Oxygen/CO2 regulators corrode?

To: Aquatic-Plants at actwin_com
Subject: Oxygen/CO2 regulators corrode?
From: Stephen.Pushak at saudan_HAC.COM
Date: Mon, 15 Jan 96 10:17:52 PST
In-Reply-To: <199601142039.PAA03231 at looney_actwin.com>; from "Aquatic-Plants-Owner at actwin_com" at Jan 14, 96 3:39 pm
Mailer: Elm [revision: 70.85]

Jay Bickford wrote:
> >> Most
> >> regulators with gauges are designed for compressed oxygen
> >> and the welding supply guy told me that the acidic CO2 gas
> >> will corrode them. 
> >
> I converted an old oxygen regulator to use as a CO2 regulator.
[snip]
> I suppose there could be some internal difference in the 
> regulator that I'm not aware of, but all of the welding
> regulators I've ever seen have been made of brass, whether 
> they were set up for acetylene, oxygen, or CO2. 

Sorry for the confusion; I read my post later and realized it
was misleading. Regulators are made of brass; the bourdon tube
inside the gauge is steel and that's what the guy in the shop
was referring to (I think). Wouldn't pure O2 also be just as 
corrosive?

You can convert oxygen cylinders to CO2 as well; at least here
in Canada they have to be re-certified (although the pressure
is very much lower) I was told most of the CO2 bottles you buy 
used to be for O2.

A 20lb bottle holds 20lbs of CO2 so the total weight is a lot
more; anybody know the actual weight of a full cylinder? and
the dimensions of the 5 & 20 lb bottles?

Steve   in "still raining" Vancouver