sphere tester
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john alexander
- Posts: 360
- Joined: 12 Apr 2004, 00:43
- Location: livingston west lothian
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sphere tester
Hi I found a CAV nozzle tester today at the dump, it looks like a large jack only instead of a ram it has a hose comming out the side of a large guage which is marked in atmospheres , is this equal to bars.???. I remember a post showing how to test spheres but I cant find it now , can anyone help. rgards john.
You can make a sphere pressure tester out of a standard bottle jack, stripping out the insides and putting some kind of valves in, then putting a gauge on the side.
Pleiades used to sell them, not sure if they do them any more.
The reading of atmospheres is the same as bar, 1 x bar = 1 x atmosphere = 14.50377 psi.
1 x bar or 1 x atmosphere is the air pressure around us as we live.
Regards
Slim
Pleiades used to sell them, not sure if they do them any more.
The reading of atmospheres is the same as bar, 1 x bar = 1 x atmosphere = 14.50377 psi.
1 x bar or 1 x atmosphere is the air pressure around us as we live.
Regards
Slim
A tyre inflated to 1 bar is not exactly pressurised to the air pressure around usslim123 wrote:The reading of atmospheres is the same as bar, 1 x bar = 1 x atmosphere = 14.50377 psi.
1 x bar or 1 x atmosphere is the air pressure around us as we live.
Regards
Slim
BTW : the official pressure unit is KiloPascal (kPa)
1 bar = 0.1 Mega Pascal = 0.1 MPa = 100kPa
though I believe that the units bar & psi will be with us for many years still to come
Anders (DK) - '90 BX16Image
Here are a couple of easy ways to make a sphere tester.
The basis is a rear suspension cylinder and piston, and a pressure gauge. The smaller the piston diameter, the less force will be needed, so best not one from an estate. The high pressure gauge from an oxygen regulator is usually suitable.
The pressure gauge needs to be connected to the pipe inlet of the cylinder. One way is to use a short length of 3.5mm pipe, and silver solder on the gauge fitting. Everything must be leak free at 60 bar.
The first method needs access to a large wood vice.
http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n237 ... esterA.jpg
Start with the cylinder upright and the piston most of the way out. Fill with LHM up to the bottom of the thread. Now screw on the sphere, then transfer the assembly to the vice. Support the sphere using a strong spacer such as the outer of an old ball race, and tighten to compress the piston. The pressure rises rapidly, then stabilises when the fill pressure is reached.
You really need to retract the piston to where it started before undoing the sphere, or you will certainly end up with even more spilled LHM than usual!
A better tester can be made up as follows. A large bolt, typically M16, is used to compress the same cylinder/piston/gauge arrangement. The housing can be made from an empty DIY MIG cylinder. Drill out the closed end, and weld on an M16 nut. You need to take the force on the flange of the suspension cylinder at the other end. Either fabricate a bushing, or you might get away with 3 or 4 nuts spaced round and bolted through the open end of the MIG cylinder.
http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n237 ... esterB.jpg
So that the LHM is drawn back down when unscrewing, it is desirable to retract the piston. You might be able to put a spring inside the cylinder between the piston and sphere, but it is best to captivate the M16 bolt to the piston by a crude bearing so that it can turn but not move axially in either direction. In addition, this can act as a stop to avoid the bolt unscrewing right out.
At 60 bar, the force with a 35mm piston will be roughly 6000 N or 1500 lb force, so it all needs to be reasonably strong. Use moly-grease on the thread to reduce friction.
So that the unit can stand upright, lock nut the M16 bolt to a plate. It is also a good idea to have a sealing cap so that the unit can be stored full of LHM ready for use. This can be made from an old sphere, or perhaps Citroen still supply plastic blanking plugs.
http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n237 ... esterC.jpg
In use, the sphere and cylinder can be rotated using both hands, keeping the base stationary. It is fairly but not excessively stiff.
The basis is a rear suspension cylinder and piston, and a pressure gauge. The smaller the piston diameter, the less force will be needed, so best not one from an estate. The high pressure gauge from an oxygen regulator is usually suitable.
The pressure gauge needs to be connected to the pipe inlet of the cylinder. One way is to use a short length of 3.5mm pipe, and silver solder on the gauge fitting. Everything must be leak free at 60 bar.
The first method needs access to a large wood vice.
http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n237 ... esterA.jpg
Start with the cylinder upright and the piston most of the way out. Fill with LHM up to the bottom of the thread. Now screw on the sphere, then transfer the assembly to the vice. Support the sphere using a strong spacer such as the outer of an old ball race, and tighten to compress the piston. The pressure rises rapidly, then stabilises when the fill pressure is reached.
You really need to retract the piston to where it started before undoing the sphere, or you will certainly end up with even more spilled LHM than usual!
A better tester can be made up as follows. A large bolt, typically M16, is used to compress the same cylinder/piston/gauge arrangement. The housing can be made from an empty DIY MIG cylinder. Drill out the closed end, and weld on an M16 nut. You need to take the force on the flange of the suspension cylinder at the other end. Either fabricate a bushing, or you might get away with 3 or 4 nuts spaced round and bolted through the open end of the MIG cylinder.
http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n237 ... esterB.jpg
So that the LHM is drawn back down when unscrewing, it is desirable to retract the piston. You might be able to put a spring inside the cylinder between the piston and sphere, but it is best to captivate the M16 bolt to the piston by a crude bearing so that it can turn but not move axially in either direction. In addition, this can act as a stop to avoid the bolt unscrewing right out.
At 60 bar, the force with a 35mm piston will be roughly 6000 N or 1500 lb force, so it all needs to be reasonably strong. Use moly-grease on the thread to reduce friction.
So that the unit can stand upright, lock nut the M16 bolt to a plate. It is also a good idea to have a sealing cap so that the unit can be stored full of LHM ready for use. This can be made from an old sphere, or perhaps Citroen still supply plastic blanking plugs.
http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n237 ... esterC.jpg
In use, the sphere and cylinder can be rotated using both hands, keeping the base stationary. It is fairly but not excessively stiff.
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DoubleChevron
- Posts: 622
- Joined: 22 Sep 2003, 18:06
- Location: Australia
- My Cars:
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Hi guys,
if you have a parts car ... It's simple to make one:
http://www.aussiefrogs.com/aussiefrogs/ ... tester.htm
seeya,
Shane L.
if you have a parts car ... It's simple to make one:
http://www.aussiefrogs.com/aussiefrogs/ ... tester.htm
seeya,
Shane L.
'96 Big BX 2.1TD exclusive slugomatic (aka XM)
'85 CX2500 GTi Turbo Series II (whoo hooo)
'96 Xantia VSX slugomatic (sold !!)
and of course, lots of old Citroens, slowly rusting away in pieces
'85 CX2500 GTi Turbo Series II (whoo hooo)
'96 Xantia VSX slugomatic (sold !!)
and of course, lots of old Citroens, slowly rusting away in pieces