purging shielding gas from SP 175 plus

I recently purchased a new Mig welder, a lincoln SP 175 Plus, my question is...after welding I alway purge the shielding gas from both the line and the regulators...to do so on this machine, the machine must be on, I reduce the wire feed to its lowest setting ( so as to not waste wire) and depress the gun trigger until all the gas is out of the system, how important is it to do this as I seem to be wasting, what appears to be, a lot of gas...maybe it is not that much gas in total volume, but still...it is a waste...I am just programed to not leave any pressure in the regulator...what do others do???

Thanks

Reply to
Bruce
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Just turn off your bottle and walk away.

Shawn

Reply to
Shawn

I, personally, me, IMHO, do the same thing on my 175 Plus. Turn the wire speed down. Turn the gas off. Run it for about two seconds. Turn off the machine. Back off on the regulator. I think this will extend the life and function of the regulator, and everything involved. I may be wrong, but it does a couple of things for me. One, if it does help the machinery, it will help it last longer. Second, it gives me a ritual so that I don't go out and find that all the gas has run out. (which has happened a couple of times while learning this ritual) I think it is better not to leave pressure on the gauge, not hit it with high side gas with the regulator open when you crank it on the next time.

It's your machine. Treat it any way you want. You don't have to ask if you can baby it or treat it in any special way.

Most guys just ride it hard and put it away wet ................ and then wonder why it has a problem.

Steve

Reply to
SteveB

Don't worry about bleeding the unit. Just shut the tank valve off. If you had a hundred feet of hose feeding into a confined space then bleeding the line to the atmosphere might be a consideration. Electric solenoid valves on wire feed welders never are a perfect seal. The better ones take over eight hours to blead down the pressure. Randy

Reply to
Randy Zimmerman

I just turn the gas off.

Reply to
Wayne

I wouldn't consider just turning off the gas "putting it away wet." Besides, the pressure gage on the tank side has a snubber to protect it when you open the tank valve.

Shawn

Reply to
Shawn

"Shawn" wrote

It's your machine, do as you wish. I personally like to go through a ritual each time. Well, not a ritual, but steps. That way, I know I turned it off, and it doesn't pop into my head when I am trying to go to sleep, and have to go out to the garage and make sure. When I leave the work area, I am CERTAIN everything is secured and as I want it. When I fire it up again, I know the steps I need to do to get it going again.

I used to fuss about people who had to have " a place for everything and everything in its place. " You see, I am a Messy Marvin type. So, one day, I asked my union electrician, who is anal about his tools/toolbox about it. He said it wasn't so much that he had to have everything in its place, but much more so that when he needed it the next time, he could go right to it instead of losing half an hour looking. Then the light bulb came on for me. I understood.

I am better. Still messy, but better. I have lost whole tanks of gasses, left equipment running overnight, and done some things I would have fired an employee for doing. In this hobby/craft, there can be some serious consequences to some seemingly innocuous actions.

So, I like to dry mine out before I put it away.

YMM (and probably does) V

Steve

Reply to
SteveB

All that is required is to close the shielding gas cylinder valve. Many shielding gas regulators are sold that require wrench to adjust pressure so backing off regulator isn't required to protect regulator, gages or welder. Protect regulator and gages from pressure surges by just crack open cylinder valve enough to start slight gas flow to slowly build pressure then open valve. Regulator gages do not have snubbers to slow pressure changes to pressure gage. Better to release drive roll pressure then pull triger to purge pressure so no wire is used in process.

Not talking about gas cutting /welding regulators here which should be bleed down ofter use.

Reply to
R. Duncan

Unscrew the HP side gage and look in the port. I have never seen one that didn't have an orifice type snubber.

Reply to
Shawn

Your right the HP gage on my flow gage regulator has an orifice snubber. I remember first seeing those lazer cut orifice snubbers in the 70's but have never seen them used on welding gages before. Not that I have looked for them on welding HP pressure gages in last 20 years.

Reply to
R. Duncan

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