Bit the bullet... Elga Optimator II

[Brad93]

So I've taken the plunge, fed up with the amount of gas I'm using, I've bought an Elga Optimator II. Dual outlet, special order with the 20LPM flowmeters.

Will see if I save a little bit of gas, I do a hell of a lot of stop starts.

Will report back.

 

[Mee]

Flow regulators save a lot of gas, and for what they cost they are a necessity in my opinion.

 

[Brad93]

Well I looked at the Harris gas savers which were £60 odd quid. Then I need a y splitter and another flow gauge and thought you know what I'll just get the proper tool for the job.

 

[hotrodder]

Yeah, it'll pay for itself sooner or later. The thing you'll probably like best is the improvement in arc striking accuracy/stability that comes with reducing/eliminating gas surge

 

[Brad93]

@hotrodder i hope so. I'm considering going back on to BOC W full size bottles otherwise, I'm running a half size in every other week. Hobby deal though which is pretty cheap.

Looking forward to getting my purge setup completed, I've borrowed a Y piece from work and my mig flow meter at the minute to get by.

 

[hotrodder]

You'll definately notice the difference and i'm sure Richard'll say the same. I prefer Y splitters for various reasons but use one of their flowmeters, doubt it works better than other surge reducing dodads but is beautifully made and the difference to arc striking at low amperage is very obvious. More so when you swap back/use kit with a single stage reg etc. Obviously gas savings vary more but the more tacking/short runs the more noticable

 

[Richard.]

Wish I'd gone for the 0-20 lpm flow tubes.
Yes the striking accuracy is nice as is the surge reduction and gas saving.
They are a nice set up. I'll have another come 2019 when this one is expired.

 

[Wayne.]

Wish I'd gone for the 0-20 lpm flow tubes.
Yes the striking accuracy is nice as is the surge reduction and gas saving.
They are a nice set up. I'll have another come 2019 when this one is expired.

Richard can you not just swap the tubes to the 20lpm ones ?

 

[Richard.]

Richard can you not just swap the tubes to the 20lpm ones ?

Yes you can easily swap em about. You can add as many as you like to them your not just stuck with 2.
Mine is a optimator and I just added the second tube at a later date to make it a optimator 11. I'd imagine the tubes are pricey to change but I'll look at getting the scales changed one day.

 

[Brad93]

I got a pretty good deal of rapid for this one. It is special order though so it's a two week wait. Given Christmas & new year it will probably turn up some time in January.

 

[Richard.]

I got a pretty good deal of rapid for this one. It is special order though so it's a two week wait. Given Christmas & new year it will probably turn up some time in January.

They are very well made things. Mine is a top entry type with the clock at the top. Every thing about them is high quality stuff.
Hotrodder has hit the nail on the head. They are gas savers but no better at the job than any other multistage reg. It's just stabilisation reaction time from the second stage that stops the strike up surges. It's not new tech but if your doing a lot of short runs or tacks you'll save a fortune.
The strike up is however much more refined over other set ups I've used. Hf is carried to the job on gas delivery and if that gas is delivered well then so is your hf.
I also prefer the pressure knob adjustment on the elga to a valve on a tube. its a very nice fine controlled adjuster where a valve can be a bit of a all or nothing trying to get the balance spot on. Small thing really but they all add up.
Down side well there is only 2 really that hotrodder has pointed out on a number of occasions
1) if you break it you pretty much buy the whole lot again.
2) initial layout. I think the optima 11 is well over the £200 +vat mark now which is a lot of money for a regulator as good as they are.

 

[Wayne.]

I got a pretty good deal of rapid for this one. It is special order though so it's a two week wait. Given Christmas & new year it will probably turn up some time in January.

£35 for these two brand new now that's a deal lol it doesn't happen to me very often but just got lucky with these
[URL=http://s162.photobucket.com/user/reaper_wayne/media/IMG_4081.jpg.html][/URL]

 

[eSCHEn]

£35 for these two brand new now that's a deal lol it doesn't happen to me very often but just got lucky with these

That's more than a good deal Wayne...

 

[Wayne.]

That's more than a good deal Wayne...

Yeh I no I was over the moon

 

[eSCHEn]

Yeh I no I was over the moon

Was it hard to get the bandit mask off afterwards?

Both 2018 certified?

 

[Richard.]

£35 for these two brand new now that's a deal lol it doesn't happen to me very often but just got lucky with these

Yes that's the best part of £400 worth. You done well there. Rare find to say the least.

 

[Wayne.]

Yeh I no I was over the moon

Ha Ha the guy even delivered them to my house

 

[Brad93]

I put in a large order with rapid, the rest of which should be sent out tomorrow, regulator sent when it gets in, so it was just over £200 inc VAT.

 

[Richard.]

I put in a large order with rapid, the rest of which should be sent out tomorrow, regulator sent when it gets in, so it was just over £200 inc VAT.

I'm a bit reluctant to buy from rapid now. I put a basket together of bits and pieces which come to nearly £60. Jim put the exact same basket together for me and posted it for less than £40.
I'm happy to pay a little more here and there but if Jim can do it for nearly half price exact same items all ck then someone is been a little greedy me thinks.
Shame as they were really easy and good to deal with but I don't like been taken for a mug

 

[Brad93]

I'm a bit reluctant to buy from rapid now. I put a basket together of bits and pieces which come to nearly £60. Jim put the exact same basket together for me and posted it for less than £40.
I'm happy to pay a little more here and there but if Jim can do it for nearly half price exact same items all ck then someone is been a little greedy me thinks.
Shame as they were really easy and good to deal with but I don't like been taken for a mug

TBH I haven't actually asked Jim to even compare, because I was getting the regulator I just started adding bits to the basket and you know how that ends up. I asked if they could knock any more off but they said no, so got 20% off the regulator, and 15% off a ck9 for work. Not great considering it was a £500 order.

And rapid rang today said elga won't do custom regulators now so I've got to have the 30lpm flowmeters. Bummer. Could of had an ESAB with 20lpm tubes but would have to wait till middle of February.