Plumbing tape & CO2 tank?

[TexasState]

Do I need to use plumbing tape over the threads of the co2 bottle? Some peoples doesn't tape the threads correctly and end up messing up their fine needle valve (tape breaking up, getting sucked into the fine needle valve, and clog it up.)

[adaminaustin]

No. I know for a fact that welders never use any teflon tape on any of the bottles. The regulator should have a gasket at most. I never used co2 on my tank but have been welding for years.

[TexasState]

Where can I get replacement gasket? Do they use the same gasket as the garden hose? I hear peoples complaint about how their expensive M3 regulator is not working right. It's probably b/c it's been clogged up by plumbing tape if you thread it too far.

[JesterGrin_1]

Never use any type of tape for a sealant it is not needed. Go to any Welding supply company and pick up a gasket. You want the white tephlon one. And while you are at it I would pick up a couple of extra ones. :)

[adaminaustin]

use a small O-ring gasket from homedepo(about $.25). If a small grove is inside the female part of the connection try to match it. ;)

[captexas]

If it were me, I would use the tape. Welding tanks and having a compressed gas tank in your house are too different things. Welders keep their tanks outside or in large open areas and a tiny leak doesn't get noticed. A CO2 tank in a small room with limited ventilation in your house is completely different.
If you don't want to use the tape, they do make a liquid/paste that you can put on the threads to help get a better seal.

Just my 2 cents though! :-)

[JesterGrin_1]

Oh on another note do not use any type of grease or oil of any type just make sure the threads are clean. And I just have to throw this in. If you have oxygen NEVER EVER NEVER use any type of oil or grease on the threads or even around them since this can cause the oxygen to EXPLODE. Well unless you have a good live insurance policy and make me the benificerary lol.

[JesterGrin_1]

Sorry Cap but the threads are not the sealing source for CO2 so the gasket is needed. Rubber is okay I guess but I would rather stay with a product that is designed for this purpose. If it is gas I have handled it as well as Liquid Nitrogen. Oh no nobody light a match lol ;)

[TexasState]

I can't seem to find my regulator right now. Is the gasket a hard plastic gasket, or rubbery soft gasket?

[JesterGrin_1]

It should be a hard white plastic seal not soft.

[TAXMAN]

The main part of the regulator that fits into the tank itself should NOT have a gasket at all. I also weld and have many types of tanks. None of them use a gasket at the bottle. It should have a flare type end that will match the tank flare for a perfect seal. The threads never get tight to each other. It tightens up once the flares have met each other. So tape will may work too well. But you might get lucky.

Now as for the regulator itself, It may have a gasket somewhere. I dont know exactly what part of the regulator you are aking about. If it had a gasket, put one back in. If it is a thread type seal, use White Teflon tape. You can get the tape at any auto parts store. Do not use a silicone of any kind. Silicone doesnt do to well on threaded parts. And it will eventually just plug up the regulator if you remove and reinstall it a few times. It's hard to clean it out well.

[JesterGrin_1]

TaxMan look again lol. CO2 does have a gasket between the tank and a regulator meant for that type of use. I do agree with you on other typ's of gas but not CO2. And I have done commercially. Tig,mig,stick,oxy acytolyn. And have also worked at a gas company of which was filling the gasses mentioned as well as Liquid nitrogen, Helium,CO2, Medical oxygen as well as normal Oxygen for welding use,Argon, If it is a gas then I have moved it. And I bet I can take two of those 5 and a half foot tall oxygen bottles with no dollie on concrete and move them as fast as I can walk without picking them up lol . You just cross them and roll them . :)

[TAXMAN]

LOL. I didnt take my regulator off of my CO2 tank before I set it up. It was already hooked up and ready to go. Well I have never seen a tank without the flared fitting on it. Thats good to know. I guess I'll get to seee how it looks when mine runs out of gas. :)
Thanks for letting me know it has a gasket as well.

[brewercm]

You can also pick up the gasket at any paintball supply place. They use these up on a regular basis and run about .15 to .25 a piece. What they use is actually a teflon o-ring type gasket but from the bottles I've seen I would think they are the same threads since I get the bottles refilled at welding places.

[JesterGrin_1]

TaxMan you are very welcome. Now what is all this talking about threads on CO2? The threads do not seal a darn thing. All the threads do is enable you to connect the guage to the tank and pull up the sealing surface with the GASKET to seal. And that goes from the little 5 pounders all the way up to the 100 pounders. And CO2 is filled by weight not by presure. In the winter on a 20 pounder they will usually put in right at 19 pounds but in the summer maybe down to 18 pounds. Because as this gas we call CO2 gets hot it can build allot of presure in the tank and the little presure valve on the side of the valve on the tank will pop and release all of the gas. CO2 is filled as a liquid and as you use the tank it bleeds off presure because of the change of presure condition inside of the tank. Now with a few of you of which use paint ball guns. The CO2 tank of which is used to fill your little bottles is a syphon tank which means there is a tube from the valve that goes to the bottom of the tank as to fill your little tank with liquid. And that is why you get sooo many shots from the paint gun.

[brewercm]

I always wondered how they got so many shots out of that little bottle.