# Replace or repair argon flow meter regulator



## ericc (Jul 12, 2020)

Hi.  I just broke a second argon flow meter in just about that number of years.  The first one worked great.  It did a lot of good TIG welding, then one day I turned on the gas and the needle went all the way up no matter where the handle was set.  Clearly, it was useless.  I did a little Internet searching, and I found out that the high pressure control valve seat often goes bad, and has to be replaced.  There is a rebuild kit that should fix the problem for $40.

Then, I looked at Hobby Machinist (search) and found this:









						Victor AF150 regulator
					

Victor AF150. The diaphragm  on my mig regulator popped again. Repair kit is $40. Even the spare is popped. I think I forgot to fix it last time. Don't use it much. I unscrew the "T"  everytime when not in use. Repair again, or just replace i ?????t Is there a better, longer lasting one????? How...




					www.hobby-machinist.com
				




Hmmmmm.  So I put the regulator in a box and decided to deal with it later.  I had a Victor AF150 on the shelf, and placed that one in service.  Meanwhile, I sent Victor an email about the broken AF150 regulator with the serial number.  I received a reply saying that that wasn't their serial number and that it looked like an AF 150 regulator, but really wasn't one.  They asked me to send some detailed photos, which I did, and they never replied.  I figured that I must have gotten a "Made in USA" fake.

Anyway, the replacement Victor AF150 did just great, and helped make a lot of good TIG welds until last week when the low pressure side needle went all the way up and it blew gas out the relief hole.  I was afraid of getting a high pressure injection injury.  So, I opened it up and examined the valve spring and seat.  It looked fine and I polished it up with a wood stick.  Still had the same problem.

Now, I am looking for suggestions on what to do.  For $40, I can get a repair kit from regulator torch repair.  Maybe it will work.  For $65 and postage, they will repair it, but I am still waiting on a reply to my inquiry.  Or, I can buy a new Victor just like the two that have blown up.  They carry a premium price, but I can get them from Cyberweld, at the link in the referenced post.  The OP bought a cheap import flow meter and it seems to work for him, but he needed a special adaptor since the import has odd threads.  Or, I can go to the LWS and ask what they have.  In the "good ol' days", this would have been the correct thing to do.  You would have paid dearly, but 10 years later, the sting would be forgotten, and you'd still be weldin'. This ain't the good ol days, though.

Any suggestions?  Too many choices?


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## Ulma Doctor (Jul 12, 2020)

replace, don't repair. they are mostly a dime a dozen nowadays.
i bought a cheap regulator (to get broken) a couple years ago- it still works beyond my expectation.
if you are making money daily from your rig, either buy a good one or get 2 cheap ones


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## GunsOfNavarone (Jul 12, 2020)

I've always wondered, what REALLY is the difference between a $200 one and a $40 one. I mean, I put a flow meter on mine and check it, adjust accordingly, set it/forget it. I've never had one go bad (I crack the tank open VERY slowly so as to not shoot the ball bearing out the top of the plastic flow gauge.) Honestly unless I hear compelling information, I'd rather buy them cheap and just replace them.


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## kd4gij (Jul 12, 2020)

Check local welding supply where you get your gas, See what they want to rebuild it.


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## General Zod (Jul 12, 2020)

Replace.  $35 and work great.

Click pic





I use them in my custom-made gas-mixing apparatus where I can dial in ternary gas mixes for MIG welding.  They work great straight off the tank.


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## MrWhoopee (Jul 12, 2020)

General Zod said:


> Replace.  $35 and work great.
> 
> Click pic



Looks just like the one that came with my AHP. Quite happy with it.


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## BtoVin83 (Jul 12, 2020)

There's a guy here in Bakersfield who rebuilt my acetylene regulator and did an outstanding job, did it while I waited.


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## ericc (Jul 12, 2020)

Wow, great replies. So many of my friends have the cheap Chinese ones and it seems like they are doing fine. They cost less than a repair.

