Bottle regulator operation

[The Buddah]

Hello,

A very silly simple question here but i'm not taking anything for granted when it comes to the welding process or safety issues so i hope i can be forgiven as my only experience of working with gas bottles is this one bottle.

My gas is low and the bottle will need to be changed soon but i'm not sure about the controls. The dial on the right as you look at the picture does not move but the dial on the left will show a maximum reading if i turn the tap on the regulator.
I have been using the welder with the left hand dial set at number 10 (numerals in black) but just noticed on my last weld there was a difference in the welding process and there was a decrease in noise from the gas being expelled.

Should i turn the tap to increase pressure so that the dial reads 15 or 20?

I take it that the dial on the right is the amount of gas left in the bottle and i'm not sure how much use i will get with what the reading shows.

I started the weld at the bottom then went round in a clockwise direction as i did this the amount of gas expelled reduced and i think it shows in the picture. The welds from the top and down the right hand side were done twice and overlapped

I have tried to turn the tap on top of the bottle off but it seems to be stuck solid. should i be able to turn the tap off once its turned on?

Thank you for any help you can provide.

 

[Hitch]

So the cylinder valve is stuck open? It must turn either way. Anti clockwise for opening.
You should be able to turn it off with ease, on and off each time you finish with it for an hour or so, or more really.

The right gauge (looking at the reg properly) is flow, you should have that about 10lpm (black) as you say.

The other is cylinder pressure- whats left.
IF that is stuck open, you may well be out of gas, has the flow gauge dropped away?
There is minimal gas left in there.

Unless, you have a faulty regulator, it looks good, but not always a trustworthy sign.

Id be inclined to work out if the valve is open or shut first.
Then take the regulator off.
Open the valve slightly (facing away from you and anything) If you only get a bit off a his, your out, a loud rush, and you may well have a dodgy regulator.

 

[CKJDJK]

Right hand gauge is bottle contents. Silver hand wheel is the bottle valve. Close this before removeing gauges. If the contents gauge is showing zero then the bottle requires changing. Increesing the output flow by turning the black knob may get a few more seconds from the bottle but thats all.
Your welding changed because of lack of gas.
Before fitting the regulator to a new bottle make sure the black knob is wound to minimum and that the bottle valve is closed. Once fitted, open bottle valve slowly then set flow to about 10 l/min using black knob with the trigger pulled, wire to zero. This will purge the gas line. Set the flow you require and start welding.
Chris

 

[harvey639]

yes you should always turn the bottle off when not using it as some gas may leak out also that looks empty turn the black knob all the way up as there is very little pressure left in it hope this helps

 

[The Buddah]

Thank you,

Managed to turn the bottle tap. The psi gauge is now on zero but the other gauge still moves depending how if i open or close the regulator tap.

Shouldn't be no reading if the gas has ran out?

Thank you.

 

[Hitch]

You quite often get a bit more once the needle is at 0, but it wont last long.

 

[Welderpaul]

if it's something critical you are welding, or somewhere you can't get to with a grinder, change the bottle when the needle gets almost on 0. Otherwise keep going until its empty.

 

[robp]

Mike,

As others have said turn the main bottle valve off when you are not using the welder. Not doing this was the reason my bottle ran out via a leaky push fit connector

Rob

 

[The Buddah]

I'll fit the new bottle soon

Thank you all.

 

[pedrobedro]

Thank you,

Managed to turn the bottle tap. The psi gauge is now on zero but the other gauge still moves depending how if i open or close the regulator tap.

Stop thinking of the regulator knob as a tap, it's an adjuster for pressure to the gun. Swap your cylinder when it reads zero on the left hand gauge as there will always be residual pressure in the cylinder even when it's empty of gas if the temperature rises.

 

[The Buddah]

Thank you,

I pressed the trigger and released some pressure but there is still some there.
The dial reads Zero.