what are you using it for...
Hello elliot, typically I would say that a flowmeter is a bit more accurate than a simple regulator. A flowmeter uses a regulator that is generally set to a specific delivery pressure, then it has a valve that allows adjustment of the amount of flow that will be read on the ball and tube assembly. Various flowmeters will have different scales on them for the different gases, the scales will vary for the different gases as they have different densities and allow the amount of lift on the ball to go to different levels due to these differences. Thus the flowmeter can be used for more applications when compared to the standard gas regulator. The standard regulator has an orifice that is sized according to the type of gas that it is used for and will not be nearly as accurate when used with gases other than the one specified on the regulator. I hope this somewhat answers your question. If you are going to use the regulator for argon only then a standard one will be less expensive and do the job appropriately. If you plan on using the regulator/flowmeter for argon, 75/25, CO2, or a bunch of different gases, then it may be a better choice. Just my $.02 Good luck and regards, Allan
I agree with Allen that the flowmeter is a more acurate measure of what is actually coming out the gun. I have a regulator/flowgauge type on My spoolgun, and wonder if the 50+' of hose changes the acuracy. I have a bunch of the old Airco "9400" series flowmeter/regulators, one will end up replacing the one on the spoolgun sometime...
I have a related question:
A weld shop I once worked at installed this brass gas line fitting...what they called a "restricted gas orifice". This device was installed in the wire feeders gas line and eliminated the gas flow meters totally. (FCAW Process). The idea was that at the required supply XX psi of CO2 gas, the restricted orifice would produce a standard flow rate of say 40 CFH. This device obviously eminated breakage of the flow gages, and eliminated the welders changing and adjusting the gas flow rates. Does anyone else use such a product?
First the oxygen cylinder valves threaded fitting is different from argon or argon/co2. This requires changing the regulators valve connection stem to be replaced.
A pressure regulating device must be used to decrease the high pressure cylinder's high pressure shielding gas to a working pressure. Once that is achieved the shielding gas must have a regulated flow rate. There are two common devices for regulating shielding gas flow rates, one the regulator flowmeter the second is the regulator flowgauge. The flowmeter has the tube, the flowgauge has a second gauge which is calibrated to deliver a specific adjustable flow rate.
The high pressure regulator like that used with oxygen/acetylene regulates pressure and is adjustable. Now how does the pressure regulator's working pressure translate into flow rate? One could start with minimum pressure and increase until sufficient shielding was attained.
For durability there are regulator flow devices that do not have gauges or flow tubes. They have a flow indicator.
A bit more; the inlet fitting for inert is a CGA 580 and the oxygen is CGA 540. Smiths makes that Fixed Flow Adaptor and requires a regulator to reduce the cylinder pressure to 30 psi.
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