oxy-acy question

[sixdogs]

I have an acetelyne-oxy setup for heating and lighter burning. I don't use it very often and while I just swapped to fesh-fill tanks yesterday, I can't recall the last time before that.
Anyway, I went to "crack" (flush) the acy bottle open and it took nearly a full turn of the valve on the bottle before any gas came out. In the past, as soon as I turned the valve on the acy bottle, some gas came out. This bottle had was too much of a turn before any gas and that doesn't seem right. My cutting books say to never open the valve more than a quarter to half turn. I have not used it since.
Have any of you ever had this happen or know if it's common or not?
My plan is to call Matheson tomorrow if you guys think I should.

 

[yomax4]

Could just be the type of valve in the tank. What size is the tank and what pressure did your regulator say when you turned it on. The 1/4 tank rule is just to be able to shut it down quickly. 1/2 is also fine.

 

[sixdogs]

Could just be the type of valve in the tank. What size is the tank and what pressure did your regulator say when you turned it on. The 1/4 tank rule is just to be able to shut it down quickly. 1/2 is also fine.

"Small" acy and 125 oxy. There is a vol/wt of 140 on the bill for the acy and the cost of the acy fill was $115.00. It looks like a typical oxy/acy setup.
The main valve is opening at nearly a full turn before any gas comes out.
I don't recall what psi the regulator was but it was typical of the times I have filled before..

 

[lostcause]

i've had some tanks in the past with valves that seemed odd to me like you described, but they always functioned correctly in the long run. generally, i've always been of the rule to open the valve between 1 & 2 turns on the acetylene and that's plenty.

$115 for an acetylene fill? i haven't done mine lately, but i think i'll check the next time i am near the place i get them. i'm not an expert on all the different tank sizes, but i think mine says 118 cu. ft. = whatever it is, it's the largest size they lease out. i use the large oxygen - 250 cu. ft. +/-. i thought i only paid $80-$90 last time i filled the acetylene and $45 or so for the oxygen. i've still got over a year left on my 5 year bottle contract, and i had planned on just keeping my portable oxy/acetylene tanks for heating and going to plasma for cutting once the contract was up. maybe it'll be better to switch sooner.

 

[sixdogs]

Yeah--I wondered about the price too but didn't bother to check. I own my own tanks so maybe a difference there. I notice you're from Maine and I got my last fill at New England Oxy in Brewer when I lived near there. My wife found old receipts for $23 for acy and $7 for oxy.
Good idea on Plasma-- probably my next option as well.

 

[TaC team greene]

I went to school for welding. They the acy. bottle should never be open more than 1/4 turn so you dont pull to fast and make acy unstable. The oxy. has a back check valve and is supposed to be opened all the way or it will leak oxy. Lostcause: I bought my plasma cutter a year and half ago and i have only used my torches 3 times since then. And i own my own welding company. **** i used the plasma cutter tonight and it take a 1/10 of the time it would have taken me with the torches. there are times it is faster to cut things with plasma than walk over to the chop saw table. Need any welding ??? answered fill free to ask me any time. :thumbsup:

 

[sixdogs]

Thanks, TaC, I think plasma is in the future for me but I still need the torch for heating. Searching the Matheson gas site, I found a possible reason for the price of acy with shortages affecting the price. In fact, they suggest alternatives to acy, as well as the shortages in this link. I'm probably going to switch to an alternative next time around.

Alternative Fuel Gas

Separately, I just hung up with the acy sales guy and when I told him it took one turn before the gas started to flow, they told me to bring it back and that should not happen. So, back it goes this AM. Since acy is so unstable and dangerous, I rather be safe (er) than not.

 

[yomax4]

"Small" acy and 125 oxy. There is a vol/wt of 140 on the bill for the acy and the cost of the acy fill was $115.00. It looks like a typical oxy/acy setup.
The main valve is opening at nearly a full turn before any gas comes out.
I don't recall what psi the regulator was but it was typical of the times I have filled before..

If the Acet. Vol. said 140. Thats Cubic ft. Probably is 80 - 100 bucks these days.