I attached a Hobart Flow Gauge (Inert Gas) Regulator to a helium tank to test quickly for the recommended 15 lpm flow and for any leaks in my connections. I've closed the gas cylinder valve; however, I'm unsure how to operate the relief valve before removing the regulator for temporary storage. The instructions don't say and I can't find any YouTube videos. Suggestions from any welders familiar with these gauges? Thanks!
If you are talking about the safety relief valve - you don't operate this, it will open automatically if the pressure inside the regulator is too high. To release the remaining gas inside the regulator you must open the low pressure outlet with the flow meter.
Ohhh, I see now. That worked perfectly. I didn't want to risk damaging the regulator. Thank you, MissingIt!
MissingIt, may I ask two more questions? Do you know which tubing is preferable (that is, less gass-permeable)--silicone or vinyl, and does it really matter? I purchased silicone, but when I conducted my regulator test, the 15-17 lpm flow through a 3/16" tube seemed quite gentle. I'd hate to lose even more pressure through a helium-permeable tube. Thanks so much!
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If anything, the bag itself is probably much more permeable than the tubing. I don't think that will make any difference for our use.
You should test how long it takes to fill the bag, it should take around 1 minute for the roughly 20"x25" turkey bags.
Make sure you are looking at LPM and not CFH. If you are in the US, LPM is usually underneath and smaller like KMH on your car. 15 LPM is roughly twice as fast as 15 CFH.
Also, most of these regulators seem to be made either for Argon or Nitrogen, if this is the one you have https://store.cyberweld.com/hobart-flow-gauge-mig-regulator-770198.html it says "Argon" on the gauge. This doesn't mean you can't use it, but it means it will not be as accurate for Helium.
I am *not* an inert gas expert, fightingsioux in this thread: https://sanctioned-suicide.net/threads/inert-gas-cylinder-regulator-general-refresher-summary.30657/ states that "For any gas, a range of 15 - 19 LPM will work for your purpose. If you're using nitrogen with a regulator marker argon/oxygen, just go for a flow in the higher range, 18 - 19." Helium is much less dense than nitrogen or argon. I don't know how that affects a flow meter, but you may want 20 LPM for safety. If the bag fills up in a minute, you should be fine.
Be careful with how much gas you have. You want at least 15-20 minutes of flow. If you have a small tank, multiple tests could reduce the amount into scary territory.
You should test how long it takes to fill the bag, it should take around 1 minute for the roughly 20"x25" turkey bags.
Make sure you are looking at LPM and not CFH. If you are in the US, LPM is usually underneath and smaller like KMH on your car. 15 LPM is roughly twice as fast as 15 CFH.
Also, most of these regulators seem to be made either for Argon or Nitrogen, if this is the one you have https://store.cyberweld.com/hobart-flow-gauge-mig-regulator-770198.html it says "Argon" on the gauge. This doesn't mean you can't use it, but it means it will not be as accurate for Helium.
I am *not* an inert gas expert, fightingsioux in this thread: https://sanctioned-suicide.net/threads/inert-gas-cylinder-regulator-general-refresher-summary.30657/ states that "For any gas, a range of 15 - 19 LPM will work for your purpose. If you're using nitrogen with a regulator marker argon/oxygen, just go for a flow in the higher range, 18 - 19." Helium is much less dense than nitrogen or argon. I don't know how that affects a flow meter, but you may want 20 LPM for safety. If the bag fills up in a minute, you should be fine.
Be careful with how much gas you have. You want at least 15-20 minutes of flow. If you have a small tank, multiple tests could reduce the amount into scary territory.
Thanks so much for the reassurance. I'm definitely looking at LPM and recall fightingsioux recommending the 18-19 LPM range. When the time comes, I'll crank it up higher to initially fill the bag, meticulously follow the instructions above, and reset the flow meter to 20 LPM for the remainder of the process. I was simply surprised the flow didn't feel more forceful. With the bag full and my lungs already purged of oxygen, I'm sure it will be adequate. I had to go quite large on the tank (60 CF/1,700 L) to avoid raising suspicion (I said I was an event planner), so I'll have plenty of gas. I'm confident no further tests are necessary. Thanks again for your sound knowledge and advice, MissingIt. Wishing you peace and clarity on your own journey, always.
Just to be clear - the goal of seeing if the bag inflates in 1 minute is not to fill the bag up fast, it is to test that the flow is high enough displace the remaining O2/CO2 in the bag quickly and keep the bag fully inflated while you are breathing. Changing the flow rate defeats the purpose of that test. You should settle on one flow rate and use that for the whole process.
Ohhh, gosh, I wasn't making that particular connection. I understand now. I'm sure I have enough gas to expend 60+ seconds worth... a final test to see if the turkey bag fully inflates at 20LPM sounds important. If all is well, I should also have enough gas to sustain a 20 LPM flow for the remainder of the process. Thanks AGAIN!
GoodPersonEffed
Brevity is my middle name, but my name was TL
- Jan 11, 2020
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I love that the thread title was so specific. Often people have a question that gets overlooked by those who can accurately address it because the title is vague.
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