I ended up spending $70 odd on having Starrett repair a dial indicator. In the meantime, I bought a Harbor Freight cheapy for $9.99. The Starrett is a beautiful tool, but it will stay in a box until the cheapy dies. That Harbor Freight is a little tight, like all the cheapys, but it is accurate and smooth. I suspect it will last a lifetime.


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## MrWhoopee (Jul 13, 2020)

ericc said:


> I ended up spending $70 odd on having Starrett repair a dial indicator.


I'm surprised Starrett would even look at it for that price.


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## pontiac428 (Jul 13, 2020)

To me, the whole purpose of buying a top-shelf name brand like Victor would be so that I could go to the parts counter at my local shop and get the components or kits that I need to do the repair.  If it costs $40 to replace a $200 regulator, then you win.  If you replace a Victor with a Guangdong Gas welding regulator, you now have a $40 regulator that you throw away every time it breaks.


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## ericc (Jul 13, 2020)

That's why am asking about the trade off's.  If the cheap import regulator lasts for awhile, it might be better to spend the $40 on that instead.

BREAKING NEWS!  I just got out my last flowmeter last night.  A really nice, old, Victor HRF with the glass tube.  It work great for 4 out of the 6 TIG welds that I needed to do.  Then, poof, this flowmeter broke in the same way, and gas poured out the relief hole.  Now, I have three broken flowmeters sitting on the shelf, two Victors and one Victor clone (that's stamped, Made in USA).  I think I'm going to call the LWS where I refilled the tank of argon and ask them for suggestions.  It wasn't overfilled.  In fact, it was short-filled when I got it.


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## GunsOfNavarone (Jul 13, 2020)

Wow. I hate to say its a disposable world but...
So the cheap flow meter on my mig is 18 years old....zero issues. The other one on my scratch start TIG is 13 years old, the one on my HF start TIG is 6 years old. Zero issues on any of them. Really odd you're having this issue. But yeah, I buy em cheap and (if it ever happens) I'll just replace them.


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## ericc (Jul 13, 2020)

Hey, if I could get 13 years out of a cheap regulator, I'd be satisfied.  I just went to the LWS.  They told me that they could rebuild at half the price of new.  It sounded good but after I went there it got kind of flaky.  They said they will get back to me in a week with an estimate.  A cheapy sounds better and better.


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## ericc (Jul 18, 2020)

I ended taking the regulator to the welding store since they said they could rebuild for half the cost of new. I looked at their regulators which were private house label. They were $80 and 100 for two dial and rotameter tube, respectively. They wouldn't give me a written estimate, and the guy told me that they would call me with the estimate. I ended up getting a call yesterday, and they told me to come over and pick it up. Hmmmm, no estimate? I went there and the guy told me $82 and looked me in the eye, and said, that ok? I replied that they said half, and he said if I have a problem, they'll keep the regulator and sell it to pay for the repair.  I kind of like to keep the money moving locally, especially during this time of covid-19, but this seemed kind of flaky. I can see why someone would rather pay $35 for an import with free shipping. Hopefully, this repair will last a long time. The person at the welding store assured me that the repair had a warranty and that it should last for at least ten years, but he wouldn't give me anything in writing. Admittedly, this is Silicon valley, and the marketing practice are kind of entitled.


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## General Zod (Jul 18, 2020)

I despise the tactic of not giving estimates and then doing the work without seeking customer permission so they can charge whatever they want.  It's the principle of the matter.  I'm sure when that person goes out to dine with their family, they would not blindly order from the menu, only to receive their meal, eat it, and then be charged whatever their server felt like charging them at that moment.  Yet they do it to others.  Despicable.


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## rwm (Jul 18, 2020)

I had a similar experience here in Charlotte buying steel tubing. I walked out of the office never to return. Left them holding the cut stock. I found a better local supplier. 
Robert


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## Boswell (Jul 18, 2020)

Verbal warranty?  to me that is the same as No Warranty.  Also saying they will call with an estimate then repairing without getting your approval is also BS. It it happened to me, it would likely be our last transaction together.


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