Need some help here. I've taken a 2" Orbit sprinkler valve and modified it for pneumatic triggering with a blow gun. I've taken out the flow control valve in the top, threaded the section, and installed pneumatic fittings to a blow gun.
When I first tried this, all the air leaked out the blow gun when triggered, and nothing came out the barrel.
I then reinstalled the flow control valve, cut shorter so that the bottom portion could go in the threaded area it normally is installed in. In this configuration, no air gets to the blow gun, and it won't trigger. Of course, I removed the solenoid and epoxied the area it was in.
Any idea what I am doing wrong here. I've tried the same method with other pneumatic sprinkler valves (without the flow control) and they have worked just fine.
I would love for someone to tell me what I am doing wrong. Help!!!!!! I need this done by the middle of the week, as it needs to be completed for a golf scramble. It's for a golf ball cannon, which is otherwise complete.
I installed an identical valve with electric solenoid triggering as my Plan B, but I'd really rather have pneumatic activation.
If necessary, I'll post some pictures, if they'll help.
2" Orbit Valve - Modification for Pneumatic not working
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crazyboarder
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the at lest on mine there was a hole on in the diafram with a little plastic thingy and i pluged it and it works realy well now make sure you put the spring in the right
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SpudStuff
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when you took out the flow control there was a small metal pin that went through a hole in the diaphram. pull this out of the flow control screw mecignisim. bend one end into a very small L shape and put it back in the hole on the diaphram. then there should be part of it sticking out the other side of the diaphram. bend that over to prevent the pin from coming out. Then just reassemble the valve
This will make the polit hole the size it originally was so the blogun will work
This will make the polit hole the size it originally was so the blogun will work
I don't remember seeing a small metal pin when I disassembled the valve. I'll look again. Are you taking about the 2" Orbit valve. They look different than the 1" ones.
I'll have to post some pictures later. Meanwhile, I'll look for the small pin through the diaphragm.
I'll have to post some pictures later. Meanwhile, I'll look for the small pin through the diaphragm.
Don't see any small metal pin. I drilled a small hole through the diaphragm to help equalize the pressure, and the air still escapes through the pilot tube instead of the barrel.
I officially have no idea why this isn't working. I've never had any trouble modifying 1" valves.
As a change in tack. Would two 1" valves triggered pneumatically perform better than one 2" valve triggered electrically.
Would four 1" valves triggered pneumatically perform better than one 2" valve triggered electrically?
No time to make a piston or get a Supah valve before this weekend, so these are my options. I just don't think that the 285 fps that I am getting with my golf ball cannon will be sufficient to drive the par 5's in the tournament.
I officially have no idea why this isn't working. I've never had any trouble modifying 1" valves.
As a change in tack. Would two 1" valves triggered pneumatically perform better than one 2" valve triggered electrically.
Would four 1" valves triggered pneumatically perform better than one 2" valve triggered electrically?
No time to make a piston or get a Supah valve before this weekend, so these are my options. I just don't think that the 285 fps that I am getting with my golf ball cannon will be sufficient to drive the par 5's in the tournament.
OK, it took all night to remember how to post photos.
Here is the inside of the top of the valve:
The valve from the outside looks like:
The diaphragm with the new equalizing hole in it (see top area) looks like this:
The side view of the inside post that was the base of the flow control knob, and now sits up in the pilot hole looks like this: I epoxied the hollow area inside the post, so air won't just rush through the middle out the pilot hole. It has to leak outside the post through the pilot hole, but when the post goes up, that route should seal up almost airtight. But it doesn't.
The unmodified valve looks like:
I removed the solenoid, epoxied the area airtight, then removed the flow control screw, put in a barb fitting connected to a blow gun. The air all leaked out the blowgun, with nothing going out the barrel.
The I cut short the inside of the flow control screw, but it allowed no air through the pilot hole, and the valve wouldn't trigger. I then drilled a very small hole through the diaphragm to equalize the pressure. It still exhausts through the pilot hole
Here is the inside of the top of the valve:
The valve from the outside looks like:
The diaphragm with the new equalizing hole in it (see top area) looks like this:
The side view of the inside post that was the base of the flow control knob, and now sits up in the pilot hole looks like this: I epoxied the hollow area inside the post, so air won't just rush through the middle out the pilot hole. It has to leak outside the post through the pilot hole, but when the post goes up, that route should seal up almost airtight. But it doesn't.
The unmodified valve looks like:
I removed the solenoid, epoxied the area airtight, then removed the flow control screw, put in a barb fitting connected to a blow gun. The air all leaked out the blowgun, with nothing going out the barrel.
The I cut short the inside of the flow control screw, but it allowed no air through the pilot hole, and the valve wouldn't trigger. I then drilled a very small hole through the diaphragm to equalize the pressure. It still exhausts through the pilot hole
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SpudStuff
- Sergeant 5
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- Joined: Sat Dec 10, 2005 3:55 pm
- Location: Cupertino, California
- Contact:
this might be your prob try filling the hole with epoxyDon't see any small metal pin. I drilled a small hole through the diaphragm to help equalize the pressure, and the air still escapes through the pilot tube instead of the barrel.
Check that the seat where the diaphram seals there is no dirt or dust of any king on either surface that has got me before
Don't see any dirt or dust on the diaphragm.SpudStuff wrote:this might be your prob try filling the hole with epoxyDon't see any small metal pin. I drilled a small hole through the diaphragm to help equalize the pressure, and the air still escapes through the pilot tube instead of the barrel.
Check that the seat where the diaphram seals there is no dirt or dust of any king on either surface that has got me before
Without the hole in the center of the diaphragm, no air escaped the pilot tube after I epoxied the middle.
With the present hole (which is very, very small through the hard rubber center of the diaphragm piece, the air all releases out the pilot tube.
Hi, I cannot see your images, they look like blue dashes in the post.
Anyway, let's say the spring side of the diaphram is the top, and the chamber and barrel ports are on the bottom. On 1" valves, the solenoid is on top, with the pilot and junk. In your mod, does the blowgun
vent the top of the valve? On a 1" valve, you cut
a hole in the middle of the top of the valve flange
casing, right? However, when I modded 1" orbit, I noticed that the NPT to hose barb connector I was
using had a long threaded portion, 3/4" of an inch
or so, that when fully threaded, HELD THE VALVE DOWN. I had to hack saw some of the threaded portion of the adapter so that the end was flush with the inside of the case. This kind of sucks because you cannot reinforce the inside of the case with epoxy, but my valve had a hard plastic center than held the spring, and there was little vertical room for movement (duh) so any mod you make has to be careful not to impede this movement.
My $0.02. Good luck!
Anyway, let's say the spring side of the diaphram is the top, and the chamber and barrel ports are on the bottom. On 1" valves, the solenoid is on top, with the pilot and junk. In your mod, does the blowgun
vent the top of the valve? On a 1" valve, you cut
a hole in the middle of the top of the valve flange
casing, right? However, when I modded 1" orbit, I noticed that the NPT to hose barb connector I was
using had a long threaded portion, 3/4" of an inch
or so, that when fully threaded, HELD THE VALVE DOWN. I had to hack saw some of the threaded portion of the adapter so that the end was flush with the inside of the case. This kind of sucks because you cannot reinforce the inside of the case with epoxy, but my valve had a hard plastic center than held the spring, and there was little vertical room for movement (duh) so any mod you make has to be careful not to impede this movement.
My $0.02. Good luck!