Cutting torch problem

[Bright Raven]

I turned on the oxygen tank. Before I could lite the torch, I heard air leaking at the regulators. It was coming from the oxygen regulator. I noticed the pressure guage for line pressure was not working. Notice in the picture where the needle is.

I took it off and will take it in to Bob Gross who I use for welding and tanks.

Anyone have any ideas? Can they repair the regulator?

 

[greybeard]

Yep, most regulators can be re-built, especially good ones like Victor. Any welding supply can send it off to have it done..

Are those the gages that came with the set? A 0-4000psi gage for line pressure? On mine, the working or line pressure has always been on the left and tank pressure on the right, with the tank pressure being the one with the highest pressures indicated.
That line pressure gage should be graduated much smaller, IF the one on the right really is 'line' pressure'..
I can't imagine trying to figure out where 20psi is on that gage.

My guess is that line IS on the left, and it's tank gage that isn't working, as the regulator is bypassing full tank pressure to the line gage.

 

[Bright Raven]

Yep, most regulators can be re-built, especially good ones like Victor. Any welding supply can send it off to have it done..

Are those the gages that came with the set? A 0-4000psi gage for line pressure? On mine, the working or line pressure has always been on the left and tank pressure on the right, with the tank pressure being the one with the highest pressures indicated.
That line pressure gage should be graduated much smaller, IF the one on the right really is 'line' pressure'..
I can't imagine trying to figure out where 20psi is on that gage.

Thanks GB. Yes. They came with it. The one on the left is line pressure. The red graduations are psi. If you follow the needle back to the big end, the big end is dead on 20 psi.

I did not try to remove the guage. But I suspect that since it is not working, the leak has something to do with it.

 

[greybeard]

Yep, most regulators can be re-built, especially good ones like Victor. Any welding supply can send it off to have it done..

Are those the gages that came with the set? A 0-4000psi gage for line pressure? On mine, the working or line pressure has always been on the left and tank pressure on the right, with the tank pressure being the one with the highest pressures indicated.
That line pressure gage should be graduated much smaller, IF the one on the right really is 'line' pressure'..
I can't imagine trying to figure out where 20psi is on that gage.

Thanks GB. Yes. They came with it. The red graduations are psi. If you follow the needle back to the big end, the big end is dead on 20 psi.

I did not try to remove the guage. But I suspect that since it is not working, the leak has something to do with it.

Now I see. I'm doing a big download and my laptop is responding slow...the picture didn't fully load the 1st look and I thought the gauge set was still connected to the tank. I assumed the gauge reading zero psi was the inoperative gauge.

I have seen the brass diaphragm invert itself from convex to concave if the the tank valve is opened quickly and sometimes, backing completely off on the regulator tee handle will reset it back right, but nor often.
Your welding supply place can get you a kit for it (or mine can for the older kind) and you can rebuild it yourself, or they may swap your's for a rebuilt set and give you a core charge credit.

Do-it-yourself

Not much cheaper than a new regulator tho.

 

[Bright Raven]

Yep, most regulators can be re-built, especially good ones like Victor. Any welding supply can send it off to have it done..

Are those the gages that came with the set? A 0-4000psi gage for line pressure? On mine, the working or line pressure has always been on the left and tank pressure on the right, with the tank pressure being the one with the highest pressures indicated.
That line pressure gage should be graduated much smaller, IF the one on the right really is 'line' pressure'..
I can't imagine trying to figure out where 20psi is on that gage.

Thanks GB. Yes. They came with it. The red graduations are psi. If you follow the needle back to the big end, the big end is dead on 20 psi.

I did not try to remove the guage. But I suspect that since it is not working, the leak has something to do with it.

Now I see. I'm doing a big download and my laptop is responding slow...the picture didn't fully load the 1st look and I thought the gauge set was still connected to the tank. I assumed the gauge reading zero psi was the inoperative gauge.

I have seen the brass diaphragm invert itself from convex to concave if the the tank valve is opened quickly and sometimes, backing completely off on the regulator tee handle will reset it back right, but nor often.
Your welding supply place can get you a kit for it (or mine can for the older kind) and you can rebuild it yourself, or they may swap your's for a rebuilt set and give you a core charge credit.

Do-it-yourself

Not much cheaper than a new regulator tho.

Thanks.

