Experience refilling argon or 75/25 cylinders yourself?

[Sodo]

Not to mention he/she would have to make a special transfer tube as they have different fittings.

I was referring to leaving the valve open after empty, and letting the bottle get contaminated with outside air (containing oxygen and 'condensation').

 

[k0ua]

Talking about 20cf. How long would this thing last Lincoln Electric Port-A-Torch Kit-KH776 at The Home Depot

I have one, I cannot remember exactly, but seems like about 10 15 minutes cutting, but will last over an hour welding, depending on the tip you you use. Cutting uses up the O2, pretty quick, but if you are welding small pieces of steel or heating up something to bend, it lasts a while.

 

[ericher69]

I've got both in my shop.

Straight co2 and

75/25

Smaller bottle of CO2 is much heavier and you can feel the liquid slosh around.

Not so with 75/25 mix-straight gas no liquid

Sent from my iPhone 5s 64Gb using TractorByNet

 

[Arc weld]

"I have a 80cf and an 40cf & am experienced in moving them. A 20cf may have its own PITAs but trading for the PITA of moving the 40 and 80. I have a Multimatic 200 and can stick weld if outside/windy or no gas. This is a project for those who are tire of putting gas bottles in the truck. Probably not useful to those who don't."

How many people do you think use a Multimatic 200 as a portable welder? Guys that do TIG or MIG welding from a truck will use a big cylinder that stays on the truck and a longer hose to the TIG torch or wire feeder. Then you don't have to move the cylinder every time. You can't compare a 40 cf acetylene to a high pressure cylinder because it is heavier to begin with.

Shielding gas cylinders should always be purged before filling. If you look on some it will say to leave 25 PSI in them. The fill plant still completely empties them and purges them. One place I worked was getting a lot of contaminated argon because the fill plant wasn't purging the cylinders prior to filling. It wasn't because people were leaving the valve open after using the cylinder. This is the 74th thread on this topic.ullinghair: Go and talk to the welding supply already!:confused2:

 

[Reverser]

This is the 74th thread on this topic.ullinghair: Go and talk to the welding supply already!:confused2:

You're all stressed out, man!!

You need to go find your favorite chair and sit back, relax with your favorite beverage, and maybe think about something that gives you pleasure. Like perhaps, imagining a lake all filled with boats using AC buzzboxes as anchors. Or maybe a nice row of houses using buzzboxes as door stops. Or even seeing trash bins full of those dreaded buzzboxes. :thumbsup:

Now, doesn't the thought of those things bring a smile to your face? HMMM? :cool2: :thumbsup:

 

[Arc weld]

Why ask how to do something if you're just going to debate the answers you get?:mur: Sometimes the correct answer isn't the one you want to hear. 14 cylinders could have filled in the amount of time spent on this topic.:anyone:

 

[DXN1EL]

The oxygen, about 10-15 minutes max. The porta-torches do serve a purpose though if you have to cut something that is really high or hard to get to. If you had to weld something that was really hard to get to, most people would stick weld it rather than play with a 20cf cylinder.

I have one, I cannot remember exactly, but seems like about 10 15 minutes cutting, but will last over an hour welding, depending on the tip you you use. Cutting uses up the O2, pretty quick, but if you are welding small pieces of steel or heating up something to bend, it lasts a while.

Thanks, for 10-15 I pass. I'll see if I can get an Everlas Power Plasma 100

 

[Sodo]

How many people do you think use a Multimatic 200 as a portable welder?

not sure I know what you're getting at..... I'd guess most Multimatic 200 buyers intend to use it as a portable welder.

Guys that do TIG or MIG welding from a truck will use a big cylinder that stays on the truck and a longer hose to the TIG torch or wire feeder. Then you don't have to move the cylinder every time.

By my "truck" i was referring to my pickup, daily driver. I dont leave tools in it when i'm parked downtown, or out in the woods or when I need the truck for other stuff like dirtbikin'!!

Shielding gas cylinders should always be purged before filling. If you look on some it will say to leave 25 PSI in them. The fill plant still completely empties them and purges them. One place I worked was getting a lot of contaminated argon because the fill plant wasn't purging the cylinders prior to filling. It wasn't because people were leaving the valve open after using the cylinder. This is the 74th thread on this topic.ullinghair: Go and talk to the welding supply already!:confused2:

I would expect the welding supply to purge everytime. They have no idea whats in there and for quality control sure as heck ought to ensure that their cust gets pure gas.

Why ask how to do something if you're just going to debate the answers you get?:mur: Sometimes the correct answer isn't the one you want to hear.:anyone:

Well I think I got LOTS of great answers, for example:

I've got both in my shop.......Smaller bottle of CO2 is much heavier and you can feel the liquid slosh around.
Not so with 75/25 mix-straight gas no liquid

....and some duds too, I plan to cherrypick. And I know some stuff too, for example having a 50cf for 10 years and a 40cf for 8 years I know pretty well that a 20cf will work for me, especially if I can put some gas in it. Anyway The CGA580 manifold is on its way and maybe I can answer some questions soon!

 

[CNC Dan]

I would expect the welding supply to purge everytime. They have no idea whats in there and for quality control sure as heck ought to ensure that their cust gets pure gas.

I think that if there is some pressure in the tank they wouldn't.

 

[Reverser]

Where I used to work we maintained an emergency road truck and on it we would always change bottles when the oxygen got down to around 500 lbs, and the acetylene got down to 50 lbs.
We got a supervisor in one time who didn't like giving back anything to the gas supplier, so every time we would change our bottles out, he would vent them to the atmosphere. :confused2: