Had this problem before on my old torch just without the fire luckily, if you leave the head attached to the bottle the gas dies out the rubber seal over time, replace the seal and store it with the head removed then the seal should last a lot longer and you shouldn’t have an issue :)
I took my torch out to use in the kitchen for a meal of all things. I used the torch so many times without a problem. The whole thing blew up on me. I hung on it to bring outside and fling but got bad second degree burns all over my fingers and hand. At least the house didn't burn down. It really sucked.
Working on a classic car, I've learned to be scared of everything (ball joint tool either shattering in your face or shooting across the room at bullet speeds nearly knocking my teeth out), MAP torches catching fire, electrocution via mig welder...) And I used to consider myself Mr. Safety. Just goes to show, don't get in a rush, refresh yourself on safety and best practices, commit the time to a project where there are no distractions, all that junk.
Back around 1969 while soldering some wires in the trunk of my '57 Chevy, I was sitting in the trunk and I didn't realize that the nozzle wasn't tight. After a minute or two of soldering the trunk filed partially up with propane and boom, all I saw was a trunk full of flames. I let go of the torch and rolled backwards out of the trunk onto the ground. Had singed eyebrows and hair on my arms but none the worst for wear. Good times.
I was just away to use my first MAP torch when I thought, "let's see what YT has for me". They gave me this. I'm glad you uploaded this Farm Dad as now I'm really thinking about safety first. :)
it's rare, but ya should be ready for sparks and pops even with a perfect torch. Glasses and cotton/wool shirt are a good start. Polyester = melted to your skin.
@@nobodynoone2500 So, not an astronaut's helmet and a wetsuit then. You didn't mention gloves so I'm sticking with my medieval metal armour gloves, the articulated ones. rofl
Ok right. Technical norms say that the o-ring should be changed every time it has signs of wear and tightness should be tested with soap bubbles. If it still ignites, let it burn (will not explode) and extinguish by quenching with a towel soaked in water and then remove the torch from the bottle. A torch that escapes gas, escapes from the beginning and that can be heard or smelled
I can promise you that in an outdoor work environment, it was not possible to hear or smell the leak. I had never removed the tank (a mistake) so did not realize the seal had already gone bad. It was only 1-2 years old.
Thank God you lived to tell your tale. I have that exact same torch. I thought maybe there was some fault with the main torch head itself. Quick thinking prevented further injury. 👍
That’s not the first or only example of one those plastic auto-start torches leak and burn. I’ve been using the same all brass, Bernzomatic UI2317 nozzle for over 30 years and have never had a leak or runaway flame. 🤷🏻♂️ I’m glad the fuel was able to leak out and burn rather than having that gas bottle explode on you like a grenade. Scary! Could have been your last video. 😳
I stumbled on this video because ive been using one of these a lot and was starting to get paranoid of something like this. Your comment was a relief lol glad you’re ok too OP
There's a black seal that can easily drop out of the torch head . It's located in the threaded hole that threads on to the bottle. That more than likely fell out
I had a similar problem. when I turned mine off, I decided to put it away. After unscrewing the top part, the gas started to leak and turned cold. I put it back together and waited. then I tried again and tested for leaks. apparently, the torches can leak. Lesson learn, check for leaks prior and after using gas, even more check all your gas stored. check for leaks as routine maintenance.
Best to leave the gas attached if it's not leaking to begin with. The seals don't seem optimized for multiple attachments, even though they should be fine in theory.
I bought a box of partially used Coleman propane cylinders. Is installing them on my Bernzomatic TS4000 as easy as just unscrewing one and screwing another one on ?
So my question is was that an older torch that had a old seal that were cracked letting gas escape or was the torch head not tightened or cross threaded?
@@william38022 I think the torch was about 1-2 years old. I had never taken the tank off. Seal must have gone bad. I could not hear any leak when I started using it. I now store these with the tank off.
@@FarmDad evidently you’re not the only one this is happened to. I went on RU-vid and looked around a little bit and this has happened to a lot of people with these burnz torches.
