250EX very strange welding, was I given something other than pure argon??

[Gandalf]

New tank! It was bad argon, simple as that. They exchanged it for free for me to test.

This is on the rattiest dirtiest back-end piece of aluminum... back to normal operation!!

So, good for future reference... torch still goin strong. And, yes, I will no doubt add a water cooler in the future, but as yet, simply not necessary.

[performance]

Well, I have a lot of hot calls about similar issues, with many doubting the very possibility it could be bad gas, and here is proof. I've even see people get two bad tanks in a row. I think the problem comes in where they refill these tanks without vacuuming them out and there is residual gas left. Keep in mind the same cylinder can hold Helium, Argon, CO2, 02 or any mix there of, and a lot of people return them before they are bone dry. Color coding doesn't mean as much as it used to either. Years ago, everyone pretty much agreed on standard coloring for tanks, but nowadays it is somewhat murky. When a company needs a Argon Co2 cylinder, they have been known to snatch a Argon cylinder and fill it, and vice versa.

[undercut]

Well, I have a lot of hot calls about similar issues, with many doubting the very possibility it could be bad gas, and here is proof. I've even see people get two bad tanks in a row.

Getting two bad tanks in a row is a person's worst nightmare to diagnose. Would be like chasing ghosts.

Good to hear there was a reasonable explanation and everything is working out well. Cheers!

[Gandalf]

Thanks very much everyone, for great tips and support. I'm glad it was the easy fix!

[X83]

I would purchase your gas from another supplier to keep this from occurring again. I had a MIG welder where the same problem happened because there was too much moisture in the bottle and it was a company problem where they didn't evacuate their tanks during the refill process.

[everlastsupport]

New tank! It was bad argon, simple as that. They exchanged it for free for me to test.

This is on the rattiest dirtiest back-end piece of aluminum... back to normal operation!!

So, good for future reference... torch still goin strong. And, yes, I will no doubt add a water cooler in the future, but as yet, simply not necessary.

Glad it is all sorted out. There is a DIY water filter thread out there somewhere in the Tech Bulletins. Jody over and weldingtipsandtricks.com did a video. If you stay with that supplier you might want to make one.

[Gandalf]

I will look into that.
Oxy-Pro is one of, if not the recommended supplier(s) in my neck of the woods. They did treat me well, and it's the first time in 1.5 yrs that I've had an issue... they also have two locations, so changing locations is also an option.

Jody is the reason I actually started looking into Everlast initially... having never really welded anything in my life, and starting out straight into TIG, it was great to have his 250EX series of videos demonstrating TIG principles and tips. I got the welder, and it behaved exactly like it was supposed to. With the support here, it is possible to get into TIG with little experience, as long as the homework gets done . I know of at least half-a-dozen guys in my MR2 fab-circle that have gone Everlast now, some offering TIG services.

[everlastsupport]

I will look into that.
. I know of at least half-a-dozen guys in my MR2 fab-circle that have gone Everlast now, some offering TIG services.

We are glad to hear that? Thanks for the kind words. Everyone here aims to help.