mig flow rate rising when not welding.

[gaz_moose]

at work we have a mig set, they let ay old donkey who says they can weld use it so it gets abused.

when I was using it the other day I had the flow rate set to 10LPM but when I stopped welding the needle on the gauge would rise to 30LPM with no gas escaping out the torch or the back of the gauge.it still works as it should

im fairly sure it didn't do this before and none of the welders ive used in the past have done this so figured I would seek more educated advice as to weather it was knackered or not.

 

[waddycall]

The regulators not shutting off properly so the pressures slowing building up on the outlet side. It could go on for ages like that. Otherwise you just need a new regulator.

 

[BrokenBiker]

regulator is leaking slightly by the sounds of it

 

[backpurge]

Sounds like the regulator is knackered unfortunately

 

[Pete.]

Sure it's a flow gauge not a pressure gauge? No way a flow gauge should show flow when there is none.

 

[waddycall]

Sure it's a flow gauge not a pressure gauge? No way a flow gauge should show flow when there is none.

The round flow gauges on regulators are actually pressure gauges calibrated for the reg outlet I believe.

 

[gaz_moose]

Cool,cheers for the replies guys. I will let the company know the 3 month old regulator is knackered.

 

[mr migwire]

sounds like someone has only been shutting it off at the bottle....