Welding Tips and Tricks

Hi I'm new to the forum but have been following Jody and watching his videos for quiet some time now. His videos has really help me become a better welder. So my question is what type of check vale do I need to mix argon and helium? I've got everything else already. I went to my local welding supply and they called western and I can't find a inert gas check vale. So do I just use a oxygen check vale. I could really use some help on this. Thank you

Welcome, Mr. Holcolmb,

You're overthinking it. A helium bottle with a regulator/flowmeter, and an Argon bottle with a regulator/flowmeter will not interfere with each other (The downstream perssure is 75 psi or less, and cannot "back" into a 2400 psi bottle). All you need is a tee to connect them to the machine input, and the patience to set the flow on each properly.

Be aware, an Argon flowmeter will not read correctly on a Helium bottle... Helium is far less dense. 5 CFH will "barely" lift the ball. 10 CFH is where the ball "just" becomes stable and visibly raised. This makes it hard to set your mix.

Steve S

Thanks for the info I found some check vales they are for oxygen but it worked. Now all I'm waiting on is a helium flow meter. I did try it with an argon flow meter now I know it wasn't accurate but it worked I just wasted some helium. I think aluminum welds way better with helium added the weld bead even comes out glossary or with a brighter shine. Thanks again for your help.

I recently blended some helium as I have a small nasty import welder with only 200 amps - I too thought the weld appeared cleaner - if it was'nt due to cost I think it would be an advantage on any thickness - seemed to just weld better - I made up a fitting with what I had around & used the small hose check valves used to couple hoses to a welding torch ( 1/4" bsp ) as they are non return valves - I realize one gas can't push past the regulator of the other - but if the regulators are set at different pressures I assume the greatest pressure can push the lower gas pressure back up the pipe a bit when not being used so the initial surge on strike up would be a significantly different mix % than the mix when both regulators are flowing to the torch with no back pressure - maybe by using small bore pipe & keeping the runs as short as possible this would'nt be a problem - it maybe I misjudged the mix but I seemed to have more helium than I wanted - makes a very hard to start erratic arc with a very funny color - also the arc seems louder ? - I was using a normal argon flow meter ( ball just quivering at bottom + 10CFH of argon )as I've yet to find anyone that can supply a multi marked or dedicated helium one - I don't think blending is done here much or helium used on it's own anymore - the few places I've been that require a mix buy it that way direct from our robbing bar stewards at BOC so the mix is consistent - they market specific blends for most materials & processes ( if you can afford it ! ) it certainly made more difference than I thought - on a side note if you find small disposable helium tanks sold with balloons they are not pure - but I recently picked up a BOC cylinder I think from memory it's 25 liter 200 bar fill ( though cylinder stamp is for 300 bar fill ) in the regular brown color used to designate helium ( UK ) but it has a label on " balloon gas ( He ) " - I assumed it would not be pure enough to weld with - but it seems fine - welds great - clean - tungsten stays shiny so I think maybe the industry cylinders are all the same & they just label them according to the market they are going to ? unless there's something I'm missing or a test I'd not thought of.

If your looking for a helium regulator miller has one it's not listed in there gases catalog this year. I had my local welding supply order one for me is $80 something U.S dollars.

Is there going to be a video on how to "T" the Argon and Helium together? And show the difference it makes?
I watched the video where it was mentioned that there may be a video on this. Did I miss something?
Ready to watch and learn.

Bomp wrote:Is there going to be a video on how to "T" the Argon and Helium together? And show the difference it makes?
I watched the video where it was mentioned that there may be a video on this. Did I miss something?
Ready to watch and learn.

Here you go

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Gvk8rH05ADU

A guy I follow on Instagram is testing a new gas blend from Praxair for welding aluminum... argon, oxygen, and some proprietary shite lol. We'll see how it goes.

I was looking forward to that video and must have missed it. Thanks for posting it up!
-Jonathan

noddybrian wrote:...but if the regulators are set at different pressures I assume the greatest pressure can push the lower gas pressure back up the pipe a bit when not being used so the initial surge on strike up would be a significantly different mix % than the mix when both regulators are flowing to the torch with no back pressure...

Three seconds of pre-flow resolves this issue.

Steve S

noddybrian wrote:...but if the regulators are set at different pressures I assume the greatest pressure can push the lower gas pressure back up the pipe a bit when not being used so the initial surge on strike up would be a significantly different mix % than the mix when both regulators are flowing to the torch with no back pressure...

One way valves at the Y fitting would prevent this.
Also, checking and adjusting the static no flow pressure of each regulator would also be a good idea.

I have no done this myself, just throwing out ideas.

Edit: changed the T to a Y

The regulator on each bottle IS the one-way valve. Nothing is getting past one regulator from the other, with 2000 psi on the backside.

Three-second preflow is several times what you need to equalize the flow.

It's not rocket surgury...

Otto Nobedder wrote:The regulator on each bottle IS the one-way valve. Nothing is getting past one regulator from the other, with 2000 psi on the backside.

Three-second preflow is several times what you need to equalize the flow.

It's not rocket surgury...

Completely agree - I was only thinking of the "Y" fitting area.

I personally think there's way too much thought going into this with these two gases. I can see worrying about it if you're adding Hydrogen or even Oxygen to your mix. What's the worst thing that can happen, you'll have too much of one or the other for what, 5 seconds. Check valves are not needed and like Steve said the regulator serves as a check in this case as does a flow meter, the ball will bottom out and act as a check valve.

Len

MinnesotaDave wrote:

Bomp wrote:Is there going to be a video on how to "T" the Argon and Helium together? And show the difference it makes?
I watched the video where it was mentioned that there may be a video on this. Did I miss something?
Ready to watch and learn.

Here you go

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Gvk8rH05ADU

Thank you.
Been waiting for it.

Otto Nobedder wrote:The regulator on each bottle IS the one-way valve. Nothing is getting past one regulator from the other, with 2000 psi on the backside.

Three-second preflow is several times what you need to equalize the flow.

It's not rocket surgury...

What is this rocket sugury you speak of?

GreinTime wrote:

Otto Nobedder wrote:The regulator on each bottle IS the one-way valve. Nothing is getting past one regulator from the other, with 2000 psi on the backside.

Three-second preflow is several times what you need to equalize the flow.

It's not rocket surgury...

What is this rocket sugury you speak of?

Old joke... a mixed-metaphor of "It's not rocket science" and "It's not brain surgery".

Probably didn't help that I misspelled "surgery"....

I should have put quotations around "rocket surgery" to let on that I was teasing lol

I thought I was being teased for misspelling "surgery", since you spelled it "sugury"....

Steve S