I have just completed construction of a sphere testing rig. It is set up for LHS, so if you have an early D in central Vic come and test your spheres for free.
roger brundle
castlemaine
roger brundle
castlemaine
sphere testing rig
- Thread starter lhs2
- Start date
Hi Guys,
most Citroen specialists will do a free pressure test of your spheres. Being able to check them at home would be sooooooooooo much easier. Especially on cars you need to dissable in order to check the sphere pressure (eg: CX/GS rear spheres).
I think I might make one myself eventually !!!
seeya,
Shane L.
most Citroen specialists will do a free pressure test of your spheres. Being able to check them at home would be sooooooooooo much easier. Especially on cars you need to dissable in order to check the sphere pressure (eg: CX/GS rear spheres).
I think I might make one myself eventually !!!
seeya,
Shane L.
Shane,
The hassle is with LHS spheres - I know of at least one major dealer who won't even look at them, because it will possibly contaminate their test rig - the club does it, but only if we do them in separate batches, to avoid the possibility of contamination.
A test rig is not all that hard to make if you have some engineering skills - making a good portable one is much harder though!
Paul
The hassle is with LHS spheres - I know of at least one major dealer who won't even look at them, because it will possibly contaminate their test rig - the club does it, but only if we do them in separate batches, to avoid the possibility of contamination.
A test rig is not all that hard to make if you have some engineering skills - making a good portable one is much harder though!
Paul
Most test rigs are usually built with a single piston pump, pressure reg, little fluid reservoir and a lever to actuate the pump.
I have a test rig that uses a seven piston pump, pressure reg, GS size LHM tank, a washing machine motor and gearbox. It works most times and takes away the requirement to use manual labour to power the pump!
I have a test rig that uses a seven piston pump, pressure reg, GS size LHM tank, a washing machine motor and gearbox. It works most times and takes away the requirement to use manual labour to power the pump!
DoubleChevron said:
Speaking of... does anyone in Aussie have/use the NZ setup where you replace the plug on top of the sphere with a screw-in valve, and then re-fill them on the car? Bliss...
Chris
Euroserve and DS Motors in Brisbane will test LHM spheres free of charge in the hope that you will get them regassed. I can usually tell by the decline in the ride when Mine are getting low anyway.
I have put a tester together which is a CX 7 piston pump, a CX regulator which the sphere goes on and a couple of pressure gauges which conntect to the 9mm union output of the regulator and an old reservoir. I havn't hooked the pump upto the washing machine which is near by yet but I can turn the pump with a spanner fast enough to get the sort of pressures you need to check a sphere. I have a 40 bar gauge and a 400 bar gauge that I can attach for testing. Very Cool.
Ken W
I have put a tester together which is a CX 7 piston pump, a CX regulator which the sphere goes on and a couple of pressure gauges which conntect to the 9mm union output of the regulator and an old reservoir. I havn't hooked the pump upto the washing machine which is near by yet but I can turn the pump with a spanner fast enough to get the sort of pressures you need to check a sphere. I have a 40 bar gauge and a 400 bar gauge that I can attach for testing. Very Cool.
Ken W
I built my test rig for two reasons - having moved to Castlemaine I'm now 1.5 hours drive to a Melbourne specialist, and I'm not happy having LHS spheres tested with LHM. I have 3 LHS cars, DS19, ID19 and DS21 so the investment in time will be worthwhile.
I used a ID19 single cylinder pump, a custom made 2-way valve, and a LHM can for the reservoir. It seems to work well.
Next project is a regassing rig. Does anyone have any experience of building one?
roger brundle
castlemaine
I used a ID19 single cylinder pump, a custom made 2-way valve, and a LHM can for the reservoir. It seems to work well.
Next project is a regassing rig. Does anyone have any experience of building one?
roger brundle
castlemaine
No I can't regas them so I usually take a few along to DS Motors at a time. I think DS will regas so long as they are still above 10 bar but will go lower with some convincing and no promises statements. I have had shperes as low a 5 bar successfully regassed. However, if they find much LHM in the gas chamber when the top plug is taken off, this is a bad sign and they usually recommend a new one.
I find that when backs get down to 15-20 bar and fronts get down to 30 bar, ride is noticably firmer, especially once the car is completely warmed up for some reason. Also once Accumulator spheres take a much shorter regulator pump on time than when new, they are often down to between 10 and 20 bar and are therefore due for a regas.
Regards,
Ken W
I find that when backs get down to 15-20 bar and fronts get down to 30 bar, ride is noticably firmer, especially once the car is completely warmed up for some reason. Also once Accumulator spheres take a much shorter regulator pump on time than when new, they are often down to between 10 and 20 bar and are therefore due for a regas.
