Flame Adjustment

[TexHand]

OK, I know that after you light the acetylene, you are suppoed to adjust it until the smoke disappears and the flame moves away from the torch about 1/8", then bring the flame back to the torch and open the O2.

The problem is that I cannot get the flame to move away from the torch.

The acet tank is open about 1/2 turn, pressure is at 5, using a Harris #1 cutting tip.

I used other torchs before where I get the described flame movement, but I can't seem to get it on this one. So I just open the acet almost all the way, the adjust the O2 to a neutral flame.

Is it that big of a deal?

[Rocky D]

Moving the flame away from the tip,...new to me, but no biggy...don't worry about that... the black smoke disappearing tells you that you have a proper pressure to mix with the 02 for the size tip you have.

[TexHand]

Thanks Rocky.

[txfireguy2003]

Wow, that all new to me!!! I have never adjusted it until the black smoke disappeared before the O2 was added. I always just turned the ace on a little until I had a soft flame, and lots of black smoke, then added oxygen until it made a good looking flame. Anybody have a good set of instructions I can read to learn how to actually use my O/A set? I'm not very good with it anyway, and maybe this is why!

[TexHand]

Got this from the Harris website:

Lighting Torch for Acetylene and Mapp® Fuel Gas:

1. Purge system. Refer to Maintenance Instructions.

2. Open torch fuel “GAS” valve (Fig. 11) approximately
one half turn and ignite fuel gas.

3. Keep opening torch fuel “GAS” valve (Fig. 12) until
flame stops excessive smoking and leaves the end of
tip about 1/8”, then reduce slightly to bring flame back
to tip.

4. Open torch oxygen “OX” valve (Fig. 12) until a bright
inner cone appears on the flame.

Note: The point at which feathery edges of flame
disappear and a sharp inner cone is visible is
called the “Neutral Flame.” ® Airco, Inc.

[TEK]

I open both valves, light it with a crack, hit the lever and fine tune it and get to cuttin'. Takes about 3 seconds. I done it about 50,000 times tho----

[hankj]

Got this from the Harris website:

Lighting Torch for Acetylene and Mapp® Fuel Gas:

1. Purge system. Refer to Maintenance Instructions.

2. Open torch fuel “GAS” valve (Fig. 11) approximately
one half turn and ignite fuel gas.

3. Keep opening torch fuel “GAS” valve (Fig. 12) until
flame stops excessive smoking and leaves the end of
tip about 1/8”, then reduce slightly to bring flame back
to tip.

4. Open torch oxygen “OX” valve (Fig. 12) until a bright
inner cone appears on the flame.

Note: The point at which feathery edges of flame
disappear and a sharp inner cone is visible is
called the “Neutral Flame.” ® Airco, Inc.

Almost word-for-word in the Victor book, too.

A #1 Harris cutting tip will use 85 - CFH at 5 PSIG. How big is your acetylene tank, TexHand? Do you have checks and arrestors in your acetylene line? Regardless of the tank size, you should be able to get the flow needed to get the black out! What I noticed immediately on my small torch (Victor) was that when I added checks and arrestors (it came without them) there was a flow restriction. 5 PSIG on the acetylene guage didn't cut like it used to! I went up to 6, then 7 PSIG to get the same performance as I did before adding the safety equipment.

Fireguy,

Check the O/A manufacturer's web sites and look for educational material. If you've been seeing what you think is poor performance from your cutting torch, too low a fuel flow rate could be your problem! 90% of my O/A cutting is done with acetylene pressures of from 3 -5 PSIG. Once in a while, I'll need to pop a #4 tip on there and crank it up to 7 for rebuilding stuff like fireplace grates, but that's maybe one day a year!

Hank

[TexHand]

How big is your acetylene tank, TexHand?

75cf

Do you have checks and arrestors in your acetylene line?

Yes, checks at the torch and arrestors at the gauges.

Regardless of the tank size, you should be able to get the flow needed to get the black out!

I can get the black out, it's just that step off from the torch the manual says that I can't get, but today I was getting the black out then adjusting to a neutral flame and it cut ok.

The only reason I have the #! is 'cuz that what came with it. I need to get a 00 for most of the stuff I'll be cutting.

What I noticed immediately on my small torch (Victor) was that when I added checks and arrestors (it came without them) there was a flow restriction. 5 PSIG on the acetylene guage didn't cut like it used to! I went up to 6, then 7 PSIG to get the same performance as I did before adding the safety equipment.

I'll give that a shot tomorrow, thanks for the tip.

[Mr Meck]

Gauges, hoses, arresters, whatever. If you want the gas to stand off the tip then turn up the gas pressure till it does. Ya the book says 5 lbs but if that don't do it turn it up. You can turn it up to 10 if you want cause the flow is adjusted by the knob. We use #10 rose buds, after lighting , we turn the gas up to 14 psi with the fuel knob open all the way then go for the Ox.

[hankj]

... We use #10 rose buds....

Yeah, on manifolded C²H² systems, I'll bet!

That advice ain't good for the guy with a 45 cubic foot acetylene jug!

For you (us) small boys, rmember the 1/7 rule!

Hank

[TexHand]

OK, what's the 1/7 rule.... is that where I only listen to 1/7 of what SWMBO says? Cuz if that's it, I got that one down.

[Rocky D]

I open both valves, light it with a crack, hit the lever and fine tune it and get to cuttin'. Takes about 3 seconds. I done it about 50,000 times tho----

It doesn't hurt, I spose, as long as it doesn't flash back, but the reason to get rid of the black smoke, is to keep your tip clean, so it won't get a soot build up in it and start popping on ya.

[LarryL]

That "Black smoke" consists of fine particles of carbon black that form when acetylene burns with little oxygen. The yellow flame that produces carbon black is called a reducing flame. When I weld with an oxyacetylene torch, I open both acetylene and oxygen valves slightly and then light the flame. Then I'll adjust the mixtures until I get the neutral flame that I want. I hate having the fine, light carbon particles floating around in my shop for a long time and then settling on everything - including my eyeglasses and clothing.
Larry

[Rocky D]

That "Black smoke" consists of fine particles of carbon black that form when acetylene burns with little oxygen. The yellow flame that produces carbon black is called a reducing flame. When I weld with an oxyacetylene torch, I open both acetylene and oxygen valves slightly and then light the flame. Then I'll adjust the mixtures until I get the neutral flame that I want. I hate having the fine, light carbon particles floating around in my shop for a long time and then settling on everything - including my eyeglasses and clothing.
Larry

We called it 'afro snow'

[Mr Meck]

We use the Welding, cutting, and heating guide supplied with our torch set. It tells all you need to know. Lists all their tips, gas pressures and consumption rates. Real handy. Like for the # 10 MFA heating tip. Acetylene pressure to 12-15, consumes 40-100 cubic feet and hour. # 4 MFA heating tip uses 6-10 consuming 6 to 20 cubic feet an hour.
Victor may have this info on their web site. The book also states Oxygen should be open fully to seal the valve packing, and acetylene opened 1 1/2 turns max with 3/4 being preferred.
If you don't know how much gas you are attempting to consume, how can you effectively apply the 1/7 rule? If someone doesn't know about this rule then they should not be using acetylene until they do. Here is the rule: Thou shalt not withdraw from the acetylene tank more than 1/7 its contents in an hour. For example, If the tank has 270cu ft of gas then you can use 30 cu ft in an hour.
No we do not have manifold set ups, just big tanks and smaller ones as well.