Gentlemen/Ladies,
Had time this weekend to play around with some leaking valve blocks. Had a customers HSE in the shed with all sorts of valve block leak related issues. Thought I would share this simple fix.
Firstly, after replacing all O'rings including the o'rings in the solenoids and new diaphram I still had an internal leak. By removing the exhaust silencer I could still feel intermittant amounts of air releasing. I then 'T' pieced a pressure gauge inline to the storage tank to see if it was dropping. It was, about 10 psi per 30 minutes. ie after one night completely empty, hence long pump up each morning.
I then looked at a layout drawing which shows the various passages for which the air travels. I worked out that the air had to be bypassing either the exhaust or inlet soleniods.
Most of us have seen the conditon of a 12 year old solenoid plunger(the face that seals to the tapper on the head) usually a defined print of the round face that it seals on. I have heard of someone punching out new rubber blocks and gluing them to the plunger. This is a good idea, but I wanted a faster fix.
So I locked the plunger in my drill press(gently) spun it and slowly re-faced the rubber seal on fine emery cloth, then 800 grit wet and dry. This gave me a brand new sealing face.
I re-assembled the solenoids, let the system pressure up, and bingo zero leaks!!!!!
I really believe these two solenoids are the cause on so many leaks that some are chasing, after the usual seals,bags etc have been replaced.
Hope this will help some of you.
Regards Russell.
Had time this weekend to play around with some leaking valve blocks. Had a customers HSE in the shed with all sorts of valve block leak related issues. Thought I would share this simple fix.
Firstly, after replacing all O'rings including the o'rings in the solenoids and new diaphram I still had an internal leak. By removing the exhaust silencer I could still feel intermittant amounts of air releasing. I then 'T' pieced a pressure gauge inline to the storage tank to see if it was dropping. It was, about 10 psi per 30 minutes. ie after one night completely empty, hence long pump up each morning.
I then looked at a layout drawing which shows the various passages for which the air travels. I worked out that the air had to be bypassing either the exhaust or inlet soleniods.
Most of us have seen the conditon of a 12 year old solenoid plunger(the face that seals to the tapper on the head) usually a defined print of the round face that it seals on. I have heard of someone punching out new rubber blocks and gluing them to the plunger. This is a good idea, but I wanted a faster fix.
So I locked the plunger in my drill press(gently) spun it and slowly re-faced the rubber seal on fine emery cloth, then 800 grit wet and dry. This gave me a brand new sealing face.
I re-assembled the solenoids, let the system pressure up, and bingo zero leaks!!!!!
I really believe these two solenoids are the cause on so many leaks that some are chasing, after the usual seals,bags etc have been replaced.
Hope this will help some of you.
Regards Russell.