CO2 Valve Stem Drifts Out Slowly
I finally got some evidence indicating why I need to dry-fire a whole bunch of shots in the morning to get CO2 running.
I measure the gap between the bottom of the tophat and the top of the valve in the night before going to sleep. It reads 0.1140″ using a feeler gauge. I also verify that the gun shoots “normal”. The next morning, approximately 6 hours later, I measure the gap again, now it is at 0.1465″ indicating that the valve stem has slowly drifted out overnight. Now my gun shoots like there is no CO2 at all. So I remove the CO2 adapter with 12oz CO2 tank attached, use a little force to push the valve stem in. I can actually feel the valve stem just move in a little bit. Put eveything back to the gun, the gun shoots normal again.
So, the question is – Is this a defect in the valve or is it “normal”? This gun and CO2 adapter package is already the 2nd one I got. The first one had the same problem, so I shipped it back to PA and got the exact same setup from Compasseco. It’s a bit hard to believe that in both cases, the valves are all defected. What do you guys think?
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Had my co2 adaptor apart just a few days ago. the only plastic parts in it are the valve seal (black Delrin) and the o-ring that seals it to the adaptor. that’s the same way I remember old Condor valves.
Should be knurled…but it’s obvious from mine and some of the pictures posted here that not all of them are. the very bottom of the stem is solid, so i just clamped onto it three times with a pair of vice grips, which left some burrs….then pressed the valve seal onto the now burred stem.
Seems to have cured the problem (checking that is why I had it apart a couple of days ago).
Steve, no troubles:)
Van over at Airhog is putting together systems with good numbers that uses the 48cuinch 4500 Carbon Fiber tank with CO2 adapter.
Reg is set for 2350psi and the adapter is ‘tweaked’ apparently.
He is getting something like 100 shots of 40fpe with very little spread shot to shot.
couple drawbacks…… $350us and ugly as sin!!!!
Walter….
hey wok, the lady i spoke to said there are three difference in the current co2 adapter verses the current condor valve two of those differences you just described better than she did, you dont happen to know what the third is do you?
doesn’t really matter after i spoke with AA i called some scuba shops in denver and found one that sells used tanks, they have 40-50 all current
on inspections and hydro’s 110 ea. so i think i am going to get a fill adapter from PA and take a drive to denver this weekend.
i am assuming that a paintball tank adapter for a scuba k valve is the same as a PA scuba k valve adapter? at about half the price?
hey voltar-1 sorry about the caps did not realize it was rude, i have a bad habit of typing with caps on. thanks for the welcome, i have been lurking for about three weeks since i got the ok to buy my own christmas gift, in that time i have read as much as i can each day to try and make my decision. i am probably just confused but i thaught i read that someone was using one of those fat, CF, 4500 psi tanks with a co2 adapter.
anyway thanks again for the welcome, this site is awesome.
happy new year, steve
JUST GOT OFF THE PHONE WITH AIRFORCE THEY CONFIRMED THAT THE TOPHAT AND PIN SHOULD NOT POP OUT BUT SOMETIMES DO. THEY SAID THAT THERE ARE 3 DIFFERENT PIECES THAN A STANDARD CONDOR VALVE, THE PIECE THAT IS SUPPOSED TO KEEP THE PIN FROM COMING OUT IS PLASTIC! I HAVE READ THAT SOME HAVE TRIED TO USE A CO2 ADAPTER AS A REG. AA DOES NOT ADVISE THIS.
GOOD NEWS AA IS SENDING ME A NEW CO2 ADAPTER AND SAID I CAN RETURN MY ADAPTER IN THE SAME PACKAGE, WITH NO DOWN TIME. THE BEST PART IS THEY OFFERED THIS ON THEIR OWN WITHOUT ME TELLING THEM ABOUT WHAT PA TOLD ME TO DO.
SO IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM AND ARE NOT SATISFIED WITH PA, TRY GOING THROUGH AA DIRECTLY.
HAPPY NEW YEAR! STEVE
Welcome to the site!
Happy New year as well!
please turn off the CAPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
internet etiquette CAPS equals yelling and is hard on teh eyes 🙂
No-one is using the CO2 adapter as a reg. All it is is a method to join a paintball pinvalve system to a valve for the Talon/Condor series of airguns.
Airforce seem to struggle getting their poop together when it comes to valves. Makes me wonder if they have anyone on staff that understands the design?
Good luck with the new adapter.
gotta appreciate that kind of customer service and trust
Walter….
That plastic part you are talking about is the delrin valve material. The stem use to have knurling on it to keep it in the valve.
