A regulator has a piston and a seal, to which it compresses against a stack of Belleville washers or a spring until piston makes contact with seat. The designs are quite simple.
At higher fill pressures (3-4k) you have that 3-4k pressing on one side while the regulation may be set at 2k and is saying, "ok I am full, now stop filling me aka seal piston to seat"...what happens at HIGHER pressures is the pressure over time slightly over comes the 2k side a tad until it compresses the piston further completely sealing it against the seat, where as when the pressure DROPS you have less air fighting to get through your regulator, aka less creep. Its not too uncommon to experience 1-2% creep or so when the rifle is filled up all the way opposed to closer to its regulated set point where creep may only be 0-1%...
Hope the above makes some sense. Regulators shouldn't creep when operating flawlessly, but depending on the difference from fill pressure to regulated set point you may naturally see a small % of creep which increases the further away your fill pressure is from set point.
Also regulators seals / seats wear in and wear out. They break in to where the creep goes from a few % to negligible, then wear out to where the creep may be upwards of 10-20% or full fill pressure..
The more resilient the design the less of the above you will experience. IMO. I highly advise storing rifle at or near reg set point for long periods...to avoid added wear on the regulator for one, and to eliminate the chance of creep. Its different then just your valve holding 3-4k psi against atmospheric pressure, your regulator is sitting there potentially for long extended periods of time having 4k psi fight 2k psi...for example.
-Matt
At higher fill pressures (3-4k) you have that 3-4k pressing on one side while the regulation may be set at 2k and is saying, "ok I am full, now stop filling me aka seal piston to seat"...what happens at HIGHER pressures is the pressure over time slightly over comes the 2k side a tad until it compresses the piston further completely sealing it against the seat, where as when the pressure DROPS you have less air fighting to get through your regulator, aka less creep. Its not too uncommon to experience 1-2% creep or so when the rifle is filled up all the way opposed to closer to its regulated set point where creep may only be 0-1%...
Hope the above makes some sense. Regulators shouldn't creep when operating flawlessly, but depending on the difference from fill pressure to regulated set point you may naturally see a small % of creep which increases the further away your fill pressure is from set point.
Also regulators seals / seats wear in and wear out. They break in to where the creep goes from a few % to negligible, then wear out to where the creep may be upwards of 10-20% or full fill pressure..
The more resilient the design the less of the above you will experience. IMO. I highly advise storing rifle at or near reg set point for long periods...to avoid added wear on the regulator for one, and to eliminate the chance of creep. Its different then just your valve holding 3-4k psi against atmospheric pressure, your regulator is sitting there potentially for long extended periods of time having 4k psi fight 2k psi...for example.
-Matt
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