1. Home
  2. ⚡ Welding Forums
  3. Help figuring out and dissasembling acetylene regulator

Help figuring out and dissasembling acetylene regulator

Hi all

I've been using a SureFire oxyacetylene torch set for some time (I'm a newbie, BTW). Lately the acetylene regulator developed a worsening creep. Took it to the shop, supposedly they dissasembled and cleaned it. Worked for 2 days, and then back to creep (almost reached 15 psi in a few seconds!). Now I want to take it apart myself and do the cleaning to be sure. However the regulator is somewhat different form the schematics I've seen. Screwing out the housing cap and removing the diaphragm and the stirrup (?) does not leave the internals exposed as I expected, but instead I see a pin for the valve insert in a kind of slotted cylinder (valve stem?) encased in more brass. The cylinder wont turn right or left and could not pull it out. Besides wanting it to work, also I want to learn how the thing is built and assembled. The local shop guys dont have time for amateurs.

I put online some pics of the regulator at

formatting link
is horrible, it's my very first webpage solely for this purpose)

The regulator says Model No. TX99034. Comes with the torch kit OA3000 (see at

formatting link
I cant find any schematics or info regarding these regulators.

I am really stumped by this one. I cant practice my welds and that is dissapointing :(

Any help is thanked in advance.

Please reply to the list not the email

Regards,

Mongke

Reply to
mongke
Loading thread data ...

"mongke" spluttered in news:4002026a_2@127.0.0.1:

I've replaced diaphams, never disassembled a regulator.

I did salvage a nice flowmeter-type guage from a shop I used to work at. All the fittings are loctited with, what appeared to be, permanent thread locker.

Reply to
Greg M

I'm wondering why your regulator needs cleaning. Maybe you tried to use Acetylene from cylinder below 20 psi, tried to use cutting tip with high flow rate, used cylinder laying on it's side or used cylinder soon after laying on its side. Each one could cause acetone and unknown crap form cylinder to enter regulator that would need to be cleaned out. If dealer cleaning didn't fix problem it needs parts. You can't fix regulator if they will not sell parts.

My first guess is the cylinder with 2 slots on side of pin unscrews but it looks and reads like you tried that.

Your regulator should have a sintered metal filter in the inlet fitting. This keeps big chunks out that might embed in soft seat. When you get the regulator apart might you will see depressed imprint in soft seat from orifice and maybe small eroded hole or foreign partical in that depressed area.

The high pressure orifice will look like a volcano cone. Common to see radial groove eroded into top of orifice. That groove is what caused eroded area in soft seat and regulator creep to increase. Regulator is fixed by replacing the soft seat, and seals. What you are calling cylinder could be replaceable valve cartridge that is replaced to fix regulator. Cartridge often includes orifice, disc and retainer with soft seat, spring and maybe pin.

Testing a regulator that doesn't hold set pressure with Acetylene is dangerous. I would use low pressure air to test that regulator.

What you are calling horse shoe is pin pad.

Reply to
R. Duncan

PolyTech Forum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.