Thread: Stupid question: Do gas regulators have a use-by date?

I was told 10+ years ago that the monitor 2 regulators are no longer considred safe due to the higher pressures
in todays welding cylinders, wether or not this is just a ploy to sell new gauges I do not know, also I beleive that spare parts are
no longer avaulable, Air liquide is the same deal I am told

The rubber in the diaphragm could perish and leak or burst, or the seat not shut off properly. Neither of these are what I would term super dangerous, but must be respected. When you turn on your cylinder, do so slowly and don't stand in front of the gauges, which is good practice anyway and make sure your regulator is backed right off. Now wind the regulator knob in so as to put a bit of pressure in the line. If you hear gas leaking out, then your diaphragm has ruptured and if your low pressure gauges start heading skywards, then your seat is not sealing properly. I would put new O rings on the cylinder fitting of the regulator before I did anything and make up a bottle of soapy water to check for leaks before I started.
No reason not to give them a go.
You used to get regulators rebuilt, but now most just replace them due to their cost coming down substantially.

May I pipe in here given I am an old school instrument fitter?

All gear should be tested on a regular basis. Home use probably more so. If its old gas gear, dump it or get it tested. Probably cheaper to dump it though as you will struggle to find people to repair it these days.


I used to love repairing old instruments, but you lose money on it. I have done a few jobs at a loss just for the self satisfaction. These days I would not bother.

Originally Posted by Pearo

May I pipe in here given I am an old school instrument fitter?

All gear should be tested on a regular basis. Home use probably more so. If its old gas gear, dump it or get it tested. Probably cheaper to dump it though as you will struggle to find people to repair it these days.


I used to love repairing old instruments, but you lose money on it. I have done a few jobs at a loss just for the self satisfaction. These days I would not bother.

Where do you dump them?

ps. Is there approved dump site for old bottles?

This question came up for me here in Townsville a few years back after helping with an estate disposal. The local council was not interested in accepting oxy sets and latter would accept ordinary gas cylinders only. I imagine it is the same elsewhere.

This post made me tally up how old my own personal regulators are.
My oxy acetylene regs would be 23 yrs old and functionally still as good as the day they were made and one of my Argon flow meters would be at least 19, also going strong.
A regulator is a very simple device and there is sweet all to go wrong. Having said that abuse and misuse will kill anything.
I would never be keen on using 20 year old hoses, but my 20+ year old regs still give good service.

All the advice here is valid and valuable.
Having said that, I'm using my 30 year old oxy set as it has been used very little compared to commercial use.
The diaphagms are metal, by the way, not rubber. They can only deteriorate by corrosion or metal fatigue. So if they have been stored dry (inside) and not used much, they may well be alright. If they fail, they leak and you will hear it immediately. I had an oxy regulator I 'inherited' which 'hissed' and that's how I know the diaphragms are metal because I opened it, soldered the leak up, tested it to satisfy my curiosity and then put it in the scrap.

Regulators don't, but hoses and seals in torches do perish over time.

Originally Posted by Mobyturns

Where do you dump them?

ps. Is there approved dump site for old bottles?

This question came up for me here in Townsville a few years back after helping with an estate disposal. The local council was not interested in accepting oxy sets and latter would accept ordinary gas cylinders only. I imagine it is the same elsewhere.

In Canberra we take them to the local tip, which is also the recycling centre. You can only drop them off if they have the valves completely removed. They are Nazis about this, as there was a titanic explosion not so long ago where their puncture-o-matic found a live one.

In North Sydney, where I lived for 20 years, they took them in a designated area in Artarmons drop-pits back corner.

I don't recall a fee of any kind, but you know governments....$$$

you have several different issues.

bottles.
regulators
hoses
handpieces.

Bottles require retesting every 10 years......chanhes are you don't own the bottles.
Before you give em back, make sure they are still not outstanding on somebodies account.

If the bottles are 20 years old, they will most probably belong to BOC that was CIG, or they may belong to air liquid.

If you want rid of them, take em back to the appropriate gas depot.
They will cheerfully accept them and after testing they will go straight back into service....I know for a fact that there are bottles dating back to the 70's still collecting rent.

Regulators......well.....there are heaps of them out there still working fine after 20 or 30 years with no attention.

Hoses.....yep they perish.....but that depends on how they have been stored and handled.......I have a set of hoses here that would be 30 years old.....they are still fresh and supple and show no signs of perish, cracking or drying out....maybe they should be replaced
That said I have seen hoses that cant have been very old and they look terrible.

Handpieces...they have been mentioned....and they are easily tested.....a few years ago there where people who rebulit handpieces as a service.....probaly not worth it these days.

Tips, nozzles and mixers don't go off.

cheers

Thanks for the replies.

I had another look at the CIG regulators, and it would appear a mud wasp had taken up residence in the threaded sections that connect to the bottles. Dad hadn't covered them up when he turned in his bottles. The L'Air Liquide regulators have plastic caps on them, so they might be alright. Alternatively, I might just purchase a new set.

Another couple of stupid questions:

The handle/mixer, cutting attachments (marked 'Comweld'), and blowpipes are all made from some kind of brass alloy and have discoloured over time. Is it safe to give them a bath and clean them up? If I unscrew the valves, is there just free space inside the handle and cutting attachment? Can the whole lot be submerged or flushed out? These aren't mine, but are identical: http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NzY4WDEwMjQ=/z/GoIAAOSwd4tUKBhG/$_20.JPG

I know about not letting oil/grease/solvents get into oxy equipment.

Not knowing where in Adelaide that you are, take the oxy acetylene gear to WESS (Welding Equipment Sales and Service), they have a branch at Lonsdale and Cormack Rd Wingfield. They service and repair all types of welding gear. Have dealt with them for about 30+ years.
Kryn

Used to rebuild gas regs (medical). They had rubber diaphrams. Once rebuilt had to test em with what was known as a "snap guage". Dunno if there is a more tech name for it, but used one to set the reg pressure once reassembled. Then of course the customary leak test with some stuff in a can (the name eludes me at present). Comes in a pink can and foams ups nicely. Seen it at plumbing joints. Doesnt seem to run off unit under test as quickly as normal soapy water

The powers to be were very strict about not using standard "O" rings, especially on O2. Back to that old chestnut of no oil/grease in presence of 100% O2. From memory Viton or Neoprene were used.

Fact is some of the "O" rings used on regulators are special sizes, that exclude the use of standard "O" rings.

The o rings for example on the nose of the POL fittings on industrial gas regulators are a non standard size.

cheers

Didn't seem to stop some wallys popping down to the local and finding some 'o ring' that would stopth thin from leaking.

Would give them a verbal back hander and tell em not to do it again. Its quite a no no, at least in the medical side of things.

If they were a long way from the shop would give maint guy a few spares to help em get by until my next visit.