Bottle difference?

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Does anyone know if a co2  tank and regulator off a beer keg will work for mig?
Reply:I don't think it will.  You need a different regulator for argon or an argon mix, and the connector on the argon regulator is different.At least it's different on my 2 beer tanks and my argon/co2 bottle.You might be able to have the top valve replaced though.
Reply:I meant using the co2 in that bottle to weld with.
Reply:I think it would be fine.  But you're going to get more spatter than you would with C25.  I think your puddle is going to cool more quickly with it also.
Reply:CO2 should be CO2. Only question would be purity, and what tolerances of other gases are allowed, for each type of use.  Also realize, we use flowmeters, for dispensing shielding gases, not regulators.
Reply:A CO2 cylinder intended for use in the beverage industry uses a siphon tube. (cylinder marked ST. This allows drawing of liquid CO2 from the bottom of the cylinder. For welding this won't work because the liquid won't sublimate fast enough, resulting in liquid CO2 freezing the gas lines and regulators. It is the same product in both cylinders. In the welding industry the bottle is what the beer is kept in and the welding gas in kept in a cylinder.
Reply:The regulator does not measure flow and flow way to much to weld.  You could change the outlet and gauge to regulate flow, how most beer regulators use left hand fittings, and I am not aware of any left hand flow gauges or flow restricting outlets.The FatBastard is right.  The beer co2 tank supplies liquid which you do not want when welding.Get you a small cylinder of Argon/co2 mix and a flowgauge or flowmeter with a CGA 580 fitting.You can get a remanufactured flowgauge for about $60.00.OAdoctorwww.regulatortorchrepair.com
Reply:So, if everyone is using flow meters.... then WHY do welding manufactures ship only a pressure regulator with welders?  My Miller 211 came with a pressure regulator, no flowmeter.
Reply:[On the cylinder you have two things (sometimes integrated):]EDIT - sorry misread previous post: On the cylinder, you want/should have two things (which are sometimes integrated into one):1. A regulator that reduces cylinder pressure to a lower working pressure (may or may not be adjustable)2. A flowmeter/control valve, which measures the amount of gas flowing and allows you to adjust this flow rate. Sometimes (often?) you have an integrated regulator/flowmeter that has the regulator and a floating ball flowmeter integrated into the same physical device. In this case you have a fixed-output pressure regulator and an adjustable flow valve/flowmeter. see: http://store.cyberweld.com/mehrf14refl.htmlIn some cases (my TIG regulator comes to mind) the "flowmeter" is actually a dial on the output stage of the regulator. In this case the "flow guage" is measuring back-pressure of gas flowing through an orifice, which gives you an indirect readout of gas flow rate. see:  http://store.cyberweld.com/meaf150fl.htmlHope this helps
Reply:Originally Posted by signal15So, if everyone is using flow meters.... then WHY do welding manufactures ship only a pressure regulator with welders?  My Miller 211 came with a pressure regulator, no flowmeter.
Reply:The regulator/flowguages are accurate enough for most welding jobs.  The flowgauge is calabrated to the orifice in the outlet.  If you change the outlet or the flowgauge this could reduce the accuracy.OAdoctorwww.regulatortorchrepair.com
Reply:My floating ball regulator has four scales (one on each side) each scale measures a different gas. I suspect this is more accurate. I am not however saying that this is needed to weld nor do I feel I am wasting gas with the other regulators that are not of this design.The majority of the wast is from leaving the cylinder valve open when not in use. and having slight leaks in the system.
Reply:I use the same bottle for homebrew kegs as welding.  I bought an adapter from my LWS to go from the CO2 bottle/keg regulator thread to the welding flowmeter thread.  Make sure that the bottle is upright so that no liquid CO2 gets into the meter, just the gas coming off the top.