Had this issue with the old torch in high school, but it is not really bad. I was responsible for first-timer classmates in metalwork, I found a leak near the seal because it was left attached to the gas bottle for a while. My teacher disposed of this torch.
Was it leaking before the accident or it blew up because it just started to leak? Was it defective or all they all dangerous for that reason.Was gonna buy one this week.
I believe it was probably leaking before the accident, but don't know for sure. It was defective and I have owned many and this is the only one that has done this. I have even bought another after this happened, so I wouldn't be afraid to purchase one.
I have a Bullfinch Fire Power torch (UK product) and it actually recommends in the instructions, that you do not leave the bottle connected to the torch when it is not in use. It apparently wears away the rubber O seal ring in the torch with time and causes dangerous gas leakage. I bought some spare rubber O seal rings direct from Bullfinch Gas Equipment (UK) Limited for the torch, for replacement when the rubber O seal ring on mine wears out.
Hey i have a question and should know this bc im a plumber. But im taking apart an old rusty axle to remove the third member. I had a cheap plastic propane torch tip laying around from an old side job and used it and ran out of propane. Went and bought a map gas bottle got back home and the torch tip says only for propane. I used it with the map to free one bolt and it worked but im paranoid its gonna do the same as you but to me if I continue. Should i not keep using it? Id rather not go buy a different tip but im sure ill use it in the future anyways.
I switched to the knock-off torches. They are made with all metal, and seem to last longer with daily use in the shop and also have interchangable tips and are half the price. They don't last forever, but last way longer than the overpriced Bernzo branded ones.
Just had this happen this morning. I never store mine with a bottle attached. Looking at the rubber gasket, it’s torn. Any p/n for that seal? Can’t find one from Bernzomatic.
@@FarmDad probably do the same. Mine lit up and i dropped it, it then rolled under my boat and still burning. I kicked it out the garage and it almost rolled under my truck. Ended up spraying it with the hose to put it out. Only got a slight burn on my arm and a few new grey hairs😂
None of those consumer grade self-igniting torches are decently built by industrial standards. I still have one but I switched back to the classic all-brass heads lit with a striker. Strikers are utterly reliable and a pack of flints lasts me many years with all my torches. I don't consider the little oxy-actylene torches "big" and keep my MC cylinder and small oxygen (or medical oxygen cylinder I use with an adapter, I transfill those off my larger cylinders) in a tote for easy handling. BTW real MAPP is no longer produced so if you see the term it's now just a generic name and not the original fuel gas, but the subs are good enough. If you want a hot, single cylinder LP torch that isn't piece of guano get (used is fine and saves much money) an LP-air torch with a hose and regulator like TurboTorch, Goss, Asco etc is outstanding. Used is fine since torches last many decades. (I collect and rebuild OA etc gear to use.) Their design gets considerably hotter than consumer crap trigger torches or the old style much better all brass LP torch heads. Having the hose means no worries about cylinder orientation. There are plenty of RU-vid reviews for LP-air torches of that style. Since you have oxy-actylene it's kind of pointless but more quality torches is always good. However for heating stuck fasteners I always grab one of my oxy-acetylene rigs because I can get pinpoint, HOT flames to heat or even "wash off" stuck fasteners. I don't use a cutting torch for the small stuff but heat it with normal torch settings then turn up the oxygen for a precise small cutting torch effect. Practice on scrap and after a while you can even wash a nut off a ~ 1/2" OD stud without trashing the threads! You can also wash a locking lug nut and stud out of an alloy wheel without damaging the rim (then replace the stud afterwards) if you get a used vehicle without the lug key.
From what I've heard/seen, this issue was due to that little hole that's in the handle. Apparently the "updated" handles now have that hole plugged. (supposedly). I wonder if this problem has to do with these being dropped? FD, did you ever fix it or did Bernz just replace it as there's a lifetime warranty on it? I'm buying one tomorrow, but now I'm a bit nervous.
