Hi all.
I recently bought a used oxygen/propane mini torch set up and I have
a few questions about it. Firstly, the regulator on the propane is
clearly marked acetylene. The gent I bought the unit from, said he’d
been using it that way for a long time. Is this something I should
worry about? Am I lucky not to have been blown up already? Secondly,
when I add oxygen, the flame looks suitable for use for about 3-5
seconds and then I have to add more oxygen. Does this indicate a leak
in my line? Thirdly, when I bleed the lines, there seems to be an
awful lot of gas being released at a fairly high pressure. Advice and
criticism accepted equally. Thanks in advance. I’ve not been let down
by Orchid before.
Hello Don,
Firstly, the regulator on the propane is clearly marked acetylene.
Is this something I should worry about?
Smith Equipment does the same thing. Propane and acetylene
regulators use the same external brass housing so ( I believe) they
simply stamp everything “Acetylene” because acetylene is much more
common in the industrial world. This saves them some manufacturing
costs. Unless your using the very large industrial tanks the
regulator to tank fittings don’t cross over from these two fuels, so
don’t sweat it.
Secondly, when I add oxygen, the flame looks suitable for use for
about 3-5 seconds and then I have to add more oxygen.
Open your oxygen tank all the way and then back off a 1/4 turn, then
watch your oxygen gauges, see if they jump or are unstable after
adding line pressure, if that’s the case it may be time for a new
oxygen regulator. Also, check your oxygen tank for volume, it may
simply be time to filler-up.
Thirdly, when I bleed the lines, there seems to be an awful lot of
gas being released at a fairly high pressure.
Whenever you bleed lines, as the tank pressure gauge goes down the
line pressure increases, sometimes dramatically, but falls to zero
as soon as the tank pressure bottoms out, this is normal.
Hope this helps,
Thackeray Taylor
Rio Grande Technical Sales and Support
800-545-6566 ex 13903
technical@tbg.riogrande.com