UPDATE,
JUST GOT OFF THE PHONE WITH AIRFORCE THEY CONFIRMED THAT THE TOPHAT AND PIN SHOULD NOT POP OUT BUT SOMETIMES DO. THEY SAID THAT THERE ARE 3 DIFFERENT PIECES THAN A STANDARD CONDOR VALVE, THE PIECE THAT IS SUPPOSED TO KEEP THE PIN FROM COMING OUT IS PLASTIC! I HAVE READ THAT SOME HAVE TRIED TO USE A CO2 ADAPTER AS A REG. AA DOES NOT ADVISE THIS.
GOOD NEWS AA IS SENDING ME A NEW CO2 ADAPTER AND SAID I CAN RETURN MY ADAPTER IN THE SAME PACKAGE, WITH NO DOWN TIME. THE BEST PART IS THEY OFFERED THIS ON THEIR OWN WITHOUT ME TELLING THEM ABOUT WHAT PA TOLD ME TO DO.
SO IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM AND ARE NOT SATISFIED WITH PA, TRY GOING THROUGH AA DIRECTLY.
HAPPY NEW YEAR! STEVE
hey shadow2556, what did they tell you to do with the old co2 adapter?
ordered condor .22 on 12/13
shipped on 12/19
arrived on 12/22
today 12/29 i have a co2 adapter that looks gust like your picture!
called PA and was told i was lucky they had a couple of those freebees left
they could exchange mine with, and that they would ship it gust as soon as my broken one arrived at their warehouse.
did they make you return your bad one before they shipped you a new one?
i do not have a pump or tank yet so co2 is my only means of enjoyment.
Unfortunately, don’t currently have an old Condor valve….but have had the co2 adaptor’s valve off and it’s a match to the old style Condor valve tothe best of my memory.
Co2 pin valves can leak….and they take apart a lot like talon/Condor valves 9zbrass retainer in the back…spring…plunger with a seal). Can totally replace them for about $10 or take them apart, which lets you get at the little seal that probably has a bit of “gunk” on it or has been cut by a bit of grit (commercial paintball co2 is often a bit dirty).
If the paintball tank is on the adpater, then if the pin valve leaked, how would you know?
You know if I sold you a tank with a lame pin valve on it I might be tempted to tell you a windy like that. It would seem likely it sealed exactly once (when it was filled)?
Pin valves have a limited life span, which is why Tim at Mac 1 won’t sell them…….
Within reason, cold should not be able to make a spring weak (that takes heat…..). In extreme cases, cold causes stress fractures and outright failure. Nor should you need much of a spring at all to close it really (consider the CO2 valve itself), the 850 psi in the tank should do most of the work.
Doug Owen
Got a brand new replacement CO2 adapter from AF yesterday and immediately took the measurement of the tophat gap. It read 0.088″… for the record.
On a side note – when I removed my 12oz CO2 bottle from the CO2 adapter (after letting them sit for a month), I heard hissing sound coming from the bottle’s valve pin so I took it back the paintball shop where I bought the bottle about a month ago. The owner replaced the valve assembly on the bottle for free and told me not to keep the valve on all the time. He said the pressure and cold can weaken the spring insdie the bottle valve. That contradicts to what AF told us, i.e., you can keep the CO2 bottle on the CO2 adapter all the time.
has any one taken the valve out of the o2 adapter and seen if it truly is just an unchanged old condor valve, or have they played with them a bit?
voltar that is a good idea about using on of them center punches, I like it 8)
If the fit was correct then no need for knurling but of course that would tighten it up.
So if you want to fix it yourself then an automatic centerpunch could be used. make a nice pattern of even dimples all around the lower 0.200″ say only up to the bottom of the holes. See if that fixes it.
Walter….
looks like another QC slip to me, aren’t the stems supposed to be knurled at the bottom?
Same thing happened to me here. Took a picture of the stem after it popped out overnight 😆 Should i order a new one?
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voltar-1, $350 and ugly as sin, yes sir agree with you there, also looks pretty uncomfortable to shoot! i think i’ll stick with a used tank for 110 and about 240 worth of fill ups.
ribbonstone, i cant tell what they look on the inside, mines only a week old, so i am not quite ready to take anything apart yet. AA is sending me a new one, hopefully it will work correctly. i hope to be able to try my hpa tank out shortly, then i can just use co2 for can hunting, and use hpa for critter hunting.
i love this site you guys are a wealth of info and friendly to boot javascript:emoticon(‘:D’)
steve