Argoshield light or heavy?

[Rusty]

I've just taken delivery of a cylinder from Adams gas. Ordered it Monday afternoon, and it arrived today, thanks to a cheery courier who told me 'It's heavier than it looks' (it came wrapped in a cardboard box). 5% CO2, 3% O2 (I think), in Argon. Connected it up to my Cosmo with the regulator I bought from Weldequip months ago, and it all works ok. It gets my recommendation, although the courier charge is a large proportion of the cost, so I'd look for a local supplier first. I did try googling 'welding gas Derby', but kept coming up posts on here by some idiot blithering about some spreadsheet...

marknotgeorge,do Adams gas bottles take the normal regulator ? And how does the cost of the bottles work out regards returning the bottles.

 

[Weldingartisan]

Just had a wee look into my weld book library Si (plenty here if you wish to borrow sometime)

There are two types of CO2 gas, the first type allows CO2 to come out as a gas which may contain moisture (hence your pita effect) the second type is called siphon cylinder. It draws CO2 from the bottom of the cylinder, avoiding the problems of unwanted moisture. To prevent the regulator from freezing when the liquid CO2 expands into gas, an electric heater /vaporiser unit between the the cylinder valve outlet and the regulator. These are quotes BTW.

So basically Si, the dip tube sucks up the liquid CO2 from bottom of cylinder, keeping it separate from the top 1/8 which is gaseous. Easier to understand with the help of a sketch drg mate. For the record and, not sure if colour coding still exists? CO2 cylinder with a white stripe, represents liquid CO2, the white stripe representing the siphon tube.

There is only one type of C02 gas. C02 can also be in liquid form or solid (dry ice). It should not be contaminated in the cylinder.
I'm often amazed at some of the contradictory garbage written in some welding books and I've read quite a few. Let's face there are no qualifications required for an author (unfortunately). W/A

 

[marknotgeorge]

marknotgeorge,do Adams gas bottles take the normal regulator ? And how does the cost of the bottles work out regards returning the bottles.

Yes, they take the standard regulators. From reading other threads, the courier charge includes the return of the old bottle.

 

[Drains]

There is only one type of C02 gas. C02 can also be in liquid form or solid (dry ice). It should not be contaminated in the cylinder.
I'm often amazed at some of the contradictory garbage written in some welding books and I've read quite a few. Let's face there are no qualifications required for an author (unfortunately). W/A

I think what Runnach meant to say, was there are two types of CO2 cylinder, w/a.

 

[shenion]

There is only one type of C02 gas. C02 can also be in liquid form or solid (dry ice). It should not be contaminated in the cylinder.
I'm often amazed at some of the contradictory garbage written in some welding books and I've read quite a few. Let's face there are no qualifications required for an author (unfortunately). W/A

Yes, it struck me as very odd mentioning water in CO2. I think mine is spec'ed at 99.5% CO2 (rest is usually other gases and oils), or was that 99.95%.

I bet in the 1950's when MIG started, CO2 was not as clean. Now, gasses are very clean so "keeping water out" is probably outdated.

I do wonder how clean pub CO2 is.

 

[Weldingartisan]

Ah, you're probably right Simon and I wasn't trying to be a smart ass, but why would you want to take liquid from a CO2 cylinder and heat it to a gas when it is already gas at the top? I thought the heaters were to prevent the regulator freezing on high demand. W/A

 

[Paul.]

I thought the heaters were to prevent the regulator freezing on high demand. W/A

Thats exactly what the heaters are for, I used to contract for a company that bought co2 in bulk, and it was piped into the production welding bays from outside the factory, the bulk storage tank had heaters at the outlet.

 

[snowcat]

I bought a couple of old industrial Phillips, from a bankruptcy sale years back, they still had the CO2 heaters on em... cant see many guys these days fanning about with CO2...

 

[runnach]

I thought it would be easier to scan details from Mr S Gibson Motivate series of book regarding Co2. Have to agree with Snowie, too much phaffing around with extra 240v cable to run the heater, plus the limitations at hand welding with Co2.

Cheers..........

Ps, read detail from second image first, then up to first image........