Air regulator

[diyhandyman]

Hi, I'm new to the forum so sorry for any silly mistakes.

I recently just bought a 3HP belt driven compressor with a 90ltr tank from eBay, and all is good but i broke the regulator on it.

I needed a water trap anyway so i decided to buy a regulator/water trap all in one thing. I bought the Clarke FR1 air regulator.

I hooked it all up and stuff, but there is a big problem with it that the stock regulator on the compressor didn't have. When regulating the pressure, decreasing it to a value below the input pressure to the regulator does decrease the pressure, but then it builds back up to the input pressure. For example, if i have a 120PSI feed to the regulator, and i want 50PSI, the gauge on the regulator will read 50PSI when i increase the pressure from 0-50PSI, but if i leave it at 50PSI, which is what I want, it just fills the air line after the regulator, eventually providing the tool with the feed pressure of 120PSI.

When using the regulator with a spray gun, using the example figures above, it will give a 120PSI shot blast when initially pulling the trigger, but then it drops down to the regulated pressure.

It's as if the regulator is not regulating the pressure at all, more so it's just restricting the flow. The stock regulator on the compressor regulated the pressure correctly, however the Clarke FR1 is not working as it should.

Any ideas? I don't want to be using tools with initial high pressure shots as it will just mess up stuff, especially airbrushing.

Thank you for reading, and any answers. A video can be uploaded, if required.

 

[shenion]

Welcome to the forums

Sounds like there is crap in the reg and it is not sealing. They may go 1-2PSI over the set but no more.

I'd take it back.

 

[rtbcomp]

To be honest I haven't had much luck with Clarke regulators. I bought one from Thorite for about £30 a few years ago and it's been fine.

 

[roofman]

hit me over the head with a mallet for asuming and asking but did you put the regulator on correct with the air direction..sounds daft but ive seen it a few times buddy

 

[diyhandyman]

LOL yeah, the air direction is correct. I bought another small mini spray gun regulator off of ebay and it had the same problem. not sure how useful any of these things are. Might just stick with the original one, get a replacement. Too bad it's a pain to go all the way back to the compressor to regulate the pressure each time.

 

[shenion]

Cheap is cheap. I had two Chinese regs and oilers. They all leaked, broke and were flimsy plastic. None lasted very long. I see them for sale everywhere with different names.

I finally replaced the filter/regulator with a Norgren. Has worked flawlessly. Was impressed and then replaced the leaky oiler with a Norgren fogger.

I picked them up off ebay. Got good deals on overstock stuff.

 

[graffian]

I would take a wild guess it's the seat on the thing that pushes up on the diaphragm leaking, or the O ring on the bit that goes thru that bit.
I have only had Norgren regulators, they are all built the same and when they leak the bits I suggested you look at are the bit's I check. If you pull the bowl off, then take the filter and the thing the filter is scewed to off, you should be able to pull the thing that pushes up on the diaphragm out of the regulator. It's central in the regulator body and seats on the body. The seat on the bit you pull out is rubbersied and you can usually see why it's leaking.
Mine have done it after years of use and it's like looking at a leaking O ring or brake seal, you can see the shiny bit's. I just buy a new bit from Norgren.