Is this what bad argon looks like?

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Alright, I'm not entirely sure what this is. A buddy lent me a cylinder when mine ran out... Then I went to exchange it for a full c25 mix gas cylinder.I get home and notice it's actually Argon. Pretty irritated, because the les is a 2 hour round trip for me...So, I give him my larger c25 tank and keep the argon one.Then I go to use the argon, and this happens.I've actually tried this particular bottle on two welders, both of them had this result.The flow meters tell me something's moving, (tried 20 to 40 cfh) but it doesn't feel like it at the end of the nozzle. Whatever this gas is, it doesn't seem to "flow" right, and doesn't shield the weld for sh*t. It also lacks the "sweet" smell that argon usually has.This is why I try not to support the local businesses, this is the same lws that wanted ELEVEN DOLLARS A POUND for Lincoln 7018s... Then they told me they didnt have them in stock... And that was the last time i went there...I get everything but shielding gas online, and get my shielding gas from a large national chain and I NEVER have these problems, not to mention things there are 1/3 less, atleast. But, this bottle is through the local place, so I have to deal with them.Both welders work flawlessly with other bottles, but I'd like it if this IS human error, and I can go out tomorrow and fix something stupid and get my work done, then look like an idiot who posts late night rants online about welding businesses. I'm okay with that. I just wanna get this fixed.For the record, this was with a ground smooth steel plate, then acetoned, a freshly ground 2% tungsten and a cleaned filler rod. I thought maybe it WAS c25 after all, and tried it on the mig. It flowed poorly there too, but that's why there's a mig weld on this piece...I tried an inside corner joint and the tig did not run well at all... But if only had porosity on the surface at the beginning and end of the weld, like the joint helped hold in the shielding gas.I honestly think it's "defective" shielding gas. I hold two TIG certifications and have used this machine before many a time and never had these problems with it, but I wanted to run this past y'all before I drove two freaking hours to this place tomorrow... Thanks, guys [Account Abandoned 8/8/16 Please Do Not Attempt Contact Or Expect A Reply]. See you on YouTube! -ChuckE2009
Reply:Looks like c25 to me.Why not try it on your mig?Weld like a "WELDOR", not a wel-"DERR" MillerDynasty700DX,Dynasty350DX4ea,Dynasty200DX,Li  ncolnSW200-2ea.,MillerMatic350P,MillerMatic200w/spoolgun,MKCobraMig260,Lincoln SP-170T,PlasmaCam/Hypertherm1250,HFProTig2ea,MigMax1ea.
Reply:Lanse, that's exactly what it looked like for me. Also used the same bottle on multiple machines, same result. Switched bottles... Perfection.
Reply:Lanse - your next internet order should include an ESAB (Oxweld) 19043 flowmeter.It slips on over your tig (or mig) end and shows you your actual flow.  Otherwise you're just guessing if it's the flow or the gas.Check flow once a day before you weld and you're all set Dave J. Attached ImagesDave J.Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance. ~George Bernard Shaw~ Syncro 350Invertec v250-sThermal Arc 161 and 300MM210DialarcTried being normal once, didn't take....I think it was a Tuesday.
Reply:Originally Posted by minnesotadavelanse - your next internet order should include an esab (oxweld) 19043 flowmeter.It slips on over your tig (or mig) end and shows you your actual flow.  Otherwise you're just guessing if it's the flow or the gas.Check flow once a day before you weld and you're all set dave j.
Reply:Cool gadget, Dave!
Reply:... looks a little cold to me.EDIT: Sorry, but you know no Internet thread about weld bead analysis can go on without SOMEBODY saying the welds look cold. Everybody go back to being helpful now!Everlast PA160-STH... and that's about it!
Reply:Originally Posted by joshuabardwell... looks a little cold to me.EDIT: Sorry, but you know no Internet thread about weld bead analysis can go on without SOMEBODY saying the welds look cold. Everybody go back to being helpful now!
Reply:The new bottle is better! Thanks everyone [Account Abandoned 8/8/16 Please Do Not Attempt Contact Or Expect A Reply]. See you on YouTube! -ChuckE2009
Reply:I have yet to actually "See" argon......zap!I am not completely insane..Some parts are missing Professional Driver on a closed course....Do not attempt.Just because I'm a  dumbass don't mean that you can be too.So DON'T try any of this **** l do at home.
Reply:Originally Posted by Lanse It also lacks the "sweet" smell that argon usually has.
Reply:Originally Posted by Fred sMuch less smell it
Reply:Glad you found your issue.I cannot imagine any filling facility that does not vent,vac and fill but there must be a $hit ton of them out there for all the threads about bad gas on he net.
