Like electricity, plumbing the MA1 to your gas source is up to you. Our applications team has tested a lot of hardware, and the parts below are what works most consistently in US shops.
The MA1 has a 6 mm push-in gas inlet. It ships with a 10 mm gas hose and one 10 mm → 6 mm adapter. With the setups below, set the flow to 12–15 l/min (25–32 cfh). Everything else about gas is in Get Ready for Delivery.
Connecting a standard regulator #
These five regulators were all plumbed to the MA1’s 6 mm inlet with two parts:
- Flare end coupling: Anderson Metals 754046-0604, 3/8″ flare × 1/4″ FPT
- 10 mm tube to 1/4″ NPT (bottom left in the photo): TAILONZ straight push-to-connect fitting, 10 mm tube OD × 1/4″ MNPT
Then run the supplied 10 mm hose from that fitting, through the 10 mm → 6 mm adapter, to the MA1.
“Nearly every standard regulator I’ve encountered since starting with THEO has been threaded for this coupling, either within the regulator body itself or with adaptors included with the regulator, as seen in the first image.”
Harrison Shoup, THEO Applications Manager
Without the reducer #
To skip the 10 mm → 6 mm reducer, thread a TAILONZ PL6-N2 elbow (6 mm tube OD × 1/4″ NPT, 90°) straight into the flare coupling, then plumb it to the regulator and run 6 mm tube to the MA1.
Connecting a panel flowmeter #
- Thread two TAILONZ straight push-to-connect fittings (10 mm tube OD × 1/4″ NPT) into the female ports of an LZM-6T acrylic panel flowmeter.
- From each fitting, run about 1.5″ of 10 mm tube to a push-to-connect reducer union, 10 mm × 6 mm OD.
- Connect 6 mm tube in from the gas source and out to the purge.
The LZM-6T reads only 1–10 l/min (2–21 cfh). That is below the 12–15 l/min (25–32 cfh) the MA1 needs. For the MA1, use a panel flowmeter that reads to at least 15 l/min (32 cfh).
One gas source for the MA1 and a purge line #
To split one gas source between the MA1 and a purge line, use a TAILONZ PE-6 tee (3-way, 6 mm tube OD, push-to-connect).
Before the first weld: chain the cylinder upright, leak-check every connection and set the flow (12–15 l/min / 25–32 cfh) with Gas Manual in Expert Mode.
Product links go to Amazon US listings that our team has used. Listings change, so check the size and thread before you order.
Related: THEO MA1 Series Tutorials | Gas Regulators (video) · Get Ready for Delivery
