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Overview of Gas Saver System (GSSTM)

The GSS is a Patented Gas Delivery Hose incorporating a Start Surge Limiter Orifice That Can Save 50% or more of  MIG Shielding Gas Use and Improve Weld Start Quality. 

The Problem - An orifice at the outlet of a regulator or a needle valve after a flowmeter are used to control the rate of shielding gas flow.  With Regulator/Flowmeters (Photo Below Left) outlet pressures range from 25 to 80 psi.   Flowmeters used on pipelines allow pipeline pressure to exit the flow control valve when welding stops.  A typical  pipeline pressures 50 psi. 

Flowgauge/Regulators (Photo  Right) operate by setting the pressure above a critical orifice.  An outlet pressure gauge is calibrated in CFH.  For most MIG shielding gas flow rates the pressure exiting the control orifice when welding stops will range from 40 to 70 psi.

However the pressure needed at the feeder to flow the shielding gas though the solenoid, fittings and torch can range 3 to 8 psi depending on torch length and restrictions that develop while welding.  The needle valve or orifice, if used, drops the pressure to that low level when gas is flowing while welding.  When welding stops, gas continues to flow through the needle valve or orifice and increases pressure in the gas delivery until the output of the regulator or pipeline is reached. Therefore the pressure in the gas delivery hose will be about 25/3 = 8   to 80/3 = 26 times the pressure needed to flow the desired amount of gas!  For Flowgauge/Regulators 13 to 23 times what may be needed!  This extra pressure means there is much more gas stored in the hose than it's physical volume.

When welding  stops the extra pressure causes This Excess Volume of Shielding Gas to be stored in the gas delivery hose between the flow control at the gas supply and the wire feeder solenoid.  Most of this excess gas volume is wasted every time the MIG torch switch is energized, even when just inching the wire.  The excess can exceed the amount of gas used while welding!  Inferior weld starts result from the high gas surge flow pulling air into the shielding gas stream. 

How much excess gas can be stored in a 1/4 inch delivery hose?  Up to 7 times the physical hose volume!  CLICK to See Why.   

The Solution - our Gas Saver System (GSS) eliminates the excess "gas blast" at the weld start.  It retains and delivers enough extra gas at a limited peak flow rate to purge the weld start area, MIG gun nozzle and gun gas hose.

The GSS  solves this excess stored gas problem by utilizing a custom, very heavy wall, gas delivery hose with less volume than GSSconventional hoses and the use of a surge flow limiting orifice.  The stored gas creates another problem as it  exits the torch with a high surge flow at the weld start. Start gas flow rates far exceed the level that allows smooth Laminar flow.  It creates Turbulent flow that pulls air into the shielding gas stream.  The surge flow restrictor incorporated in the GSS  not only  adds to waste reduction (80 to 85% reduced gas surge,) it improves weld starts.   The start surge flow restrictor is sized so it does not limit normal gas flow settings. However if welders are setting very high flow rates (we have measured flows at the gun nozzle of 150 CFH with the knob opened wide) then the GSS will limit flow to the maximum peak flow level set by the orifice in the end fitting. This is about half the flow that can be set on a flowmeter, saving money and making higher quality welds.

Superior Starts are achieved by providing enough extra gas to purge the torch nozzle and weld start area but limiting surge flow velocity to a rate that avoids excessive Turbulence.  This controlled surge flow rate eliminates  moisture laden air from being mixed into the gas shield which results in excess spatter and possibly weld porosity. 

The patented design maintains system pressure to retain "Automatic Flow Compensation" built into standard gas delivery systems since the introduction of MIG and TIG processes!  High pressure also helps to quickly provide the controlled amount of extra gas at the weld start to purge air from the torch nozzle and weld start zone.

See:

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Why Extra Gas is Needed at the Start

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Why High Pressure is a "Good Thing" and a Minimum of 25 psi is Needed to Maintain Preset Flow

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How Does Automatic Flow Compensation Work?

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What problems occur if Low Pressure Devices are used?

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Published Problems with Low Pressure Devices

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Why Standard MIG Gas Hose is a Wasteful 1/4" ID?

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Why Simple Orifices Don't Work and Give False Impression?

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What About Using Orifices To Control Flow at a Pipeline Gas Supply?

 

The Patented GSS Has No Moving Parts to wear or maintain or knobs to adjust.  It Does Not control gas flow while welding.   Welders appreciate the start benefits and are not irritated by restrictors that set flow or low pressure devices that cause flow to vary from the preset level while welding!  It is inexpensive with Payback measured in weeks.

If you desire to control the range of allowable flow settings see our separate Flow Rate Limiter device.

Saving Shielding Gas and Improving Weld Start Quality is Easy and Inexpensive- Just Replace Your Gas Delivery Hose with Our GSS

 

Recommended Gas Delivery System for Optimum Performance-CLICK

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PURCHASE PRODUCT-- DETAILS

 

 

 

One Page Summary of Gas Saver System

PayBack Averages Less Than 2 Months even at $2.00/100CF gas cost-   CLICK HERE FOR CALCULATION

 

See detailed Information about the Gas Saver System and a 4 page Bulletin you can download as a PDF.

 

Free Technical Paper, "MIG SHIELDING GAS CONTROL"

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