Warning: This is for entertainment purposes only. Follow along as I repaired My leaking Oxygen torch regulator. It is a rather simple fix but You still have to be cautious when handling.
Hi, I have worked for an oxygen supplier in a combustion role for 32 years. I would recommend the following, Wash hands before starting Degrease tools and wear nitrile gloves The seals a made from viton and and must not use any O rings you have handy. The white lubricant is not grease but Krytox an oxygen compatible lubricant, also very expensive. I have seen firsthand what high pressure oxygen can do. Usually in accident investigation I can not find the valve or part burnt because it is vaporised ! That’s why the valve body and gauges are non ferrous ( brass) construction. Hope that helps, Ps love you work.
Do you by chance also know the type of thread sealant used on npt or straight thread connections for gauges or other things attached to oxygen regulators?
@@Trudeautthebestt Ever seen how steel rusts? That's the iron in the steel reacting with the relatively low concentration of oxygen in the air, and atmospheric pressure... slow motion burning. Now imagine if the steel starts to rust, and heat builds up enough so that the steel starts to burn,... and starts burning under 2000 psi of pure oxygen. The reaction is self sustaining, rapidly progressing, and catastrophic.
Dalen Nixon, I will look that up, thanks for the info. For myself I was wondering if it may be a Silicon base, not that I know of that being safe with high pressure Oxy. John, Australia.
@@jenniferwhitewolf3784 Yes they use this in dive shop, for the scuba gear. Or Nitrox. I'm not sure it has the same properties regarding high pressure oxygen, as Krylox does. You have to be careful to check what applications the specific grease/lubricant is speced for.
I used to repair my oxygen and acetylene regulators here in Australia. It got to the point that parts are not available here so you are forced to buy new regulators.
I feel your pain Isaac. When you get older and the eyes start to go, you can weld by braille for a while but it is a hard way to make a living. You tend to lose sensitivity in your finger tips rathe quickly. Another one of the joys of being a business owner is that you get to spend your leisure time fixing and maintaining your tools so that you can be productive on the job
At the welding shop in our local school some years ago, the supplier was changing out oxygen bottles when an oil contaminated reg blew up on him. It blew a hole right through the case and sprayed him with molten brass. Luckily he had turned away just in time and so it got him in the back and burned holes in his parka, which was heavy enough so he didn't get burned. Shook him up pretty good though. Also remember to use Oxygen compatible thread tape. Regular stuff won't do.
Krytox make a TS4 sealant that's better than tape because it doesn't overly lubricate the threads. I've used both and prefer the Krytox. Prices vary greatly...
Be very careful to use only the right components which are oxygen safe,such as nitrile o rings or thread tape ,grease (Krytox) etc. Do not use standard grease or o rings.
Sad thing is I could have used this video 2 days ago before I sent both my regulators off to be repaired by my local welding supply chain. Never again now so thank you
Most LWS don't charge much over the rebuild kit and if oxy regs are crusty I don't mind letting someone else polish them since that plus oxygen safe cleaning is more work. Either way saves money!.
Gas regulators are not complicated really. They just want you to think they are. What kills my regulators is the environment in which they live. Outdoors on a service truck from 90F degrees to -30F temperature ranges and dirt. They fill up with water and freeze in the winter if you don't keep em covered I found out😁. That style of Victor regulator is pretty durable and they work very well. Cheers
It kind of scares me how many comments there are now thinking that they are ready to repair their o2 regulators based on this video, when they don't even realize the risk that skin oils, grease residue on the handle of your wrench, etc can create. It's not just spraying it with WD 40 that creates risks, it's any organic or oil, and it's not about the quantity, because the oil is just the ignition source, it's the metal that burns under the high pressure o2 atmosphere. The oil is thought of as the kindling, just creating enough energy to ignite the metal. This is really not safe unless you basically create a clean room environment, covering your surfaces with clean towels, washing your hands with dish soap, using degreaser on your tools and vice handle, and ideally clean nitrile gloves, and treating it as a sterile field so no oil can get close. Remember, one speck of oil can be the spark that turns the metal into fuel, and heat is created every time you open the tank valve and it increases the pressure in the HP side.
Yeah, you hear about it all the time, especially after thousands of these have been fixed in the field. They even have the audacity to sell replacement parts to anyone. Oh the noes. We should have the govt stop this practice.
