Regulator

[Niko]

I just trashed my regulator.
Anyone using one that wasn't purchased through Chris'?
I'm considering looking elsewhere only to get it faster since I live on the West Coast.
Has anyone found one at their local hardware store?

[ScottW]

Niko -

When I broke the regulator Chris' sent, I went to my local Grainger and bought a "Watts P50". It looks identical to the one from Chris', but with the following differences:
- Allows 0-60 regulation, rather than 0-25.
- Had only (1) outlet rather than (2), so no place to directly attach a gauge. I had to add a Tee so there was a place for the valve.

...Scott

[Niko]

Scott,
Is it plastic also like the Chris' version?
I'm wondering if my local (get ready to cringe) Home Depot carries these sort of things...

[ScottW]

Yes -- The one I bought from Grainger and the one from Chris' are both "Watts P50", both identical plastic bodies. The P50 comes in a bunch of different "sub-models", which vary the outlet size, outlet quantity, and pressure range. The one Grainger carries (or at least the one they had when I purchased) has one inlet, one outlet, and 0-50psi range.

If I hadn't been in a hurry, I would have looked further and tried to find something with a brass body. The only reason I had to replace my original regulator was that I got a bit too aggressive screwing in the gauge and cracked the plastic body.

One of these would probably work:
http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/items/1KCL2
http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/items/1KCL1

Or this one, which has a built-in gauge; but I couldn't find it in 3/8" (Grainger only has it in 1/4" and 3/4"):
http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/items/5AJ81
http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/items/5AJ90

...Scott

[Niko]

Scott,
Thanks for the links.
I really like the brass ones since I destroyed mine in almost the same fashion as you. The only difference is that I was overzealous with the adjustments, I was going back and forth many times because of my roller-coaster water pressure. I didn't crack it (to my knowledge) but it does leak ever so slightly after all this business with it, and of course I stripped the #@$% out of it.


(4 hrs later) Update:
I went to Home Dumpot, they didn't have Jack there. The closest thing to any regulator was a unit for outdoor garden hoses for a sprinkler system. It was a nice brass unit and I guess if I take the 3/4" connectors off and retrofit it with brass 3/8" adaptors to accept the JG connectors, it would fly nicely but I don't feel like dealing with frankensteining more parts.

[MDL]

I also have highly variable water pressure and have been considering putting an accumulator tank onto the system to even things out. Check out this link for the devices: http://www.shurflo.com/pages/Food_Servi ... tanks.html. The idea is that the water pressure works against the air pressure so you have an absolute pressure regulation instead of the relative regulation achieved by the spring loaded regulators that we are using. I am thinking about putting the accumulator after my regulator to "fine tune" the pressure.

[Niko]

Thanks for the link.
Are you considering this 21oz. model?: http://www.shurflo.com/pages/Food_Servi ... tanks.html

I noticed that it has a bladder that can be replaced, only thing I'd worry about if you put it after the carbon block filter is the bacteria that might accumulate in the bladder.


My water pressure isn't too low, in fact it never drops below 20 psi but it varies too much for my liking. I wish when I dial in 30 psi that it would stay at 30 psi, instead it cruises to whatever it feels like (so it seems).

[MDL]

I have the same pressure problem; it is never too low, but can shoot up substantially. My "final" regulated pressure shifts between 25 psi (my target) and close to 50 psi. Yes, I am thinking about the 21 oz. size. I first saw these suggested for coffee cart installations using the small size.

My setup has the regulator and pressure gauge after the water softner and carbon filter. At that point (after softening and filtering) there should be less foreign material (organic or otherwise) to foul the accumulator and the system is closed (no air) so it is just like a pipe or the filter housings on our systems from Chris in that senee. I don't see any bacterial contamination issue.

The only down side to these tanks that I can see is that they take up more space and complicate the system a little bit. At the present time I have to figure out a way to fit one in under my sink.