It's All About Pressure
Be prepared to be pressured when selecting a gas regulator
When selecting a pressure regulator for your application, there are a number of things to consider, including:
Knowing just the name of the gas is not enough. Though knowing the gas source (cylinder, pipeline, etc.) is important, the pressure at which the gas will be supplied to the regulator is equally important. Knowing the gas as well as the pressure at the source helps determine the type of regulator and any special features that may be required.
The intended use for the regulator
Is it a high pressure application? Is it to be used for an
application requiring high volume? Determining gas volume may require
assistance to ascertain flow volume, however determining pressure requirements
is much easier to accomplish with a little bit of thought. Usually
pressure operating charts such as welding tip charts are easy to get from the
tip manufacturer. The critical information, operating pressures and
volume requirements, are provided in the charts. Having this information
helps tremendously in selecting the right regulator with the right operating
pressure.
It is always good practice to choose a regulator that will allow you to operate your equipment in the regulator’s mid-operating range. For example, if your equipment requires operating pressures between 35 and 70 PSIG, a good choice would be a regulator with an operating range of 0-100 or 125 PSIG. Don’t choose a regulator that will force you to operate at its extreme high or low ranges. This will also allow you to use less or more if your application changes in the future.
Knowing about pressure is just a place to start, but if ignored, selecting the proper regulator for the job will be much more difficult.