Shutting off torch question

[anne225]

Could someone please explain what the following statement means in Kervins book.. I just got my torch and I need help here...
"lastly, bleed any pressure from the hoses by opening the torch valves one at a time. To avoid releasing any propane vapors into your workplace, you may want to burn these up as you bleed off the propane pressure."

I am bleeding off after I turn off the tank valves and and I want to avoid the vapors(outside of holding my breath and running from the room!)

Many thanks
Anne

[JanMD]

Kervin's book can be so confusing sometimes! He makes some assumptions about what knowledge his readers bring to the table. These assumptions aren't always right. What he means by "burn these up" is that you don't just open the propane valve on the torch and let the propane out. No, you light it and let it burn itself out.

Be sure to open and bleed the oxy line first. (Oxy does not burn.) Then the propane.

1- Close both valves at the tanks - oxy and propane.
2- Open oxy valve on torch and let drain out. Close torch oxy valve.
3- Open propane valve on torch and ignite the propane.
4- Let it burn itself out. Close torch propane valve.

The purpose of this is to drain all propane out of the entire system, from the tank valve to your torch.

Now, what this conflicts with is the advice from some torch manufacturers that you ought not to run the torches with just a propane flame and no oxy. That this gums up the works somehow. I suppose we can assume that this short one second burn off of pure propane isn't too too harmful. I dunno. Might be an interesting question for the experts in the Torches forum.

JanMD

[Steph'sBeadCorner]

I shut the propane off at the tank, leave the oxy on & propane on at the torch and let the flame burn out, I'm assuming I'm bleeding the hoses.

the last thing I do is turn off the oxygen.

[Sue in Maine]

I have a mini cc and these are the steps I use. I turn off the oxygen valve at my torch. Then shut off my fuel knob at my torch. Next I turn off the oxycon. Now I go outside and turn off my tank. Then I come back inside, turn on the fuel and light it, thus burning off the fuel in the line as it bleeds out. When the flame goes out, I shut off the fuel knob (again) at my torch. Now I go back outside and checking to make sure the pressure shows zero on my gauge, I turn my PA Screw (Pressure adjusting Screw) a couple turns to the left to just loosen it.

Turning on is easier. Turn on the oxycon. Then go outside and turn on tank and adjust the PA Screw to 5 psi. Then inside. I light fuel first and then turn on oxy knob. Ready to go....

I've never bled off the oxy line when I'm done torching. With an oxycon should I be doing this? Guess I can see it if I had tanked oxy but oxycon? Please advise.

Thanks,

Sue

[lynn's lampwork]

I do exactly what Sue does....On my mini, I turn off my oxycon and then the oxygen valve, this leaves a propane flame coming out of my torch (a fairly small flame...I don't want to leave my torch with a huge flame, but my tank isn't too far away). I then go outside, turn off the main propane valve, wait for the needle to go to zero, then wait for the needle on the regulator to go to zero then turn it off with the T bar... Then, I go back to my torch, turn off the propane valve, then turn the oxygen valve back on to bleed out any oxygen that was left in the hose....

Easy! Hope that helps!
Lynn

[anne225]

Thank you all for responding. I see that there are two ways to do this.
I am printing out both ways and will go step by step tonight.

I have a oxy con and the propane is piped out the back of my studio area.

You mentioned the little T bar on the top of the fuel regulator. I have not messed with that since I started (last week) because I didn't think it was to be touched. I thought that once it was set that it should stay at that position.
Uh, guess I am wrong ?

Anne

[Sue in Maine]

Anne,

Mike and Dale are probably at the gathering and may respond once they see your post. I hope so cuz they're good. I can only tell you that it is the PA Screw, or Pressure Adjusting Screw.

Did you have anyone help you set up your system that is in the business? I had Maine Oxy have their safety guru come over to my house and help me set up my system. Yes, it cost but it was worth it. He took me thru it step by step and I wrote the steps down, and went by my checklist until I could do it in my sleep, not that I ever get careless enough to be that lax about it but you know what I mean.

Sue