What regulator for southwestern gas bottles

[gordonendersby]

What type of regulator do I need for the southwestern gas bottles?
I havnt got the gas cylinder yet but wanted to start looking at regulators.
I know I need the argon specific one and an adapter for the hobby gas connection.

ButI see there are two types of argon regulator, side fitting and top.
What do I need top or side?
Or are they interchangeable?

Thanks

Gordon

 

[mike 109444]

You might want to check/call them because I think some of the "no rental" bottles have a CO2 type connection even thought they may be filled with Ar/co2 mix. Just asks if there bottles are side or top connections AND are a female connection (Ar/co2 reg req) or male connection (co2 reg req) If it reqs co2 type reg find out what pressure the bottles are at because some co2 regs don't go upto the high pressures that Ar/co2 gas is in the bottle at (137, 200, 300 bar)

 

[slimjim]

They use normal argon regulator, side entry or top entry gauges, just means the gauges are on the side or top, doesn't make any different to their use, or the bottle they can be used with, just the angle you Hold your head to read the gauges


This is what you probably need, though I use the top entry one!

http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=37086&highlight=Exhaust+bends

 

[gordonendersby]

Southwestern seem to be quite a large operation so I assumed all there bottles would be the same and follow the usual male/female connector convention.

So it doesnt matter if the regulator or gauges are on there side and operate at any orientation?

If I buy a regulator for argon and an adapter for co2 I should cover all eventualities if I switch to co2 in the future or if the cylinder has the wrong gender connection.

Thanks
Gordon