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Hydrogen regulators?
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Larry
I keep having to ask you questions. Well I appreciate your help anyway. So we are trying to shift over to hydrogen and the local welding supply place wants $500 for a regulator. Yet I see this $93 dollar regulator on line. Why should I not spend $93 instead of $500? Larry
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L. Paul Verhage KD4STH
This one looks adjustable. I spent far less at my local welding shop for a regulator with fixed settings. Are you asking for an adjustable regulator? I think mine is permanently set for 30 PSI exit (outlet?) pressure.
On Wed, Jul 29, 2020, 3:47 PM Larry <larry.phegley@...> wrote:
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Joe WB9SBD
They key is for H2 is left
hand thread. AND even for safety the pressure it can take. that
one looks good in both cases.
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NOW the one we have been using 30+ years of flights, been using H2 from first flight every flight. But ours was not specified for H@, but some other Gas. the thing is tho the left thread and the pressure capability. The NOT spec'ed H2 was given to us, so cost? Joe WB9SBD
On 7/29/2020 4:56 PM, L. Paul Verhage
KD4STH wrote:
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Bruce Coates
I'm no expert on regulators so I'm hesitant to give an opinion. If you can find reputable reviews for this brand, it should be just fine. Mine is a well known brand thst I bought on ebay that wasn't too expensive because it was used. I've also heard of people using a helium regulator with a fitting adaptor sot it thread into the hydrogen fitting. Here to I wouldn't want to be the guy to endorse that.
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Rucs
-------- Original message --------
From: Larry <larry.phegley@...> Date: 7/29/20 3:47 PM (GMT-06:00) To: gpsl@groups.io Subject: [GPSL] Hydrogen regulators? I keep having to ask you questions. Well I appreciate your help anyway. So we are trying to shift over to hydrogen and the local welding supply place wants $500 for a regulator. Yet I see this $93 dollar regulator on line.
Why should I not spend $93 instead of $500? Larry
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Bruce Coates
Yes, mine is adjustable. You definitely want that for pico balloons or a flow restrict or because they take so little gas.
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-------- Original message -------- From: "L. Paul Verhage KD4STH" <nearsys@...> Date: 7/29/20 3:56 PM (GMT-06:00) To: GPSL@groups.io Subject: Re: [GPSL] Hydrogen regulators? This one looks adjustable. I spent far less at my local welding shop for a regulator with fixed settings. Are you asking for an adjustable regulator? I think mine is permanently set for 30 PSI exit (outlet?) pressure. On Wed, Jul 29, 2020, 3:47 PM Larry <larry.phegley@...> wrote:
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Hank Riley
That $500 price is totally nutz!!!! I can't imagine what device they have in mind. Just for grins you might ask them for a catalog sheet, or a make and model number. You can easily beat that $93 price by watching Ebay for regulators. I got a fancy two stage regulator made by Linde (no better brand) years ago on Ebay -- it's a real gem (something like $20 shipped!). Nice big gauges -- not midgets. One stage regulation is enough, though. One or two stage makes a fairly big price difference if bought new. It is nice to have it variable. Fixed output is a little cheesy, especially for small balloons. ________________________________________________________________________________________
On Wed, Jul 29, 2020, 3:47 PM Larry wrote:
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Hank Riley
On this list right hand to left hand adapters have been discussed and bought by several groups. There were even part numbers specified, IIRC. That way their tried-and-true helium regulators didn't go to waste when a lot of the groups switched to hydrogen. Not too much money for those. Look on Ebay. All over the place.
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Graham
hydrogen cylinders and regulators use a CGA-350 connector. A search using your favourite search engine will find many more references. As long as the regulator has the correct inlet PSI rating ( ie 3000 psi ) and has the correct connector ( i.e. CGA-350 ) then all should be good. The regulator at the link provided noted a max inlet pressure of 3000 psi, a cga-350 connection and a 9/16"-18 LH outlet connector as I would expect as it is being sold as a hydrogen regulator. cheers, Graham ve3gtc
On Wed, Jul 29, 2020 at 10:25 PM Joe WB9SBD <nss@...> wrote:
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Carlton Corbitt
One regulator to avoid might be
Smith 30-100-350
It is a 2 stage regulator I bought off Ebay a number of years ago probably 2013-2014. I think i paid $45 + shipping for this regulator brand New in packaging.
It has less than a dozen flights but gives frustration adjusting.
I still consider it usable but with cation. The first year (maybe 2 or 3 flights) no issues. After warranty ended started having issues.
73,
Carlton Corbitt
KI4NHK
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Hank Riley
Carlton, That's exactly the model Larry is looking at! It's listed by Smith as a single stage by the way with a 3 year limited warranty. Not likely you could find a two stage regulator, new, through a distributor, for that kind of low price ($93.50 from Cyberweld via Amazon). Could you please describe in a little more detail how the regulator misbehaves? Once set at a usable outlet pressure does it hold that pressure throughout the fill? Hank ____________________
On Thursday, July 30, 2020, 10:50:09 AM EDT, Carlton wrote:
One regulator to avoid might be
Smith 30-100-350
It is a 2 stage regulator I bought off Ebay a number of years ago probably 2013-2014. I think i paid $45 + shipping for this regulator brand New in packaging.
It has less than a dozen flights but gives frustration adjusting.
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Barry
No need to spend more than about $100. Some regulators have to be built using special materials (like those for corrosive gases), but hydrogen and oxygen regulators are built the same and I have purchased 4 or 5 oxygen regulators from a local regulator repair shop over the years for several teachers and others needing a hydrogen regulator for filling balloons for less than $100 each with the oxygen tank fitting replaced by the repair shop with one for a hydrogen tank. The regulators are like the ones typically seen used for welding with 2 gauges and, with them costing a bit more than $90 in Canada, you should be able to find one for even less in the US without much trouble.
Acetylene and oxygen regulators are much more popular and therefore less expensive than regulators for other gases plus regulators for other gases are usually laboratory grade (more precise) thus much more expensive. Regulators for other gases (other than oxygen) could probably be used as well by changing the tank fitting but you can’t beat the low cost of a new oxygen regulator plus some regulators are designed to provide a low flow rate rather than a high flow rate like an oxygen regulator does. Final point – It’s probably not a good idea (and not recommended) to modify a previously used regulator (especially an oxygen regulator) as the internal parts can out gas the previously used gas which could lead to a problem so best to start with a brand new regulator.
Barry
From: GPSL@groups.io [mailto:GPSL@groups.io] On Behalf Of Larry
Sent: Wednesday, July 29, 2020 3:47 PM To: gpsl@groups.io Subject: [GPSL] Hydrogen regulators?
I keep having to ask you questions. Well I appreciate your help anyway. So we are trying to shift over to hydrogen and the local welding supply place wants $500 for a regulator. Yet I see this $93 dollar regulator on line.
Why should I not spend $93 instead of $500?
Larry
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Carlton Corbitt
Hi Hank,
The regulator doesn't seem to regulate, it is about 30psi out.
Turning the knob on the front makes it open or close/stop the flow of Hydrogen.
Maybe it never adjusted, it just seemed right pressure and i accepted it. It does make it a little be odd to fill balloons to a precise lift. I have to use the valve on the tank itself to control anything.
The Smith regulator only does a fixed pressure step down. No control on the regulator except open(~30psi) or closed (0psi).
For near space ballooning it gets the job done, and for only $45. But a regulator that doesn't adjust regulation pressure does kind of freak some people out.
Carlton
KI4NHK
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