Gas Safety
Replacement recommendations
ESAB regulators benefit from two permanently marked codes on their bodies. Flashback Arrestors are
marked on their label. This shows the manufacture date in code plus an additional inspection/replacement
stamp typically showing the year at which we recommend the equipment be replaced. This dual system
provides the essential age information required by the user/inspector.
Pressure regulators and flashback arrestors contain elastomeric components which deteriorate with age and
cause the units to fail in service.
Pressure regulators in ‘low wear’ situations such as educational establishments, laboratories and similar
applications are particularly prone to failure. Indeed, a number of serious incidents have occurred as a result
of an elastomeric component failure such as a large discharge of gas from the over pressure relief valve.
The consequences of such releases can be atmospheric enrichment or depletion leading to fires or
asphyxiation. They can also lead to a variety of other unsafe conditions.
Regulators
In response to the need for industry safety, the British Compressed Gases Association recommended in
their Code of Practice 7 that Regulators and Flashback Arrestors be replaced or refurbished after 5 years
in service or manufacturers recommendation. This is an excellent recommendation and has been widely
adopted by the industry.
ESAB style regulator ESAB flashback arrestors
5 YEAR DATE STAMP
REPLACEMENT
STANDARD
GAS TYPE CLASS
5 YEAR
MAX INLET REPLACEMENT
PRESSURE
MAX OUTLET
PRESSURE
DATE STAMP
ESAB EDGE style regulator ESAB G Series regulator rear
INSPECT /
REPLACE 2021, CMV
MODEL & WORKING INSPECT/
PRESSURES REPLACE
2019
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Gas Safety
Replacement recommendations
To ascertain the exact month of manufacture of an ESAB EDGE, or G Series regulator, the date stamp
code appears on the back, typically for example: CMV. The code is translated thus; *The FIRST letter is the
ASSEMBLY LOCATION
Month Year Lettering Format Chart For Assembly Location
January A 2010 T Assembly Location Lettering Style
February B 2011 U USA GOTHIC
March C 2012 V MEXICO ITALIC
April D 2013 W
May E 2014 Y GOTHIC, WITH THE LETTER 'C'
CHINA BEFORE THE DATE CODE
June F 2015 Z
EXAMPLE: CMV = CHINA, DECEMBER, 2012
July G 2016 A
Regulators
August H 2017 B
September J 2018 C
October K 2019 D
November L 2020 E
December M 2021 F
Therefore a regulator marked CMV was manufactured in December 2012 in China.
To ascertain the exact month of manufacture of ESAB and Murex regulators, the date stamp code appears on
the back, typically for example: E3AF. The code is translated thus: *The LAST letter is the ASSEMBLY LOCATION
Decade Year Month Assembly Location
A = 1970 1 6 A = January G = July F = Florence
B = 1980 2 7 B = February H = August
C = 1990 3 8 C = March J = September
D = 2000 4 9 D = April K = October
E = 2010 5 E = May L = November
F = June M = December
Therefore the regulator marked E3AF was manufactured in January 2013 in Florence.
For ESAB Elite series regulators manufactured from December 2013, there will be a change to the aforementioned
manufacturing date coding system. This new code will remain permanently engraved in the same location as previous
and will be translated thus:
13 M 16 O 13M16O
YEAR MONTH DAY REVISION
Therefore, the regulator marked 13M16O was manufactured on 16th December 2013.
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