Gas Pressure Regulator Maintenance
Regulator maintenance is an important part of maximizing your system’s performance and extending the service life of your regulator. Adherence will minimize downtime and enhance safety in your work area.
Service
Noncorrosive or corrosive. Download our Regulator Selection Guide below to help you select the correct regulator for your application.
Regulator Selection Guide
Recommended Schedule
This schedule should be used as a general guide. Be sure to follow the manufacturer instructions that are supplied with your gas pressure regulators.
Leak Check
With the regulator under pressure, check all connections using Snoop®. Shut down the gas source if you detect a leak, reduce atmospheric pressure and tighten or redo the connection. If you are using toxic or corrosive gases, you must purge the connection first with an inert gas. Then retest.
Creep Test
Regulator creep is a phenomenon in which delivery pressure rises above the setpoint and occurs two ways:
- Changes to the motion of the regulator springs when gas flow is stopped
- Foreign material becomes lodged between the poppet and seat preventing tight shutoff
Inert Purge
In order to maintain cylinder integrity and obtain optimum performance, ALL regulators should be purged. For best results, utilize dilution purging – where alternating pressurizing and depressurizing the regulator with purge gas helps eliminate internal dead pockets that tend to hold contaminants.
Overhaul
Remove all regulators from service periodically and contact your Air Liquide representative to arrange for inspection and overhaul.
Replacement
Once the life expectancy of a regulator has been exceeded, it should be replaced to protect against unexpected failure.
Contact Air Liquide for more information on purging methods and regulator maintenance.