Gauges Leaking?

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I will run this by you guys..When I shut the c25 off after mig welding I close the cylinder valve. I close the valve to the hose by turning the handle CCw til the tension is released.I then, have a pressure reading in both gauges.Why does the readings in both gauges, in 3 days, drop  to about half of what they were when I shut down?I went over all the connection 4 different times with a soapy solution. No bubbles.  My Tig setup doesn't do this.Thanks,Jack
Reply:Release the drive roll pressure, turn on the mig, pull the trigger and all the pressure will go away. The solenoid valve is holding it. Mine slowly leaks off over several days, sometimes weeks.                                         MikeOl' Stonebreaker  "Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes"Hobart G-213 portableMiller 175 migMiller thunderbolt ac/dc stick Victor O/A setupMakita chop saw
Reply:3 days?!?  WOW!  In three days, if I left my cylinder valve open, my tank would be empty.Yeah, that was abnormally bad (there was a slight burr on my high pressure cone seat, so I just replaced it), but I still didn't get any real bubbling.
Reply:I understood that he was closing a valve at the outlet from the regulator, leaving the regulator adjustment screw alone, this after turning off the cylinder valve. If so, the gas might be leaking through or around the diaphragm(s), or from a fitting, but so slowly that soap bubbles don't show it.It is probably better in the long run to release the pressure as explained above and then set the adjusting screw just slightly in to relieve the pressure on the secondary seat, but not enough to bow the diaphragm out much. That is, just a fraction of a turn in from the 'off' position.
Reply:If I read you right you are leaving the line from your gauges to solenoid in your mig pressurized, when off, the second gauge has a pressure gauge with calibrated orfice to read flow, if that is the case the argon is probably bleeding out off the line.Alot of welders say this should be bled off to prevent diaphram damage or fatique.Your solenoid uses the pressure in the line to force the armature closed onto the seal, with an o-ring around the assembly.What is important is what is read when you open the first tank pressure gauge, the same as you left it or negligible difference, then you are ok.
Reply:when i am done  tigging  i shut the argon tank valve, close the regulator(full counterclockwise). ad then hit the pedal to make the solenoid open and dump the little gas thats in the line..thatr is a good idea with acetylene but probably not at all necessary with argon!
Reply:I released the pressure on the hose gauge by hitting the gun trigger. The handle is all the way counterclockwise.   The gauge reads 0.The high pressure gauge (the one on the right) still reads about what it did.  As I understand it that gauge is isolated from the other at that point.  The reading on that gauge will continue to drop a little each day.Why?
Reply:thats what you need to find out...if the high pressure gauge is going down gas is coming out. get some soapy water and start spraying..
Reply:Why are you worried about it?   You have a very small amount of gas trapped on the high side of the regulator/flowmeter, you have to loose an even smaller amount to notice a drop in the HP gauge, after three days.  Value of lost gas is probably $0.000000001.  What's the problem?By the way, flowmeters and regulators were never designed as, nor intended, to be a 100% sealed shut-off, unlike cylinder valves which are.
Reply:Originally Posted by Jack772I released the pressure on the hose gauge by hitting the gun trigger. The handle is all the way counterclockwise.   The gauge reads 0.The high pressure gauge (the one on the right) still reads about what it did.  As I understand it that gauge is isolated from the other at that point.  The reading on that gauge will continue to drop a little each day.Why?