What regulator do i need?

[Peter1450]

Evening chaps complete novice here, posted a couple of times in the compressor section and hoping someone can help in here with a welder that was acquired the same time .
Managed to get the welder feeding correctly with a new inner cable and nozzles, welding ok but the bottle I have has no way of adjusting the flow and totally different connections than the regulator that came on the welder.
Any help greatly appreciated.

 

[mike 109444]

That's a strange looking setup Pete! As the bottle must be under HIGH pressure then unless gas is coming out of the hose at that pressure then the unit on top must be a reg of sorts. Which should mean there is son adjustment on it somewhere. Might be a preset with an Allan key? You might have to post some pics of other side of the unit. You might be able to get a ball type flow gauge to connect to the fitting where the black hose is connected. Failing that then the type of pea shooter type that is used at the gun out put could be used to "preset" the unit. Like this
http://www.weldequip.com/gas-flow-tester.htm

 

[Peter1450]

Cheers for the reply Mike, never thought of that, just didn't want to be using something was going to be dangerous to me or my neighbours! Will try to get some better pics at the weekend. Originally came with a cover over all the brasswork I removed it to see if I was missing something.
How many different types of bottle/regulator combinations are there?

 

[mike 109444]

A problem you may have in the future is getting that bottle refilled. If it is a BOC bottle the won't "refill" it for you. They would only exchange it for a full one but only if you had an account with them and are showing on account that you have the bottle.
Is there a suppliers name on any of the tags or labels? The coloured ring(s) telly you the date the bottle is due retesting as the supplier is supposed to retest them from time to time.
There are generally two types of thread/fitting on uk bottles for Ar or Ar+CO2 or CO2. The Ar-Ar+CO2 type is a bullnosed fitting thus:
http://www.weldequip.com/argon-regulator.htm
CO2 AND some of the smaller bottle or hobby gas suppliers use a male fitting on the bottle and so you reg would need to have a female fitting thus:
http://www.weldequip.com/co2-conversion-kit.htm note this CO2 reg "kit" ha an added pipe to attache to the thin pipe found on some small migs but the pis shows the fitting better than the other pics in listing.
Looking at your bottle is why I said it looked a "strange" setup! I think there are bottles used in fabrication type places that connect to a manifold system where many bottles are connected to a supply running round a workshop. I don't know if they use a different connection setup or not. There are members on forum that have such systems and may know.
Was there any form of screw or knob on that bottle fitting not shown in your pics? As the black knob is just an on/off and then the reg would control tha gas coming out to reduce it to a MUCH lower pressure.
This is my setup, note is CO2. Behind the purple handle is the knob for the bottle. then the gauge on the left is bottle pressure. Gauge on right is flow gauge (pressure gauge being used as flow gauge, not the best!). Then to the right of them is a proper flow gauge that I added.

 

[mike 109444]

ps the grey knob under the reg is what is supposed to set the flow but as the proper flow gauge has a small flow control on it I use that

 

[backpurge]

Looks very much to me like one of the gas cylinders that comes with an integrated regulator, depending on which gas company it is from some of them come with a pre set flow rate

 

[Peter1450]

Thanks again chaps.......................unfortunately the bottle came from a friend of a friend and as far as I can see has no manufacturers markings on it. Looks like I may have to bite the bullet and get something suitable for what I need? As I say complete novice who is trying to get a bit of kit together to make life a little easier in my home garage, but as per usual my money saving tactics just seem to make things difficult!

 

[mike 109444]

If the bottle has gas in it then it could be that the "pre set" flow rate is already correct. So if you disconnect the reg you have attached to your mig and connect the pipe to the black pipe coming from the bottle than you will have a feed of gas for welding till the bottle is empty. The gas should come out your torch when trigger presses with a small hiss, that should be enough for you to use it.
What does the reg o the welder look like mainly the threaded connections. Post a pic pete.

 

[Peter1450]

Sorry for the slow update, after further research it looks like this is an air products ferromax bottle which is supposed to be self regulating? Not too sure how that would work but as a novice it seems to weld ok.

 

[mike 109444]

Think that is the "pre set" flow rate I mentioned. But it does beggar the question what is it pre set to ?

 

[Peter1450]

Apparently you can purchase quick release adaptors with different pre set flow rates but at approx. £20 a piece this seems an expensive way of altering your flow if you use the welder for lots of different thickness metals? Will just use what I have for now as all seems well,can't see anything on the bottle or regulator that says the default floe either.

 

[backpurge]

Why would you need different adaptors for different thicknesses of material?

 

[Robotstar5]

You shouldn't need to alter the gas flow rate (unless welding outside) you only need to adjust wire speed & voltage for different thicknesses of material.

 

[Peter1450]

Why would you need different adaptors for different thicknesses of material?

I don't know backpurge , that's why I joined the forum! Hoping to get the advice I need to save me wasting my cash on stuff I don't need.

 

[Peter1450]

Thanks for the advice Robotstar5 , will just keep practising......so far so good!

 

[cianh91]

one of the lads i work with has the same top on his air products bottle theres a small air flow connects between bottle and hose which are pre-set you change them between 8 12 and 16 lpm as far as i know there supplied by air-products with the bottle