OK...only twice in about 20 years, but when you get a bad tank of agron, can really ruin your day.

About empty now...Is there some test I can do before using the product ?

Yes, buy it from a reputable dealer.

Air Gas is about the only act in town..big outfit....

Last time, they gave me credit...but sure didn't pay for the what I had to do to make it right.... I'm looking for a magic "sniffer"???

Maybe you got 75/25 in a wrongly labeled bottle? Odd, very rare occurrence. A sniffer should be available likely not cheap.

We test weld some scrap to make sure it is good.

That is frustrating stuff. As a young man, when I first got a TIG welder, I had a bad tank and tried EVERYTHING else before we figured out it was the gas. Since I was so young, and pretty new to TIG welding, everyone I consulted was sure I was doing something wrong. What a hassle.

I've never heard of bad Argon, that's a new one. I guess I'd do some test welding as Bobster mentioned.

I've been fortunate to deal with the same small local supplier my whole life. They have managed to hold off praxair and air gas for now. Supposedly there was is new batch of federal regulations that'll put them under before long.

With recent "shortages" I'm beginning to wonder how long until I can't even get argon. Guess I'll cross that burning bridge when I come to it.

You probably got an Argon/CO2 mix. Fine for MIG, not great for TIG. Take it back and exchange the bottle?

Question, you mentioned 'about empty now' Was it ok to begin with and then went south? Never heard of bad argon. Airgas is a national welding supply house, bottles are color coded, easy to identify, lots of QC measures in place, likely a sub contractor fills their bottles for them. Just the nature of the beast. Their rep should be able to help you identify the source of the problem.

You can get a spectrophotometer which will detect and identify elements, of which Argon is one.

quote:

Originally posted by kda55:
Question, you mentioned 'about empty now' Was it ok to begin with and then went south? Never heard of bad argon. Airgas is a national welding supply house, bottles are color coded, easy to identify, lots of QC measures in place, likely a sub contractor fills their bottles for them. Just the nature of the beast. Their rep should be able to help you identify the source of the problem.

I meant.... ready to gt a new bottle. Peerhaps best to have a "come to Jesus " when I pick up the new bottle....And...yes, real PIA to set up, then test, but that may be the best thing to do in the long run...THANKS to all

DW, IF that bottle was at one time a mixed gas bottle (Ar/CO2) and then filled with Argon and labeled as such, there will be residual CO2 that would take many fill/empty cycles to 'purge' it (the CO2) from that cylinder. It may never be completely clean of CO2, as CO2 is so corrosive in would imbed in the cylinder. The CO2 would be a contaminant. Both mixed gas cylinders and Argon cylinders use the same valve. Repainting a cylinder takes little time, And a new man/trainee may not know that you shouldn't take a mixed gas cylinder and make it an argon cylinder. Lots of new hires these days.
.

Good info Silvers.

Contaminated bottle from C25 at some point.

The hydro date may help decipher when it was put on the manifold for Argon filling.

IF,all else fails & one needs or wants a few more amps & a pink hue instead of blue hue,revert back to Heli-Arc & use helium shielding gas.
hint-
Helium will take 3x the gas flow compared to using Argon.
(15cfh of Argon to 45cfh of Helium)

UHP-Ultra Hi Purity Argon.
Valve is cleaned/bottle filled,valved sealed w/ shrink wrap celllophane)

DeWars- gas or cryogenic liquid available from same platform
(1gal LAR equates to 800+ gallons gaseous AR @ regulated pressure)

Great info, Dan..Called local Airgas and they claimed to have 32 bottles of UHP on hand...sound right to you?

did you buy a new welder?

quote:

Originally posted by Duane Wiebe (CG&R):
Great info, Dan..Called local Airgas and they claimed to have 32 bottles of UHP on hand...sound right to you?

Duane-
Depending on lab/scientific use in your area-
UHP availability will vary.
Check CGA pressure rating stamped into bottle unless you have HP(HIGH Pressure(4500psi) rated regulator)

Standard CGA bottle pressure will be 20XX/22XXpsi w/ their perspective 3 (AA/AAA) drop test rating.

83 CF & 150CF bottles are lighter & easier to load/un-load compared to 160+ CF bottles.

A Western Inert Gas Hose QD at flow meter outlet makes for easier bottle changes.

NEVER stand in front of a Regulator/Flowmeter when you gently crack any CGA bottle valve OPEN.

Thanks so much..hope you're not going to give a quiz afterwards! Seeya