sticking Actylene regulator

[wright1902glider]

Hello everyone,

I'm having an issue with my H-F acetylene torch rig. After nearly a
year of non-use, I fired it up over the weekend. Ox side was fine and
working exactly as expected. But the Act. regulator is having the
following issues:

1. With the regulator t-handle unscrewed completely, open the tank
valve, line-guage pressure starts creeping up.
2. With the tank valve open, screw in the t-handle to 4 psig. Does not
hold at 4 psig, starts creeping up.
3. With the tank valve open, screw in the t-handle to 4 psig, light
and adjust the torch, will sorta hold the pressure at 4 psig. But as
soon as the torch valve is closed, act. pressure starts creeping up.
4. Unscrew the t-handle, open the torch valve to vent the line,
pressure drops to zero. Close the torch valve, pressure starts
creeping up again.

Now I'm assuming that something in the act. regulator is "stuck open",
otherwise uncrewing the t-handle and venting the line pressure should
drop the line pressure to zero and keep it there. Also, if something
weren't stuck, the reg should hold the line pressure where it is set.

Now my question is, what to do about that? Can the reg be serviced,
and if so, how do I do it? Anybody have any experience in this area?

Thanks,
Harry

[Fred the Red Shirt]

On Mar 30, 12:33*pm, wright1902glider >
wrote:
> Hello everyone,
>
> I'm having an issue with my H-F acetylene torch rig.
>
> ...
>
> Now my question is, what to do about that? Can the reg be serviced,
> and if so, how do I do it? Anybody have any experience in this area?
>
>

I suggest you call the people who fill your tanks, or from whom you
bought the regulator.

And/or check to see if the regulator's manufacturer has a website.

--

FF

[[email protected]]

On Tue, 30 Mar 2010 11:32:47 -0700 (PDT), Fred the Red Shirt
> wrote:

>On Mar 30, 12:33Â*pm, wright1902glider >
>wrote:
>> Hello everyone,
>>
>> I'm having an issue with my H-F acetylene torch rig.
>>
>> ...
>>
>> Now my question is, what to do about that? Can the reg be serviced,
>> and if so, how do I do it? Anybody have any experience in this area?
>>
>>
>
>I suggest you call the people who fill your tanks, or from whom you
>bought the regulator.
>
>And/or check to see if the regulator's manufacturer has a website.
If it was bought at Princess Auto (in Canada) instead of Harbour
Frieght I'd just take it back and tell them what happened. Their motto
is "we're not satisfied until you are" - and they are pretty good at
it.

[Brian Whatcott]

wright1902glider wrote:
> Hello everyone,
>
> I'm having an issue with my H-F acetylene torch rig. After nearly a
> year of non-use, I fired it up over the weekend. Ox side was fine and
> working exactly as expected. But the Act. regulator is having the
> following issues:
>
> 1. With the regulator t-handle unscrewed completely, open the tank
> valve, line-guage pressure starts creeping up.
> 2. With the tank valve open, screw in the t-handle to 4 psig. Does not
> hold at 4 psig, starts creeping up.
> 3. With the tank valve open, screw in the t-handle to 4 psig, light
> and adjust the torch, will sorta hold the pressure at 4 psig. But as
> soon as the torch valve is closed, act. pressure starts creeping up.
> 4. Unscrew the t-handle, open the torch valve to vent the line,
> pressure drops to zero. Close the torch valve, pressure starts
> creeping up again.
>
> Now I'm assuming that something in the act. regulator is "stuck open",
> otherwise unscrewing the t-handle and venting the line pressure should
> drop the line pressure to zero and keep it there. Also, if something
> weren't stuck, the reg should hold the line pressure where it is set.
>
> Now my question is, what to do about that? Can the reg be serviced,
> and if so, how do I do it? Anybody have any experience in this area?
>
> Thanks,
> Harry

Sounds like a pin hole in the rubber seal to me. I had one fail this
way too. It was not too difficult to take the regulator apart,
notice the little round rubber disk with a central perforation, and
replace it with one I made from an auto wheel inner tube, with a center
hole punched by a $20 punch equipped with various mandrels (also from HF)

You might think twice before pulling this repair job on an oxygen
regulator however - grease it - and you have a nasty problem to say the
least.

