| A regulator is a devise that regulates the pressure of the air entering
a paintball gun it accomplishes this by cutting off the air source when
the pressure in the regulator’s chamber reaches a certain pressure. The
chamber has a port that leads to the paintball gun so all the air between
the regulator and the paintball gun will be the same pressure unless there
is another regulator down stream. This will always hold true since the
pressure always seeks equilibrium. The only way the pressure can be different
is if the paintball gun fires faster than the pressure proceeds toward
equilibrium. This will happen if the valve on the regulator, or any other
space the air has to go through is too small and the gas cannot flow through
as fast as the gun is using it. Regulators are not perfect, although we
seek perfection when making regulators we never achieve it. A regulator
only controls the incoming pressure as well as the incoming pressure was
controlled. In other words the regulator only shows a change of a couple
of psi for a change in tens of psi coming from the air source. I have constructed
animations to depict the internal working of a regulator. This makes the
information easier to comprehend. In the animations the air pressures are
represented by different colors. |
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| This is how the regulator cuts off the air at the right pressure.
The air enters the regulator and flows through the valve into the chamber.
In the chamber the air pressure exerts a force on a piston that is supported
by a spring pack. The pressure in the chamber causes the spring pack to
compress, moving the piston a distance proportional to the pressure in
the chamber. When the spring pack is compressed to the right pressure it
moves just enough to allow the valve to close completely. This shuts off
the supply of air from the air source. The animation shows this process,
as it would happen in the average regulator. The animation depicts the
regulator being gassed up then one shot being fired from the paintball
gun in slow motion. Then a shot is fired followed by a three shot burst
at regular speed. The regulator is set for a painball gun that runs on
400psi at 300fps. |
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| Most regulators have an adjustable out put pressure. To adjust the
pressure you must turn a screw in or out. This works much like the velocity
adjustment on most paintball guns. When you turn the screw you shift the
base position of the spring pack in relation to the valve. This means the
air must compress the spring pack a different distance in order to close
the valve. So the air pressure must change in order compress the spring
pack this new distance. A regulator can also adjust the pressure by using
the adjusting screw to move the valve. This does the same thing as adjusting
the spring pack except it changes the position of the valve in relation
to the spring pack. The animation to the right shows what happens when
the regulator's adjustment screw is turned. Notice the result. After the
adjustment the spring pack must be compressed twice as far in order to
close the valve. This results in a increase in pressure in the regulator.
When adjusting a regulator you may see some velocity fluctuations directly
after an adjustment is made. Fire a string of shots and the fluctuations
should settle down. This is because the regulator’s springs do a better
job if they are in a set pattern of movement. When you make an adjustment
the pressure in the chamber is different than it will be after normal firing.
So the springs bounce a little different so the regulator needs to cycle
a couple of times before it begins to regulate properly. |
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| Most regulators have a pressure relief in case the pressure in the
chamber becomes too high. This is to prevent extremely high-pressure air
from entering your paintball gun. The pressure relief is a small hole or
some other type of system designed to allow air to escape in the regulator
body placed so if enough pressure compresses the spring pack then the seal
on the piston will clear the small hole and vent gas out of the regulator.
The animation below shows a regulator that has to vent gas out of the pressure
relief because a particle has found its way into the regulator and caused
the valve to leak. The regulator vents gas out of the pressure relief at
800psi and it is set to regulate the air to 400psi. |
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| A regulator can be one of the best additions to a paintball
gun. Along with barrels and a few other small items it is one of the very
few after market parts I feel is worth the money. Regulators can cause
horrible problems if they are not working properly though especially at
the chronograph. Dirt and debris making its way into the regulator and
causing the valve to leak cause most of the problems that are encountered
with regulators. When this occurs air will continue to flow into the chamber
because it is attempting to go to equilibrium. If the regulators valve
has a leak then the regulator will not be able to stop the high-pressure
air from entering the chamber. Since most paintball guns that use regulators
are set up to run at a lower operating pressure than the air source (low
pressure, high volume) then the paintball gun will be shooting the paintballs
with too much air causing hot shots. If the leak is really small then you
will not notice the problem until you chronograph after you have waited
a while since your last shot. This is a problem I run into with my mag
sometimes. I notice it when I take a shot after a long wait of no shooting,
and the paintball gun kicks really hard. A leaking valve can also cause
the regulator to vent air out of the pressure relief if the air source
has a high enough pressure. A pressure relief leak can also mean that the
seal on the metal that supports the spring pack is bad. This is probably
the case if you have made sure the valve seal is not leaking and your pressure
relief is still venting air. If you keep dirt out of your regulator- and
make sure there are no leaks you should not have any problems as long as
you don’t make any obvious mistakes such as taking your regulator apart
and losing parts, or reassembling it wrong.
If you have any questions e-mail me at rudysloup@yahoo.com
Also check out Ravi Copra’s Regulator
Infosheet |
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