argon gas detector

[s410man]

anyone use one and if so where from

just looking around out of interest and there dont appear to be any simple ones around

just thought it might be handy for detecting a leak or if welding in confined spaces

thanks

 

[Welderpaul]

But isnt it going to be going off all the time if your welding?

 

[TechnicAl]

They usually use an Oxygen meter to make sure the air will sustain life

 

[s410man]

But isnt it going to be going off all the time if your welding?

apparently not

only goes off if theres to much and its dangerous ie you have a leak or the gases cant escape somewhere

got one in college but obviousely has

just wondering is there any actual need for them

 

[Drains]

just wondering is there any actual need for them

No. None at all.

Leak detector spray can be handy though.

 

[Omniata]

From a "science" point of view I doubt one exists

Argon being "inert" has no reactivity, so a detector would be better for reading lower levels, as said, for things like oxygen, etc...

 

[backpurge]

What you need is an oxygen level monitor which are readily available, you only need to consider one if you are working in a confined space with no ventilation and movement of air.
People do not consider that argon is about 1 1/2 times heavier than air so will fill confined spaces from the bottom up, like most gases you can't smell, see or feel argon and oxygen so you don't know when the natural balance of the atmosphere is disturbed, you only need to reduce the O2 content in air by around 4 to 5% and you can start to have a problem. The trouble with O2 defficiency is it creeps up on you gradually with no warning and a lot of the times you are not aware of it happening.
I have personal experience of a welder dying due to oxygen depletion whilst TIG welding in a confined space so it is something I am always very careful about

 

[s410man]

we were told in college that it does exist and was useful as welding in a garage etc you could just drop without realizing anything had happened and be gone

just wondering if anybody used them but apparently not so thanks for answering the question

thanks

 

[Omniata]

we were told in college that it does exist and was useful as welding in a garage etc you could just drop without realizing anything had happened and be gone

just wondering if anybody used them but apparently not so thanks for answering the question

thanks

Sorry I hope I didn't come across the wrong way...

What they were probably referring to was as others have discussed which would be an Oxygen level detector...

As Nitrogen is pretty much constant if the only other gas present in volume is Argon then as the Oxygen level falls the Argon level will rise...

So the meter is probably displaying the "Argon level" as a function of the Oxygen level...

 

[s410man]

Sorry I hope I didn't come across the wrong way...

What they were probably referring to was as others have discussed which would be an Oxygen level detector...

As Nitrogen is pretty much constant if the only other gas present in volume is Argon then as the Oxygen level falls the Argon level will rise...

So the meter is probably displaying the "Argon level" as a function of the Oxygen level...

probably yes as the members on this forum seem to know a lot more than my welding instructor who cant actually weld that good himself

thanks

 

[wyn]

As Omniata says it's the lack of oxygen that is the important thing.
At work we use monitors for confined space working..they show 4 gasses and when they start to beep you get out quick or put on the escape BA to get out

 

[Delgado]

These are the ones that we use....



As Wyn says, they detect 4+ gases (H2S, 02, CO2 and combustable gases), they wont detect Argon but AFIK will detect the Oxygen level drop.