Brian W

[Grider Pirate]

On Mar 30, 9:33*am, wright1902glider > wrote:
> Hello everyone,
>
> I'm having an issue with my H-F acetylene torch rig. After nearly a
> year of non-use, I fired it up over the weekend. Ox side was fine and
> working exactly as expected. But the Act. regulator is having the
> following issues:
>
> 1. With the regulator t-handle unscrewed completely, open the tank
> valve, line-guage pressure starts creeping up.
> 2. With the tank valve open, screw in the t-handle to 4 psig. Does not
> hold at 4 psig, starts creeping up.
> 3. With the tank valve open, screw in the t-handle to 4 psig, light
> and adjust the torch, will sorta hold the pressure at 4 psig. But as
> soon as the torch valve is closed, act. pressure starts creeping up.
> 4. Unscrew the t-handle, open the torch valve to vent the line,
> pressure drops to zero. Close the torch valve, pressure starts
> creeping up again.
>
> Now I'm assuming that something in the act. regulator is "stuck open",
> otherwise uncrewing the t-handle and venting the line pressure should
> drop the line pressure to zero and keep it there. Also, if something
> weren't stuck, the reg should hold the line pressure where it is set.
>
> Now my question is, what to do about that? Can the reg be serviced,
> and if so, how do I do it? Anybody have any experience in this area?
>
> Thanks,
> Harry

It sounds like either a leak in the diaphragm, or a leaking needle /
seat. I used to rebuild my Smith's (brand) regulators whenever one
started misbehaving, until the lawyers "encouraged" the welding
suppliers not so sell parts.

[jerry wass]

Fred the Red Shirt wrote:
> On Mar 30, 12:33 pm, wright1902glider >
> wrote:
>> Hello everyone,
>>
>> I'm having an issue with my H-F acetylene torch rig.
>>
>> ...
>>
>> Now my question is, what to do about that? Can the reg be serviced,
>> and if so, how do I do it? Anybody have any experience in this area?
>>
>>
>
> I suggest you call the people who fill your tanks, or from whom you
> bought the regulator.
>
> And/or check to see if the regulator's manufacturer has a website.
>
> --
>
> FF
He said at the start
It was a Harbor Fart

[[email protected]]

On Fri, 02 Apr 2010 22:52:57 GMT, Jerry Wass >
wrote:

>Fred the Red Shirt wrote:
>> On Mar 30, 12:33 pm, wright1902glider >
>> wrote:
>>> Hello everyone,
>>>
>>> I'm having an issue with my H-F acetylene torch rig.
>>>
>>> ...
>>>
>>> Now my question is, what to do about that? Can the reg be serviced,
>>> and if so, how do I do it? Anybody have any experience in this area?
>>>
>>>
>>
>> I suggest you call the people who fill your tanks, or from whom you
>> bought the regulator.
>>
>> And/or check to see if the regulator's manufacturer has a website.
>>
>> --
>>
>> FF
>He said at the start
>It was a Harbor Fart
I call it "Harbour Fright"

[Fred the Red Shirt]

On Apr 2, 6:52*pm, Jerry Wass > wrote:
> Fred the Red Shirt wrote:
>
> > On Mar 30, 12:33 pm, wright1902glider >
> > wrote:
> >> Hello everyone,
>
> >> I'm having an issue with my H-F acetylene torch rig.
>
> >> ...
>
> >> Now my question is, what to do about that? Can the reg be serviced,
> >> and if so, how do I do it? Anybody have any experience in this area?
>
> > I suggest you call the people who fill your tanks, or from whom you
> > bought the regulator.
>
> > And/or check to see if the regulator's manufacturer has a website.
>
>
> He said at the start
> It was a Harbor Fart

But we don't know if he reads Chinese or speaks Mandarin, right?

--

FF