You can work to oxygen safe standards without a "chip foundry level" clean room and commercial rebuilders just use a properly clean workshop area. The tool precautions you list are wise. Gloves are cheap so there's NO excuse not to have them and acetone is the classic way to clean oxygen system parts safely (I use it outdoors for obvious reasons). Not working around grease or filth is pretty basic but the world abounds in idiots... The factory manuals can be downloaded or tech support can email the link if you don't find them. Not nearly enough people use tech support but it's free so I do.
@@obfuscated3090 I never said anything about a chip foundry level clean room, I am talking more like an OR level clean room, or a hydraulic rebuilding clean room, minus the oil lol Basically where you have the mindset that you just described, thinking through the process of doing it in a way that ALL oil is kept away and removed, and most people don't even have comprehension of how to do that, or the possible sources of oil. It sounds like you could do it safely, but I am trying to warn off people who want to do it on their greasy work bench after spraying it with Brakekleen and wiping it with a freshly washed and fabric softened shop rag... Lol
I had an O2 regulator go bad 2 years ago. It put bottle pressure directly to my torch hose while I was holding it. I thought it blew my fingers off, hurt like hell. It was a Victor copycat , no parts available. I now have Victor regulators on my torches. They are worth the extra $$$.
Good to know !! I have an argon regulator that was leaking gas was wanting to tear into it but not sure if I should . Just took it out of service and I am using different one .Even though this is an oxygen regulator I believe this gave me the confidence to at least look at it thank you for that !! A lot more simplistic inside than I thought !! Great video as always you're a true teacher !! 👍👍
Mine is pretty similar to this one except my diaphram is rubber and it also does the sealing instead of an o-ring. I ordered a rebuild kit for $30.00. Never took a regulator apart before and didn't know what was inside. Like you said they are pretty simple. Thanks for the video.
Thanks for the entertainment, very engauging in regards to the subject matter! I was intimidated by all the "safety" aspects of servicing a diaphragm valve for gasses, even though I have rebuilt hundreds of plant air regulators, some we had on annual PM's because of process risks.
thanks. I wondered about fixing up some old gauges. I have a new victor journeyman set but I was at an auction for a welding shop closing up and I bought a 5 gallon bucket full of old gauges and torches. I'm not sure why but maybe I will see if I can fix some up for the fun of it. ;) Thanks
I'm sure that you know about high pressure oxygen. Any spec of a combustible and they will be picking up your face in a bag. There is a huge risk using old poorly stored gear on oxygen. They blow up when you first turn on the bottle. And you're standing there looking at it. Nobody ever has a story about it because it leaves no witnesses behind.
@@michaelvangundy226 thanks. Sounds like a good reason to not mess with them. I usually send off my equipment for repair. But didn't know what to with these old units.
Weldingweb forums have tons of info. It's also easy to sell them as cores but I bought a LARGE box like you did and have torches and regs and flowmeters for life. Easy to learn or just Ebay them (I took the ones I was selling apart since customers are rebuilders like me). If a torch head leaks it may need reaming (special reamer, the rebuilder can just ream yours if ya wish) but resealing them is easy as is replacing minor parts.
You were the only other RU-vid channel mentioned by name in C.E.Engineering's live stream last week over in Australia. He does a lot of heavy equipment machine shop repairs for those not familiar.
Disappointed. I was confident you were going to dissemble the gauge with a surgical torch... then a wrench comes out. As always appreciate the knowledge!
Learned something new about viton (fluorine rubber) and krytox ( fluorinated grease with polytetrafluorethylene (PTFE) thickener), you know, just stuff the average joe/issac has kicking around the kitchen counter. 😛
many people are killed and injured by these valves. dust particles or any grease or oil including oil from your skin can cause the valve to explode. it is particularly dangerous when the tank valve is opened and it is recommended that the tank valve never be opened with the screw turned in to feed the torch. that means the low pressure side should not be open. as to overhaul the valve. it is fine if you know what you are doing and to degrease the valve and as another commenter posted wear oil free gloves. the problem is how do you know if you know. you can degrease the parts using detergent soap and water and dry thoroughly (leave overnight or put in an oven). do not blow dry with compressed air as that may be contaminated.
