Victor Edge 2.0 Acetylene Regulator Trouble ???

[Boss 302]

I have resolved to using my Prestolite B bottle with a turbo tip to do all of my jobs that require large amounts of heat and for cutting jobs I use a plasma cutter. I absolutely do not miss using the oxygen/acetylene setup.

 

[Mark @ Everlast]

The edge regulators I used were junk. I think you have about as much luck with a HF regulator or some copy type.

 

[jaxs]

The edge regulators I used were junk. I think you have about as much luck with a HF regulator or some copy type.

That's an interesting statement. I can't help but wonder how it come's out in the wash. The local guy that repair's gas equipment told me there's no catalog or cross referance for HF and knock-off brand repair kits. He sometimes recconize internals being same as something he can get parts for but the average diyer wouldn't. That bring's me to why I said your statment is interesting. Do you believe HF and knock-offs will last longer before a prt fails? In that event,it is a question of how much longer because it would be unrepairable. If reliability is about equal,wouldn't the Victor Edge be the better investment since reopair parts are avaliable? IMO ESAB would do better offering price competive equipment in another brand while only offering Victor in professional level. Hobbiests,diyers and farmers never see professional equipment where they shop so don't realize it's available. 75% wouldn't pay pro level prices anyhow but as it is ESAB is poisoning the water hole for the 25% that would. This might be above my pay grade but we see alot of that.

 

[Mark @ Everlast]

No, there may not be 100% parts availability. But most of them are direct copies of older, reliable units. When I was teaching, we got 5 new sets of the Edge regulators with Journeyman class torches. By the end of the semester, 2 sets failed outright. The rest were hard to read and ticklish to adjust, regardless. You had to stand right at it to see the pressures. The gauges are tiny and indecipherable.

But if you can buy a whole torch set from HF for 159.00 or someplace similar, possibly for cheaper with some sale or discount, you could be two or three of them for the price. Use one, keep the others for spare parts, and it would be repairable then. They'll last as long, or almost as long and then with the Edges imho. When warranty runs out, you will have to pitch them anyway. What have you gained? Nothing. Back to square one plus the extra money you paid out for something slightly longer lasting?

 

[Mark @ Everlast]

I mean look at how small this is. And this is about twice as large as it is in real life. The original were worse.

 

[Gordon Gould]

I have to agree with you Mark on the lack of user friendlyness of that gauge. Very difficult to read with any precision. And making repeatable settings is impossible. So what did you replace those gauges with ??

gg

 

[BukitCase]

Gordon, from Mark's pic I saw what is possibly the MAIN reason for crappy adjustability - those are SINGLE STAGE regulators, says so right on the front.

I've had my Craftsman (Harris, IIRC) 2 stage regs since 1972, NEVER left 'em pressurized, NEVER been rebuilt, and to this day they still work fine (and smooth, and steady).

If I had to replace mine, I would not even LOOK at anything that was single stage... Steve

 

[Mark @ Everlast]

Gordon, from Mark's pic I saw what is possibly the MAIN reason for crappy adjustability - those are SINGLE STAGE regulators, says so right on the front.

I've had my Craftsman (Harris, IIRC) 2 stage regs since 1972, NEVER left 'em pressurized, NEVER been rebuilt, and to this day they still work fine (and smooth, and steady).

If I had to replace mine, I would not even LOOK at anything that was single stage... Steve

Two stage are uncommon and outrageously expensive. There's really no need unless you are a hard core pro that you'd really ever need them. If you have a two stage regulator, they are exceptionally good, but most these days are not. It's not a problem per se, but you deal with the hand you got. They are twice the price at a minimum.

 

[BukitCase]

Mark, in my case cost is a moot point, aside from a few larger tips for my cutting torch the last thing I bought was a Victor 300 torch, 3 tips plus a rosebud; the Craftsman set was kind of a "high end homeowner" deal, smallest tip is almost a jeweler's size. The Victor stuff gave me a longer handle and larger tips.

Pretty sure that if my regs were to die I'd ditch the O/A and get Oxy/Propane if I needed torches AT ALL any more.

With the current crap that's going on, EVERYTHING'S more expensive - filled your gas tank lately?

OK, I'll shut up before I get banned for too much truth; I'll be watching for your answer to Gordon's last question tho... Steve

 

[Mark @ Everlast]

I have to agree with you Mark on the lack of user friendlyness of that gauge. Very difficult to read with any precision. And making repeatable settings is impossible. So what did you replace those gauges with ??

gg

It's terrible, and as I recall the effort required to adjust them is far to hard. We just limped along with the 3 and an older victor journeyman conventional unit. My personal ones are Smith.