Welding Tips and Tricks

Hi everyone,

I am setting up my new welder that I have had for few years. Its a Lincoln Electric weld-pak 175 220v mig welder. The hose that connects to my c25 regulator I noticed had a bit of an oily coating on the outside. Upon further inspection I noticed that the one of the fittings had some sort of greenish oily residue showing. Didn't notice it on the other side of the hose.

Picture attached. I stuck my pick in the hole and that is what inside.

http://cloud.tapatalk.com/s/5a95fdf5bc1b4/IMAG2196.jpg?

Not entirely sure, But I don't think its good. It may be a residue from factory pressure testing??? If possible take the hose off and blow it out with compressed air.

Mick

That thought occurred to me, it looks like it's just on that one side. I'll blow air through tomorrow normally there shouldn't be anything in the hose right?

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Yep, I'd agree that you shouldn't have anything in the hose. Gas purity is a important factor in welding

Called up Lincoln electric and they had no idea and told me to just clean it out. The hose and regulator come from Harris.

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Could be some excess lube the guy that made up the hose put on the barbed end of the fitting to get it to slide up into hose before crimping the ferrule on. Does it taste soapy? Might just be green dish washing detergent.

It's oily and looks like hair gel not so much soapy. It's weird for sure, and it's only in the hole. I moved the lock nut up and down to see if it was maybe lube in-between the tube and not but I don't see any. I blew out one side and then used a qtip spun tight to get inside all that would fit. Qtip came back greyish and oily I'm thinking maybe the hose has some kind of lubrication on the inside from Factory that's my best guess hopefully it doesn't screw up my welder.

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maybe pour isopropyl alcohol thru and then blow out with an air compressor? I assume the hose isn't too long just going from the bottle to the machine.

I think it's only like 3 feet. I wonder if the isopropyl alcohol would cause any damage to the hose.

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It really isn't aggressive, plus blowing compressed air thru would evaporate any remaining alcohol. Just a suggestion....

Green is corrosion residue from brass/Co2 reaction.
Many regulators made for low cost MIG machines are a grade of brass that is quite reactive with Co2. Same applies to fittings.
That nipple shows obvious sign of having been on a tank, or adapter so who knows what went through it.

Cleaning it will cost more in time than the money of just replacing one that short.

HEY THERE...I seen this green-oily stuff back in 1964-67- I put the 2 dollaers back in my pocket and leave...

Franz[COPYRIGHT SIGN] wrote:Green is corrosion residue from brass/Co2 reaction.
Many regulators made for low cost MIG machines are a grade of brass that is quite reactive with Co2. Same applies to fittings.
That nipple shows obvious sign of having been on a tank, or adapter so who knows what went through it.

I have seen the green you are talking about on old brass but I don't think this is that. This felt like jelly.The hose hasn't gone on any tank at all, I have had this welder for at least 4 years sitting in it's box unused. I looked inside the brass orifice and no green corrosion either.