Argon bottle pressure...

[blazehaze69]

I know this is temperature dependent, but what can I expect the pressure range to be for a full 250 cuft bottle of Argon? Thanks.

[Burnt hands]

Argon pressure

Hi blazehaze69,

I use 336 cu ft tank and a full tank is about 2500 psi.
I stop tig welding when it gets to about 100 psi just to be safe for my welds and also to make sure I bring back the tank with positive pressure to prevent possible contamination for the next fill cycle.

My Concoa (Airco) regulator is a 9400 two stage regulator- flowmeter which helps me use the last of my argon reliably.

The most difficult part for me is swapping tanks as bigger may be better for cost as I pay $35 for 336 cu ft of argon. But the tank weighs about 135 lbs so I spend my savings on aspirin and sports rub after I am done as I have to lift into and out of my car trunk. Oh to have a friend with a pickup truck.

[blazehaze69]

If you're paying 35 bucks for a 336cuft cylinder of Argon, that's a steal!
My 250 cuft cylinder had 1800psi in it. I thought that was a bit low.

[tnjind]

I gottya beat by $1, 34.00 here.

[engnerdan]

**** you guys have it made, up hear in Minnesota (twin cities) the cheapest place I could find for my "T" cylinder (300+cu ft) was ~$75, I lucky got my closest LWS to match that price or it would be costing me $93+tax. I don't know how you get it for so cheap.

I would say at 1800 PSI double check the pressure with another reg (if you have one) to make sure you did not have a gauge go bad, mine did and was 500PSI lower then the actual pressure on my mig welder. And if it is truely low take the cylinder back, that would be somewhere around half the volume of gas less then you should have (the volume pressure relationship is not linear if I remember correctly).

-Dan

[shorerider16]

The size of the cylinder effects the volume or amount of gas in it. The pressure that the cylinder is filled to shouldn't vary a whole lot betweens sizes. 2000-2200 is typical of regular cylinders. There are some high pressure cylinders, mainly in industrial apps, that are fill above 3500psi or more.

[Dmaxer]

In my experience Ar cylinders have a nominal fill capacity of 2250 psi, but the (248 cu.ft. tagged) "K" sized ones I buy are usually filled to 2450 0r 2500 psi., which is good. I'd buy larger, but IMHO it would take two to unload and install the bigger boys without risking back injury.

[sailor]

I got you all beat, going the wrong way. $130, 200 cf 2000 psi

[sailor]

I got you beat but going the wrong way.$130.00 200c.f. 2000lb psi

[tnjind]

I don't think my LWS would deliver to you in Guam.

[blazehaze69]

AirGas charged me 83 bucks for that 1800psi worth of Ar...what a ripoff! There's another place to go that's less exensive.

[Burnt hands]

Got my argon today for $32

Just came back from my welding distributor in NJ and got my 336 cu ft cylinder swapped out for $32. I should mention that I bought it about 33 years ago from them as I was not a frequent user so I was paying a lot for rental (demmurage) after 1 month. Sometimes it would be a year before I needed a new cylinder. So I asked if they would sell me one.
I am glad I did as they do not sell cylinders today. I just exchange my argon cylinder when it is empty and they take care of doing the hydro testing and re-certification.

Perhaps this is why I am paying a bit less than others. My LWS is Superior Welding in Pennsauken, NJ - 856-665-5300. Superior will also fill a customer owned cylinder if you have the paperwork. This is a bit of extra work since you, as the owner, will need to pay for hydrostatic testing of your cylinder periodically.

This company sells welding cylinders: http://www.kaplanindustries.com/

[StillBoostin]

What should a 80 Cu/Ft cylinder be filled too. I'm screwed with my LWS. Robert's Oxygen FTL. $40 to fill an Ar I believe to 1800 Cu/Ft on an exchange. I can't own anything larger then a 80 Cu/Ft either. I want bigger and cheaper exchange pricing.

James

[Arcangel]

Airgas (Gaspro in Hawaii) charges $188 just to fill a 125 cu ft tank. You guys on the mainland are really lucky.

[myistar]

When I get it filled up at the LWS, they fill it up with other cylinders that are full at 2200-2500 psi, into my tank, and they "equalize" around 1800psi, and that's what I get on my Regulator gauge when I get it back at the house, however if I drop off my tank and exchange it for another one that has been filled up, then I get 2200 psi, or 2500 psi. last time I got my tank I exchanged it and got one with 2500 psi.