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piston valve trouble
Posted: Tue Apr 23, 2013 7:06 am
by yodabeast14
Hi, i built a barrel sealing piston valve cannon everything went smoothly until filling. I have air sneaking around the piston.
The piston is made from a coupler filled with some epoxy and hot glue, then topped of with a rubber washer. The piston moves freely inside the 2" T housing.
I was thinking of puting in a spring behind the piston to hold it up against the barrel. Or should I just make a new piston?
Posted: Tue Apr 23, 2013 7:22 am
by jackssmirkingrevenge
If air pressure isn't enough to keep it shut, then a spring isn't really going to help.
How are you filling it? It could be that you are filling too slowly, do you have a large chamber volume?
Posted: Tue Apr 23, 2013 8:11 am
by RBurke83
How is the rubber sealing surface attached? Could be air coming through the threads of a screw.
Posted: Tue Apr 23, 2013 8:16 am
by jackssmirkingrevenge
Some pictures of your setup would help us help you

Posted: Tue Apr 23, 2013 5:19 pm
by mattyzip77
You need to epoxy the bolt and washer holding the sealing face on..
Posted: Tue Apr 23, 2013 7:44 pm
by yodabeast14
alright so i cant figure out why i cant post a picture, I even read the stickies.
Any how, i made a new piston today with less travel. I still have the leaking problem. Could it be that my fill port is on my chamber and not behind my piston with my pilot valve?
Once I fill the gun past 40 psi it fires but still has the same herendous leak out the barrel. The new piston is 1/2" rod With washers Neoprene Ruber and nuts secure the sandwich together little washer holding rubber in front to seal against the barrel of course.
Posted: Tue Apr 23, 2013 8:26 pm
by mattyzip77
That is why!!!! You must fill through your pilot!!! Did you epoxy together the nuts onto the rod????
Posted: Tue Apr 23, 2013 8:41 pm
by yodabeast14
no not yet. there just force tightened on right know
Can i use loctite?
Posted: Tue Apr 23, 2013 8:43 pm
by yodabeast14
How do fill through my pilot if its a sprinkler valve?
Posted: Wed Apr 24, 2013 1:15 am
by jackssmirkingrevenge
You have to fill through the sprinkler valve pilot.
alright so i cant figure out why i cant post a picture, I even read the stickies.
Come on, this is 2013... could it be that your picture is too big? I believe the size limit is 350kb.
Posted: Wed Apr 24, 2013 7:04 am
by yodabeast14
I know how its just to big. but can i post more than one at a time
Why can't i fill through my chamber and add a spring behind the piston? has anyone ever tried this before?
Posted: Wed Apr 24, 2013 7:42 am
by RBurke83
Am I missing something here..? He has a sprinkler valve and a homemade piston? I have heard of qev's triggering qev's but this seems overkill. We need a picture.
Posted: Wed Apr 24, 2013 7:43 am
by Crna Legija
to post more then one press the add attachment button
Posted: Wed Apr 24, 2013 8:18 am
by jackssmirkingrevenge
if it was destined to seal, you wouldn't need a spring.
http://www.spudfiles.com/forums/new-jsr ... 20075.html
Posted: Wed Apr 24, 2013 1:36 pm
by mattyzip77
RBurke83 wrote:Am I missing something here..? He has a sprinkler valve and a homemade piston? I have heard of qev's triggering qev's but this seems overkill. We need a picture.
You obviously havnt been around here that long... There is no such thing as overkill, and a piston valve needs something to pilot it. And actually a qev is a better pilot than a sprinkler valve..
Try wrapiing a layer or 2 of duct tape around your piston. It may be a little to small. If its not the perfect size it will not seal. I have made a coupler piston before and I had to do this for the right fit. No locktite... you need to epoxy it so air wont escape through it. As for chamber filling do some research and you will know why you cant do it.Do a search of superna with gun freak as the author and look at this cannon.