Argon Regulator/Flow meter w. Teflon vs PTFE seats

[dcash]

Looking to get new flow meters for the Mig and Tig welders.

Victor lists two models with identical (seemingly) specifications other than one has "Teflon seats" and one has "PTFE seats". (0781-2723 vs 0387-0240).

Some places like Grainger show a $40.00 price difference, some list both for the same price. Just wondering if anyone knows the pros and cons of each.

Will the neighbors, the wife, or the dog even be able to tell the difference? (The Dog is pretty sharp, the others, well, not so much)

Thanks.
Dave

 

[L Vanice]

The answer is simple. Teflon is a tradename for the generic name PTFE. Only the tradename owner can call the material Teflon. Other companies would have to use the PTFE designation.

Teflon (disambiguation) - Wikipedia

Teflon Vs PTFE... What Really Are The Differences?

Polytetrafluoroethylene - Wikipedia

Larry

 

[dcash]

Well, thanks for the reply (and link.)
Maybe someone in the welding supply trade knows the difference between the two models.
(Updated version of the same unit? Several places list both numbers)

Thanks,
Dave

 

[Steve in SoCal]

Victor used to have 2 flow meters that looked the same, one was 25 PSI the other 50 PSI.

Steve

 

[steve-l]

You had better do more research. There are many different bottle valve coupling standards. Many look the same, but there are size differences for all of the coupling parts, including threads, seal sizes and diameters as well as with and without bronze gas strainers. I usually make my own seals out of whatever plastic I have laying around. If the seal seals, I'm golden. It is not critical. You should also note that the regulator manufacturer makes different adapters for their regulators. Typically the brass connector pipe will use 1/4 NPT or BSPT on the reg. end and the appropriate bottle fitting and nut on the other end and they also come in different lengths.

 

[DDoug]

Will the neighbors, the wife, or the dog even be able to tell the difference? (The Dog is pretty sharp, the others, well, not so much)

Thanks.
Dave

That's a keeper line for sure....

FWIW those look to be overpriced, are they still made in USofA ?
Or simply re-badged ?
Generic offshore ones are identical, and much cheaper.

EDIT: thinking some more, that description (for the same material) being different, makes it appear some purchasing agent is bringing in one from off-shore, and C&P the vendors own description, very lazy way to operate IMHO.

YMMV

 

[dcash]

You had better do more research. There are many different bottle valve coupling standards. Many look the same, but there are size differences for all of the coupling parts, including threads, seal sizes and diameters as well as with and without bronze gas strainers.

I literally printed the spec sheets for both from several sources so I could do a side by side comparison and they appear to be identical (threads, pressures, flow rates etc.)other than the price.

I'll probably get the cheaper one and just keep it covered whenever the dog is snooping around in the shop.

Dave. ]

 

[jermfab]

I’ll agree with Larry Venice… compositionally there’s not much difference between “Teflon” and PTFE. The primary difference being the trademark following Teflon, correctly capitalized, of course.

My best guess is Victor prices them differently to make sure the DuPont heirs get theirs and some of the sellers have recognized that both products are essentially identical and modified their prices to reflect as much.

As far as bottle “spuds” go… yes, there are a couple of different styles in the CGA family. 510 and 580 are the ones I see most frequently. One is for flammable gases and the other for inert gases. There’s another spud for oxygen.

In any case, you’re putting inert welding gas regulators/flowmeters on inert welding gas bottles, so buy the one that matches the gas the machine uses or has multiple scales for different gases.

All that said, I’ve rebuilt numerous Victor regulators. Never been inside a flowmeter… because I’ve never had to be.

The regulator rebuild kits are as stupidly cheap as they are stupidly easy to rebuild. Take the thing apart and replace the seals and o-rings with the matching one from the kit. It wouldn’t surprise me if the LWS would begrudgingly sell you a rebuild kit. My LWS was particularly begrudging as they run a repair service in-house and would have much preferred to get the repair fee as well as the sales of the rebuild kit.

On a side note: I attempted to rebuild my cutting torch once… and did find it worth sending to be repaired. Plus the guy the LWS uses does a really nice job glass-beading and cleaning the torch. Comes back working like new and looking almost as good. I try to not use the torch head as a hammer, so mine cleaned up very well. Only downside was the bead-blasting nearly erased the etched on name from the guy that gave me the torch. It’s an homage I would like to keep.







Be safe



Jeremy

 

[Bill D]

Argon is a noble gas so it does not care what the seal is made of. Regardless it will not react with the material in the seal. Oxygen will react with everything. Just some materials take longer then others.
Bill D

 

[BT Fabrication]

Looking to get new flow meters for the Mig and Tig welders.

Victor lists two models with identical (seemingly) specifications other than one has "Teflon seats" and one has "PTFE seats". (0781-2723 vs 0387-0240).

Some places like Grainger show a $40.00 price difference, some list both for the same price. Just wondering if anyone knows the pros and cons of each.

Will the neighbors, the wife, or the dog even be able to tell the difference? (The Dog is pretty sharp, the others, well, not so much)

Thanks.
Dave

the only difference is the packaging right from the esab website, one is a box, the other is clamshell right at the bottom

 

[metalmagpie]

Victor stuff is now made in China if that matters to you.

 

[dana gear]

I’ll agree with Larry Venice… compositionally there’s not much difference between “Teflon” and PTFE. The primary difference being the trademark following Teflon, correctly capitalized, of course.

My best guess is Victor prices them differently to make sure the DuPont heirs get theirs and some of the sellers have recognized that both products are essentially identical and modified their prices to reflect as much.

As far as bottle “spuds” go… yes, there are a couple of different styles in the CGA family. 510 and 580 are the ones I see most frequently. One is for flammable gases and the other for inert gases. There’s another spud for oxygen.

In any case, you’re putting inert welding gas regulators/flowmeters on inert welding gas bottles, so buy the one that matches the gas the machine uses or has multiple scales for different gases.

All that said, I’ve rebuilt numerous Victor regulators. Never been inside a flowmeter… because I’ve never had to be.

The regulator rebuild kits are as stupidly cheap as they are stupidly easy to rebuild. Take the thing apart and replace the seals and o-rings with the matching one from the kit. It wouldn’t surprise me if the LWS would begrudgingly sell you a rebuild kit. My LWS was particularly begrudging as they run a repair service in-house and would have much preferred to get the repair fee as well as the sales of the rebuild kit.

On a side note: I attempted to rebuild my cutting torch once… and did find it worth sending to be repaired. Plus the guy the LWS uses does a really nice job glass-beading and cleaning the torch. Comes back working like new and looking almost as good. I try to not use the torch head as a hammer, so mine cleaned up very well. Only downside was the bead-blasting nearly erased the etched on name from the guy that gave me the torch. It’s an homage I would like to keep.







Be safe



Jeremy

Most welding supply stores will not sell repair kits for liability reasons and with good cause.
There have been many unfortune accidents with home brew regulator repairs.
Unlike repairing a compressed air regulator that may see 175 PSI at best, that is nothing compared to an oxygen cylinder at 2265 PSI blowing the cap off a home brew regulator. or exploding altogether during compression due to contamination allowed to enter the regulator body during rebuilding.
Years ago, when I went through Victor factory school for regulator repair, we spent an entire morning with Victor's attorney reviewing past accidents where compressed equipment has used/repaired incorrectly.
Just be safe, the cost to send a regulator in for rebuilding is really not that bad when you consider that the regulator will be cleaned and repaired with the correct repair parts using the correct tools to dissemble and reassemble and then test with Nitrogen. sent back to you safe and ready to use.