FWB cylinder gauge leak

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deadeyedick
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Joined: Thu Jan 24, 2008 5:55 pm
Location: Australia

FWB cylinder gauge leak

Post by deadeyedick »

I have a FWB P34 which has one of the cylinders leaking from around the manometer.
Does anyone know of a workaround to cure the leak. FWB lists no information with regards to the front end of the cylinder.
Rover
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Location: Idaho panhandle

Re: FWB cylinder gauge leak

Post by Rover »

Send it to Pilk.
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deadeyedick
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Location: Australia

Re: FWB cylinder gauge leak

Post by deadeyedick »

Even though FWB makes no mention of any parts at the front of the cylinder, there is an O ring behind the gauge that I am going to replace.

UPDATE
You have to remove the filling end fitting, then remove the plastic manometer lens by drilling a 1/8" hole in from the edge of the lens, make a hook tool from wire to insert in the hole and pull the lens out.
After this insert an appropriately long T handle Allen key from the fill end of the cylinder and turn clockwise which screws the manometer out. Replace the O ring which is easily obtained and reverse the operation.

The tool needed to remove the rear fitting has four appropriately placed pins, however you can buy a similar tool with two pins from a bicycle shop. Be sure to release all air first.

Sure beats buying new cylinders.
BobGee
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Location: Sydney, Australia

Re: FWB cylinder gauge leak

Post by BobGee »

What size was the Allen key (for future reference)?
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deadeyedick
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Location: Australia

Re: FWB cylinder gauge leak

Post by deadeyedick »

5mm.
Garfield
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Joined: Tue Jan 09, 2024 6:48 am

Re: FWB cylinder gauge leak

Post by Garfield »

Hi All,

hoping deadeyedick is still around !
I have the same issue, leaking at the gauge end, got it apart and the O ring looks shot. Do happen to have any details on the O ring please ? where you got it ? Mine s so distorted I can't really estimate the original size :(

Cheers,
Garfield
High Left
Posts: 118
Joined: Fri Aug 11, 2017 12:58 am

Re: FWB cylinder gauge leak

Post by High Left »

Measure the groove diameter and OD of the plug. I'll see what I can look up. Don't have the Parker o-ring guide on this PC apparently. Or I hid it ...
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m1963
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Re: FWB cylinder gauge leak

Post by m1963 »

Rover
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Location: Idaho panhandle

Re: FWB cylinder gauge leak

Post by Rover »

The manometers I've seen/used are generally worthless. Fill your cylinder before a use/match and forget 'em.

Leaky? Take off the other end and squirt some epoxy down there and forget 'em!
brent375hh
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Location: Minneapolis

Re: FWB cylinder gauge leak

Post by brent375hh »

Rover wrote: Tue Jan 09, 2024 6:46 pm The manometers I've seen/used are generally worthless. Fill your cylinder before a use/match and forget 'em.

Leaky? Take off the other end and squirt some epoxy down there and forget 'em!
I have used cylinders from Hammerli, Steyr, and Feinwerkbau. 9 in all. They all read right along with the gauges attached to my fill methods from Best and Hill. If you think all gauges are worthless, what do you go by when you fill?
Rover
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Re: FWB cylinder gauge leak

Post by Rover »

" If you think all gauges are worthless, what do you go by when you fill?"

Easy! I screw them onto my SCUBA tank and open the valve. Then I close the valve and unscrew them. Viola!

If I get 80 or more shots per fill, I'm good. If i get less, I have a dive shop refill the SCUBA tank. I don't use a
tank that has more pressure than my cylinders are rated for.
brent375hh
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Location: Minneapolis

Re: FWB cylinder gauge leak

Post by brent375hh »

Rover wrote: Fri Jan 12, 2024 5:51 am " If you think all gauges are worthless, what do you go by when you fill?"

Easy! I screw them onto my SCUBA tank and open the valve. Then I close the valve and unscrew them. Viola!

If I get 80 or more shots per fill, I'm good. If i get less, I have a dive shop refill the SCUBA tank. I don't use a
tank that has more pressure than my cylinders are rated for.
So you just shoot until you feel that your cylinder has dropped under regulated plenum pressure, and your shots are sounding slow or impacting low?
Rover
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Joined: Sat Nov 15, 2008 4:20 pm
Location: Idaho panhandle

Re: FWB cylinder gauge leak

Post by Rover »

brent375hh wrote: Fri Jan 12, 2024 6:09 am
Rover wrote: Fri Jan 12, 2024 5:51 am " If you think all gauges are worthless, what do you go by when you fill?"

Easy! I screw them onto my SCUBA tank and open the valve. Then I close the valve and unscrew them. Viola!

If I get 80 or more shots per fill, I'm good. If i get less, I have a dive shop refill the SCUBA tank. I don't use a
tank that has more pressure than my cylinders are rated for.
So you just shoot until you feel that your cylinder has dropped under regulated plenum pressure, and your shots are sounding slow or impacting low?
Well, both of my guns have low pressure lockouts, if they didn't, I could hear the sound change. But, I mostly use my LPM1 SSP and never have a problem.
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