Regards,
Ken W
Roger,
I have been thinking about making pressure tester for a while. I have the parts around the place to make about a dozen of them. My only concern is just how do I hook the pressure guage on. Obviously it goes straight into the regualtors output, however how do we create a flare the other end of the line in order to fit the guage ??
I guess I'll have to go upto the local "hose" place and find out
seeya,
Shane L.
I have been thinking about making pressure tester for a while. I have the parts around the place to make about a dozen of them. My only concern is just how do I hook the pressure guage on. Obviously it goes straight into the regualtors output, however how do we create a flare the other end of the line in order to fit the guage ??
I guess I'll have to go upto the local "hose" place and find out
seeya,
Shane L.
I am also contemplating building this rig, along with a 3.5 mm pipe flaring tool. I just have to find a nice big and cheap gauge.
Perhaps you could try making a crude flare by yourself and then soldering it to the gauge nut ? But there's quite a pressure in the line so this might not be the best solution.
Perhaps you could try making a crude flare by yourself and then soldering it to the gauge nut ? But there's quite a pressure in the line so this might not be the best solution.
DoubleChevron said:Roger,
I have been thinking about making pressure tester for a while. I have the parts around the place to make about a dozen of them. My only concern is just how do I hook the pressure guage on. Obviously it goes straight into the regualtors output, however how do we create a flare the other end of the line in order to fit the guage ??
I guess I'll have to go upto the local "hose" place and find out
seeya,
Shane L.
Shane,
the gauge on my rig was drilled and tapped by a previous owner to suit a standard 4.5mm Citroen line fitting. Being Citroen the thread is a odd size, 9mm x 1.25 pitch, although taps in this size can be obtained.
However 3/16 inch is fairly close to 4.5mm and I would expect that you could use 3/16 fittings and adapt from there to whatever thread your gauge uses.
I didnt use a Citroen regulator, I made my own 2 way valve. Picture of rig is attached.
roger
Attachments
Be very careful if re-gassing
Make sure that you know what you are doing before attempting something like this. You need to use the right sorts of hose and fittings. Most hose places are dealing with hydraulics or compressed air and a lot of the counter staff I've found to be basically catalogue sales people.
Make sure that the fittings are rated for the pressure and avoid flares unless they are hydraulic or refrigeration fittings. Not a plumber's flaring tool.
Swagelok fittings would be best, and then only if installed as per the correct procedure. Silver solder with proper capillary fittings is okay if you know what you are doing.
Install a safety relief valve to protect everything from accidental over-pressurization and when choosing a pressure gauge (and regulator for that matter) the pressure you plan to operate at should be no more than 2/3 of full-scale. Don't operate a pressure gauge beyond about 2/3 scale in normal use.
Don't use hose barbs and hose clamps, use properly fitted-off hoses and watch out for dodgy imported fittings.
Warwick.
Make sure that you know what you are doing before attempting something like this. You need to use the right sorts of hose and fittings. Most hose places are dealing with hydraulics or compressed air and a lot of the counter staff I've found to be basically catalogue sales people.
Make sure that the fittings are rated for the pressure and avoid flares unless they are hydraulic or refrigeration fittings. Not a plumber's flaring tool.
Swagelok fittings would be best, and then only if installed as per the correct procedure. Silver solder with proper capillary fittings is okay if you know what you are doing.
Install a safety relief valve to protect everything from accidental over-pressurization and when choosing a pressure gauge (and regulator for that matter) the pressure you plan to operate at should be no more than 2/3 of full-scale. Don't operate a pressure gauge beyond about 2/3 scale in normal use.
Don't use hose barbs and hose clamps, use properly fitted-off hoses and watch out for dodgy imported fittings.
Warwick.
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Thanks Guys,
a couple of months back I bought a fluid filled guage that reads upto 1800psi from the local 2nd hand tool place for 5bux. I went upto the local Enzed store today with a peice of 4.5mm Hydraulic line from a Citroen with a bubble flare on both ends. "Can you make this guage fit on this line", they grabbed some brass connector fittings, flared the line, screwed her all together "that'll be $15bux thanks mate". So all up it will cost me $20 to make the tester.
You see I will just use a standard Citroen regulator/accumulator housing, standard LHM reseviour (with filters) and 1 of the 10 or so hydraulic pumps I have around the place. It should be quite compact. To power the pump at home I'll just use an air ratchet, if I'm taking the tester to anywhere else I'll just use a spanner. We don't have to worry about 'overpressure' as the regulator will simply cutout if you pressurise to high and return the fluid back to the reseviour.
