Opening the gas valve all the way is something I learned in high school, and was reminded over the years by my local welding supply (Arc-Gas) when I visit them for more gas. I did not remember about the seal that functions when the tank valve is opened all the way, thanks for resetting my memory regarding that fact. By the way that is nice truck, should I post a picture of my 2010 Toyota FJ Cruiser TTS ?
Wob
2010_FJ_Cruiser_TTS_Cp.jpg (32.52 KiB) Viewed 1645 times
Quite true. Any high-pressure bottle has a built-in positive seal that works when the valve is fully opened.
Acetylene is the exception. It is a low pressure gas, dissolved in acetone, and the valve should only be open 1/4 to 1/2 turn. This allows you to stop the flow of fuel with one wrist movement in an emergency.
IMPORTANT!
FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW:
If you ever have to lay your acetylene bottle on it's side, let it stand upright several hours before you crack that valve! You could contaminate your regulator with acetone, destroy seals in it, and over-pressure your lines. Acetylene gas above 15 PSI can spontaneously break down and combust in the lines without oxygen present.
IMPORTANT!
FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW:
If you ever have to lay your acetylene bottle on it's side, let it stand upright several hours before you crack that valve! You could contaminate your regulator with acetone, destroy seals in it, and over-pressure your lines. Acetylene gas above 15 PSI can spontaneously break down and combust in the lines without oxygen present.
Good post. I was taught that 40 years ago and never had to learn it the hard way.
Thanks
Highly skilled at turning expensive pieces of metal into useless but recyclable crap..
We would all probably go into shock if a survey was done and an actual number produced of the percentage of people out there working with high pressure and flammable gasses that are totally clueless to things such as that. Or to the proper procedure of how to start-up and then shut-down cutting torches.
Jim
Pipefitter/Weldor out of Local 396
Millermatic 252
Dynasty 200DX
Maxstar 150 STL
Spoolmate 100
Hypertherm Powermax 85
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JD2 Model 32 Bender
Emerson 7120 Horizontal/Vertical Bandsaw
Oxy-Gas Torch outfit
Generac XP8000E Generator
I would get a cheap non-contact infrared thermometer and check all the connections after a breaker opens. TIG to outlet, extension cord 'if used', breakers inside the panel, 50 amp feed connections inside the machine, wires. For some reason #8 does not sound right to pull 50 amps. Off hand i believe 50 amps is into those 'ought' sizes.
jpence38 wrote:We would all probably go into shock if a survey was done and an actual number produced of the percentage of people out there working with high pressure and flammable gasses that are totally clueless to things such as that. Or to the proper procedure of how to start-up and then shut-down cutting torches.
Just look at any rig truck going down the road. How many people know it's illegal to drive with the gauges on? The bottles are supposed to be CAPPED for transport. I don't know of anyone getting a ticket for this, so a lot of cops don't know, either.
Man, can I tell you stories about transportin acetylene. I didnt know no better ( I was 19 at the time) but now that I do, man I am SO lucky I didnt blow myself or someone else up. And then you see guys on the job with their B tanks layin down on their carts or lifts, prop em up, hook em up and fire away, they have no idea how dangerous that is.
Funny part is, our safety meetings every week-once a month our safety meeting is on CGC's(compressed gas cylinders). Everytime my apprentice would crank open the acetylene bottle and only open the oxy bottle half way I wanted to whack him upside the head with my ballpeen hammer.
Oh, and those bottles are supposed to be capped whenever they are not in use for more than 1 hour. Osha :p No leavin your cuttin torch setup hooked up all day :p
kermdawg wrote:
Oh, and those bottles are supposed to be capped whenever they are not in use for more than 1 hour. Osha :p No leavin your cuttin torch setup hooked up all day :p
Oxy-acetylene bottles may be left "hooked up" up to 24 hours if on a certified "firewall" cart.
When you were talking about the #8 wire being marginal for 50 Amps, it depends on the length of the wire.
The Lincoln Precision TIG 225 is provided with a #6 cord connected with plug for a 50A 240 VAC circuit.
When I was setting up power for my shop I had to run 220 VAC 180 feet to my welding shop. For this run I used #4.
From the panel in the shop I am running #8, stranded to increase the circular mill area of the cable (using SO Cord).
Stranded wire has the capacity to carry more current than a single solid copper wire.
The #8 length is approximately 25 feet.
They told us 1 hour when I was working at the airport, but that might our state osha codes.
I ran my outlet about 100 feet to my garage (panel's on the other side of the house) with 8/2 solid wire cable. The electrician I had install it said it was about the minimum you could go for that length of run. Basically anything more than 100 feet he said I should run #6. But, im not welding at 200 amps on some aluminum either :p
The 24 hr thing is (or at least was) a fed. OSHA thing. Nothing keeps a particular job site from establishing stricter rules for safety, and I can't think of a more "safety oriented" place than an airport.
As for the electrical issues, I may have been confused for one of the many other "Steve"s on here. I rarely comment on electrical issues beyond my range of certainty. I have experience in three-phase and split-phase wiring in many settings, but it's not my trade, and I must consult the tables for run v. current EVERY time I wire something.
If I actually commented on wire sizes, I was speaking out-of-turn, and probably under the influence of beer.
Beer is good, err was good, I gave it up 6 years ago. I don't miss it but I sure can't figure out where all them pretty girls I used to date went. All I ever see now are ugly ones that I would never date. Funny, they seem to have the same names as the pretty ones. Nah, just coincidence I'm sure.
Highly skilled at turning expensive pieces of metal into useless but recyclable crap..
Steve,
They're all pretty when you've been happily married for twenty years. Flirting is not a crime. (Unless your wife catches you. But after this long, she understands.
If you need to "drink 'till she's pretty", you have more than one problem!
But after this long, she understands.
