Internal Gas Solenoid Info?

**Fastest1** · 03-24-2011, 10:48 PM

I think I have gone thru quite a bit of Argon in a very short time. I do turn off the gas at the tank if not welding, I have the flow settings in the 8-12 cfh range. Upon set up I did notice the tubing between the moisture trap and the back of the machine would leak no matter what. I clipped the plastic tubing at both ends to get fresh clean unmarred tubing for a perfect seal, reinserted them and pulled back on them slightly to help them seal. The 2 external fittings are not leaking, howeer I do see the ball just barely floating leading me to believe the same type of push in fitting on the solenoid itself is leaking and not thru the torch. I might just put a real hose with threaded ends on my regulator all the way to the solenoid or to a bulkhead fitting I install on the back of the machine in place of the push in fitting. I use this same push in connectors on my coolant lines on my milling machine and on my mosquito spraying system around my house, they both leak around the hose no matter what you do. They will work for a while but if a hose is bumped or even slightly nudged they are prone to leakeage. Oddly enough this same type of hose and connector system is used in air brakes pretty commonly ( I believe they are very silmilar). Does anyone know the thread size in the solenoid? I would hope it was 1/8th NPT but it might be metric.

**KHK** · 03-25-2011, 12:07 AM

I know that on my 200pi the threads are 1/8 npt, BUT they are not tapered like the standard thread. When I re piped my machine I used an epoxied sealant. Teflon tape would not work, I tried it several times.

**tigqk** · 03-25-2011, 03:07 AM

Keith is straight with you, you are going to have to epoxy them in to get a good seal, thats how I repaired mine.The factory use something that looks like JB weld for sealing some adapters.

**Fastest1** · 03-25-2011, 07:58 AM

So the small leaking has been a problem for a few people. I did hear from an unnamed person that this might be 1 of the next improvements. Anyway thanks for the responses and the tips on the repair. Know any tips on bypassing the dial in the pedal?

**Fastest1** · 03-27-2011, 09:51 PM

I ended up using a bulkhead Argon fitting and a hose barb to the original hose within the machine. It now mounts on the back panel in place of the original hose fitting just as a Miller or anybody using standard fittings. I see no leakage and welded for quite a while today and didnt see hardly any loss of pressure in my cylinder. Quite a change. I also am not hearing the hiss I was hearing prior. I had eliminated the leaks on the tubing from the water trap to machine but it still leaked inside the machine I could see the ball always floating a little bit but no more! No on to how to actually weld.

**rustycase** · 03-28-2011, 12:58 AM

@ F1.... LOL

the knob on the pedal is the dumbest thing!

Yesterday I was thinking of using a lite duty 3 conductor extension cord to extend that pot to the worktable surface where I can get at it...
Maybe just put it in a standard single gang metal electrical box.
rc

**KHK** · 03-28-2011, 10:54 AM

Originally Posted by Fastest1

So the small leaking has been a problem for a few people. I did hear from an unnamed person that this might be 1 of the next improvements. Anyway thanks for the responses and the tips on the repair. Know any tips on bypassing the dial in the pedal?

No need to bypass the dial, just turn it fully clockwise and leave it alone.

I like the dial especially when training someone to weld light Gage material. You can set the dial low so they can't totally destroy the work.

If you really want to disable the dial look at the foot switch schematic under KHK/Home brew welder in the gallery.

**WookieWelding** · 04-09-2011, 06:30 PM

are you opening the valve on the bottle all the way ? if not it will leak at the tank
it seats in the off position and the open position not in the middle of the two thats for O2 tanks and Inert gas tanks not acetylene tanks which are different

**rustycase** · 04-09-2011, 07:34 PM

Re: Dial on pedal... current rheostat that supercedes panel settings

I DID remote my remote amp control that was on the pedal, and it works fine... I posted pics elsewhere of a 6ft 3 conductor zip cord I spliced in the foot pedal box and remounted the pot in an old 4O electrical box which I can now set on the worktable.

Can't really set that knob to full clockwise because you'll get 200 amps possible which would cause aggressive pedal pressure to blow holes in most light stock.
...at least on my machine, which is brand X of X brands!

rc

**tigqk** · 04-10-2011, 02:11 AM

I know their have been some welders that did not like the idea of the argon and air line using the same lines. I have heard warnings about using rubber on tigs, but no reason to suspect mine has any water in the lines.If anyone likes to add another filter you could try this as your final air separator for your system, before it enters the machine, it is also small enough that you could run it on the inside quite easy.I think their is a treated paper medium on the inside, and these filters are meant to be disposable, they are about $5.00-$7.00.