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Clscea CO2 Generator - does not shut off when solenoid is off


PaigeIs
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I have a Clscea CO2 generator hooked up to a 20g planted tank. I've had it for over a year with no complaints...until now.  I refilled it about a week ago (citric acid and baking soda), and I noticed a couple of days ago that CO2 is coming out even when the solenoid is off.  The only way to stop the bubbles is to close the valve completely.  Does anyone have any ideas about troubleshooting the problem?   

If you look closely at the image, you can see a new drop of CO2 forming even though the unit has been "off" for at least two hours.

20230501_192318.jpg.a52536dbfeb6f0b5e2269854602db2ef.jpg

 

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On 5/1/2023 at 7:33 PM, PaigeIs said:

If you look closely at the image, you can see a new drop of CO2 forming even though the unit has been "off" for at least two hours.

Sometimes there is some remnant CO2 that makes it way across the bubble counter.  Are you seeing movement at the diffuser itself?

Last thing to do would be a "soap test" to check for leaks on everything.

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Solenoid leaking by, maybe?  Depending on the solenoid design, they have a max differential pressure (think of it as how much it can hold back) and the valve can actually lift and leak through. Usually this is an issue in the opposite direction of flow, but could conceivably be a concern for you, though these systems are low pressure. 

We have an application that has about 200 psi gas on input side and something like 10 psi on output, but when input gas is isolated, 80 psi purge gas (nitrogen) will actually lift the valve and nitrogen enters the input manifold in the reverse direction.

I would guess the solenoid is leaking if it just keeps going indefinitely. 

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