Well, after 6 years, my home-made Chinese knock-off Victor oxygen regulator repurposed for co2 use failed. It was 20-some dollars, plus another 10 for the co2 nipple/nut. Put a 1/4npt qd on it and it served it's purpose well.. kind of. It had trouble going over 150psi. I finally killed it trying to charge some nitrogen shocks and bumpstops for a friend. Changed the nipple/nut out for a nitrogen one, and had a lot of trouble getting the pressure high enough.. it was quite the spectacle. Anyhow, the regulator ended up dying.
So I bought PowerTank's high end regulator setup. I'm impressed. It easily does 5x the cfm of my modified regulator. And goes up to 400psi (safely) with the nitrogen adapter for doing shocks / bumpstops. The clamp-on regulator shroud completely covers the regulator and is very sturdy. It may eventually be a pain to remove the external snap-ring holding on the plastic grab-handle to bolt on the shroud every time I do an exchange (didn't buy the tank.. way to expensive.. I have a few co2 tanks for welding anyhow, including a 5lb and 20lb for my miller passport), so doing exchanges makes sense (and no emotional attachment to a shiny tank that's meant to be abused).
Anyhow, I'm very impressed with the kit and regulator. They use high quality 6-ball low insertion pressure chucks, even at 150+ psi. The regulator is very smooth to adjust and very easy even at very high pressures. I haven't had a chance to play with it on nitrogen yet, but I bought their adapter. It's quite nifty, It has the regulator side nitrogen side connector on one end, and the co2 tank connector on the other. So the regulator nut plugs into the adapter, then into a nitrogen tank. Pretty nifty. I'll post some pictures tomorrow, going to Mustang Island for a few hours with the gf, so it'll get some use.
So I bought PowerTank's high end regulator setup. I'm impressed. It easily does 5x the cfm of my modified regulator. And goes up to 400psi (safely) with the nitrogen adapter for doing shocks / bumpstops. The clamp-on regulator shroud completely covers the regulator and is very sturdy. It may eventually be a pain to remove the external snap-ring holding on the plastic grab-handle to bolt on the shroud every time I do an exchange (didn't buy the tank.. way to expensive.. I have a few co2 tanks for welding anyhow, including a 5lb and 20lb for my miller passport), so doing exchanges makes sense (and no emotional attachment to a shiny tank that's meant to be abused).
Anyhow, I'm very impressed with the kit and regulator. They use high quality 6-ball low insertion pressure chucks, even at 150+ psi. The regulator is very smooth to adjust and very easy even at very high pressures. I haven't had a chance to play with it on nitrogen yet, but I bought their adapter. It's quite nifty, It has the regulator side nitrogen side connector on one end, and the co2 tank connector on the other. So the regulator nut plugs into the adapter, then into a nitrogen tank. Pretty nifty. I'll post some pictures tomorrow, going to Mustang Island for a few hours with the gf, so it'll get some use.