argon/co2 tank help?

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i'm not sure how much psi my tank should be putting out before i should get it re-filled?Edit: and can anyone tell me what size tank this is? are they measured in gallons? and how much do you think it would cost to get it re-filled argon/co2 72/25, sorry for my lack of knowledge Last edited by tbenks; 02-13-2010 at 03:08 PM.
Reply:That looks to be a 40 cuft tank and as far as price to refill, I would call around.  There alway seems to be a broad price range in getting a tank filled, usually smaller tank are more expensive to fill than larger tank per the amount of gas you get, so shop around.  You can use a tank until it is completely empty but just make sure that it doesn't happen on a weekend in the middle of a project or get a second tank as backup.
Reply:Hello tbenks, off-hand I can't tell you the exact size of your cylinder, yet it is measured in Cubic Feet. Pressures when these tanks are newly filled will vary from approx. 2200 up to possibly 2700 or so, this generally varies as they are filled by their CF capacity and not pressure, additionally, the ambient temperature will decide whether they might read a higher pressure or a lower one. Summertime pressures are likely somewhat higher, wintertime pressures are generally lower. Your gas supplier would like to see you not use the tanks down to zero, particularly if you use it all up and leave the valve open. This could cause outside contaminants to enter the tank and cause cleaning issues for them. I believe some of the newer tanks actually have an internal type valving set-up that pretty much negates that problem anymore, it prevents complete evacuation or at least requires a certain amount of residual pressure in order for the contents to even be allowed to exit the tank. For home use I will personally use the tank until I start to see issues with my weld beads, in other words, porosity in the weld. Call me a cheapskate, I like to maximize my resources. As to tank size I might consider that your tank could be what would be called a "40" in other words, it contains 40 cubic feet when it is newly filled. Best regards, Allanaevald
Reply:Tank refills are all over the board usually, you need to find once shop you like and bite the bullet a few times until they start throwing in some discounts. I went from $36 to get my 125cf filled down to $20 just by going in every few weeks and buying supplies and making sure I learn the guys names, this was years ago but it is worth it to get in with the crowd. An 80cf is $34 here for walk-ins, I overheard a guy calling when I was there yesterday. I'd bet a 40cf is like $30If you cannot convince them, confuse them.         Harry S Truman
Reply:That is a 40 cubic feet size tank. It costs me  $35 cdn to fill my 40 cf tank with 100% argon.JasonLincoln Idealarc 250 stick/tigThermal Dynamics Cutmaster 52Miller Bobcat 250Torchmate CNC tableThermal Arc Hefty 2Ironworkers Local 720
Reply:I have a 40cf tank and it measures 18" to the top of the cylinder, 21" to the top of the valve. The 80cf cylinder measure approx. 33-36" high, of course all of them are not made to the same dimensions. I would have to say it is either a 55 or 60cf cylinder by reading your tape measure.costs are all up to the dealer SQUARE WAVE 175 TIG   DUAL MIG 151
Reply:Another point maybe that you will need to use the supplier that the bottle is registered to. This is usually found on the neck ring of the bottle. It should also be stamped with capicity. Some suppliers will fill any companies bottle of non-flamable gas and some won't.SA200,Ranger8,Trailblazer251NT,MM250,Dayton225AC,T  D-XL75,SpoolMate3545SGA100C,HF-15-1  RFCS-14 When I stick it, it stays stuck!
Reply:Originally Posted by mooseyeAnother point maybe that you will need to use the supplier that the bottle is registered to. This is usually found on the neck ring of the bottle. It should also be stamped with capicity. Some suppliers will fill any companies bottle of non-flamable gas and some won't.
Reply:100% argon is for mig alum and most tig processes. You can't really do steel mig with it. You want some sort of mix, depending on the size of your machine and what you plan to weld. 75/25 is the general standard for smaller 110v / 220v migs. You can use 100% Co2, but you don't get as nice a bead with it. 90/10 and some other mixes are used for spray transfer on bigger migs (250 amp+) and trimix gas is sometimes used for stainless..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:well guys found out the tank was 60 cubic feet, cost 45 bucks for an exchange, thanks for the help