Gas Hose Connections

[seattlejoe]

Hello Everyone, Ive got a question about the proper way to have the gas line on the back of my Extreme 8VS feeder . I bought it used and until now have just used it with flux core wire. so i never gave much thought to the 12" piece of hose that the previous owner had installed on it. It looks to be very cheep rubber hose but what I'm concerned with is the use of air compressor type fittings on the end of this pig tail hose. Is this acceptable or common practice?

Thanks for your guys time ,and thanks for the forum . They are appreciated

[johnnyg340]

There really isn't enough pressure to worry about... The quick connects are common accessories for the suitcase feeders.

What I don't understand is the use of the 'pigtail'. The quick connects usually fit right into the fitting on the back of the machine (inert gas 5/8" male with a 1/4" male quick connect nipple on the other side).

[seattlejoe]

Yeah the Hose looks to have taken a lot of damage most likely just from the nature of hanging out and getting in the way. so ill take it off and just go with a male Quick disconnect fitting right onto the 5/8" brass that is on there.

Thanks for the help .

[dave powelson]

compressed air q-d fittings for inert gas

Yeah the Hose looks to have taken a lot of damage most likely just from the nature of hanging out and getting in the way. so ill take it off and just go with a male Quick disconnect fitting right onto the 5/8" brass that is on there.

Thanks for the help .

Been there, dun that--going on the cheap with air disconnects....only to find
them leaking--later and sooner. The real deal inert gas disconnects are worth
their price in many ways.
Of course, if one never soaps and leak checks their ALL of the gas fittings--from bottle on,
then......they never have any leaks. Out of sight, out of mind.

[Country Metals]

I use brass quick connects for argon line and steel for air lines. This keeps people from using argon as air and vise versa.

[Can You Weld This For Me?]

Western QDB-33

[Portable Welder]

I own 4 suitecase feeders and totally agree with Dave Powelson, the reason for the whip is so you dont break the fitting in the back of the feeder as your pushing the fitting on, we use ours out on job sites so we are constantly hooking and un hooking the feeders.

A leaky air line fitting will drain a bottle of argon or mixed gas before you know it at $ 40.00 plus dollars a bottle, I use the western fitttings.

[Country Metals]

A leak can come from anywhere. When I am on a job, I always connect up the gas line, turn it on to pressurize the system then shut it off. This will tell me if I have a leak anywhere in the system from the reg to the welder solenoid. I had a major leak from the threaded connection on the regulator and I have only had 1 fitting go bad. I also keep 2 gas hoses on the truck anyways.

[seattlejoe]

Very good point on the use of the pigtail. understood and i think ill actually be switching back to the pigtail when i get the time. Even though it doesn't get the treatment that it would see on the job site, I don't see it hurting to give the solenoid some protection. And I've got a bottle of soapy water i spray everything down with every new bottle inert or otherwise. it only took one time buying a bottle on Saturday so id have it on Sunday. only to discover i had a leak and ran out of gas sometime Saturday evening. Son of a biscuit eater! i was pissed.

[ryanjones2150]

Yup. Soap it down, every time, no exceptions...except that one time...which was the time I had a leak and lost my entire bottle of argon. Son of a bisquit eater isn't exactly what I said though...