Why did my torch make a big BANG! when I lit it?

[pierces*designs]

I have been playing with my Pirahna for about 5 days now. Last night I had turned it off, pulled a few different colors from the rack and went to relight it and it went BANG! and the match blew out. Scared the crap out of me!

I checked my pressures, etc and all looked good. I relit it, and it made a sharp ticking noise until I turned up the flame then it was OK. I turned it off and relit it a few times over the course of the evening and no more big BANG!

Any ideas??

[Cosmo]

Bethlehems do that sometimes. Residual gasses inside the body of the torch I believe is the reason. If it does it regularly, have it serviced. If not, just learn to love the sound I guess. Or wear earplugs...

[Jennifer Geldard]

Mine does it when carbon builds up in the ports... look at the ports and see if there's any buildup there... if so, I turn on the oxygen alone and scrape the head so the bits go out, not in, turn off the oxy.... then re-light.

[Mr. Smiley]

You should work on a Carlisle CC. :lol: Talk about scaring the bejesus out of you... all the friggin time! :D

Remember to point your torch face down when you brush the face. You don't want bits falling into the torch. ;)

[pierces*designs]

Whew. I was really scared. Of course that didn't stop me from relighting it and melting more glass..


"Do Not Set Yourself on Fire"

Muhahahahhahahaha

[kbinkster]

Debbie,

What is happening to your torch sounds like a either a leaking valve problem (where it's bleeding a little gas into the oxygen chamber), or an internal leak (if it pops and the flame goes out - it depends on the size of the leak as to how often it will pop and blow out the flame). The popping is a sign of gas getting over to the oxygen side (or vice versa in some instances), actually premixing the gases, and igniting. It is an explosion inside your torch.

The tinking sound is what leads me to believe that this is an internal leak problem. That means that it is getting hot on the inside of the torch. The tinking is the sound of the metal expanding from the heat (inside your torch body where it should not be taking on heat).

Of course, this is just my opinion. I have heard lots of scenarios like yours.

Be careful. Do you have flash-back arrestors - just in case? You might want to send it back to Bethlehem to get it checked out for your peace of mind. They don't charge just to have a look at it, do they?

Take care,
Kimberly

[Mr. Smiley]

No Kimberly... they don't charge for that. Nice little jab though. ;) Nobody could ever accuse you of being unbiased.

I would call and talk to Bethlehem about it. Jerry can help with just about any little thing that may come up. Bethlehem has good customer service from my experience. ;)

[pam]

Debbie, don't worry about it if it doesn't happen a lot. Premix torches like the big Carlisles do it all the time (most annoying when you are working in a room with 12 of them), but most surface mix torches don't. My Starfire used to give that little backfire sound every once in a while and it never bothered anything. Just keep torching, but if it happens on a regular basis, then I would have Bethlehem take a look at it.

[kbinkster]

No Kimberly... they don't charge for that. Nice little jab though. ;) Nobody could ever accuse you of being unbiased.

I would call and talk to Bethlehem about it. Jerry can help with just about any little thing that may come up. Bethlehem has good customer service from my experience. ;)
Wow, Brent, why can't you just leave the arguement we had over in the thread where it was? I wasn't making any jabs. I only came on to help Debbie.

I did not know whether Bethlehem charged or not. I believe Carlisle does, but did not know whether Beth did or not. I would feel bad recommending that someone send in a torch and then get surprised with a bill for it.

It's so nice that you could clarify something about their customer service, though. If it is free to send it in, why didn't you recommend that in your previous post? It's obvious that there is a potential safetly problem going on.

[kbinkster]

Debbie, don't worry about it if it doesn't happen a lot. Premix torches like the big Carlisles do it all the time (most annoying when you are working in a room with 12 of them), but most surface mix torches don't. My Starfire used to give that little backfire sound every once in a while and it never bothered anything. Just keep torching, but if it happens on a regular basis, then I would have Bethlehem take a look at it.
You're right, Pam, an occasional pop here and there is not necessarily a problem that needs immediate attention. Lots of times, it is just one of those annoying things that lots of people just learn to live with.

What concerned me, however, was that it was making a tinking noise. That, along with the popping, is symptomatic of internal mixing - something not good for a surface mix torch. When a torch is acting like this, it is better to be safe than sorry.

Again, I was just trying to help. I wasn't making any jabs. I didn't make any generalizations regarding this torch brand. Heck, if I was being biased, I wouldn't offer any help at all.

I wish Brent would stop being so confrontational and offensive. We have a running disagreement that, until he dragged it over here, was limited to another thread. Wow, what do I have to look forward to now? Is Brent going to follow me around on every thread and haraass me?

[pierces*designs]

I am happy to listen to all advice. I am not playing with fire tonight, but tomorrow night I will see what happens. Thanks everyone!

[Mr. Smiley]

Why didn't I suggest she call??? Well, sometimes torches pop. If it happens regularly, it may be a problem worth getting looked at. Chad had already made that suggestion. No need to repeat advise already given. :love:

[Heather/Ericaceae]

Mine makes a mild pop if I accidentally have the O2 on already when I light the propane. I've only done that maybe twice. You have the O2 off when you light the torch, right? :) Just checking! -Heather

[pam]

I'm sorry, Brent, if you thought my advice was redundent, but I thought she might like to hear from someone who it had actually happened to. I will be more careful next time.
Thanks,
Pam

[Mr. Smiley]

Pam, I wasn't refering to your post at all. Maybe I should quote the question Kimberly asked when I answer her questions. Here's her question... "It's so nice that you could clarify something about their customer service, though. If it is free to send it in, why didn't you recommend that in your previous post?" My response was that Chad had already given that advise and it was in response to Kimberly's question only. :love: ;)