I have a 3.5mm bubble flare tool as well, however it's no good to hook a pressure guage to the regulator output as that is a 4.5mm line.
I'll see how it goes tonight.
seeya,
Shane L.
BTW: Roger that's a hell of a nifty setup. The best I've ever seen is buttercup Bobs. take one standard 1ton hydraulic jack, whip the jacking part off, fitt a sphere thread on the top of it with pressure guage. Talk about simple & compact. One jack he has filled with LHM, and the other with brake fluid. The testers are .... well the size of a tiny hydraulic jack :banana: :banana:
a couple of months back I bought a fluid filled guage that reads upto 1800psi from the local 2nd hand tool place for 5bux. I went upto the local Enzed store today with a peice of 4.5mm Hydraulic line from a Citroen with a bubble flare on both ends. "Can you make this guage fit on this line", they grabbed some brass connector fittings, flared the line, screwed her all together "that'll be $15bux thanks mate". So all up it will cost me $20 to make the tester.
You see I will just use a standard Citroen regulator/accumulator housing, standard LHM reseviour (with filters) and 1 of the 10 or so hydraulic pumps I have around the place. It should be quite compact. To power the pump at home I'll just use an air ratchet, if I'm taking the tester to anywhere else I'll just use a spanner. We don't have to worry about 'overpressure' as the regulator will simply cutout if you pressurise to high and return the fluid back to the reseviour.
I have a 3.5mm bubble flare tool as well, however it's no good to hook a pressure guage to the regulator output as that is a 4.5mm line.
I'll see how it goes tonight.
seeya,
Shane L.
BTW: Roger that's a hell of a nifty setup. The best I've ever seen is buttercup Bobs. take one standard 1ton hydraulic jack, whip the jacking part off, fitt a sphere thread on the top of it with pressure guage. Talk about simple & compact. One jack he has filled with LHM, and the other with brake fluid. The testers are .... well the size of a tiny hydraulic jack :banana: :banana:
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DoubleChevron said:
Sorry. I wasn't specific enough.
I was talking about re-gassing with nitrogen. I've edited the title of my post.
Which brings to mind another point that I should mention, just in case there are some Citroenites out there who don't know this.
The gas is inert nitrogen, NOT AIR. Use compressed air and you will be making a bomb.
Warwick.
STALLED said:
Very general answer, going rate to re-gas approx $35.00 should last 2 years...
Cheers
Chris
Hi Guys,
just went out and spent 1hours and assembled everything on the bench in the shed. Grabbed the reseviour out of the GS wreck and the hydraulic line from it's pump to regulator. plumbed the pump to the regulator, regulator output to guage, and fed pump pickup and regulator back to the GS reseviour.
After priming and turning the pump for quite some time, the sphere appeared to read 1050psi. Gee's I could imagine it would take quite sometime to turn the pump with a spanner. I was using an air rachet and it still took a good minute to get upto pressure. I could only imagine how fit I would be using a spanner and checking eight Xantia spheres (no wonder Craig wants to hook up a washing machine motor :roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao: ).
No doubt the neighbours were impressed hearing the compressor loudly knocking away in the shed at 11pm at night (not to mention the howl of a air rachet :roflmao: :roflmao: ).
Next I'll have to mount it all an a compact board.
seeya,
Shane L.
just went out and spent 1hours and assembled everything on the bench in the shed. Grabbed the reseviour out of the GS wreck and the hydraulic line from it's pump to regulator. plumbed the pump to the regulator, regulator output to guage, and fed pump pickup and regulator back to the GS reseviour.
After priming and turning the pump for quite some time, the sphere appeared to read 1050psi. Gee's I could imagine it would take quite sometime to turn the pump with a spanner. I was using an air rachet and it still took a good minute to get upto pressure. I could only imagine how fit I would be using a spanner and checking eight Xantia spheres (no wonder Craig wants to hook up a washing machine motor :roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao: ).
No doubt the neighbours were impressed hearing the compressor loudly knocking away in the shed at 11pm at night (not to mention the howl of a air rachet :roflmao: :roflmao: ).
Next I'll have to mount it all an a compact board.
seeya,
Shane L.
perhaps you could try a GS pump(push-me-pull-me movement), our regasser's sphere testing device uses one combined with a lever and it doesn't take much time or effort to pump it. Well, he did complain about those huge CX break rear spheres but that's not my problem (I don't have a cx break) so when I'm building one I'll do it this way ( and I also have only GS pumps so the choice is very simple )
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