Setting up Oxy Acetylene Kit is not rocket science, but it is important to do it correctly.

All the following also applies to Oxy Propane and Oxy Propylene Kits

Setting up Oxy Acetylene Kit – the basics

1. Oxy Acetylene fittings consist of a concave Female sealing face on one component and a Male ball shaped sealing face on the other.  A Nut clamps these faces together to form a gas tight seal. 
2. 
3. Threads are not designed to be gas tight as gas will not come into contact with the threads.
4. NEVER use PTFE tape or any other form of thread sealing product when setting up gas equipment.
5. DO NOT over tighten joints, they only need to be nipped up, take special care if you’re using a large adjustable spanner as it’s easy to over tighten nuts if you’re using a spanner that was designed for use on the Forth Bridge assembly 🙂
6. Combustible Gas fittings (Propane, Acetylene etc) will be LEFT HAND THREADS, this will be indicated by little nicks in the corners off the nuts.

Setting up Oxy Acetylene Kit

1. Visually check the inside of the thread and seat of the Gas Cylinder outlet, you’re looking for dust, debris or scratches on female sealing face.
2. Fit the Gas Regulator to the Gas Cylinder
3. Fit the Flash Arrestor to the Regulator – Note, in North America, Flash Arrestors are fitted to the Torch, but here in Europe we fit them to the Regulator.
4. Fit The Hose to the Flash Arrestor.  Note, it may be that both ends of your hose are the same size nut, allowing the hose to be fitted the wrong way round.  The Torch end has a Check Valve (one way valve), if the hose is fitted the wrong way around, you will not get any gas out!  Look at both ends of the hose, if the nuts are the same size, look behind the nut, if there is 5-10mm of brass bar between the back of the nut and the start of the hose, that will be the Check Valve and thus the Torch end of the hose.
5. Fit your Gas Gun to the end of the Hose.

Setting Gas Pressures

1. Check the valves on the Torch are closed.
2. Check the Control Knobs on the Regulators are unscrewed to the point where they’re loose and a little floppy.
3. SLOWLY open the Gas Cylinder Valves.
4. Open the Torch Oxygen Valve 1/4 – 1/2 a turn (no gas will come out yet).
5. Screw the Oxygen Regulator Control Knob Clockwise until you feel it start to go stiff. Continue turning while watching the Delivery Pressure Gauge on the Regulator. Continue turning the Regulator Control Knob until the desired pressure is reached.
6. Turn OFF the Torch Valve.
7. Repeat steps 4-6 with the fuel gas.
8. Check all joints for leaks with a proprietary leak detector product.

Lighting Oxy Acetylene (or Propane/Polypropylene) Torch

1. Imagine the Torch Gas Control Knob is the face of a clock. Open the fuel gas Torch Valve around 5 minutes.
2. Light the gas with a Spark Lighter (Cigarette lighters should be avoided as they can be dangerous)
3. Slowly open the Oxygen Torch Valve until the desired flame is achieved.

You’re now ready to get stuck into the job!  Always remember to use eye protection, even if you choose not to wear darkened goggles, you should at least wear clear goggles, as there is always a risk of sparks.

Shutting off the Flame

When you’ve finished the job:

1. Turn off the Fuel Gas
2. Turn off the Oxygen
3. Be careful where you put the Torch as it is likely to be hot

End of Work Shutdown of Kit

1. Close the Cylinder Valves
2. Open the Fuel Gas Valve on your Torch until the Gauges on your Regulator drop to Zero, then close the Torch Valve again
3. Repeat step 2 with the Oxygen Torch Valve
4. Unscrew the Control Knobs on the Regulators until they go loose and slightly floppy

I hope you found this blog article about setting up Oxy Acetylene Kit useful, if things work out well for you, please feel free to post some pictures of your achievements on our Facebook Page

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Cheers

Graham