Hi

[Mush]

I've now got my R-Tech 180 set up after making a little trolley for it but have yet to actually use it! I got a 5kg reel of 0.8 wire from R-Tech when I bought the machine but my first question is what do I set the 2 pressure gauges to at the bottle which is 95% Argon and 5% H2O?

Would appreciate your advice.

 

[mike 109444]

Yours will probley look something like the attached pic.
One pressure gauge (lh one) you dont set. It simply tells yo the bottle pressure, which should be 250 to 300 ish bar on a new bottle.
The other gauge (rh one) is a pressure gauge being used as a flow meter (not the best way) but would be on this gauge about where I've drawn the red arrow.
Idealy at some stage you would add a proper flow gauge. That has a little ball or cone that rises as the gas flows through it and can be read of the glass/plastic tube. Usually aiming fror about 5 to 10 liters pre min. Note with bot the pressure gauge and flow gauge they are set by pulling the mig gun trigger and adjusting the flow value. With the pressure gauge type you will see the gauge go up when you release the trigger and with the flow type the ball/cone will drop down when trigger is released. Both normal!
Don't forget when you have done welding and are off for a tea break or done for day REMEMBER to turn the big tap on the bottle OFF !! Or you will find that the tiny leaks that you may have will bleed away that precious gas. Think most of on here have had atleast one bottle nearly empty like that !!.

 

[mike 109444]

An alternative to the flow meter (glass/plastic tube) type is a pea shooter type, see link https://www.r-techwelding.co.uk/gas-test-flowmeter-wa-mw15220
This type is prefered by some as it shows you the flow of gas at the output of the welding tourch. You just have to rember to flick OFF the wire feed roller when setting the flow.

 

[Wozzaaah]

I've now got my R-Tech 180 set up after making a little trolley for it but have yet to actually use it! I got a 5kg reel of 0.8 wire from R-Tech when I bought the machine but my first question is what do I set the 2 pressure gauges to at the bottle which is 95% Argon and 5% H2O?

Would appreciate your advice.

CO2, not H2O.
CO2 helps to “wet” the weld but not as much as H2O would.

 

[Mush]

H20 CO2 Whose a big numpty then

 

[Mush]

Yours will probley look something like the attached pic.
One pressure gauge (lh one) you dont set. It simply tells yo the bottle pressure, which should be 250 to 300 ish bar on a new bottle.
The other gauge (rh one) is a pressure gauge being used as a flow meter (not the best way) but would be on this gauge about where I've drawn the red arrow.
Idealy at some stage you would add a proper flow gauge. That has a little ball or cone that rises as the gas flows through it and can be read of the glass/plastic tube. Usually aiming fror about 5 to 10 liters pre min. Note with bot the pressure gauge and flow gauge they are set by pulling the mig gun trigger and adjusting the flow value. With the pressure gauge type you will see the gauge go up when you release the trigger and with the flow type the ball/cone will drop down when trigger is released. Both normal!
Don't forget when you have done welding and are off for a tea break or done for day REMEMBER to turn the big tap on the bottle OFF !! Or you will find that the tiny leaks that you may have will bleed away that precious gas. Think most of on here have had atleast one bottle nearly empty like that !!.

View attachment 437628

Thanks Mike you're a champion