@@FarmDad I'm so on the fence about this. The area that I have to work on to install a water filter and replace the regulator and preventer on the hydronic furnace water input line, are all close to the basement ceiling, which of course, is super dry, very old wood. I'm concerned about the larger flame. However, I'll be using a tin heat shield and I thought, before starting, I could use a spray bottle with water and just wet the wood in the areas I'm working. That should help prevent burning down the house. But still, this exploding TS8000 is random and apparently, there's no way to turn it off because the flames are so huge. But, perhaps, I could keep a 5 gallon pail of water there, just in case. If it flames up, I could put it into the water and try to unscrew the tank real quick. Still, it bothers me that Bioinformatic is silent on this WELL KNOWN issue and hasn't addressed it. I was about to leave the house now to go buy buy it, but I'm hesitating. As it is, I do need to get some different parts to use to mount the filter properly.
I so enjoyed watching your video.. I actually subscribed with notice on I mention this because your the first o have done this for congratulations keep up the soft spoken country man alive and well 😁
Thank you both for the subscription and for the kind comment! More videos coming soon. Just finished building and moving into my barn. Hope to get the computer set back up soon.
I don't currently own a torch. Was looking at the BernzOmatic Trigger-Start Model #TS4000KC or its bigger brother the Model #TS8000KC. Any idea which one would be a better general overall use for decorative burning of wood, and for melting Latex-Ite Pli-Stix Black Asphalt Asphalt Crack Filler to be able to pour it?
Just had this happen with an old school bernzomatic torch head my grandpa used 20 years ago for brazing. Before I knew it the propane canister was spewing flames out where the head threads on. Good thing the grass I threw it into was wet from rain. Only lost half an arm worth of hair lol.
I had the same thing happen about '76 in my 6th-grade class. Our teacher has us melt lead to make round balls for flintlock rifles. The head was not tight on the bottle and then three of us were in a ball of flame. Our teacher asked us not to tell anyone what happened and we never did. We did lots of other cool projects like this. Mr. Kelly was a great teacher.
@@FarmDad He was a basic teacher of math/English/science/history and so on with an emphasis on art and crafts. He was a beekeeper, a knife maker, and taught gun safety. There's probably no one like him in today's public school system.
This is why i avoid any torch head that isnt just one solid piece of brass with a gasket. Much simpler and nothing to break or get loose besides the gasket which can easily be put back in place
Im watching this video because it’s my first time using a torch and I want to be safe. I literally just bought the torch because of the bolts on my caliper I can’t remove 😂
Wow, impressive and very scary! The important is that you are ok! It could have been totally catastrophic and life-threatening! Thanks for showing this, I'll be super careful if I ever use one! Best Regards from your friend François in Montreal, Canada! 🎼🃏🎶🎵🙏👍😁👋🌠
not expensive? its like $100 canadian where im at, but yeah i would have found the problem to understand what made it do that to make sure it dont happen again and maybe fix it cheaper with replacement part but i would def not buy something that might blow up in my face again before knowing for sure wasup @@FarmDad
This happened to me yesterday exactly the same. I put the torch nozzle on a new can too. Nice and tight and it still happened. I also threw it away in the grass then took cover in the garage waiting for the explosion I'm sure was coming but just like yours it continued to burn until it went out. I'm starting to wonder if Chinese manufacturing is to blame
Store them in the open air. Never refill them. Those valves are not made to last. I refilled a green propane torch. Then stored it in a freezer. After a few months it leaked. Blew up the refrigerator. Lesson learned. No one got hurt.
Had a brand new torch head, literally just opened it today. Our old head would just randomly keep turning off and was making it frustrating to solder. I put the head on, started sweating all of a sudden I hear my partner say something. Not even a second later this little hole I'm sweating in is engulfed. I threw the bottle and ran to get the fire extinguisher. Was pretty crazy, I've used several torch heads and never had this happen. Had to look it up to see if maybe others have. Luckily nobody was burnt just have brown tips for eyelashes now. Also what my partner said was "I think your leaking". As he could see the wavy air. I was too focused on the sweat joint lol.
Whoa, glad you walked away with only burnt eyelashes! When I posted this I thought I was probably the only person who had this happen, but it definitely appears to be more common than I thought.
