Replacement low pressure gauge for Victor SR 410A

[trooper1954]

Hello all,
Just have a quick question....need to replace the low pressure acetylene gauge
on the above captioned Regulator. I realize the regulator is older, and am just wondering if it's okay and safe to replace the defective one with a generic gauge that's not Victor? I have always been told that all parts of an Oxyacetylene system should have the same parts (Victor) as the set up is individual for that manufacturer.
When I turned on the system I noticed the low pressure acetylene needle was on the bottom of the stop pin....how it got there I have no idea...so obviously its now defective and need to be replaced.
Thanks for any help and advice.

[arizonian]

The seat that regulates the pressure on the low side has gone south. You can rebuild the regulator yourself with a kit if you are comfortable with that or send it out to be rebuilt. Either way, DO NOT USE that regulator until it has been repaired.

When the seat goes, the pressure spikes and the needle goes full circle until it hits the stop, then sometimes hops the stop and is stuck there, screwing up the bourdon tube in the process. A new gauge and a rebuild kit will bring that regulator back to new.

[mccutter]

What AZian said: DO NOT USE! You might find a rebuild kit on debay--that is where I got my last kit from. Was about $20.

As an aside, if a torch is not to be used the same day, it is good to shut the gases off, bleed the lines, then back out the adjustment knobs/Ts...

[trooper1954]

Thanks guys....but I've just spent a load on having both my regulators rebuilt by a welding shop that sourced the rebuild kits because of the age of the regulators, and it wasn't cheap!!
As this is the only the second day I'm thinking its actually the gauge, not the regulator as it worked fine the first day. Thoughts on this?
I'm going to get a new gauge tomorrow and see if this is the case....if not I guess it'll be a rebuild kit.....again!!!

[mccutter]

Originally Posted by trooper1954

As this is the only the second day I'm thinking its actually the gauge, not the regulator as it worked fine the first day. Thoughts on this?

I just re-read your post. Are you saying the needle is just laying there and loose? You might be able to remove the lens cover and push it back on to the spline.

Alternately, the acetylene doesn't care what what gauge it pushes against. Any ace. gauge with the same scales and thread should work...

[arizonian]

Originally Posted by trooper1954

Thanks guys....but I've just spent a load on having both my regulators rebuilt by a welding shop that sourced the rebuild kits because of the age of the regulators, and it wasn't cheap!!
As this is the only the second day I'm thinking its actually the gauge, not the regulator as it worked fine the first day. Thoughts on this?
I'm going to get a new gauge tomorrow and see if this is the case....if not I guess it'll be a rebuild kit.....again!!!

I'd be heading back to the repair shop and let them tell me what's wrong. If you picked up the repair and let it sit for a year you may be out of luck. If you had them do the work recently, ask them to stand behind their work.

[trooper1954]

Welding store that did the work has retired...so no luck there.
I did however change out the low pressure regulator for a new one today, and everything now seems to be working fine.

[trooper1954]

Sorry...last post should have read new low pressure gauge, not regulator.