Bottle Regulator Swap

[Mole1119]

What is required to swap a regulator on a HPA bottle?
Is this something that can be done at home by unscrewing and putting the new one on or is this the type of task that I should send out. Has anyone had any luck with suba shops doing this kind of work?

I currently have a crosfire reg and it is stuck in an ASA I bled the tank so there is no longer any pressure. I am not sure if I cross threaded it and when i take it off if the reg will be damged. There was some previous damage on the reg where the o-ring sits that occured when the tank was re-hydroed and i have played with it since with out any issue so I dont think that is the issue.

Either way I have a Max-flo that I may install if the reg is damaged.

[bisbonian]

I usually remove the burst disc and fill nipple to make sure there's no pressure left in the tank.

Next I clamp the regulator body in a vise between 2 pieces of wood so it doesn't get torn up.

Then I just unscrew the tank from the reg.

Usually it's a bit tight at first but once you break that initial torque free it turns out easily.

Installation is the reverse, I put that last bit of tight on there using the same vise/wood technique.

[Newt]

CHECK THAT THERE's NO PRESSURE IN THE BOTTLE. I use my finger on the pin. If I can depress it with my finger, it's sure empty. You'll probably not be able to unscrew it if there's pressure anyway. That said, even if you do, it is designed to vent before you can physically unscrew it.

This is provided it has not been red loctite'd on. Most of the time, 2x4's on either side of the reg clamped into a vice + a strap wrench on the bottle will do the trick. Otherwise, send it to Crossfire. They've removed them for me before.

[Mole1119]

Thanks all for the input

[BlackOps]

Yeah, I have a Maxflo myself and was wondering the same thing. When you reinstall a reg do you need loctite or are you just install it tightly?

[Newt]

Don't bother with the loctite. The threads just provide pressure on the oring. They don't seal like a tapered pipe thread.