Sebculb
Gold Member
Hey everyone,
So recently I got a used oxy acetylene kit to fix an issue on my backhoe. Actually that was just the final excuse but it's a toy I've wanted for quite a while. It's a cool toy!
So the broken doohicky saga is resolved for now on the hoe, but towards the end of it my acetylene regulator started acting up. First it wouldn't allow pressure to pass through even though there was plenty of gas in the tank. I took it apart and cleaned it. Lotsa corrosion dust and a fine screen at the inlet that was gummed up.
Put it back together and now it let's gas through just fine, but only nominally regulates the pressure while the torch is on. If I turn the flow to the torch off the pressure starts rising rapidly in the hose to above 15psi which has me scampering across the work area to turn off the cylinder knob and then open the torch to relieve the pressure in the hose. Almost comical except for the whole blowing up part.
So is this common? Can I fix it? Did I ruin it? This is a cheap Chinese thing, not a fancy Víctor or anything and it had obviously been sitting around for a while. Also my oxygen regulator "chatters" and sorta squeaks periodically. Is that worth worrying about?
Alternately I'm going back to the states for a visit next week, should I just buy a new set? Are the cheap ones for $30 on amazon okay or should I buy "real" ones? Víctor costs close to $200 for a set of regulators. Lincoln electric has a whole set of tips and hoses for that much. Is that Lincoln stuff good? Last I looked they do arc welding stuff.
Thanks!
So recently I got a used oxy acetylene kit to fix an issue on my backhoe. Actually that was just the final excuse but it's a toy I've wanted for quite a while. It's a cool toy!
So the broken doohicky saga is resolved for now on the hoe, but towards the end of it my acetylene regulator started acting up. First it wouldn't allow pressure to pass through even though there was plenty of gas in the tank. I took it apart and cleaned it. Lotsa corrosion dust and a fine screen at the inlet that was gummed up.
Put it back together and now it let's gas through just fine, but only nominally regulates the pressure while the torch is on. If I turn the flow to the torch off the pressure starts rising rapidly in the hose to above 15psi which has me scampering across the work area to turn off the cylinder knob and then open the torch to relieve the pressure in the hose. Almost comical except for the whole blowing up part.
So is this common? Can I fix it? Did I ruin it? This is a cheap Chinese thing, not a fancy Víctor or anything and it had obviously been sitting around for a while. Also my oxygen regulator "chatters" and sorta squeaks periodically. Is that worth worrying about?
Alternately I'm going back to the states for a visit next week, should I just buy a new set? Are the cheap ones for $30 on amazon okay or should I buy "real" ones? Víctor costs close to $200 for a set of regulators. Lincoln electric has a whole set of tips and hoses for that much. Is that Lincoln stuff good? Last I looked they do arc welding stuff.
Thanks!