Are you having trouble with your office chair rising and falling? Is it difficult to identify the problem? Although your instinct is to get a new chair for the office, it's a good idea to keep that thought in mind.
Why?
The problem could be in the gas cylinder, not the whole chair mechanism. You might be surprised to know that the gas cylinders can be removed, replaced, or repaired. Well, you can. You can.
Answer: Most chair cylinders can be used worldwide. While some people may be familiar with office chair gas cylinders and others might not, there are many. To put it simply, the gas cylinders beneath the seat are responsible for the rise/sink function of an office chair. Nearly all of the latest office chairs feature a gas cylinder in the middle of the chair's mechanism.
The risk of your office chair exploding is high if the 'rise-and-sink' mechanism does not work. It is time to change the gas cylinders inside your chair. First, remove the chair base, which is the cylinder and star.
After you have removed the base of the office chair, you need to determine the correct size gas cylinder. We understand your concern and have written this article to address it. Continue reading to learn more about the universality and operation of chair cylinders as well as how to select the best chair cylinder. Let's start with the basics.
What is a office chair gas cylinder?
The height-adjustment mechanism for office chairs is made up of an office chair gas cylinder. You can also call it pneumatic cylinder, office chair gas cylinder, or chair gas lift.
There are two types of chair cylinders: pneumatic and hydraulic. We often see pneumatic chairs with pneumatic cylinders. Many call all height-adjustable office chair as "pneumatic chairs".
How does the office chair gas cylinders function?
It is possible to wonder what a gas cylinder does in a pneumatic chair. A cylinder is the main component of a pneumatic lift chair. During compression, both the piston and the pneumatic rod move in the cylinder together. The piston and rod move up and down in the cylinder during compression. This controls the height and sink of your chair.
The cylinder must also have nitrogen gas pressure. In some cases, cylinders that used pressurized nitrogen gas instead of gas explode and cause fatal injuries.
Are office chair gas cylinders universally available?
We all know that there are two types if cylinders: pneumatic and hydraulic. Although there are differences between them, they both work the same way. So the question is: Can you replace an existing cylinder with one of these cylinders? Are office chair gas cylinders universally compatible?
The majority of office chair gas cylinders can be used in any size. They have a diameter of approximately 2 inches and a height around 10 inches. What height the chair can rise is what makes standard chair gas cylinders different. Another difference is in the stroke length and the body length of the gas cylinder.
The average chair seat height can be raised by a gas cylinder placed in it. They can, however, raise the chair seat by up to 4 inches depending on the style of your office chair.
Gas cylinders for desk chairs can be four to ten inches wide. If you're replacing the cylinder, measure your leg height using different shoes to determine how big you need a new office chair gascylinder.
Most office chair cylinders will work with your chair's base and mechanism. However, you should not just choose any option. You can save your time by not having to take apart or remove the cylinder.
Let's now discuss the gas cylinder more in detail. Two primary components of a gas cylinder are the column and the gas spring.
The gas spring
If you take a look at the diagram, the top is the gas spring. The gas spring holds the compressed nitrogen gas (which contains oil for lubrication) in place. The top end of the spring cylinder has a trigger that raises or lowers the chair. This part should be inserted into the hole in the seat's underside, where the mechanisms of the chair are located.
Gas springs have a slight taper at the top. The spring taper of most office chairs is 17-4. The gas spring has a piston at one end. This piston travels inside the cylinder and controls the rise/sink of the chair.
The column
The column is located at the lower end of the cylinder. The column is approximately 2 inches in diameter and fits into the wheelbase of office chairs. Many columns descend from the wheelbase. The stroke is a key difference between cylinders, as we have already mentioned. The stroke is the movement of your chair from its maximum to its minimum position.
A pneumatic cylinder with an 8-inch stroke can be used to measure the height of a chair seat that travels eight inches between its lowest and highest point. It is easiest to measure the stroke of your chair's pneumatic cylinder. You can also determine stroke without having to disassemble the pneumaticcylinder.
How can I measure the stroke of an office chair without taking it apart?
To measure strokes,
Start by recline your office chair fully and place it next to a wall or door. Use a marker to mark the chair's arms and back tips on the adjacent surface. Next, elevate your office chair to the maximum height. Then take the second reading using the chair back and arms. The stroke measurement is simply the difference between these two readings.
You can also examine the protrusion of the column from under the chair base, just like you would for gas spring measurements. Once you have the required dimensions in your hands, you can search for the right pneumatic gas replacement for your rolling office chair.
How do you measure a replacement gas cylinder for an office chair?
Another way to determine your gas cylinder replacement measurement is the following: Now that you have determined that your office chair needs to be replaced, the next question is how do you measure for a gas tank? Here's a simple way to measure the dimensions of your office chair.
When seated at your desk/office chair, decide how high you would like your seat to be. When you are seated, place your feet flat on the ground with your thighs parallel. Keep your knees at a 90 degree angle.
To determine the height of your seat, measure the distance between your kneecaps and the ground.
Bonus tip: When determining the height of your desired chair, you can wear different types footwear from flats to high-heeled shoes.
The following steps will help you determine the height of your cylinder:
Begin by taking out the base of your office chair. Use a flathead screwdriver to remove the base. You can also gently tap the base with a rubber mallet. Next, remove the telescope-like covering to expose the inner tube. Once you have your cylinder, measure the length of the mechanism for the cylinder tube/body. Add an inch to account for the cylinder's component that is held in the chair mechanism as well as the activation button.
After you have measured the dimensions of the new office chair cylinder, it is time to look at the sizes available in the gas tank on the market.
Tip: Do not measure piston rods. The piston is the portion that protrudes from the center of a cylinder.
What sizes are gas cylinders?
You will find most chairs cylinders in the standard size of 5inches. However, depending on the type of office chair, the height of the seat can vary from 4inches to 10inches.
You will find that most chairs have a 5 inch rise. However, depending on the type of office chair, the rise of the seat can vary from 4 to 10 inches. A chair with hydraulic cylinders can have a height of 4 to 6 inches.
Everybody needs an office chair that enhances and improves their posture. A 4-inch chair cylinder is recommended for people under 5'4". A person with a height of between 5'4"-6'2" should also consider a 5-inch cylinder. A person over 6'2 should opt for a 6-inch chair.
Conclusion
Can we really say that office chair cylinders are universal? We can. It does require measurements and dimensions. Gas cylinders can vary in size, stroke and mechanism. Gas cylinders are also affected by a person's height. There is no way to determine the length of the lower legs in relation to height.
We can conclude that office chair gascylinders are standard-sized at 2 inches in diameter by 10 inches in length.