Regulator problem?

[gator]

I just hooked up my new 175 mig setup. I opened the bottle, turned up the regulator to 20 and squeezed the trigger with volts and wire feed set all the way down. The tank was just obtained and full. The other gauge shows plenty of pressure (plenty of gas in tank).

The gauge vibrates, fluctuates, flutters and makes strange sounds that i've never heard from my oxy or ace regulators in my gas setup. I though it might clear after the lines purged but it didn't. The needle bounces around +/- 4 or 5 about the setting of 20.

Is the regulator bad or is there some other issue? I do hear gas at the wand end.

Gator

[Mike W]

Do you have a flow guage with two guages on it? It won't read correctly unless gas is flowing. Try cracking open the output fitting and see what the guage reads.

[orgalmeister]

Does the sound coming out of the torch flutter in time with the gauge? If so I'd say there is a problem. Mt acet. did this at low pressures and made this type of groaning sound. Are you opening the bottle all the way? Hope some of this helps.

Steve

P.S. Welcome to the board. Lots of experience here. Use it! I sure do.

[gator]

The bottle was all the way open. With the trigger pulled so gas will flow, the gauge rattles around and the regualtor makes a metalic tinkling noise. I was trying to purge the lines. This is first time setup. I'm familiar with regulators from my oxy/acet setup. I used to have a regulator that moaned too, at certain settings. This is quite different.

There are two gauges, one to read tank pressure and the other to read regulated pressure. It is the regulated pressure gauge that is bouncing. The regulator assembly make at metalic noise. The gauge settles down when gas is not flowing. Either the regulator is bad or there is junk in the lines.

[hankj]

Sounds like a bad regulator. There is a limiting orfice in the outlet fitting, so there is no danger of explosive expuslion of gas. Try what Mike suggested - turn off your bottle, disconnect the supply hose, and crack it open and see if the same thing happens. If it does, back to the store!

Hank

[gator]

yep, the regulator is defective. I tried as you suggested and disconnected the system from the regualtor. The gauge still bounces around. I guess it needs warranty swap. Does this go back to the vendor for service or to Miller? I'm not clear on how to exchange this part under warranty. I hope the rest is good to go.

[migmaniac70]

I had a simular problem Dealer swaped it out on the spot.

[sparx]

not the first one

I have sold a few of these machines that came with a bad flowgauge. I think that they must have had a bad batch or lot from their supplier. take it back to your dealer and he/she should replace it at that time.

[Miller Kevin]

gator,

If you have not already done so take it back to your distributor to be replaced. If I can be of any assistance with this issue please let me know.

Kevin
[email protected]
(920)735-4505

[bigwelder]

I Had A Similiar Problem With My Regulator Bouncing Up And Down But It Quit When I Turned Up The Pressure To Compensate For The Bounce And I Had No Problems What So Ever

[gator]

bigwelder, I don't think it's a good idea to work around a defective regulator by turning it higher. The gas is expensive and defective tools should be replaced.

The vendor directed me to Miller concerning the regulator. I am not happy with how this is progressing.

[Miller Kevin]

Gator,

Just give me a call and we'll get this taken care of.

Kevin
(920)735-4505 (press 3 to get to the operator and ask for ext-4898)

[Mike W]

What brand is the regulator? You could always buy a second one while you are waiting for the bad one to be replaced. That way you would have a spare, not that you would need one.

[gator]

I've come back to tell folks who followed or replied to this topic what the outcome was. Perhaps this will help someone else with regulator issues.

First, I want to thank Kevin Schuh from Miller for all of his help resolving my problem. I was having troubles with a mail order supplier who fell quite short on the support end. All future gear will be bought from local Miller suppliers whose doorstep is nearby.

It turns out that the first bottle of shielding gas I bought from the vendor in town has some sort of contamination, water or something in it that disrupted the regulator operation. A second and third regualtor that Kevin exchanged for us exhibited the same problems. I brought the third regulator, which Kevin personally checked himself before shipping, to a local shop who was not involved in any of the transactions. The regulator worked wonderfully. It did not work with previous bottle of gas.

I installed a new bottle of gas today and the regulator is operating nicely and smoothly. kevin and Miller provided wonderful support and I am very please with the outcome.

[hankj]

Gator,

Thanks for sharing that. A lot of times, when the fat lady sings, we don't get to hear the song!

Hank