but it would be a good idea to put a little food grade grease or even vaseline on the o-ring to prevent damage as you screw it into the adapter.

 

[DubbelDach]

because its used for food- you might not want to use marker oil, but it would be a good idea to put a little food grade grease or even vaseline on the o-ring to prevent damage as you screw it into the adapter.

Keg lube?

So there is a dearth of paintball-only places here... Really the only choices are Dick's and Gander Mt. Dick's has o-rings for themselves, but do not sell them any longer. Don't sell rupture discs either. Gander Mt. didn't have ****.

Dick's guy said that the disc was fine, and he replaced the o-ring and was certain that was the flaw. So I have a refilled tank, new o-ring, and hopefully will be pouring some beer tomorrow.

Thanks all!

 

[audger]

Keg lube?

yes that should be perfect.

im sure the disk was fine, the only way it would rupture would be if you left it in your car in the sun, or if you were filling it and somehow overfilled it (or if it were defective i guess). ive never had a disk rupture on me.

replacement disks or o-rings can be had on ebay for like under $5 for a dozen.

 

[ekjohns]

i paintball alot sounds to me like a blown o-ring, unless your garage is 120F

 

[WPStrassburg]

Check the gasket on the face of the regulator stem too. That may have cracked or not been in place and caused the leak between the tank adapter(blue adapter) and regulator stem(brass nut/stem).

 

[DubbelDach]

Strass the regulator is brand new but I checked it anyway just now. I have everything assembled and it seems good. I keg lubed the o-ring. I used vice grips and pliers to really tighten the adapter to the regulator. Then I used the grips to hold the bolt and screw in the tank. Seems awesome now. As soon as I put everything together last night the adapter and stem started to get cold... Everythingis normal temps right now. I feel good!

 

[Chrisl77]

If you bought the tank used and it happens again you might want to have the tank checked for an anti siphon tube. Some paintballers have them installed in the tank so when they hold there guns they dont dump liquid co2 into them. Sometimes you can tell by looking around the neck of the bottle for a paint marking or scratch. If theres an anti siphon tube in the tank that would feed liquid co2 into your reg and freeze everything up.

 

[n2dsky]

It's the o-ring. Well, really it's the tank adapter . . . I have a similar setup and had a similar problem. The adapter is machined slightly too large and the teflon o-ring will not seal properly, starts leaking and then blows out. Go to a parts store and get some black rubber o-rings that are slightly larger . . . works for me . . .

 

[DubbelDach]

Worked without a hitch last night. O-ring was the culprit. And I think I have enough gas to serve another keg today. Thanks for the help guys!

 

[RobrBaron]

DD, do you know what size o-rings you got to fix your system?

I pulled out a CO2 tank that I had with my paintball days, and the o-ring was hard as a rock. I've found varying reports on the interwebs as to what size o-ring actually works. I had success with a "#35", which I got in a 10 pack in the faucet repair aisle at Home Depot. This has an interior diameter of 9/16" and an outside diameter of 11/16". Can anyone confirm that this is the right kind?

It works, but disconnecting the tank ruins the o-ring. I am also using one of those fancy adapters, but mine is red, not blue.

Any thoughts?

 

[DubbelDach]

The guy at Dick's put a paintball one on. So I rolled win that. I do have some Home Depot 10 packs of #9 and #10 to use as backups. I took the tank in wit me and tried them both on. Both fit, but wasn't sure which was best so I bougt both.

 

[RobrBaron]

Cool, thanks. Sorry that I forgot to ask, but how much beer did you dispense on one 12 oz tank?

Thanks again for the o-ring tip.

Rob

 

[DubbelDach]

2 full cornies so far...

 

[Bobby_M]

Oh, and keep in mind. The tank looks frozen because of the leak, not the other way around. It had nothing to do with the ambient temp.

 

[DubbelDach]

Oh, and keep in mind. The tank looks frozen because of the leak, not the other way around. It had nothing to do with the ambient temp.

Right on..... Tank was at 70F much of the time before going to the garage which was only 10-15 degrees cooler, tops. A CO2 o-ring shredding jet caused the icing.