who sells gauges for regulators?

[fredster]

Very annoyingly, my gas bottle with reg attached fell over today and crunched both the gauges. I think I've managed to save the flow gauge, but the other gauge that displays gas bottle fill level is a gonner.

The reg still works fine, can anyone tell me if there's a UK stockist of gauges so I can replace the broken fill level gauge - rather than replace the whole reg.

cheers in advance
fred

 

[backpurge]

Think you will be out of luck, the days of repairing regulators are long gone

 

[Piero]

There is a slight chance I might be able to put my hands on a free one for you.
My friend did exactly the same thing on a new reg but damaged the liter per min gauge.
I got him a replacement new reg
Think he still has the broken new reg kicking around.
Will see him on Wednesday.
If he has it. Its yr for the postage

 

[fredster]

Thanks Piero, that would be amazing.

Backpurge, I did fear that parts for regs would be a thing of the past in these days of cheap chinese goods. I would really like to save this one though as its an expensive one from the BOC shop, and times are hard.

 

[garethp]

Is the fill gauge a standard pressure gauge? IIRC on my regulator the fill gauge reads zero to 400 bar and is nothing special.

Just had a quick look on the internet and found gauges up to 1000bar, they're also quite likely to get damaged so would have thought any welding supplier would keep them?

 

[Wallace]

I have a couple of oxy-acetylene regulators with good gauges if they will be any good.

 

[Seano]

And what lesson did you learn from this fredster.....

 

[fredster]

I have a couple of oxy-acetylene regulators with good gauges if they will be any good.

If Piero's mate can't help me out I'll be in touch - much appreciated.

And what lesson did you learn from this fredster.....

I learnt not to leave an object with a high centre of gravity upright on a slightly uneven driveway. The air turned blue I can tell you! This will NOT be happening to me again.

 

[backpurge]

Thanks Piero, that would be amazing.

Backpurge, I did fear that parts for regs would be a thing of the past in these days of cheap chinese goods. I would really like to save this one though as its an expensive one from the BOC shop, and times are hard.

It's not so much a fact that the parts are hard to come by it is just the practice of repairing industrial regulators has been totally outlawed.

A few years back you could buy "reconditioned" or service exchange regulators, this has also been stopped

 

[Seano]

A few years back you could buy "reconditioned" or service exchange regulators, this has also been stopped

Elf and safety again.....it seems that either no one can be trusted to repair and re calibrate said gauges correctly, and / or are in cahoots with manufacturers to just build throw away items, and leaving the Asian contingent to prosper and flourish, just my opinion you understand........

 

[KemppiFrog]

Elf and safety again.....it seems that either no one can be trusted to repair and re calibrate said gauges correctly, and / or are in cahoots with manufacturers to just build throw away items, and leaving the Asian contingent to prosper and flourish, just my opinion you understand........

Mine too Lowest common denominator attitude. You can only fix stuff if you belong to our exclusive club. If not, just buy more...from us.

I have the odd spare guage,but probably not reading high enough for current margins at 200/300 bar. Plus the distance.

 

[backpurge]

Mine too Lowest common denominator attitude. You can only fix stuff if you belong to our exclusive club. If not, just buy more...from us.

I have the odd spare guage,but probably not reading high enough for current margins at 200/300 bar. Plus the distance.

Could well be a degree of that but a lot of it came about from local back street companies repairing damaged regulators using parts from other knackered regulators and passing them off as reconditioned with new bits.
So in reponse to another posters comment "it seems that either no one can be trusted to repair and re calibrate said gauges correctly" you're 100% dead right, you can't

It's nowt to do with equipment manufacturers clubing together to shaft the little man, it's down to people like the BCGA and HSE that make the rules

 

[wyn]

If the gauges have been squashed it's likely to have put a bit of stress on the stem that connects to the bottle.....it could let go at sometime with 230 bar behind it.

 

[julianthegypsy]

If the gauges have been squashed it's likely to have put a bit of stress on the stem that connects to the bottle.....it could let go at sometime with 230 bar behind it.

I would not like to be in the building when that happened, although it would be fun to watch from a safe distance!

 

[backpurge]

If the gauges have been squashed it's likely to have put a bit of stress on the stem that connects to the bottle.....it could let go at sometime with 230 bar behind it.

Dead right fella, you try to pass on benefits of your first hand experience and some folk think you are behind some sort of rip off conspiracy

 

[Seano]

Could well be a degree of that but a lot of it came about from local back street companies repairing damaged regulators using parts from other knackered regulators and passing them off as reconditioned with new bits.
So in reponse to another posters comment "it seems that either no one can be trusted to repair and re calibrate said gauges correctly" you're 100% dead right, you can't

It's nowt to do with equipment manufacturers clubing together to shaft the little man, it's down to people like the BCGA and HSE that make the rules

Dead right fella, you try to pass on benefits of your first hand experience and some folk think you are behind some sort of rip off conspiracy

Backpurge, in response to your quote replies, I have been around long enough to know the difference between repairable and FUBB, I was taught my trade old school, to always repair if at all possible, while I agree with your statement regarding back street dodgers and the potential for serious injury or even death, HSE has got to the point now where you can't take a dump without doing a risk assessment first, my background required me to get 3 signed written permissions before doing any kind of hot work, so I am not just some know nowt just gobbin off about corporate gang ups, but sadly I suppose I still believe in people, well some of them at least still having a modicum of common sense, and still be allowed to exercise it and not told how and when to use it by some chilnless wonder just quoting book.

 

[hotrodder]

Common sense is long extinct and his 3 step brothers were encouraged by no win fee bottom feeders which in turn scared the insurance industry and HSE into treating everyone like idiots because, lets face it, most are

 

[backpurge]

Seano, I don't doubt for a minute you are more than capable of carrying out a perfectly safe modication/repair but you need to bear in mind the majority of the guys on here do not have your depth of experience.
I am not, as quoted a chinless wonder quoting book, but have had 40 years in the trade, mostly on the tools on offshore and cryogenic projects but since changing career a few years ago have seen first hand the consequences of when people get stuff wrong, the worst being the death of a welder, so if I have offended you, sorry, but I really don't care. If it stops somebody doing something stupid and hurting themseves it is worthwhile.

 

[fredster]

Right, just to get this back on subject, found a cheap gauge on ebay, worth a punt at £5 posted - many thanks to those kind souls that offered to help me out. If this one turns out to be no good I'll PM you to take you up on kind offers.

 

[Seano]

I am not, as quoted a chinless wonder quoting book,

I was not for one minute insinuating that the chinless wonder was yourself, I know of your background and respect it as much as any other on here, I guess I just get a bit red around the ring at todays chuck it society, I also am sorry if I have offended you in anyway, I too have seen a colleague killed in the line of work, unfortunately it was his own error at being in the wrong place at the wrong time, I can get a bit ranty when the pain meds kick in so pay no attention to me.. .