Anybody rebuild their own regulators?

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I have a set of torches given to me over 20yrs ago still in the box, Firepower with 250-80-540 and 250-15-510 regulators.  Having been deployed and using torches at the motor pool, I have used torches just not these.  So now I am settled down, got my bottles of Oxy, Acet and figured lets try these out.  Broke them out of the box hooked them up after purging, cleaning etc.  I guess from the sitting in storage and being moved all over the world the heat, humidity finally took it's toll on the diaphragms.  I opened the valve slowly about a 1/4 turn on the oxygen tank to seat the diaphragm and waited and watched, within minutes I had air coming out of my reliefs.I split open the regulator and it was clean inside so I guess with age, time, conditions, the seal blew even after slowly opening the valve.I haven't rebuilt a regulator but seeing what the kit consists of, a seal, gasket and 2 or 3 other parts can it be that hard to do?Maybe I'm just making to much of it but before I waste $27.99 for each kit (I'll just do both at this point) I figured I'd ask.Pugnare Fornicare Au Mort
Reply:I would advise against it. One seemingly trivial mistake can get you blown up. There are lots of certified repairers around who work relatively inexpensively. I would leave it to them. The hard part is making sure you don't get any contaminants inside the regulator that could start a fire under pressure. I have heard tell that oil from a fingerprint or dust in the air settling in the regulator could be enough to cause a problem. Not sure how much truth is in those old ""wives tales" but when I needed my rebuilt I didn't chance it. I sent them back to ESAB and believe it or not they rebuilt them for free even though they were no longer under warranty.Miller Multimatic 255
Reply:Harbour frieght has oxygen regulators for 30 bucks.
Reply:My LWS rebuilt mine for $50 with warranty so to me it is not worth the savings vs the risk.Timmetalcraft by mooseSoutheast Michiganhttps://www.facebook.com/Metalcraftbymoose  Stupid Hurts!!
Reply:I've rebuilt any number of regs in the past and I'm specially trained in O2 service. Having said that, I'd still send out my gear to have it rebuilt. It's honestly not worth my time to dig out all the specialized tools and equipment to do just one or two regs.HP oxygen is VERY dangerous. Everything burns in the presence of 100% O2. You don't even need an ignition source if conditions are right as simply HP O2 hitting a closed valve will increase temps enough briefly to ignite many common contaminants like oils or lint. Blowing out an O2 reg with shop air is a very good way to introduce small amounts of oil into an other wise clean regulator, either from the compressor or from an attached oiler or line contaminants.You might want to look at the aftermath of what happens when something using HP O2 goes bad.http://weldingweb.com/vbb/showthread.php?20597-It-went-Boom!Pressure was only about 1300psi or so when it happened a,d quite a bit of HP rated 316 ss tubing and fittings vaporized instantly when things went bad. I've seen the results of what a similar incident did to the top of a cylinder. In that incident one person was killed and several others seriously injured in the blast.You might also find this thread on the subject of oil and O2 of interest.http://weldingweb.com/vbb/showthread.php...oxygen-and-oil.No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:disregard the Esab marketing, but this is a good example of how regulator fires can happen  Miller Multimatic 255
Reply:Here's another that is pretty old about medical oxygen cylinders/regulators catching fire in an EMS setting.Miller Multimatic 255
Reply:Roger, got it loud and clear and thanks guys, I'll be talking to my local gas shop tomorrow and seeing about a price for the rebuild/maintenance kitThanks allPugnare Fornicare Au Mort
Reply:By the way I have those Esab regulators and they are fantastic...lifetime guarantee.Miller Multimatic 255
Reply:Thanks for all the information of the regulators.  Glad you were not hurt worse than you were.
Reply:Sorry! Don't want to highjack this thread. I have an O/A steup. Bought it about 20 years ago. Still have most of the gas in the cylinders. The hoses need to be replaced-but are the regulators and gas still usable? The company I bought them from has been bought out by one of the big name companies. Are they still obligated to fill my bottles?
Reply:Gas is still useable, assuming there is still gas in the cylinders. Regs it's hard to say. It's possible they are still good. It's also possible that the rubber diaphragms have deteriorated or the seats have taken a set if the T handles have been turned in all this time. See if they still hold pressure. If not, or if you hear leaks, They will need to be rebuilt.As far as the cylinders, if they are smaller owner cylinders, you should be ok. If they are larger cylinders, hard to say. Each company has it's own policies for dealing with cylinders. Some are pretty easy going and if you have one to exchange no problem. Others are a PITA to deal with, even if you deal with them regularly..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:This is just follow-up info for others to learn from, from here on outI called my local Airgas and told them my situation, they said they send out regulators for repair, the guy wont be back for another 2 weeks through these parts.  I said I needed  it sooner could I contact the repairman myself, he gave me his home number.  I got a hold of Jerry, great guy, he said C'mon overI spent about an hour with him picking his brain and listening to his stories, I always love that part.  He's been at it for over 40 yrs and is even called by the local vocational schools to come in and teach when they are in a bind.  Apparently there was an accident around here a couple yrs back where a tank blew up and killed an HVAC specialist, he was called in by OSHA to help sort things out.  Great learning and great time spent with him.  He said he should have my unit all set and ready to go by tomorrow.BTW, seeing the seriousness of this whole thing, I took him everything I had and asked him to go through it all.  Well just opening one of the regulators we found a mud-daubers nest.Hmmmmm.....I'm glad nothing else besides a blown seal happened and I'm glad I took over all my equipment to be looked at.Thank you Weldingweb.com...that means all you guys Pugnare Fornicare Au Mort
Reply:Great outcome!Sometimes its just good practice to call in the professionals.Be wary of The Numbers: Figures don't lie,. but liars can figure.Welders:2008 Lincoln 140 GMAW&FCAW2012 HF 165 'toy' GTAW&SMAW1970's Cobbled together O/A
Reply:Like to know what that rebuild cost. I know a lot of people down play Harbor Freight but their 30 buck oxy regulators work just fine. Those rebuild guys are retiring. There is 2-4 week waits in some areas for rebuilds and we all don't have a local rebuilder to spend a morning with.What did I learn? I learned you are one of the lucky guys that still have a practicing rebuilder in your area. That's it.Last edited by Bosco99; 02-09-2015 at 01:53 PM.
Reply:alrighty back from the regulator Master, $48.50 each for the rebuild and got 2 flash arrestors for another $20 each.This was definitely the way to gonow off to gettin stuff donePugnare Fornicare Au Mort
Reply:Glad it turned out well for you. ~$100 for peace of mind? Priceless if you ask me. And the time spent with the gentleman was probably priceless too!Miller Multimatic 255