Rex B wrote:
Bugs wrote:
EveryONE should do a static bleed down check on their OA system
when
they first turn it on. It could save you some singed gonads.G
Bugs


How does one do that?
My dad gave me a small, older OA rig last year. I think I've used it
once.

--
- -
Rex Burkheimer
WM Automotive
Fort Worth TX

I don't know what the other poster had in mind, but the way I checked
out my O/A rig when I first got it was as follows:

I cleaned off the cylinder valve threads and seats first

Mounted the regulators

Connected the hoses

Made sure the pressure adjustment handles on the regulators were
unscrewed

The torch handle valves were closed

I then cracked the acetylene tank main valve until the pressure showed
on the high-side gauge and turned it off again. When I initially did
this, it bled off fast to zero, I had a leak. Soapy water confirmed
this. I looked at the connector seat on the regulator's tank fitting,
it had a small nick or gouge. A trip to the welding supply got a
replacement CGA fitting. Repeating the test, the high-side gauge
stayed up for about a half-hour. I did this with the oxygen tank, too,
no problems there. The fitting was like a $5 part and it took about 10
minutes to replace.

To check hoses and handle, I cracked the tank valves again, screwed the
regulator pressure adjustments in until I had about 10 lbs on the
low-side gauges, then closed the tank valves. The old hoses were badly
weathered, so I had replaced them without checking them first, cheap
insurance. The pressure with the new hoses stayed up for as long as I
was willing to wait, so the connections and handle valves were good, as
was the regulator. If pressure had bled down, it would have been soapy
water time again.

It's really easy to pick up nicks on the seating parts of the regulator
and hose fittings, particularly if the outfit has been used by a
contractor's workforce. Some of the stuff I've seen come into the
welding supply for repair looked like it was used for playing football,
after dunking it in tar.

They used to sell screw-on caps for the tank-side fittings on the
regulators, I've seen them in old books, wish I could find a source.
I've got some old plastic pipe caps/plugs I use on mine, plus I keep
the regulators in plastic boxes to keep the dust off. I had some
plastic file card boxes that were just big enough to hold one
regulator. I don't store the tanks with the regulators mounted and I
stick the valve caps back on, too.

If you use quick-connects on your O/A hoses, these need the soapy water
check every so often, too. The O-rings can get worn and the fitting
will leak.

Stan