 

[Nesikep]

I'd try backing the regulator off, take the glass off the line side, remove the needle and replace it with it at zero, then air it back up.. see if that fixes it.
Our Victor kit is nearly 30 years old and works well, replaced a few gauges now though

 

[Bright Raven]

I'd try backing the regulator off, take the glass off the line side, remove the needle and replace it with it at zero, then air it back up.. see if that fixes it.
Our Victor kit is nearly 30 years old and works well, replaced a few gauges now though

I tried to isolate where on the regulator the air was coming from. It was not coming from the opening into which the LP guage screws in. Could the oxygen be leaking under the lens of the guage? I could feel the air but could not narrow down exactly where it was coming from. I thought that was odd. I thought it would be around one of the threaded attachments.

 

[Nesikep]

If you totally back off the regulator, that should drop the line side down to zero, anything on that side shouldn't leak, or at least not be leaking with a hiss..
There's also a possibility that there's a piece of crap in the valve seat which is allowing it to overpressurize, which would explain why the low pressure gauge failed

 

[Bright Raven]

If you totally back off the regulator, that should drop the line side down to zero, anything on that side shouldn't leak, or at least not be leaking with a hiss..
There's also a possibility that there's a piece of crap in the valve seat which is allowing it to overpressurize, which would explain why the low pressure gauge failed

Ok. That is interesting. When I took the oxygen line off there was a very small piece of what I think is orange colored plastic. Where would that come from? It had to come from inside the guage and entered the line. Is there some plastic component inside the guage that has come apart? If so, it could be that some stuck under the valve.

 

[Nesikep]

possibly,.. it could be part of the valve seat, it could be leftovers from the protective cap (little piece cut off by the threads?)...

 

[Bright Raven]

If you totally back off the regulator, that should drop the line side down to zero, anything on that side shouldn't leak, or at least not be leaking with a hiss..
There's also a possibility that there's a piece of crap in the valve seat which is allowing it to overpressurize, which would explain why the low pressure gauge failed

You might be right on the over pressure because when I first took the regulator off, the LP guarge was pegged out at the top. Then it settled back to where it is now.

 

[Bright Raven]

possibly,.. it could be part of the valve seat, it could be leftovers from the protective cap (little piece cut off by the threads?)...

Give you a cigar- it is the same color as the protective valve cover on the tank but how did that get into the oxygen line?

 

[Nesikep]

threads cut a little piece off it? that would be my guess.

It's good practice to open the tank and purge/blow out any possible contaminants before hooking up the regulator.. I'm more comfortable doing that with the oxygen than the acetylene though

 

[Bright Raven]

If some of the plastic cover cap got inside, how do I clean it out from under the regulator valve?

 

[greybeard]

I'd try backing the regulator off, take the glass off the line side, remove the needle and replace it with it at zero, then air it back up.. see if that fixes it.
Our Victor kit is nearly 30 years old and works well, replaced a few gauges now though

I tried to isolate where on the regulator the air was coming from. It was not coming from the opening into which the LP guage screws in. Could the oxygen be leaking under the lens of the guage? I could feel the air but could not narrow down exactly where it was coming from. I thought that was odd. I thought it would be around one of the threaded attachments.

I suspect the regulator allowed the line gauge to over pressurize and the innards of the gauge blew...usually, the C shaped bourdon tube leaks..

Depending on size and shape, the orange plastic thing may also be an orifice plate or insert that is sometimes used in the gauge inlet to dampen or slow the bourdon tube's movement.

 

[Bright Raven]

I'd try backing the regulator off, take the glass off the line side, remove the needle and replace it with it at zero, then air it back up.. see if that fixes it.
Our Victor kit is nearly 30 years old and works well, replaced a few gauges now though

I tried to isolate where on the regulator the air was coming from. It was not coming from the opening into which the LP guage screws in. Could the oxygen be leaking under the lens of the guage? I could feel the air but could not narrow down exactly where it was coming from. I thought that was odd. I thought it would be around one of the threaded attachments.

I suspect the regulator allowed the line gauge to over pressurize and the innards of the gauge blew...usually, the C shaped bourdon tube leaks..

Depending on size and shape, the orange plastic thing may also be an orifice plate or insert that is sometimes used in the gauge inlet to dampen or slow the bourdon tube's movement.

Ok. I am thinking this needs to be rebuilt.

 

[Nesikep]

if it was a piece of crap from something external, just a cleaning will fix it

 

[greybeard]

if it was a piece of crap from something external, just a cleaning will fix it

That is true as well.
Possible too, that it is nothing more than a blown gauge.

 

[Nesikep]

I'm thinking something caused the gauge to blow, overpressure would be #1 culprit considering it's stuck way up there.. find the root cause then replace the gauge

 

[Caustic Burno]

I'm thinking something caused the gauge to blow, overpressure would be #1 culprit considering it's stuck way up there.. find the root cause then replace the gauge

X2 blown gauge.