Help Are there any tutorials on how to use an argon cylinder, hose, regulator, and connect them?

[Trashcan]

I have not been able to find any. (I tried looking to no avail).

I have my cylinder, regulator, hose, and full face snorkeling mask (someone did ctb this way). The plan is to ctb this Sunday. The problem is I'm clueless about how to use my equipment. I've watched some tutorials on how to use the regulator and whatnot, but it would be very nice to have some blueprint about where to put the regulator, the hose, etc. I also have not figured out a way that I can connect the regulator to the hose and the cylinder as there is only one opening. So some kind of tutorial would be much appreciated.

 

[TiredHorse]

What sort of regulator do you have? Can you post a photo or a link to what you have? I might be able to talk you through it.

 

[Trashcan]

What sort of regulator do you have? Can you post a photo or a link to what you have? I might be able to talk you through it.

Thank you! I have this one:

https://mundakawg.com/products/indu...-flowmeter-gauges-for-mig-and-tig-welders-sua

Edit: Now that I've looked at the pictures more, I've been able to figure it out lol.

 

[TiredHorse]

Thank you! I have this one:

https://mundakawg.com/products/indu...-flowmeter-gauges-for-mig-and-tig-welders-sua

Okay, from looking at the photos on that link, it looks as though the fourth of the photos shows a male-end fitting on the back of the regulator that screws into the gas cylinder. The cylinder valve should have a socket that matches that plug: the rigid, fixed part of the plug seats in that cylinder valve, and then the captive nut on the regulator's plug threads into the cylinder valve and tightens down to hold the fixed part in place.

Make sure to not cross-thread that captive nut. The brass fittings are soft, intentionally, and if you cross-thread, it'll leak gas.

The fifth photo shows your different outlet options. You want the hose barb option --which may demand another trip to the hardware store to pick up that hose barb. Take the regulator and your hose with you to make sure whatever you buy fits both.

If you need to ask the store clerk for assistance, and are worried about being suspicious, tell the clerk you work with paint, and need to flood partial cans of paint with argon to prevent the paint from oxidizing and skinning over. No joke: that's what I use Ar for in my shop. Some of the paint I use costs $275/gallon (anti-fouling paint for boats' bottoms). Auto body paint costs even more.

The one thing I notice about that gauge is that it doesn't show flow in Lpm, it shows Cfh --cubic feet per hour. You'll need to convert Cfh to get the recommended 15Lpm flow rate. I strongly recommend you get your conversion rate before you start assembling your apparatus, to make sure you can get a high enough flow rate out of that regulator. That regulator was intended for tig/mig welding, which demands very low flows, and it may turn out that that regulator has a too-low flow rate to work with an exit bag.

Let me know how all of that works out, and we'll carry on from there.

 

[TiredHorse]

Oh, if a hose with end-fittings came with the regulator, you can use that instead of buying a barb. Just screw the hose into the outlet side of the regulator. Again, be careful not to cross-thread the fittings, or else they'll leak.

But you really want to check and make sure you can get a 15Lpm flow rate before you do anything else.

 

[Trashcan]

Oh, if a hose with end-fittings came with the regulator, you can use that instead of buying a barb. Just screw the hose into the outlet side of the regulator. Again, be careful not to cross-thread the fittings, or else they'll leak.

But you really want to check and make sure you can get a 15Lpm flow rate before you do anything else.

Thank you so much! I will look into getting another regulator.

 

[Trashcan]

Oh, if a hose with end-fittings came with the regulator, you can use that instead of buying a barb. Just screw the hose into the outlet side of the regulator. Again, be careful not to cross-thread the fittings, or else they'll leak.

But you really want to check and make sure you can get a 15Lpm flow rate before you do anything else.

It looks like ~31.8 cubic feet per hour equals 15 liters per minute. This regulator only goes up to 30 cubic feet per hour. I'll invest in a new one.

 

[TiredHorse]

I'm glad I could be of assistance --and that I mentioned the potential problem with flow rates.

30 Cfh is ~93% of 15Lpm, so you might be able to get away with it, but I think you'd be a lot more certain if you had the full measure of 15Lpm.

Are you in the US? If so, Harbor Freight Tools has a good, cheap regulator for CO2 and Ar. If you can't get it from them, make sure you look at the photos of the two gauges closely. The pressure gauge is essentially unimportant for our purposes (so long as you know you're starting with a full tank), but the flow gauge should be labled to say what it's calibrated to: Cfh or Lpm.

 

[Trashcan]

I'm glad I could be of assistance --and that I mentioned the potential problem with flow rates.

30 Cfh is ~93% of 15Lpm, so you might be able to get away with it, but I think you'd be a lot more certain if you had the full measure of 15Lpm.

Are you in the US? If so, Harbor Freight Tools has a good, cheap regulator for CO2 and Ar. If you can't get it from them, make sure you look at the photos of the two gauges closely. The pressure gauge is essentially unimportant for our purposes (so long as you know you're starting with a full tank), but the flow gauge should be labled to say what it's calibrated to: Cfh or Lpm.

Thanks man. I'll order from harbor freight tools.

 

[TiredHorse]

This is what I have:

https://www.harborfreight.com/regulator-gauge-94841.html

Sorry I took so long getting you the link.

 

[Trashcan]

This is what I have:

https://www.harborfreight.com/regulator-gauge-94841.html

Sorry I took so long getting you the link.

Thank you so much! And no need to apologize, you've helped a major amount and I appreciate it very much.

 

[crova]

You could upload actual picture when you have the kit assembled.
this is my tank with gas regulator and a hose.