Years ago, I purchased a nitrogen tank (40 cubic feet according to the receipt), a regulator and a flow meter for the regulator. I knew one day I would decline and possibly no longer be willing to endure the pain. Last week, I had to get something from the closet and saw the tank sitting in its box. It flashed through my mind that maybe a nitrogen tank doesn't hold the gas for years -- maybe the gas leaks out a tiny bit at a time day by day? If the moment arrives where I need to use it, maybe by then the tank will not have enough gas left?
I tried to research it. The information was extremely confusing. Most of the answers were relating to how long the tank itself lasts rather than how long it holds its contents. In fact, I only found one little comment claiming that gas slowly leaks day by day and after 3-5 months, an unused tank should no longer be considered full. I have no idea if that person knows what he is talking about.
It seemed obvious that I should hook up the regulator and find out how much gas is still in my tank. I hauled out the tank, connected the regulator, and then suddenly realized I have no idea how to read it. Years ago, when first researching the inert gas method, the instructions made the tank operation sound so easy, and somehow I never realized I have absolutely no idea how to use this regulator. Its tiny instruction manual hasn't helped in the slightest.
I tried researching how to determine the amount of gas in a tank, but all of the answers were explaining how to calculate the amount a tank can potentially hold, with no discussion of how to determine the current amount in the tank. Isn't there a way to make this determination? It seems like it would come up all the time with those who use tanks in their professions, just like it comes up all the time needing to know how much gas is currently in the tank of your car.
I realized not only do I not know how to figure out the amount of gas currently in the tank, I don't know how to set all these various knobs so that the flow rate is 15 liters per minute.
I spent hours and hours researching, watching welding videos, and instead of things becoming increasingly clear, I have made no progress and am now exhausted. I am stunned at how difficult it is for me to understand this tank and regulator.
The regulator has two gauges:
one reads 0-400 psi
the second reads 0-4000 psi
The flow meter is a cylinder with a floating ball that rises and falls according to the gas flow. It reads 0-80. (It doesn't specify what it measures, but i suspect it is liters per minute.)
I turned the "T-style" handle to turn on the gas. Once I had turned it a little, the gas began flowing. I could turn the handle a lot more than that but doing so didn't seem to increase the flow.
The little ball in the flow meter shot all the way up to 80. It has a knob and I found that by turning it, I could decrease/increase the flow. I turned it until the ball in the meter was at (roughly) 15.
So, according to this meter, it looks like the gas was flowing at 15 liters per minute. But how about the two gauges on the regulator? The gauge that ranges from 0-4000psi was reading 500psi. All the research I had done left me thinking it should be at 2200-2400psi if the tank is full. I have no idea what the other gauge is supposed to read (0-400psi).
And this is all I have been able to figure out so far. I am stuck here and exhausted. I am hoping someone can help me!
Here are my questions:
1. Is there a way to measure how much gas is left in this tank? I am terrified it will run out of gas in a few minutes and then I will be alive but with brain damage.
2. What should the two gauges be reading if I have everything set up properly (ranges of the two gauges: 0-400psi and 0-4000psi).
3. As long as the flow meter reads 15 liters per minute and there is enough gas in the tank to last 20-40 minutes, is everything ok with my tank setup or is there something else I need to worry about?
4. It is difficult to be precise with this flow meter. Turning its knob very slightly increases the flow by 2-4 liters rather than just 1. Exactly hitting 15 liters seems almost impossible. It will probably be closer to 17-19. I know insufficient flow will fail to flush out the co2, but how about if the flow is greater than 15 liters per minute?
Thank you for taking the time to read my long message. I hope you will be able to help me.
I tried to research it. The information was extremely confusing. Most of the answers were relating to how long the tank itself lasts rather than how long it holds its contents. In fact, I only found one little comment claiming that gas slowly leaks day by day and after 3-5 months, an unused tank should no longer be considered full. I have no idea if that person knows what he is talking about.
It seemed obvious that I should hook up the regulator and find out how much gas is still in my tank. I hauled out the tank, connected the regulator, and then suddenly realized I have no idea how to read it. Years ago, when first researching the inert gas method, the instructions made the tank operation sound so easy, and somehow I never realized I have absolutely no idea how to use this regulator. Its tiny instruction manual hasn't helped in the slightest.
I tried researching how to determine the amount of gas in a tank, but all of the answers were explaining how to calculate the amount a tank can potentially hold, with no discussion of how to determine the current amount in the tank. Isn't there a way to make this determination? It seems like it would come up all the time with those who use tanks in their professions, just like it comes up all the time needing to know how much gas is currently in the tank of your car.
I realized not only do I not know how to figure out the amount of gas currently in the tank, I don't know how to set all these various knobs so that the flow rate is 15 liters per minute.
I spent hours and hours researching, watching welding videos, and instead of things becoming increasingly clear, I have made no progress and am now exhausted. I am stunned at how difficult it is for me to understand this tank and regulator.
The regulator has two gauges:
one reads 0-400 psi
the second reads 0-4000 psi
The flow meter is a cylinder with a floating ball that rises and falls according to the gas flow. It reads 0-80. (It doesn't specify what it measures, but i suspect it is liters per minute.)
I turned the "T-style" handle to turn on the gas. Once I had turned it a little, the gas began flowing. I could turn the handle a lot more than that but doing so didn't seem to increase the flow.
The little ball in the flow meter shot all the way up to 80. It has a knob and I found that by turning it, I could decrease/increase the flow. I turned it until the ball in the meter was at (roughly) 15.
So, according to this meter, it looks like the gas was flowing at 15 liters per minute. But how about the two gauges on the regulator? The gauge that ranges from 0-4000psi was reading 500psi. All the research I had done left me thinking it should be at 2200-2400psi if the tank is full. I have no idea what the other gauge is supposed to read (0-400psi).
And this is all I have been able to figure out so far. I am stuck here and exhausted. I am hoping someone can help me!
Here are my questions:
1. Is there a way to measure how much gas is left in this tank? I am terrified it will run out of gas in a few minutes and then I will be alive but with brain damage.
2. What should the two gauges be reading if I have everything set up properly (ranges of the two gauges: 0-400psi and 0-4000psi).
3. As long as the flow meter reads 15 liters per minute and there is enough gas in the tank to last 20-40 minutes, is everything ok with my tank setup or is there something else I need to worry about?
4. It is difficult to be precise with this flow meter. Turning its knob very slightly increases the flow by 2-4 liters rather than just 1. Exactly hitting 15 liters seems almost impossible. It will probably be closer to 17-19. I know insufficient flow will fail to flush out the co2, but how about if the flow is greater than 15 liters per minute?
Thank you for taking the time to read my long message. I hope you will be able to help me.
