I sent my welder off to machine mart for the leaking gas and wire feed to be repaired under garantee. The customer services dude said turnaround about 2 weeks.
9 days later it arrives back ok but they had broken one of the wheels (meant to phone them about that today but never got round to it). Just been out to try it out, works great. Did some great welds. 30 minutes later NEW gas bottle runs out
Before i phone them up and shout at them tomorrow, the small halfords bottles are supposed to last longer than 30 mins arn't they?

i bought a 151te in march last year, and one of machine marts bottles (600 litres? one of the high capacity ones anyway) and i'm still on the original bottle...

Thats the welder iv got and the first small bottle i had lasted 3 or four months but that was just tack welding. Iv now been through 7 bottles in practice because they only last for 30 mins. Iv tried a new regulator.

[Edited on 6-2-08 by speedyxjs]

What pressure is the regulator set at? it just needs to be a gentle hiss, if the pressure is to high it will empty the bottle in no time

Cheers
David

what have you got your gas regulator set at?

if you've got it full on, it's no wonder it's getting through it in half an hour. with the power turned off, press the trigger and open the regulator until you can hear the gas flowing. if you're welding indoors out of drauaghts, you shouldn't need much more.

apologies if you're doing this.
i find bottles last longer than half an hour though on a 150te.
tom

Doesnt have a guage but it is a quiet hiss. i will try turnng it down tomorrow. It is about 15% on

the halfords bottles come in two pressures - lower pressure and high pressure. I went through a lower pressure bottle in a rather short period of time. I now use a larger (waist) high bottle i have from the local gas place.

I have a clarke 90EN and I think I'm onto my third higher capacity disposable CO2 bottle now. Is it CO2 your using the argon/CO2 is meant to be better but it runs out quicker.

Its argon/co2

You might want to try CO2 only especially for practice. It lasts longer, I think it's because it is stored as a liquid.

you're better off getting the hose from machinemart to convert it to full size bottles then get a contract with BOC or equivalent. It works out far cheaper, IIRC I pay around £100 per year and £30 per fill for a half size with argoshield universal, I havent had to refill it yet and I do quite a lot of welding!
Mike