Help

[A_Glass_Bash]

I am sure it's somewhere and I am sure if I looked harder I would find it but I am totally out of patience and need some hot head help!! I am confused and feeling really stupid! I have the tank, I have the hothead. I have the tube that connects them. I opened the gas valve and assumed I just had to turn the knob on the hot head and gas would come out. I assumed wrong. Can anyone help me figure out what I am missing?? BEFORE I go insane and ditch it all?? Took me for ever to discover I wasn't missing a part and the dang attachment screwed on BACKWARDS!! of course becuase I never thought of it I never asked the husband who KNEW that till like 9 months down the road. Please can we shorten this frusteration phase:-({|=

[Doolollies]

OK I may or may not be able to help? I assume you have a large Bar B Q type propane tank outside and the proper grade hose to connect it. NO kinks or sharp turns in hose. Close gas knob on torch and hook up hose to tank and torch. Open valve on Bar B Q tank FULL OPEN and check tank and torch connection for leaks before beginning. Turn on gas knob at torch and light. This is what I do when I use my hothead. Make beads have fun.

Linda

[Simply Us]

Just like Linda said but it might take a few seconds for the gas to get to the torch so keep trying to light. The air in the hose has to be pushed out.
Sandra

[A_Glass_Bash]

how long is a little bit? LOL I got the connection and tubing from franz a while back ago. I had it full open with the torch opened also and waited a few minutes. When I shut it down and disconnected it appeared that the gas wasn't making it into the tube that it was "trapped" at the connection point if that sounds "right". I am really feeling like a dork right now.

[suzanne]

Could it be that your propane regulator has a little knob on it? If so, turn off the propane, push the button and try again. Some regulators have a flash back arrestor built in wich closes when the pressure in the hose changes ( for instance when changing a bottle). You might want to try this, and if not, see if you can connect the hose all over again.

Also, you need to hold your lighter quite close to the HH or else the flame won't catch.

[Judi_B]

DANGER!! Do Not wait minutes with the valve open before trying to light. Should only take a second or two. Waiting too long could be dangerous---too much released gas. Sounds like there is a problem with the connection of the hose to the bulk propane tank. Try tightening it. Or take the hose off and try re-seating it.

[Judi_B]

Suzanne makes another good point --- a hot head can be difficult to light. Open the valve 1/2 to one full turn and "sneak" the flame up to the bottom lip of the torch. The flame always blew out on me if I tried to light it from the top or side. Good Luck----you're gonna luv melting glass!

[A_Glass_Bash]

you can rest assured that there's nothing in front of that head when I turn it on "test" for a light. ROTFLMAO I figure that at some point it might shoot out like a roman torch and I ain't loosing no eyebrows. Shaved them off when I was 12 sorta by accident and won't be without again.. LOL I will check for a button and maybe take a picture of the connector so that you all can finish telling me what I am NOT doing right. LOL


:rolleyes:

[Anne Ricketts]

I hope you are not using propane with the hothead! You need MAAP gas or Propylene, not propane or a regulator! You use a propane hose but you need to be connected directly to the to the tank. If I remember right it did take just a little bit to light the torch. Where is Dale, he would be the perfect guy to help ya out!

[Judi_B]

One more thought---I just went out and looked at my hot head hose to refresh my senior memory :lol: On my hose the threaded fitting slides on a brass tube that has a rounded end with an O-ring. When attaching the hose to the bulk tank you have to hold the brass tube centered while tightening the fitting. If I remember correctly, there is an inner valve on the tank that won't open if that tube is not seated properly. Hope that makes sense :lol:

[Judi_B]

I hope you are not using propane with the hothead! You need MAAP gas or Propylene, not propane or a regulator!

Some people do use bulk propane with a hot head. I didn't have any problems with propane as long as I worked far enough out in the flame. You know when you're too close because you get nasty black soot in your glass!

[beadstillmyheart]

I hope you are not using propane with the hothead! You need MAAP gas or Propylene, not propane or a regulator! You use a propane hose but you need to be connected directly to the to the tank. If I remember right it did take just a little bit to light the torch. Where is Dale, he would be the perfect guy to help ya out!