Reply:Originally Posted by Fred sMuch less smell it
Reply:Lanse,If that first tank wasn't right, it was probably Argoff."USMCPOP" First-born son: KIA  Iraq 1/26/05Syncrowave 250 w/ Coolmate 3Dialarc 250, Idealarc 250SP-175 +Firepower TIG 160S (gave the TA 161 STL to the son)Lincwelder AC180C (1952)Victor & Smith O/A torchesMiller spot welder
Reply:We wanna see the good welds now.
Reply:Originally Posted by VPTWe wanna see the good welds now.
Reply:Same thing happened to me when I got my SW175 just over two years ago.  I'd only messed with tig a couple times beforehand, so didn't know WTF I was doing.  The machine came with a bottle, so I got to practicing.  Looked like $hit burned onto a pile of worse $hit.  Finally looked at the bottle, and it was C25.  Explains why the machine looked new, and was seven years old.  Dude didn't know WTF he was doing either.  Glad you got'r fixed.  Did the LWS take care of you, since you had almost four hours of driving?-AaronJet 17.5" Drill Press1942 South Bend 16x84 Lathe1980s Miller 320A / BP --- 2013 Power Mig 2562012 Jet 7x12 Horizontal BandsawVictor O/A Setup
Reply:Originally Posted by LanseThe new bottle is better! Thanks everyone
Reply:If this bottle doesn't fix it, then I'm eyeballs deep in sh*t creek.[Account Abandoned 8/8/16 Please Do Not Attempt Contact Or Expect A Reply]. See you on YouTube! -ChuckE2009
Reply:Originally Posted by LanseThe new bottle is NOT better, although it seemed that way at first. I spoke too soon Now it's just as bad.Oh well, $211 later I'm driving home from airgas with a 5 year lease and 330 cu ft of argon that's guaranteed good.Really irritated. That useless local place put me 2 days behind and put me into this project $300 more than I planned.I tried it on two welders, two torches, two regulators. The only constant was the "argon".
Reply:Originally Posted by Fred sMuch less smell it
Reply:It's ozone and nitrogen dioxide, caused by oxygen and nitrogen in air being affected by the heat and UV of the arc. Both gases are respiratory irritants, so good ventilation is important even with TIG.BTW, good luck with the 330, Lanse. Airgas p!sses me off on a regular basis but I have yet to get a bad tank of argon from them (knocks on wood).JohnA few weldersA lot of hammersA whole lot of C-clamps
Reply:Originally Posted by shovelonAirgas and 5 year lease? Sounds like bad news. Read the evergreen fine print in the contract Break the lease, buy 2 customer owned and get filled at home depot.
Reply:Originally Posted by 96708Whats in their fine print? I wish my local HD refilled gas. Airgas charges about $200 for a 175 tank of c25 out here.Mild Hypoxia isn't a serious problem as long as there is someone around to make you start breathing  'pure' air once you start acting daft.You would probably need quite a rich mixture of Argon to get the effect of significant voice lowering.clark24
Reply:Man that's a lot of $$$ for exchanging / filling tanks I have 2 /244 tanks K cylinders... one C25/75 for the 12rc in mig mode and one argon for the tigi bought them off CL for 140.00 each and both were out of hydro but i paid 35 for each for that and have that on the exchange receipts and it was 103.00 for gas refill for argon and 125.00 for c 25 refill but i am dealing with a LWS not airgas ...They burned me real good on the cylinder of trimix i got from them so i have not gone back there for gasBacked my CATMA over your CARMA oops clusmy me  What would SATAN do ?? Miller Trailblazer 302 AirPakMiller Digital Elite  Optrel Welding HatArcair K4000Suitcase 12RC / 12 VSHypertherm PM-45Rage 3 sawRusty old Truck
Reply:Yeah, that sounds high. I know, California...I have 330 cu . ft. tanks, argon and C5 (don't use much C25), and Airgas charges about $65 for each. Of course, when you add delivery charge, "fuel surcharge", and other B$, it comes to somewhat over $80 per tank. This is a pretty remote location though- the depot where the tanks come out of is about 80 miles away, so I guess it's not that bad.JohnA few weldersA lot of hammersA whole lot of C-clamps
Reply:Looks like it may be a tri gas cylinder (CO, argon, helium mix) for stainless specific... Ive often had a stainless job and forgot to switch cylinder back to c25  before running a carbon steel weld... Comes out looking similar.Just a guess, but could very well just be flow meterGood luck brother.Sal