Can I use TWO CO2 regulators in series?

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Hi All,   I have a fixed flow 25 CFH Hobart CO2 regulator on some paintball 20oz bottles for MIGing, but I want to be able to control my gas flow for both learning and economy reasons.  I also have a cheap Clarke Argon/CO2 regulator laying around with a CGA-580 connector (which will not connect directly to these bottles), onto which I could place hose barb connectors for placement inline and after the Hobart CO2 fixed flow regulator.Will this setup be OK, and allow me to control my CO2? Will I be able to check the CO2 flow accurately through the Argon/CO2 Clarke's flowmeter?  Will the 2nd regulator now be less prone to the possibility of freezing?  Thanks for any input!!   -Bill
Reply:I'd just order a good paintball cylinder refill adapter, a Western CGA-580 female, and connect them with (Western high pressure) fittings.http://www.airgas.com/browse/product...roduct=WESB-70That drops to 1/4" NPT, then peruse the Western offerings online (Google is a fast way)  to find fittings to connect to your paintball fill adapter.You can also refill your own paintball cylinders with not only CO2, but argon or mixed gas if you build a transfill whip. Same deal as a paintball CO2 fill setup, but with a CGA-580 male cylinder connection. Plenty of folks refill their own paintball tanks, same safety rules apply.Fun fact:You can use a (brass preferred) ordinary tire chuck to connect and disconnect your MIG (low pressure line ONLY) from different gas sources.
Reply:You might be able to take the flowmeter off of the Clarke regulator, and connect just that inline.  If it includes the regulator, you're going to have problems.BTW, why don't you refill your own paintball cylinders.  It is SO much cheaper.I bought a CO2 fire extinguisher at a garage sale, and traded it in for a siphon CO2 cylinder just to refill paintball tanks.
Reply:You might be able to take the flowmeter off of the Clarke regulator, and connect just that inline. If it includes the regulator, you're going to have problems.
Reply:Originally Posted by farmallYou can also refill your own paintball cylinders with not only CO2, but argon or mixed gas if you build a transfill whip. Same deal as a paintball CO2 fill setup, but with a CGA-580 male cylinder connection. Plenty of folks refill their own paintball tanks, same safety rules apply.
Reply:You are of course correct that there are low pressure paintball cylinders, so if you have those you'd need a high pressure regulator for the transfill to step down the pressure instead of a straight hose. They wouldn't hold as much of course, but they won't care about having inert gas in them.In any event, read what the actual cylinder you are using is rated for. Hence the "same safety rules apply".Path of least suffering would probably be to get a cheap refurb ten or fifteen lb commercial steel CO2 cylinder for exchange off Craigslist or Ebay (the homebrew folks use a lot of them). They are CGA-320, still portable and hold lots more CO2. Leave the paintball tank with the paintball gun and go weld with the larger cylinder unless you are climbing somewhere awkward.Note that if for some reason you use a NON-siphon tube CO2 cylinder to fill a paintball tank it will need to be inverted for liquid to flow.  You don't want a siphon tube cylinder for WELDING as you need the gas not the liquid.
Reply:Thanks for all the great feedback!  Does anyone also know whether my Argon/CO2 (CGA-580) regulator will accurately show me the proper CFH when using pure CO2, or is there some correction factor needed?Thanks!Last edited by BillCalley; 04-21-2011 at 10:42 PM.
Reply:Originally Posted by BillCalleyThanks for all the great feedback!  Does anyone also know whether my Argon/CO2 (CGA-520) regulator will accurately show me the proper CFH when using pure CO2, or is there some correction factor needed?Thanks!