Millermatic Passport question - gas leak

[JCJ]

I bought a millermatic passport welder about 18 months back...I have used it two times (last time was about 12 months ago)...I stored it with the internal gas bottle full of CO2...

The other day I pulled it out of the shed, screwed the gas bottle into the regulator, and all the gas leaked quickly leaked out...not sure if it leaked from the bottle fitting or from the intenrals of the welder...

anyone ever experienced this before? Any suggestions?

[bvweld]

I have not had any problems but I have not had a bottle sit that long before I refilled it. It sounds like it was not tight and it leaked past the flat sealing face before it was seated. You might look at the bottle seal face and make sure it isn't damaged. Only problem I have had is filling to cap. and blowing the repture disc on a hot day. I started filling 2 oz. short of cap. and not had any problems. You might check that if stored in an area that might get hot. It could be your repture disc???

[JCJ]

It was stored in an outdoor shed in texas, so it definitely got very hot in teh summer months...

If it is a ruptured disc, d I need to replace the bottle? the regulator? something else?

[SundownIII]

If it was the burst disk, there wouldn't have been any gas in the bottle when you went to install the cylinder. You've got another problem.

Never had a disk go in a welding cylinder, but I've had a number of them blow on scuba bottles. Had a disk go on a set of double 80's that I'd charged pretty tight for a decompression dive and then set in the sun for awhile. Scared the He__ out of everyone on the boat. Takes a LONG time to drain about 170 cu ft from two scuba bottles.

[Laiky]

my guess is the o-ring. i picked up 2 bottles from Lowes, one worked fine the other kept leaking and shredding o-rings. it miced .010" smaller in diameter on the fitting, causing the o-ring to roll out of its groove when tightening.

[Bert]

SundownIII,
been there...done that
oh, btw jcj, all you do is replace the burst disk.

[jonsam]

How do you fill that little bottle in the passport?

[Hankl]

How do you fill that little bottle in the passport?

Take the bottle to any place that has Paint Ball equipment, it's basically the same cylinder the Paint Ball guys use.

Hank

[bvweld]

How do you fill that little bottle in the passport?

I fill my own using a paintball fill station and digital scales. Depends on your needs.

[JCJ]

SundownIII,
been there...done that
oh, btw jcj, all you do is replace the burst disk.

Thanks for the great info

Can a paintball refilling place typically replace the burst disks?

Any idea of the cost (ballpark)?

[bvweld]

Thanks for the great info

Can a paintball refilling place typically replace the burst disks?

Any idea of the cost (ballpark)?

Are you sure its the repture disc and not the o ring? They unscrew and you can buy new ones at a paint ball supply or online and replace them yourself. I don't remember how much,$5-$7 maybe??? Again mine blew due to temp. Just make sure it's not o rings. Did you here the gas escape when you screwed the bottle on or was the bottle reading empty after installing?

[bvweld]

Thanks for the great info

Can a paintball refilling place typically replace the burst disks?

Any idea of the cost (ballpark)?

If you want to buy online go to www.actionvillage.com and they are $3.99

[SundownIII]

bvweld,

I'd already told JCJ the same thing. He said the gas escaped when he screwed the cylinder in. That told me it was the O-rings and not the burst disk.

$3.95 for a burst disk. Jesh. I can remember the burst disks for scuba were around .30. All it is basically is a little copper disk.