Trouble with Disposable Gas

[Max36]

Having trouble setting up a Clarke 135TE I've had sat around for a while with disposable gas from Machine Mart. It's the Clarke brand Demon gas or something in the little bottles and I have the matching regulator from Machine Mart but I can't get it to work for me. I've got the regulator attached to the little tube on the machine and the bottle screws in fine, no debris or damage to valves or threads, but I'm not hearing any sound when I attach the bottle and open the regulator or when I press the trigger on the torch. I have had the bottle for a while (maybe a year) but with the little protective cap on and its been stored dry and everything; is the valve maybe a bit sticky? Can I depress it manual with a little pick or something to break the seal or is that a bit risky?

I thought maybe the gas was flowing but it didn't make a sound on these smaller bottles, but the welder cuts out after like 5 seconds and the welds look terrible. Any suggestions? I've had all the bits for about a year but haven't had the space to use them until now so I'm beyond being able to take anything back I think!

 

[bourbon]

possibly empty, They do leak after time. and a year is a long time

 

[Max36]

possibly empty, They do leak after time. and a year is a long time

Ah right okay I’ll get another and try then, thank you

 

[Barking Mat]

Little bottles are false economy.

Do that make sense in English ?

 

[ajlelectronics]

Little bottles are false economy.

Do that make sense in English ?

Why wooden tit?

 

[eddie49]

Hello and welcome to the Forum.

the welder cuts out after like 5 seconds and the welds look terrible

Lack of gas would make the welds look bad, but that would not cause the welder to cut out. Something else must also be wrong.

 

[minimutly]

Get some pub gas and a regulator, its a pointless waste of time with those small bottles

 

[bourbon]

Small bottles have their place, Just not for any long runs

 

[Craig-SM]

@Max36 i had the same welder and could never get consistent welds with it. Ditched the disposable bottles for hobby gas bottles and it was night and day due to constant flow.

 

[AdventuresInMetal]

Small bottles have their place, Just not for any long runs

Yes, on the shelf never to be purchased again, to quote my own post from last year: https://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/threads/gassed-out.131256/#post-2298061

 

[Max36]

Thank you all for the advice, I really just wanted to see if the machine worked this weekend which is why I was going with the disposable bottles, once I get up and running I’ll get some proper bottles.

Hello and welcome to the Forum.

Lack of gas would make the welds look bad, but that would not cause the welder to cut out. Something else must also be wrong.

Thank you! I haven’t used this machine before and I don’t know it very well. My only welding experience was that I did TIG and stick courses at a local college last year on a proper setup with the full sized bottle and the TIG machine used to cut out when the gas wasn’t on. I only did a short days worth of MIG when I’d finished so I can’t really remember it but by that time I’d learned to remember to turn the gas on first!

 

[Max36]

Took the hose off the regulator and screwed it down on the bottle and the gas is definitely flowing, must be the machine or my error!

 

[Max36]

Another update; with the machine unplugged and the gas bottle connected I took the torch apart and pulled the hose from the connection at that end - very slight flow when the regulator knob is turned clockwise as far as I can do it.

 

[Max36]

Managed to get a weld out of it without it cutting out! Wire spool seems to tighten itself up in use so it eventually overcomes the rollers and stops, not sure how to deal with that but now I can at least try and remember how to weld!

 

[Seadog]

Wire spool seems to tighten itself up in use so it eventually overcomes the rollers and stops, not sure how to deal with that

Slacken the centre knob. There is usually a spring between the knob and the spool.

 

[qwakers]

very slight flow when the regulator knob is turned clockwise as far as I can do it.

normal for disposables. you will get about 1min welding out of a bottle.

 

[Max36]

Slacken the centre knob. There is usually a spring between the knob and the spool.

Have done, seems to tighten itself during welding and when I slacked too much it all starts unspooling - will mess with it, thank you!

normal for disposables. you will get about 1min welding out of a bottle.

Fair enough, as mentioned I’m just trying to see if I can make the machine work and it appears to so I’ll go looking for some proper bottles now - thank you!

 

[Max36]

Just to close this thread out - managed to get the machine running well enough to start learning again. Ground cable starts to smoke after about 70mm so will have to sort that out before I do any more, but good to know I’m heading the right way!

Thank you all for the help

 

[Erie Fred]

Have done, seems to tighten itself during welding and when I slacked too much it all starts unspooling - will mess with it, thank you!

Fair enough, as mentioned I’m just trying to see if I can make the machine work and it appears to so I’ll go looking for some proper bottles now - thank you!

There should be a keyway on the center shaft the spool fit's on, the tension knob will engage the keyway
so the unwinding doesn't turn the knob.

 

[bourbon]

Is it a new reel of wire? have you changed the liner? has the right size groove on the wire feed been selected?