CK gas saver o-rings?

[Chris Stevens]

I use CK gas saver front end parts, and the ceramic fits using an o-ring, rather than being threaded on. Wonder if anyone has had problems with o-rings being affected by heat? The ceramics dont seem to fit that tightly after some amount of use, and wonder if the o-rings are simply something that need to be replaced quite regularly?

 

[Richard.]

I use the same O rings for my furick cups. They are designed to cope with heat pretty well mine always seem to be a tight enough fit. I'd not see them to be any more consumable than the cups them selves.

 

[Chris Stevens]

Thanks. CK tell me they are intended for low amp applications, and the o-rings seem to get adversely effected by heat pretty quickly, so I guess they might be right? Going to try some viton o-rings, which might be longer lasting than the ones fitted, which look like silicon? Do the Furick front end parts cope with 200A no problem? O-ring problem might be made worse by Flex Loc torch, which doesnt have cooling water flowing through the actual head.

 

[Richard.]

Certainly cope with the 160 amps I have thrown at them regularly with my 4mm Alu stock. I have a few kicking about if you want one popping in post to try. They are good my clear cups just sleeve straight over them on my standard lenses.

 

[Chris Stevens]

They look very good, but I am regularly running higher than 200A, and wonder if there might be issues with o-rings like the CK ones?

 

[Richard.]

I'm not often that high but they regularly see 160 plus and I've been using furick a while now. Prefer them to ck been slimmer cups. The only thing I buy from ck now is the split less collets. Try em out and see if they are better. I don't weld with such high currents often.

 

[Brad93]

Mike furick says his cups and the rings are only suitable to 175 amps

 

[Richard.]

Mike furick says his cups and the rings are only suitable to 175 amps

That's more than plenty for me.

 

[Brad93]

Me too, my #9 only take 125 amps anyhow.

 

[Chris Stevens]

I guess they are restricted to 175A due to the o-rings not being able to take the heat? Exactly what CK said as well.................

 

[Brad93]

It's only rubber at the end of the day I doubt Vitron will be any better. Only option may be some plastic type o ring

 

[Richard.]

I think a lot of it will be to do with your system as to how well they last. My torch is an extremely effective water cooled torch that allows me to grab the cup with an un gloved hand no more than 20 seconds after high current welding. This will make a huge difference to how long your consumables last. I would imagine those furick O rings will easily go over 175 amps on my torch and cooler set up given they are still tight fitting like new with heavy use at around 160. On a system less efficient than mine then like all head parts they will degrade at lower current levels quicker. With good cooling I don't think you can get a more effcient torch than an SW which is probably the reason I've not noticed those parts to be effected.

 

[Chris Stevens]

Viton is more durable, and slightly higher heat rating than silicone.......I have some to try, rather than the CK silicone ones.

Have a 450A Speedway torch, and its very nicely made, and would probably have ended up with a 320A one, had it not been for trying a Flex Loc, which is perfect for my purposes, and doesnt have that bump thing on the handle.

With a conventional torch some of my jobs are much more difficult, and I think the best thing to do is simply get some spare heads, and fit differing front end parts to each, and just fit the one suited to each particular job.

 

[Appyasme1]

I use CK gas saver front end parts, and the ceramic fits using an o-ring, rather than being threaded on. Wonder if anyone has had problems with o-rings being affected by heat? The ceramics dont seem to fit that tightly after some amount of use, and wonder if the o-rings are simply something that need to be replaced quite regularly?

Quite right Chris,they do need to be changed on a regular basis,Think about the pressure put on the "O" ring and the amount of heat it has to stand

 

[Richard.]

Viton is more durable, and slightly higher heat rating than silicone.......I have some to try, rather than the CK silicone ones.

Have a 450A Speedway torch, and its very nicely made, and would probably have ended up with a 320A one, had it not been for trying a Flex Loc, which is perfect for my purposes, and doesnt have that bump thing on the handle.

With a conventional torch some of my jobs are much more difficult, and I think the best thing to do is simply get some spare heads, and fit differing front end parts to each, and just fit the one suited to each particular job.

Could be part of the issue Chris. I know the flex loc torch is quality but it's design means the top head parts ain't cooled as well as conventional types. Maybe the reason why the O rings are going soft ???? Not sure tbh but my set up doesn't hurt them.

 

[Chris Stevens]

Quite right Chris,they do need to be changed on a regular basis,Think about the pressure put on the "O" ring and the amount of heat it has to stand

Thats what I thought. Rapid dont list them as spare parts though, and get the feeling if they did would be very expensive! Have got silicone and viton to try, and will see how they compare.

 

[Chris Stevens]

Could be part of the issue Chris. I know the flex loc torch is quality but it's design means the top head parts ain't cooled as well as conventional types. Maybe the reason why the O rings are going soft ???? Not sure tbh but my set up doesn't hurt them.

O-rings didnt seem to last that great on conventional CK20 with much better cooling either. Maybe its just not a good idea to use o-ring fitment ceramic front end parts for jobs which entail a lot of amps? I have an 18 type head for the Flex Loc, and will set that up, and use it for higher amp welding. Collecting the Hitachi on Wednesday, which is now working perfectly, and I think might be far too much for Flex Loc to handle, and might mean 320 SW (without bump if possible).

 

[Brad93]

Rapid are quite cheap for CK stuff now. Cheaper than importing it.

 

[Richard.]

O-rings didnt seem to last that great on conventional CK20 with much better cooling either. Maybe its just not a good idea to use o-ring fitment ceramic front end parts for jobs which entail a lot of amps? I have an 18 type head for the Flex Loc, and will set that up, and use it for higher amp welding. Collecting the Hitachi on Wednesday, which is now working perfectly, and I think might be far too much for Flex Loc to handle, and might mean 320 SW (without bump if possible).

Yeah you can get them sw320 with out the bump . Just ask for the conventional round handle if your not keen on the speed bump.

 

[Chris Stevens]

Yeah you can get them sw320 with out the bump . Just ask for the conventional round handle if your not keen on the speed bump.

Wonder if I could get round handle for the 450SW? That would be perfect for what I have in mind for the Hitachi, but cant use it with the bump thing............