flash back arresters

[bubbas55]

i have a couple of oxy/acet torches, one of these is a henrob. the henrob puts the flash arresters right on the torch. in the past i had always thought you connected them to the guages. does it make a difference, can i put them on the torch body as well.
thanks

[ptsideshow]

The short answer is there are both types that go between the torch and hose. And between the regulator and hoses. There are also the kind that have a reverse flow check valve. And separate check valves.
It is a poly to get people to buy new stuff that supposedly better etc. marketing BS.
I don't know if there really is a difference between them, only they have to be put in with the flow arrow going the correct way.
When I bought mine, they were good for either location.Back right after the ark landed. My original ones didn't have a check valve in them. Just the flame arrestor.
:D

[willie54]

at my pace of work we have the arresters on both the gauges and the torch
i do not really know why but it is our safety policy

one old fella told me its just to have added safety as he has seen some of these valves fail after years of use as they may also collect small particles of dirt in them

we have a few newer victors with them built right in the torch

[ptsideshow]

I have to add something since I was up at the LWS and going to purchase another set or so for my new quick connected torches and regulators.

Here is the deal the ones at the regulators are best if you are only going to have one set. As the quick couplers have check valves built in them and the new Victor torches and the off brands made by Victor have them built in as the previous poster mentioned.

They are better on the hose regulator connection so if hot metal burns the hoses through it will not travel to the tanks.
the difference has to do with the fitting on the body and the direction of the gas flow.

So they aren't interchangeable.

[mikecwik]

i asked the question at my local weld shop if it made any sense to put them in the lines if you had them in the torch. without them blinking i was told no, there is no point in it. i talk to the guy a lot and he is no dummy.
however,as long as it does not hamper anything i say the more the merrier in this safety department because obviously they do fail and do need to be maintained.

[ptsideshow]

The only point in placing them at the connection between the hoses and regulators is to prevent a fire from traveling up into the cylinder!
If there is a flashback from the torch it will still stop it at the regulator. But if there is a problem with the hoses that some hot metal burns through the hoses and sets the gas in the hoses on fire. It can travel up and through the fuel gas regulator into the cylinder.
I have the quick couplers on all the hoses and torches.They all have check valves at each joint. This also keeps me from spending $200.00 more for them at the torches. Some insurance and some safety depts. require them at both ends of the hoses.

Frankly I have seen more problems with the fuel hoses getting burned or cut. Then have experienced flashback from the torch.

[mikecwik]

yes. yes. i wasnt agreeing with the man in the least. the opposite actually. not that i had first hand knowledge, training or whatever to disagree with him. it just didnt make sense to me.

[smyrna5]

Ya might want to look at this thread, as well.

http://www.hobartwelders.com/weldtalk/showthread.php?t=27158&highlight=flashback+arrestors

[ptsideshow]

I was just trying to clarify what the new thinking is, and as they say a Picture is worth a lot of words.
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d200/ptsideshow/assorted/Flasback1.jpg
The bottom two torches have Flashback arrestors on the torch bodies and then the quick couplers/check valves

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d200/ptsideshow/assorted/Flashback2.jpg
This is the new type flashback arrestor with check valve built in along with quick connect couplers which also now have check valves built in that is reverse flow check valves. The total protrusion off the regulator is about 7" with out the houses hooked up with the quick couplers and about another 1½" to the length.

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d200/ptsideshow/assorted/Flashback3.jpg
This is the hoses with the quick couplers connected together to keep the crawlies and dirt out.
:D

[smyrna5]

Bubba - even though I have flash arrestors for both the torch and regulator ends, I find that the Henrob torch is cumbersome enough by itself, let alone with a big flash arrestor on it. As a compromise, I generally run my Henrob with simple check valves on the torch and the flash arrestors on the regulators. I also purge my lines every time I use the torch, which is probably the single best thing you can do to prevent mixed gases in the hoses and flashbacks.