sphere regasser

This is the Forum for all your Citroen Technical Questions, Problems or Advice.

Moderator: RichardW

alan s
RIP 2010
Posts: 2542
Joined: 26 Jan 2001, 15:53
Location: Australia
My Cars:
x 6

Post by alan s »

.................and now for the good news.
Just had a call from my mate the retired engineer advising that the recharger he has that has served him well for years, has just been made redundant due to BOC/CIG/ICI having changed the fittings that they have on their bottles of Nitro and have had for years and which apparently can't be adapted to the older style.
This change came in around last October and will cause some major redesign work.
Typical of that bloody crew!!!Image
Alan S
User avatar
Kowalski
Posts: 2557
Joined: 15 Oct 2003, 17:41
Location: North East, United Kingdom
My Cars: Ex 05 C5 2.0 HDI Exclusive 145k
Ex 97 Xantia 1.9TD SX 144k
Ex 94 Xantia Dimension 1.9TD 199k

Post by Kowalski »

Surely you can get some sort of adapter, or make one at least. How difficult can it be?
DoubleChevron
Posts: 622
Joined: 22 Sep 2003, 18:06
Location: Australia
My Cars:
Contact:

Post by DoubleChevron »

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by alans</i>

.................and now for the good news.
Just had a call from my mate the retired engineer advising that the recharger he has that has served him well for years, has just been made redundant due to BOC/CIG/ICI having changed the fittings that they have on their bottles of Nitro and have had for years and which apparently can't be adapted to the older style.
This change came in around last October and will cause some major redesign work.
Typical of that bloody crew!!!Image
Alan S
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
Wouldn't only the bottle connector be different (how could it possibly be anything else). Give it .... say 5seconds, and someone with a lathe will be making up 'new to old' adapters [}:)] [}:)] (that will no doubt be illegal[V]).
seeya,
Shane L.
DoubleChevron
Posts: 622
Joined: 22 Sep 2003, 18:06
Location: Australia
My Cars:
Contact:

Post by DoubleChevron »

Guys,
I've been thinking about a regasser and how one could possibly be made without a lathe.
Do you think this is feasable.
Take one Citroen suspension cylinder. They have a bore and piston. To the piston attach something that will grab the filler plug. Put a new 'O'ring seal on the piston so gas will not leak past it.
-To loosen/tighten the filler plug rotate the piston
-Clamp the top of the cylinder that the sphere usually screws onto to the top of the sphere (using a standard square section sphere seal).
-Where the high pressure line connects drill/tap a fitting that will allow the nitro bottle to attach.
The more I think about this, the more I think it may just work. I'll have to pull a suspension cylinder off a car and see. Talk about simple.
seeya,
Shane L.
alan s
RIP 2010
Posts: 2542
Joined: 26 Jan 2001, 15:53
Location: Australia
My Cars:
x 6

Post by alan s »

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Kowalski</i>

Surely you can get some sort of adapter, or make one at least. How difficult can it be?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
I haven't been up to see it yet as I'm sheppherding a young fellow in a CX (that a "specialist" just spent $1500 on)up the Coast as it looks like it's going to be battling to get here, but from all accounts, it has something to do with the way the regulator fits and nobody half sane plays with nitro without a regulator. Apparetly one oas a fitting that has an "O" ring whilst the new one has a taper and added to it a second portion with all kinds of gizmos attached. It's been described to me as looking "very agricultural"
I'll let you know what the story is when I see it.
There is an adaptor and it costs a lot for what it is and then they reckon it needs a different regulator (don't ask me why) and it's a further $500. Typical change for changes sake (plus extra dosh for the different bits as a bomus).
Alan S
dnsey
Posts: 1538
Joined: 20 Oct 2004, 01:39
Location:
My Cars:
x 19

Post by dnsey »

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">To loosen/tighten the filler plug rotate the piston
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
Maybe I'm not following your description correctly, but wouldn't the piston shoot out of the cylinder under gas pressure?
User avatar
Kowalski
Posts: 2557
Joined: 15 Oct 2003, 17:41
Location: North East, United Kingdom
My Cars: Ex 05 C5 2.0 HDI Exclusive 145k
Ex 97 Xantia 1.9TD SX 144k
Ex 94 Xantia Dimension 1.9TD 199k

