Gas Flow Rate - Setting Up Welding Gas

[JonnyAlpha]

Posted this on an old thread but got no replies so re-posting here:

Just took delivery of a bottle of Argon 5% CO2 Mix from Adams Gas and got stuck in doing my first proper repair on an Austin Mini Sat / Sun and wasn't sure how to set up the rig and my welding was a little lumpy and a bit brown.

I have an old single meter Argon regulator and a flow meter with a plastic tube with a floating piece of plastic in it, just visible in the photo.

Welder is a Clarke 160EN

Questions:

1. The flow meter has L/PM and I think CF/PM, what should it be set to.
2. Whats the best way of setting up this rig, I have read, turn bottle on 1/4 turn, open flow meter fully and adjust flow with regulator valve to roughly correct L/PM then fine tune with flow meter valve?
3. Wire Speed is 6.5 - 7 power setting is Min 1.

Thanks

 

[Agautosport]

Sorry if this is a stupid question , but are you cleaning the paint off to bare metal ?

 

[dai]

8-10 liters/minute for gas

 

[cumbriasteve]

A brown or sooty weld can be a caused by poor gas coverage and or incorrect angle of the torch.

Looks like you are welding outside, if so you need a totally calm day, any wind will affect the gas, even on a good day you may have to up the flow to 15 lpm or even 20 lpm.