# CO2 manifold questions



## aquasox (Sep 11, 2005)

I don't have a CO2 manifold, but I'm thinking of getting one. 

I know you can hook up more than one needle valve to the manifold, but can you hook up more than one solenoid?

Also where is a good place to get one (online or store)?


Thanks


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## vic46 (Oct 20, 2006)

I don't see any reason that would not work. That would give you flexability by tank as to on/off of CO2. If that wasn't an issue you could put the solenoid between the regulator and the manifold. IO think you want to have bubble counter/check valve in each line from the manifold downstream from the needle valve.

Check with Rex Grigg on this board, he will have a definitive answer for you.

Vic


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## Rex Grigg (Jan 22, 2004)

You can run a solenoid after the needle valve on the manifold. But I prefer to run the solenoid before the needle valve. 

The reason being is that if you run the solenoids after the manifold and needle valve the pressure will go up in the manifold when the solenoid closes. And since we are using needle valves that can cause a increase in bubble rate. The reason that can happen is that the pressure going into the needle valve has an effect on how much CO2 passes the needle valve.

I custom build regulators. I build a lot of regulators to feed more than one tank. Give me and idea of how many tanks we are talking about here. And their sizes.


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## Robert Hudson (Feb 5, 2004)

If you are talking about a manifold bank like this:










You would have to put an inline solenoid, (one that connects via the tubing) after each needle valve. Otherwise you can only put a solenoid between the manifold and the regulator which will shut off the whole manifold.

This particular manifold is also in line.. you just connect the tubing from the regulator to the manifold. This makes it ultra easy to connect or disconnect the manifold. This manifold also has ultra sensitive needle valves.

Other manifolds are screwed on directly to the regulator, like the JBJ manifold. The needle valve is the same crappy one on the manifold as whats on their regulator.

This is my custom regulator










This would work without the bubble counter if you wanted the solenoid to shut off all the tanks at the same time. What are you wanting to do with the solenoid any way? If its just to shut the C02 off at night, why would you want a separate solenoid for each tank? If you are going to shut them all off at the same time, then all you need is one solenoid. If you are going to hook it up to a pH controler, then you would also need a separate pH controller on each tank and that would get very expensive. Even cheap solenoids add up if you are talking about several of them I would stick with one


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## aquasox (Sep 11, 2005)

OK basically, I've got one 10 gallon tank with pressurized CO2 (regulator with solenoid, needle valve) and one pH controller.

I want to add another tank (38 gallon) and possibly another 10 gallon. 

I'll probably set a few to timers as I do not want to buy anymore controllers. I want to be able to set the time when the CO2 goes on and off for each tank rather than having them all start and stop at the same time.


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## Robert Hudson (Feb 5, 2004)

Wow, you spent a lot of money on that ten gallon tank! Who's regulator do you have? If its just two tanks, you can split the line and have an inline needle valve/solenoid on each line. If its three tanks total, I would get a manifold. Rex has some in expensive, simple manifolds


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## Rex Grigg (Jan 22, 2004)

Building a regulator with three solenoids is not a problem. It's just money after all 

You should be able to modify your current regulator to work.


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## aquasox (Sep 11, 2005)

Robert Hudson said:


> Wow, you spent a lot of money on that ten gallon tank! Who's regulator do you have? If its just two tanks, you can split the line and have an inline needle valve/solenoid on each line. If its three tanks total, I would get a manifold. Rex has some in expensive, simple manifolds


Yes the tank itself is probably only 10 bucks...everything else is like 40 X the cost 

With regards to splitting the line, I like the idea. Is it possible to do this with all metal to metal connections (regulator, brass T-splitter, solenoid on each end, then needle valves) or use CO2 tubing to join some of the parts?...I Imagine you might need some adapter(if it exists) to join the T-splitter to the regulator?

BTW: I believe the regulator is a beer keg one (Simgo brand).


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## Rex Grigg (Jan 22, 2004)

You can't just split a line with a brass T. The CO2 will always take the path of least resistance. That's why you need a manifold and needle valves.

If you are feeding two tanks you can use a brass T and two in-line needle valves.

Since you have a beer regulator you might as well build the unit. It's cheaper to build the regulator with two solenoids attached to it than to run the same two solenoids in-line.

See CO2 Stuff For Sale for all the parts you would need. The minor stuff like adapters and such are not shown but I have them all.


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