In Line air pressure regulator

For lack of a better place to post this question, I posted it here. But if this is the wrong place let me know. It does go with the rebuilding and painting projects...somewhat... I now have TWO in-line air pressure regulators that have stopped working on me. They both will not let even one psi of pressure through them. As I initially connect them up they register line pressure like they are supposed to. But as soon as I pull the spray gun trigger they both stop any air from flowing through and then register zero pressure... The first one started doing that after about twenty or more spray project usages. The second one did it after the second use... They are both built exactly alike but not from the same company. So some China firm (I'm guessing) is building them and selling them to the spray gun companies to go with their spray guns. That is how I got both of them, from purchasing spray guns. So now I have one in-line regulator remaining that is built differently and working. But I was wondering if anybody else has had any problems with their in-line regulators as well. Here is the picture of mine...

I've disassembled them both and they are built exactly the same and really not much to them. All the passages are completely clear but they still won't work... Any ideas...?

Re: In Line air pressure regulator

Did you mix up the inlet and outlet lines?
Is there anything between the tank and the first regulator?
When you set up the air feed from the tank you "T" off for each regulator and did not try to daisy chain them together?
Solid line or rubber hose? (rubber hose kinks or possible internal collapse)

Is your first regulator position closed affecting the second regulators position (daisy chain thing)

Re: In Line air pressure regulator

rbh said:

Did you mix up the inlet and outlet lines?
Is there anything between the tank and the first regulator?
When you set up the air feed from the tank you "T" off for each regulator and did not try to daisy chain them together?
Solid line or rubber hose? (rubber hose kinks or possible internal collapse)

Is your first regulator position closed affecting the second regulators position (daisy chain thing)

Click to expand...

Those are all very good questions and I will answer each in turn. First my present setup is a regulator at the compressor that for the most part stays wide open (unless I am using a very small airbrush then I adjust it for 50 PSI). So from that wide open regulator I have a 50' 3/8" air hose that goes to the in line disposable line drier that is attached to the inline regulator that is attached to the actual spray gun. It is a standard typical paint gun setup that most all shops use. And it works perfect until this week. I have sprayed many many projects (including total car repaints and such) with this setup. Then I setup the paint gun and as usual I spray a little fan pattern test before applying anything to the project to verify everything is working properly. Well I started to do that and the regular stopped working. It read my line pressure which is usually around 30 – 35 PSI at the inlet of the paint gun. That is what is called for for most HVLP paint guns these days to assure you get 10 PSI at the tip. That is an OSHA standard for all paint shops all across this country now and they do check...randomly! However, I am not a paint shop but merely a hobbyist. But I do like to use the same setups too. So this time the regulator displayed the line pressure but when I pulled the gun trigger it all stopped and no more line pressure displayed or air coming through the regulator anymore... It displays zero pressure and no air... I tracked down the problem to the regulator... Each time I quick connect the setup on the line, it does the exact same thing. First reads line pressure and then goes to zero and that’s it. This is the second regulator doing the exact same thing... I am now using a different type line regulator and it works perfect... I am scratching my head since those two did work perfect also and now nothing. And there is hardly anything to these regulators inside either... I have to be missing something...