I had my HH on propane and it worked fine. Eeek....I'm notorious for breaking rules I didn't even know about. Everything I had read said using the BBQ tank was okeydokey.

It sounds like the valve INSIDE the coupling is not being activated....try undoing the hose at the tank and reseating the coupling. Be sure to turn the tank off first, leave the HH open for a bit to release any gas in the line....THEN shut the HH off and disconnect everything. Yes, it is a backwards connection...meaning, it spins in the opposite direction to tighten at the tank. I think you maybe don't have your fitting tight enough to get the valve to open.

Is the tank full? Test it on your grill to see if it will light there.

[cherishbear]

I used propane BBQ tank all the time with my HH and now my minor!! Never have had a problem. Though I've been told in some areas (specially AK) that propane is just plain DIRTY!!!

[Anne Ricketts]

Ok you can use it, it's just why chance ruining the bead with soot? Propane is very dirty and the other gasses are a lot cleaner to use. Back to your regulary scheduled programs!

[A_Glass_Bash]

LOL it doesn't seem to matter at this point. I have done what I think I can and can't figure out why there's nothing getting to the HH so it doesn't look like it will be happening today. Maybe tomorrow I will call Franz and see if they will help me out if I bring it up there to see if they can get it to work. I have a problem to a certian extent as I couldn't find a "local" person that delete with anything but propane. I am not in the mood at this time to do a 45 minute trip one way to get to somone who does the other for the size of the tank I have and of course with no money for another month, it's the only chance I have for now to play. LOL This has been a PIA for the last year trying to get here. LOL I thought I had it all figured out and obviousely there's bit more to it..

[ocdlampwork]

DH couldn't take a look? Something isn't right somewhere. I know when your tank is too full the gas pressure can blow the flame out but it doesn't sound like you're even getting gas through the hose. When I used a HH I would blow my new tank off for a minute or two before hooking up to the torch. Just take it outside (hopefully it's already there ;-) ) in an open, grassy area and open the tank a bit. It may scare the crap out of you the first time because it will blast out and hiss and blow cold oily stuff all over but sometimes that pressure relief makes a world of difference when lighting up.
I'd get DH or a neighbor to take a look and see what they come up with since you aren't even getting gas through. The connection to the tank needs to be screwed on very tightly. It will seem like you are turning if forever before it is finally tightened up because there are lots of threads and it need to be flush with the tank. It really isn't difficult at all. Really!;) You've just got to figure out what you're doing wrong first.;-)
Good luck!
Tracey

[A_Glass_Bash]

Well he knew enough when I finally was going to go spend money to tell me it spins on backwards. Be he's looked at it twice and couldn't see anything left undone. We have both taken it off like 5 times and put it back on the tank. Maybe we're both iggit's. I am certianly starting to feel like it. If Franz can't help who knows what I will do. Don't know if I have the patience to go another round right now. I am starting to wonder if I am not needing to have a huge glass sale for my beading stuff. Now I know that some of that is PMS talking. But it's been a long weekend and very little accomplished. [-(

[Hothead Beads]

You should be able to "hear" the fuel coming OUT of the torch. Assuming the fuel is reaching the torch. About that hose....I read on WC that frantz had recalled several hoses for "hotheads."
http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=286382&highlight=hothead+hoses+frantz
Don't know if that is the problem, but worth looking into. I always used bulk propylene for my HH.
I have a question as to why everyone says that propane is a "dirty" fuel?? If it is dirty, then why do we use it for surface mix torches?

[Nanette Marie]

"Dirty" meaning that it doesn't burn clean unless it has help via extra oxygen. All that soot that gets deposited on your bead is actually unburned propane.

And no, you should not be using bulk tanks and hoses with hotheads. The hothead was designed to work specifically with the full pressure of a tank connected to it directly. Just because you can buy the hoses, doesn't mean that it is safe. The hoses are not manufactured to contain the pressure the gas is under in the tank, and you can't put a regulator on the tank first then connect the hose, then connect the hothead because the hothead won't work. At some point in time your hose will fail from the excess pressure, and believe me, you don't want that to happen.

