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broken argon gauge?

I'm an occasional TIGger. I was welding to repair a firepace spade in my frigid garage the other day and I noticed that one of the gauges on my regulator for my argon bottle was dead zero --the gauge that I assume is supposed to read the pressure in the bottle. I was able to tune in my 15-20 CFM of argon on the output gauge just fine, but the bottle gauge was always zero. I welded a total of about 5 minutes and that went fine, but now I have no idea how much gas I have in my bottle.

This is the miller gauge that came with my Dynasty 200 a few years ago.

There was a time recently that I think I turned on the main valve too fast. Could that ruin the gauge?

--zeb

Reply to
zeb7k
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In any event you should always *crack*, open/ lift the seal of the valve, verrry slowly. Then as far as you wish.

I think it's suggested that oxy valves be opened fully, because the valve will seal on full open as well.

- snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com - spluttered in news: snipped-for-privacy@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com:

Reply to
Greg M

It's possible but highly unlikely. Most high pressure OEM gauges have a very fine restrictor in the socket to dampen just such a surge. One of the main reasons for opening very slowly is to avoid a potential catastrophic event, especially with Oxygen. If someone inadvertently used the bottle gage on dirty oil and then replaced it, a rapid increase in high pressure oxygen could result in the gauge exploding. You may be very close to zero on the tank pressure and it simply is not registering on the gauge. I would not replace the gauge until you get a new bottle, it may be fine.

Reply to
tomcas

Those cheap flow gauges they give you with machines, are just not very well calibrated. The tank gauge is really just a guess. Unfortunately the flow side of the gauge is also a guess. As long as you have gas coming out, you can weld.

You may want to upgrade to a REAL flow gauge. My favorites are the Smith ball-and-tube style. They cost around $75, but are really worth it.

Reply to
Ernie Leimkuhler

It might be simpler than old or sealing this or that.

COLD is the keyword. Metal gage is a keyword. How is it measured ? - metal tube that is in a sprial or pancake pillow. Both metal. Both have different physical sizes under different temperatures. The bottle might have been so cold that the flow rate was really negative and zero was even more so. Pegging it on the pin. I bet the two are of different design and certainly different sizes inside.

Might be fun to check the guages - and then put a 5 gallon bucket over them and aim a blower heat fan into the bucket.

My bet is the 'value' on the gage moves considerably with heat.

Martin

Reply to
Martin H. Eastburn

- Ernie Leimkuhler - spluttered in news:020220051821368758% snipped-for-privacy@stagesmith.com:

I dumpster-dove for mine! (grin)

Reply to
Greg M

Found a Victor HVTS 2570 two stage at a flea market the other day for 15.00. Had it rebuilt in Houston for $38.00. Don't know what they cost new but I bet it is a whole lot more than 53 bucks. It pays to check the dumpsters and flea markets.

Kent

Reply to
K.P.

- K.P. - spluttered in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:

Amen brotha!

I've gotten a crapload of high quality casters, off of scrapped computer servers, tossed whole into a dumpster. Not a whole lot elsewise of value, but these go for US$8 - 12 apiece otherwise.

Everything in my buddy's shop is on wheels, and the rest fill a 5 gal. pail.

Reply to
Greg M

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