testting spheres

citronut · Post by **citronut** » 22 Feb 2011, 19:22

this is if you dont have a sphere test rig at your disposal,

here is an easy method to get a basic idea how flat or not your spheres are with them removed,

slide a thin staight piece of stiff wire ( like locking wire ) into the hole at the working end of the sphere,

depending on how far it goes in is how flat or not your sphere is,

fitted a new pair to a customers XANT monday and the results on the old spheres were,

105mm depth on one and 37mm on the other,

regards malcolm

DickieG · Post by **DickieG** » 22 Feb 2011, 19:39

Hmm, I can't say that that's a reliable test Malcolm as I've pressure tested sphere's which have been all but flat at less than 10 bar pressure yet I've been unable to push a piece of wire into the sphere any further than a fully pressurised one. My logical thinking is that even with 5 bar pressure that will be enough to push the diaphragm out as far as it can go.

I'd bet that the sphere which allowed the wire to travel 105mm was completely flat and the other one had some degree of pressure, but whether it was 5 or 50 bar is another matter altogether.

Post by **CitroJim** » 23 Feb 2011, 06:09

I'm with Richard 100% here. The only spheres I've ever managed to penetrate have been well and truly ruptured.

I've tested spheres with pressures in the low single digits of bars and still the diaphragms are tight and impenetrable...

There's no substitute for a sphere tester. Get yourself one built Malcolm!

Makes me feel guilty now, the bits mine is made from came from that old sinkers of yours Malcolm ....

citronut · Post by **citronut** » 23 Feb 2011, 07:40

ok so all it prooves 99% of the time then is if the blader is rutured or not,

Jim
dont feel guilty at all i do have a small botl jack, so i just need a DS front suspension unit extention, and a prasure gauge,

or i could have my diesel injector moded so it can be switched from one to the other,

regards malcolm

Pleiades · Post by **Pleiades** » 23 Feb 2011, 17:05

Hi Malcolm.

Tis true, this will only prove that there is some pressure in the sphere, holding the diaphragm in place. We have been using this method for years using a paper clip pulled straight, it should go in 1 1/4 inch then touch the diapragm, any further and it proves that the sphere is scrap. The 1 1/4 just means that there is some pressure left and it is worth opening up to check it out further, if still ok then it can be re-conditioned.

If you look inside the main accumulator you can see the diaphragm up against the neck, it looks like a cats arse, that is what you are probing with the wire.

I have some old but usable D sphere extentions if you want one.

Did someone say biccies ?????

Regards
Martin.

Deanxm · Post by **Deanxm** » 23 Feb 2011, 18:06

it looks like a cats arse, that is what you are probing with the wire.

i can safely say ive never, and may never again, see this in the written word

Its stuff like this that makes me think we should have a quote of the week mast head......

D

Citroenmad · Post by **Citroenmad** » 23 Feb 2011, 18:08

I can kind of see the point if all you are doing is checking if a sphere you have on a shelf has gas in or not. Its not going to give any idea as to how much gas, obviously if the wire doesnt go in far it might prove that there is some, but even so the diaphragm might still have been damaged by running with too low gas.

If its one which has been removed from the car your going to know its a dud as the car would not be riding right.

If your going to regass a sphere then the wire test is no substitute for a pressure tester, could be dangerous if there is less than the minimum pressure in it, something a wire wont tell you.

citronut · Post by **citronut** » 23 Feb 2011, 19:05

maybe not Chris but i think Martin would presure test it if the wire does not go in to far, it seems this is the first stage of testting,

Martin
yes i would like a D susp unit extention and woule it be possible for you to create a point in it for a gauge to screw into it

,

although thinking about it i have probably got a mount for the CX brake acumalator sphere, which bolts to the front cross member just below the rad that i might be able to addapt,

if so how many packets of biccies will that be including carridge to East Sussex

regards malcolm

Post by **Peter.N.** » 23 Feb 2011, 19:12

The easiest way of testing them is to bounce each corner of the car and see how far it moves - you don't have to take them off for that

Peter

citronut · Post by **citronut** » 23 Feb 2011, 19:16

i belive that is fine Peter if it aint a hydractive or activa and something elss is playing tricks,

also Martin i think you cat sudgetion should be in the catalytic convert thread

,

regards malcolm

Post by **Peter.N.** » 23 Feb 2011, 19:45

Hi Malcolm

You just check the hydractive first, open a door and see if it gets any softer, if it doesn't you fix the hydractive and then do the bounce test - simples

Peter

citronut · Post by **citronut** » 23 Feb 2011, 19:50

ok
i have not had the pleasure of fixing acti/hydra's as yet,

regards malcolm

Post by **Peter.N.** » 23 Feb 2011, 21:26

I haven't on a Xantia but I have on XM's and its usually the diodes in the electrovalves that go open circuit, I assume the Xantia is similar, you can either fit a pair in the ECU or use the kit on ebay that just clips on the wires. Someone will probably tell me I'm talking rubbish and the Xantia is completely different or doesn't have that problem but that's the only one I have had with XM's. There are lots of other things that can go wrong but usually they don't.

Peter

citronut · Post by **citronut** » 23 Feb 2011, 21:30

well im sure if sir Jim hasnt fixed the electrovalves yet

he will be working on a direct fix, and not the box you can buy,

regards malcolm

Post by **Peter.N.** » 23 Feb 2011, 21:51

Certainly a better way of doing it if you don't mind delving into the ECU, I know Jim won't, he is an ex TV engineer as am I.

Peter