Edited to add:

And yes, I know a bunch of people do it, so please don't flame me. But it's still not safe and I stand by my position on that. So does Dale and Mike, the safety gurus.

[Judi_B]

Nanette Marie,
Your information on using bulk fuel with a hot head may be out of date. Dale provides current information on using bulk fuel and hoses with a hot head here: http://www.artglassanswers.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=7

Hoses sold today for camping gear by companies such as Coleman are "high pressure propane extension" hoses designed to be connected directly to 20lb or 100 lb tanks. (http://www.coleman.com/coleman/colemancom/detail.asp?product_id=5475B580T&categoryid=27400). I would think that the hoses sold by the glass suppliers are also "high pressure", but it wouldn't hurt to check when purchasing a hose.

So, I think it is possible to safely use a hot head with bulk fuel. Now using a hot head inside when connected to a bulk tank (even if the tank is outside) is another issue. If a leak develops a lot gas can escape quickly because of the high pressure. Personally, that is a risk I'm not willing to take. I always worked outside when my hot head was connected to bulk propane.

[A_Glass_Bash]

I am now even more in a delimia about what on earth to do. I guess it's time to call Franz and see what the heck is up and if this is the wrong thing to do. I don't want to ruin my beads, I can't find a larger source of gas that I don't have to drive for ever for (I HATE driving, it makes me tense, nervouse and pariniod. 1 too many accidents in weird situations) ever to get. I don't know about anything except I bought the tube set up from Franz a while back ago and now can't get it to work still!!

I got a whole box of goodies to play with, some differnet glass to try (Thanks Priss) and am going nuts trying to figure this all out. If I could afford a concentrator I would have one, but can't do that yet. Keep looking for one locally that's inexpensive, but so far no such luck

[sassy]

Well just be careful and don't blow yourself up. Is there anyone around that could help check it out. Most men know about these things and could probably check and see what the problem is.

[Nanette Marie]

Nanette Marie,
Your information on using bulk fuel with a hot head may be out of date. Dale provides current information on using bulk fuel and hoses with a hot head here: http://www.artglassanswers.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=7

Hoses sold today for camping gear by companies such as Coleman are "high pressure propane extension" hoses designed to be connected directly to 20lb or 100 lb tanks. (http://www.coleman.com/coleman/colemancom/detail.asp?product_id=5475B580T&categoryid=27400). I would think that the hoses sold by the glass suppliers are also "high pressure", but it wouldn't hurt to check when purchasing a hose.

So, I think it is possible to safely use a hot head with bulk fuel. Now using a hot head inside when connected to a bulk tank (even if the tank is outside) is another issue. If a leak develops a lot gas can escape quickly because of the high pressure. Personally, that is a risk I'm not willing to take. I always worked outside when my hot head was connected to bulk propane.

Hey, thanks for the info. I am never adverse to learning something new. Plus, I trust Dale, if he says it's okay, then it's okay.

But, you're right, gotta do it outside. When I did have a hothead I played with it in my garage with both doors open. No way would I ever do it in the house. Now that I'm on a Mini CC with concentrator I've moved my set up inside, but still keep my propane outside and bring the hose in through the window and disconnect and pull it back inside when I'm done. When I first got my kiln I also was afraid of it and put it on a heavy duty AV cart (all metal) put it in the middle of my tile floored kitchen and ran it that way. I laugh now because since it's a fire brick kiln it doesn't even hardly get hot around it. But, better safe than sorry.

[MaureenKennedy]

I have found with the newer hotheads, you must open their knob almost all the way open before they will ignite. Keep in mind that there are at least 4 different "types " of hotheads out there, as there were changes in maufacturers over the last 5 years or so. So what may work for one person's hothead, may not work for another's. When you ignite the hothead, be sure your flame comes from the bottom so your hand is no where near where it will ignite.

[A_Glass_Bash]

;) ok we discovered that stupidity was the probelm
I didn't have the hh cranked down tight enoug hto connect I guess.
I am off to see what I can destroy till the kids get back

[A_Glass_Bash]

They probably think I am like the blonde that was trying to use her credit card "on line" in that card scanner..
](*,)