Tig welding tips, questions, equipment, applications, instructions, techniques, tig welding machines, troubleshooting tig welding process
- LtBadd
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i use windex cut by half with water in a fine spray.
seems to work good, makes large bubbles if it leaking.
easy to spot.
craig
seems to work good, makes large bubbles if it leaking.
easy to spot.
craig
htp invertig 221
syncrowave 250
miller 140 mig
hypertherm plasma
morse 14 metal devil
syncrowave 250
miller 140 mig
hypertherm plasma
morse 14 metal devil
- Superiorwelding
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Joined:Thu Jan 24, 2013 10:13 pm
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Location:Eddy, TX
lucky,
What part of the torch are you wanting to test? Here is a short vid I did a while back when I discovered a leak in my torch head. For the cable I agree with soap and water or other substance that would bubble. The first thing you should do is open the valve on the bottle to pressurize the hose and shut the valve back off. If there is a leak your needles will drop off.
http://youtu.be/56wkDbqZvFk
-Jonathan
What part of the torch are you wanting to test? Here is a short vid I did a while back when I discovered a leak in my torch head. For the cable I agree with soap and water or other substance that would bubble. The first thing you should do is open the valve on the bottle to pressurize the hose and shut the valve back off. If there is a leak your needles will drop off.
http://youtu.be/56wkDbqZvFk
-Jonathan
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Twitter- @_JonathanLewis
https://www.learntotig.com
https://www.superiorweldandfab.com
https://www.youtube.com/+SuperiorWeldin ... ATHANLEWIS
- Otto Nobedder
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Joined:Thu Jan 06, 2011 11:40 pm
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A gas leak in the line will PULL IN air, not release it, in normal operation.
You need to block the flow at the torch. Pull out the tungsten, and put your thumb over the cup to build positive pressure. THEN snoop the line with soapy water.
Steve S
You need to block the flow at the torch. Pull out the tungsten, and put your thumb over the cup to build positive pressure. THEN snoop the line with soapy water.
Steve S
- TRACKRANGER
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Joined:Wed Aug 06, 2014 12:48 am
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Location:Melbourne, Australia
Remember too that the leak might also be 'inside' the machine, possibly at the solenoid shut-off valve, or where the torch lead connects to the machine.
EWM Phonenix 355 Pulse MIG set mainly for Aluminum, CIGWeld 300Amp AC/DC TIG, TRANSMIG S3C 300 Amp MIG, etc, etc
- Braehill
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Joined:Sat Jul 06, 2013 11:16 am
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Location:Near Pittsburgh,Pennsylvania. Steel Buckle of the Rust Belt
I strip the torch head and screw in a short back cap into the front and the back to seal it off, then you can do all the tests that the others have mentioned.
Len
Len
Now go melt something.
Instagram @lenny_gforce
Len
Instagram @lenny_gforce
Len
Good idea Len!
Never thought about it before but the thread are same in both ends.
I've always used the thumb, no more
Never thought about it before but the thread are same in both ends.
I've always used the thumb, no more
Pictures from my scrap collection:
http://forum.weldingtipsandtricks.com/v ... f=9&t=5677
http://forum.weldingtipsandtricks.com/v ... f=9&t=5677
- LtBadd
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I know what you mean, however I've have success using the method I posted in this thread.Otto Nobedder wrote:A gas leak in the line will PULL IN air, not release it, in normal operation.
You need to block the flow at the torch. Pull out the tungsten, and put your thumb over the cup to build positive pressure. THEN snoop the line with soapy water.
Steve S
Perhaps the pulling of air in is caused by a venturi effect? Maybe when the air outside the hose is replaced with water this would cause the gas pressure inside to now bubble out.
Richard
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Website
- Otto Nobedder
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Location:Near New Orleans
No. The factor at play is the difference between static pressure and dynamic pressure. In a good torch with the head flowing correctly, there's no positive static pressure in the line. The flow alone reduces dynamic pressure, such that leaks in the line will draw air in.LtBadd wrote:I know what you mean, however I've have success using the method I posted in this thread.Otto Nobedder wrote:A gas leak in the line will PULL IN air, not release it, in normal operation.
You need to block the flow at the torch. Pull out the tungsten, and put your thumb over the cup to build positive pressure. THEN snoop the line with soapy water.
Steve S
Perhaps the pulling of air in is caused by a venturi effect? Maybe when the air outside the hose is replaced with water this would cause the gas pressure inside to now bubble out.
It's not the Venturi principle at work, though I suppose that has to be a part of it. It's tied up in Bernoulli's work as well as Reynolds'.
I don't fully understand it, but I've seen it in action often enough to accept it.
Steve S
Run a bead to get it warm, not too hot, push tungsten in, stretch a balloon over the cup, (a condom would work as well!!), step on the pedal once or twice to inflate the balloon/whatever. If it deflates quickly, yes, you have a major leak, and you can gauge just how bad it is. You can dip the torch in water as the pressure keeps water out, and, being quite warm it will dry out pretty fast.
I have a Thermal Arc Arcmaster 185, when it was new, it would hold pressure for more than a month, at least up to the valve internally. It now bleeds off a week or so, other things besides the hose can leak.
I havent actually done this, mine doesnt leak, just an idea.
-c-
I have a Thermal Arc Arcmaster 185, when it was new, it would hold pressure for more than a month, at least up to the valve internally. It now bleeds off a week or so, other things besides the hose can leak.
I havent actually done this, mine doesnt leak, just an idea.
-c-
Look! a hole in the space-time continuum!
- R0gueSp3ctre18
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Joined:Fri Jun 12, 2015 2:34 pm
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Location:Roanoke Virginia
Neat trick. I have to remember that one. Thanks Len!Braehill wrote:I strip the torch head and screw in a short back cap into the front and the back to seal it off, then you can do all the tests that the others have mentioned.
Len
ryan.k.mcdaniel
- ryan.k.mcdaniel
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Joined:Wed Feb 22, 2017 3:31 pm
My valve isn't shutting off the flow all the way and allowing Argon to pass through the gas lense when I don't want it to. How do I fix this?
- Otto Nobedder
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If you unscrew and remove the valve stem, you' should see a plastic "washer" in the end of it. This may be cracked, or even missing (unlikely, if it's never been removed before) or loose in the hole where the valve was.ryan.k.mcdaniel wrote:My valve isn't shutting off the flow all the way and allowing Argon to pass through the gas lense when I don't want it to. How do I fix this?
Steve S
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