mig gas usage ??

[hr3]

Son picked up a used mig with gas , it's a Mac Tools 545000.. It had a bottle when he got it with some gas he tried it out and worked fine.. we turned the gas off and checked it again in a few days to see if it had dropped,, nope no leeks ..

Now new bottle and a project starts Sat. morning .. about 4 in the pm bottle empty and we didn't even use 1/3 of a spool of wire,,"the small ones" ,, not sure the bottle capacity but it's about 2- ,2.5 feet tall.. Gauge was set for 25 the whole time..

He thinks we got 1/2 a bottle when we got a new one but I'm
not sure ,, What do you guys think ???

 

[CNC Dan]

Did you check for leaks when you hooked up the new tank? If the tank valve has a damaged seating area where the regulator ataches, you could lose a lot of gas. Did you see what the pressure was when you started?

You can figure your tank 'life' by dividing your tank capacity by the rate of use. So my full 80 CF tank, when used at 15 CFH, should last for 5.3 hours.

 

[MinnesotaDaveChalmers]

Sounds like a 60 Cu.ft. tank. A setting on 25 CFH would get approx 2.4 hours of trigger time.
It's probably listed on you receipt if you don't remember how big it is.

When it was full your high pressure gauge would likely have read about 2200 psi.

 

[hr3]

No pressure gauge on it just a flow gauge,,

 

[2458n]

That means you are in the market for a pressure gauge. As I . My old mig was from TSC and Italy. Had a bottle that I bought but you never knew what was in it. No matter as the liner burnt up on the mig before I had ran 2.5 hours. No support from TSC nor from where I bought the bottle. One place I took it for repairs said they could get the shielding cable; could not and they charged me 50.00 dollars for their effort. Using a new welder without the required gauge.

 

[Scooby074]

A regulator with a pressure readout is invaluable.

Its possible but rare that there could have been a mixup at the LWS and a partial bottle got put in the full bottle rack, but that would be very rare, at least at my LWS.

Its also possible that you use the bottle in use. Small bottles dont last all that long.

Another thing is its possible the gas solenoid in the welder failed (or isnt closing completely). This can increase your usage a lot if you leave your tank on between welding sessions.

 

[TnAndy]

And I found a hole in the small rubber hose from the bottle regulator to the inlet on the back of the welder. THAT causes a lot of use too !

 

[hr3]

I picked up a combination flow and pressure gauge and a bigger tank today we will see how that goes,,

Thanks all

 

[BukitCase]

Double check the flow units marked on your flow meter - some are calibrated in SCFH (Standard Cubic Feet per Hour) - those should be set around 15-20 indoors (no wind) -

Others are calibrated in Liters per Minute - if yours is in LPM and you set it at 25, you would have been at 53 SCFH, which would have killed your tank PDQ

Handbook - Conversion Tables

Example pic of SCFH meter

AGPtek® Mig/Tig Welding Argon CO2 Flowmeter 10 to 60 cfh Regulator - Tig Welding Equipment - Amazon.com

Example pic of L/min meter

Argon CO2 Mig Tig Flowmeter Regulator Welding Regulator Gauge Gas Welder - - Amazon.com

Click the zoom feature and see the difference in scale labels, compare to yours -

Not saying this IS your problem, but I've seen enough confusion on this that it could be... Steve

 

[Big Barn]

Double check the flow units marked on your flow meter - some are calibrated in SCFH (Standard Cubic Feet per Hour) - those should be set around 15-20 indoors (no wind) - Others are calibrated in Liters per Minute - if yours is in LPM and you set it at 25, you would have been at 53 SCFH, which would have killed your tank PDQ Handbook - Conversion Tables Example pic of SCFH meter AGPtek® Mig/Tig Welding Argon CO2 Flowmeter 10 to 60 cfh Regulator - Tig Welding Equipment - Amazon.com Example pic of L/min meter Argon CO2 Mig Tig Flowmeter Regulator Welding Regulator Gauge Gas Welder - - Amazon.com Click the zoom feature and see the difference in scale labels, compare to yours - Not saying this IS your problem, but I've seen enough confusion on this that it could be... Steve

A little off topic, but this reminds me that my dream girlfriend would be a wealthy lingerie model who owns a chain of Airgas outlets.

Terry

 

[BukitCase]

Terry, why limit yourself when you can dream of a rich nympho with a chain of liquor stores?

 

[Big Barn]

Terry, why limit yourself when you can dream of a rich nympho with a chain of liquor stores?

It's called 'attainable goals', Steve. Small steps.......

Terry

 

[LD1]

What style of flow meter are you using? is it the style that looks like a pressure gauge? or is it an actual flow meter with the glass tube and metal ball inside?

I dont like the style that looks like a gauge.

Ditto on getting a pressure gauge.

Also, are you opening the valve at the tank all the way? you are supposed to. Most of the valves have a double seat, meaning it seals the packing when fully opened. If you only open a little way, it can leak around the valve stem.

 

[MinnesotaDaveChalmers]

Also, are you opening the valve at the tank all the way? you are supposed to. Most of the valves have a double seat, meaning it seals the packing when fully opened. If you only open a little way, it can leak around the valve stem.

I was taught this way as well (in the 80's) but found out it is no longer necessary on high pressure valves/tanks and hasn't been for years.
(I hate it when I'm taught the right way and then it changes...)

Here is a link to a thread I started on the topic:
High pressure tank valves with o-rings

 

[mikehaugen]

I was taught this way as well (in the 80's) but found out it is no longer necessary on high pressure valves/tanks and hasn't been for years.
(I hate it when I'm taught the right way and then it changes...)

Here is a link to a thread I started on the topic:
High pressure tank valves with o-rings

Interesting... thanks Dave.

I too was taught to open oxygen all of the way and acelylene only about a turn... and that wasn't all that long ago relative to some guys here (graduated hs in '02)

 

[LD1]

Yes, interesting. I'll still open mine all the way though. Except the Acetylene.

 

[Big Barn]

I was taught this way as well (in the 80's) but found out it is no longer necessary on high pressure valves/tanks and hasn't been for years. (I hate it when I'm taught the right way and then it changes...) Here is a link to a thread I started on the topic: High pressure tank valves with o-rings

Thanks for sharing, Dave. Life just got a little easier! Terry

 

[hr3]

Update : Full weekend of welding on son's new flatbed,, with new flow and pressure gauge.. Set for 15 liters and a full tank that read 2200 to start. We put 1.5 spools of wire through it and the pressure is down to 1800,, More like it

I think the old flow gauge was way off and that was the problem.. Thanks for all the input...

 

[mikehaugen]

Update : Full weekend of welding on son's new flatbed,, with new flow and pressure gauge.. Set for 15 liters and a full tank that read 2200 to start. We put 1.5 spools of wire through it and the pressure is down to 1800,, More like it

I think the old flow gauge was way off and that was the problem.. Thanks for all the input...

Good to hear, won't take long for that gauge to pay for itself now...

 

[BukitCase]

Hr3, you should go back to the first page and re-read my post - if you are REALLY using 15 LITERS PER MINUTE, then you are at 31.78 SCFH, which is about DOUBLE what you need.

Conversion Tools

Much higher, and you will be CAUSING problems with your welds instead of PREVENTING them... Steve

Sorry about the "shouting", but I hate to see someone paying twice as much as necessary