[Jewelry making - Article 00739] - Re: [Orchid] Acetylene prestolite torch safety

[Ed Howard]

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    I will share my response to Victoria's kind comments with everyone. 

    If you don't have natural gas it is possible to use other gases
    safely - the key is recognizing the unique properties of each gas
    which make it dangerous and using the gas in a manner that respects
    those properties. 

>     From your description it sounds like you follow normal safety
>     practices by bleeding lines, backing off the regulator key, etc.
>     but I would definitely get the propane tank out of the basement. If
>     you own the house then putting the tank outside and running a line
>     into the basement would be easy to do. While it may be inconvenient
>     to go outside and open the valve on the propane tank, you will be
>     safer if you do for two reasons.

    First, while I work with natural gas cylinders in my business they
    have the same type of fitting as a propane tank for connecting a
    regulator, a CGA510 (CGA stands for Compressed Gas Association).
    Often after connecting a regulator to a cylinder I use an electronic
    sniffer to test for leaks 

    http://news.thomasnet.com/images/large/451/451518.jpg 

    and I am surprised, even after tightening the fitting to what I
    think is really tight, to find that I have a small leak anyway. If
    the cylinder is outdoors it doesn't matter but indoors, it might. If
    you are going to bring the cylinder indoors you should consider using
    soapy water (mixture of liquid dish soap and water) to check the
    fitting to make sure you aren't leaking even after you think it is
    tight. 

    Second, there is always the potential for a manufacturer's defect in
    the tank or valve on the tank. Sometimes I find leaks in the valve
    stem and this could cause gas to escape into your basement. This kind
    of leak would also be picked up with a sniffer or soapy water if you
    splash some on the valve itself. 

    In either of these cases having the tank outdoors will prevent the
    leak from becoming a problem. You noted that putting a propane tank
    outdoors in cold weather reduces gas flow and this is true but the
    amount of gas you need with your Little Torch is so "little" that it
    will not affect you. 

    As for the details of connecting an outside propane tank to an
    indoors torch I would ask the local fire marshal or town building
    department if there are any codes which affect doing this - you want
    to be sure whatever you do is legal. They may say a simple hole
    through which you run a red hose is satisfactory or there may be
    other requirements. Personally I would have a plumber install black
    pipe through the building wall, just like I am sure you have inside
    your Illinois home to connect the furnace, hot water heater, etc.,
    with a separate shutoff ball valve. It would have strength and
    rigidity and be safer than a flexible hose - again, ask what the
    building code/fire code says. 

    Unfortunately I am not aware of a torch booster that works with
    propane; G-TEC's Torch Booster is only for natural gas. If there was
    a propane booster you could simply boost gas pressure to 5 psi to
    your torch from the propane tank that supplies all of your other gas
    appliances. I assume you set your propane pressure to about 5 psi so
    connecting directly to the building propane supply would probably
    give a very weak flame, although there might be someone out there who
    has tried this. If you do, you want to be triple sure you have a
    flashback arrestor, not just a check valve, on the gas hose. 

    Oxygen itself is not explosive...it just makes everything else burn
    really well! The larger danger with oxygen is having a cylinder fall
    and break off the valve, which turns the cylinder into a missle. A
    full oxygen cylinder is charged at about 2,200 psi and if that
    pressure is suddenly released the cylinder will penetrate concrete
    walls. 

    When you get to the point of opening a retail business you may find
    that either your lease or insurance company prohibits you from having
    a propane tank indoors. We sell many of our boosters to businesses in
    this situation because our boosters are permitted in places where
    cylinders are prohibited. 

    Philosphically speaking, accidents are accidents - 999 times out of
    1,000 you follow the safety practices that let you work with any gas
    but one day you may forget to bleed a line, close a valve, etc and an
    accident occurs. Or, when you swapped your propane tank the last time
    you could get that 1 in 1,000 cylinder that has a leak. 

    When that happens the characteristics of natural gas and one of my
    Torch Boosters are more tolerant of error than other gases and
    storage devices. But if your only choice is propane, keep the tank
    outdoors, check for leaks time you use the torch and be diligent
    about how you begin and end each day so you are woking safely within
    the limits of the nature of propane. 

Good luck!

Ed Howard
G-TEC Natural Gas Systems
www.safe-t-gas.com
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