convert regulator or just purchase new one

[mikecwik]

http://www.google.com/products/catal...609725689361#p

this is what i think i need to do the conversion?

am i better off just buying a 50 dollar co2 regulator or converting one of these two styles that i already have. i have two of the first type in use but the one in the next photo is not in use. is there much of a difference between them other than the connection to the bottle?

most things i try end in some sort of humorous conclusion so help me out in avoiding that.....

[mikecwik]

hand tight nut? im guessing that item is not what i need to do this. i was wondering what that washer was for...see what i said about the humorous conclusion....

[Dmaxer1]

I can't read the brand or model of your flowmeter from the first pic. All I can say is that I have a Victor V-0158A that looks similar and is rated for Ar/CO2/ He with appropriate metering on the tube. The markings on its tube for Ar and CO2 are similar because their densities are pretty close (Ar 1.38 & CO2 1.52). What that means is that up to about 30 cfh, the two gases' scales on the tube are almost identically aligned. The only question I have is whether your flowmeter would freeze due to CO2's tendency to ice-up harware upon decompression. You might contact the flowmeter's manufacturer and ask about its use with CO2.

[mikecwik]

its a generico 55-195ar-60

i really cant find much in the way of information on them.

i was concerned about it freezing also. on closer inspection my regulator has two different scales on it as well so it has to be made for just co2 as well as co2 argon blends.

my local weld shop doesn't carry the adapter needed. i will look a bit more locally for one so i don't order the wrong thing in the mail and if i cant find it ill just get a cheap co2 regulator. im not sure i see the purpose in an expensive regulator anyway.

i figured a co2 regulator was designed somehow to not or at least resist icing up. i don't know how that would be done but since they make regulators for different gasses there must be something different going on other than the flow rates.

thanks for your time Scott.

[Roger]

Some CO2 regulators have heat exchanging fins others have heater built into pipe between regulator and CGA gas swivel nut fitting to prevent freezing regulator. Higher CO2 cylinder pressure on hot days contribute to regulator freezing.