Post by Kowalski »

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by alans</i>


Apparetly one oas a fitting that has an "O" ring whilst the new one has a taper and added to it a second portion with all kinds of gizmos attached. It's been described to me as looking "very agricultural"
I'll let you know what the story is when I see it.
There is an adaptor and it costs a lot for what it is and then they reckon it needs a different regulator (don't ask me why) and it's a further $500. Typical change for changes sake (plus extra dosh for the different bits as a bomus).
Alan S
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
Brass tapered fittings are very common, in fact its the fittings with O rings that are unusual. Maybe BOC or whoever were using some proprietry O ring fitting and they've decided to give up on it and go with something more standard.
I can't see you needing a new regulator, somebody somewhere will make an adapter, if BOC has changed bottle fittings it would mean a lot of equipment would have to be thrown away, somebody will start making one if there isn't already somebody doing it.
DoubleChevron
Posts: 622
Joined: 22 Sep 2003, 18:06
Location: Australia
My Cars:
Contact:

Post by DoubleChevron »

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by dnsey</i>

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">To loosen/tighten the filler plug rotate the piston
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
Maybe I'm not following your description correctly, but wouldn't the piston shoot out of the cylinder under gas pressure?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
Yep, you would weld a threaded bolt to the end of it so it could be wound in and out, in this way you could access the attachment that holds the filler plug.
It might not even work, but it will intersting to whip out a suspension cylinder and see how close they are.
seeya,
Shane L.
User avatar
noz
Posts: 118
Joined: 05 Mar 2003, 03:33
Location: Central Scotland
My Cars:
Contact:

Post by noz »

Thought I'd add my twopennyworth on this one. I built this rig about 15 years ago and its still going strong:
http://club-xm.com/forum2/index.php?showtopic=316
Its not rocket science but then you do need access to some metalworking tools.
Hope this helps anyone thinking of making their own.
Cheers
Norrie
tanto
Posts: 61
Joined: 23 Apr 2005, 18:41
Location: clydebank
My Cars:

Post by tanto »

cannot view link it asks you to sign in or register
DoubleChevron
Posts: 622
Joined: 22 Sep 2003, 18:06
Location: Australia
My Cars:
Contact:

Post by DoubleChevron »

That regasser is nice !! I'm thinking if I could somehow use a tiny drill chuck to grab the filler plug ( getting around the different filler plugs used on Xantias/BXs/DS's/CX's).
I'm not sure if I'll ever make one, but it will sure be interesting to try.
seeya,
Shane L.
DoubleChevron
Posts: 622
Joined: 22 Sep 2003, 18:06
Location: Australia
My Cars:
Contact:

Post by DoubleChevron »

Hi Guys,
Just a quick question to those of you that have re-gassers. Do you use a regulator off the bottle ?? The reason I ask is to get a regulator that will allow presures upto nearly 75bar will cost $600+++aud :EEK:. I imagine due to the high pressures required, and rediculous price of regulators you guys must be jump straight from bottle - gasser through a ball valve of some sort.
seeya,
Shane L.
User avatar
noz
Posts: 118
Joined: 05 Mar 2003, 03:33
Location: Central Scotland
My Cars:
Contact:

Post by noz »

Shane,
No chance without a regulator and downright dangerous. The storage pressure in the bottle is 230bar. A ball valve would never be able to control the pressure. You wouldn't want to overshoot.
My regulator goes up to a maximum of 170 bar. Got it when I used to work in the Semiconductor industry. Didn't pay for it so I've no idea how much they cost.
Cheers
Norrie[8D]
DoubleChevron
Posts: 622
Joined: 22 Sep 2003, 18:06
Location: Australia
My Cars:
Contact:

Post by DoubleChevron »

Thanks noz,
no way would it work with 270bar. I tried to get this information from the local gas guy, he was completely unsure. Infact he couldn't find a regulator that went about 75bar.
Hmm, I'll keep an eye out, but no doubt I will not bother if a regulator is close to 250pounds[:0] [:0]
seeya,
Shane L.
Post Reply