Oxygen concentrator question

[bexrox]

I see there are a number of O2 questions in the boro room, but mine is specifically about concentrators because I won't be switching to tanked or liquid or homefill or anything else for quite a while.

I have just scored a brand new M20 (locally too, so no shipping charges, yay!) for $350. I also have 2 M5s that I will be disconnecting temporarily while I still have only my little Cricket.

I am planning on purchasing the Carlisle Hellcat, and my desire is to use primariliy boro, for pipes, marbles and sculpting. So my question is:

Will my combination of one M20 and two M5s be sufficient to work boro on a Hellcat effectively?

TIA for any input.

[Dragonharper]

You should be okay, I'd Y the two M5's together and use them for the center fire, and then use the M20 on the outer fire. According to this, http://carlislemachine.com/as_benchburners/hellcat.php , your outer fire will be a bit under powered. You can't Y the M5's with the M20 because the output PSI is much greater on the M20.

[bexrox]

Thanks Roy, that sounds like a good idea. I had sorta planned to Y them all together, and only switch on the two 5's if I was only using the center burner. I kinda thought that the combined output of all I had running would be what entered the torch... but this is all quite new to me. It looks like the outer fire would be only slightly underpowered if it was running at full output, so it should still work.

[borowalla]

Hi Becky, all respect to Roy, I've found is that the higher pressure machine ends up stepping on the lower pressure machines inhibiting their flow. In other words the system will produce the same with or without the two 5's. Also the amount of oxygen the 20 produces is very close to what much less expensive machines produce but with higher pressure --the question is what use is the higher pressure with inadequate flow. I wrote an article about this for Glass Line. Like a garden with very little flow, when bent in half it builds up pressure but when released you get a spurt but are still stuck with low flow (lpm). Your torch will only build up pressure to 20 if the flow (lpm) exceeds the consumption of your torch. I think your better off selling the 20 (10 lpm) and getting three 8 lpm machines with the same output pressure.

[bexrox]

Thanks Borowalla for the knowledge. I was under the impression that Roy was suggesting I hook up the two M5's to each other and the center fire, and the M20 independently to the outer fire (when I have my Hellcat). That way there should be no drawing off each other's flow, isn't that right? In the meantime, while I have only my cricket, I was planning on only using the M20, and here is where its performance is concerning me (I have a separate thread on this in the tips n techniques section).

I understand what you are saying about flow, and that I think was what I was trying to ask... so if the Cricket only allows a maximum output that is less than the oxycon's maximum lpm, the latter is wasted. Is this right? Does that mean that with a more powerful torch that allows the passage of more oxygen, this oxycon should work more efficiently?

At this point, unfortunately, selling and buying new equipment isn't an option... maybe in the future.

[Dragonharper]

Originally Posted by bexrox

... I was under the impression that Roy was suggesting I hook up the two M5's to each other and the center fire, and the M20 independently to the outer fire (when I have my Hellcat). That way there should be no drawing off each other's flow, isn't that right? ...

That's exactly what I was trying to say.

[Mountain Snail]

I am considering running a Hellcat on 2 EX20s. Any opinions?

[istandalone24/7]

just that you should use at least one holding tank!