Those new MAP tanks have mostly just propane nowadays, they don’t get much hotter than straight propane, idk why they started watering it down. Not worth the much higher price in my opinion.
I have a propane torch as well and this one gets much hotter than it. It takes forever to get a bolt hot enough to break loose with propane. Perhaps it depends on brand?
@@FarmDad haha yeah no kidding! I had a blasting cap blow up in my left hand trying to get rid of a beaver dam on my property. Was pretty ugly for a few months. Still got all fingers thankfully!
happy you are ok and did not get injured its good you were wearing gloves . but next time you use it wear eye protection as well it could have also reached your long hair you got lucky the tip here is to listen for leaks befor using
Dam that was crazy! I'm glad you are ok and that it didn't decide to go bang. They really need to put flashback arrestors in these torches so the gas is shut off immediately when it senses heat like cutting and welding torches. So should I get the older duel fuel mapp or propane rosebud torch for brazing instead of this one?? Or was this due to a faulty seal??
I believe this was due to a leaking seal. Sounds like in comments that this has happened to others, but I continue to use these and haven't had it happen again.
Wound up getting a new style mapp torch that comes with two interchangeable tips/heads from home depot. So far so good. When not in use I keep the tank off. Has a pretty decent looking rubber seal wear the torch and tank tighten up and seal.I will let you know the name and brand when I find the package. Might work out better for you and be alot safer than a blazing tank of boom juice.
As I promised you my friend. It's a TRADEFLAME TF/ULTRA TORCH. It can be fueled with Mapp, mapp pro or propane. It comes with two different tips that you can easily and quickly swap out for different heating needs. I love it and I have been a welder since 2000
Its odd my ex would talk and believe you me shes loud according to others and i dont hear her. But when a torch leaks i can hear the faintest hissing sound . Like a responsible DIYer rather than repair it i had my ex press trigger start for me 😃
I lite a road flair and put a Coleman propane cylinder next to it and shot it with my 30-30 about 75 yards it was a huge explosion and I felt the heat wave. Point is...that could have been way worse...lucky
It's a known issue with those TS4000 and TS8000 torches. It's why I prefer hose torches that put the regulator 3 feet or more away from the torch head. Sadly, that style is becoming harder to come by; stupid people pointing the flame at the hose + lawyers...
Is there a more reliable model or brand? I was planning on buying my first MAP torch this week and was thinking about the TS8000T, but now I'm a bit terrified. lol.
@@PfaffPfantom I prefer remote style torches, I.e. where the tank and torch are separated by a hose. You typically hook the tank onto your belt. It looks like Bernz-O-matic discontinued their high output, swirl flame remote torch, so I gave the "Bluefire HZ-8394" a shot. The igniter is on the torch itself, it has a flame that seems as hot as my old Bernzo, seems well built with a brass regulator and so far, works flawlessly.
@@PfaffPfantomI've heard the TS4000-8000 can burst into flames if you keep it attached to the cylinder for too long, some seal can't take prolonged pressure from the gas pushing against it. I'm no blow torch expert so take what I say with a grain of salt but it looks like these bernzomatic torches with the fancy auto-start feature are relatively safe if you don't leave the head on when not in use. I've read some complaints of people having the thing burst on them and they try to reach out and get a refund with the warranty and they've been declined as most if not all of those people who've seen those heads fail left the head on the tank when not in use.
So technically, was it the bottle or the torch that was the issue? I just bought a red devil map unit today and came across this, but worried now. How likely in all reality would this normally happen?
I've got the Milwaukee Right angle impact wrench (1/2") changed my front discs but the carrier bolts were seized as they hadn't been touched for a good 4-5yrs I've got to say 10-12 seconds of hammering she cracked them suckers loose! They're torqued to 194nm + 1/2 turn. Pretty impressed for an M12! The stubby is grabbing my attention at the minute Not a mechanic but more of a DIY/car enthusiast but prefer to buy the good stuff 👌
I just had this happen. I lost an 8 inch goat tee lol and burnt my hands lol... I freaked and lost my mind was trying to disconnect the trigger from the tank. Bad Ideal lol