My first set of torch gauges went bad after ? 20 years, local weld shop quoted my $125 to repair, a new regulater was $170... parts are $15 on the interweb. This of course happened while I was fixing a broke down machine, and needed the torches now, not in a week... So I have a mismatched set of gauges now.
In the early 60's when my dad started up his welding shop he had a friend in the next town who helped him get started, old ED had been in business just after WW2 and Edward loved fixing all his equipment until one day he fixed his oxygen reg, then BOOM! Eddie's shop burnt to the ground and ED spent about six months in a burn center almost dieing three times from the effects. Edward wasn't careful and he wished he had died. the price of a reg ain't worth screwing around with them.
I fixed a cheap fuel gas regulator by cutting a new rubber washer out of a piece of tire tube. Still working. I have always been scared to work on the O2 regulator.
DO NOT use mystery parts on oxygen regulators. Fuel gases are less picky but I'd make sure at least to us Viton rings, seals etc. Inner tube doesn't do well in contact with petroleum products so I would resist the urge to use it.
there are oxygen compatible greases. follow the manufacturers recommendations and if you don't have the manufacturers information I would suggest you not overhaul the regulator. it is the stuff you don't know that will kill you and oxygen regulators have killed people.
Thank you for your viedeos. Learnd a ton from them and motivated me to go out and do stuff. By the way, the grease on the regulator skrew is outside. No oxigan out of the bottle is reaching there, that's why they put grease there. Greedings from east Germany
Really cool video Iv never seen in side one of those gauges most people would just go out and purchase a newRegulator Americas good at throwing stuff away not manufacturing stuff anymore and that sad keep the great videos come in my friend I’ll dig it
Oxygen regulators require a minimum level of cleanliness, gloves, bagging, handling to be safe. Many items- including metals-burn explosively in the presence of contaminates, oils dust and high-pressure oxygen- especially when there are high-pressure pulses that occur when a valve is quickly opened. Ever see aluminum 6061 manifolds that burned and melt? Many years ago had to develop cleaning and handling procedures to keep our technicians from getting maimed on a DOD program. We spent several years dissecting many regulators and developing high flow, high speed pulse regulators for aural weapons noise simulators and . Sometimes being able to make a video can be dangerous to the folks that think it looks so easy and then they get hurt badly because they missed a tiny detail. Understand the the disclaimer in the beginning of the video that might help the trial -when stuff goes sideways- and little Ricky gets disfigured or the house burns down and you have to call the Allstate guy. Be safe and understand that there are bad things that infrequently occur in high-pressure oxygen gas systems.
The lube is silicone based. Any oil based products is a explosion waiting to happen with compressed oxygen. I had to buy all new torches when I could no longer find parts for my Air Products setup.
STUDY first. Seal-Seat has a good catalog with exploded views. ASSUME NOTHING and you'll be fine. They're simple machines. Almost always the seat is leaking .
Unless you have oxygen cleaned tools and know what you are doing never mess with a high pressure regulator. One spec of a flammable material left in that regulator when you put it back together could be a bomb when you open the cylinder. Send your regulator in for rebuilt or get a new one. I retired from the industrial gas industry and have actually seen explosions for oxygen and oil.
I drop mine off at the welding supply store and in a week pick them up they look like new For $75 bucks. I used to do my own (but now that I can’t read that part # either )lol Its easier
A bit like taking a wristwatch apart. I assume the reason you didn't use the torch to cut the regulator open was the regulator was broke? Don't try that at home. Nice video, thanks for sharing.
Had to find my cheaters before I could watch the video! Yep, I’ve just “retired” the old set and bought new ones. Of course, people that build gages want jobs too-
Isaac, have gone through a few O2 regulators in the last couple of years form Victor.....wonder what is up with that....I do not use that much either....great video Issac, best regards, oh yeah, my argon regulators are pooping out faster that they should.....I always relieve spring tension on diaphragm spring too after using....best wishes from Orlando , Paul
DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME!!! Especially when you deal with an oxygen regulator. Even little amounts of oil in the regulator can cause explosions and devastating fires. It's an absolute hazard to your and others health and safety. I once witnessed the result of a DIY attempt to use a low pressure regulator on a high pressure tank. This time it was "only" nitrogen but the connected machine was destroyed for good and other equipment and the building itself got serverely damaged. Here in Germany you need a license to work on this regulator equipment and also you don't get spare parts in a legal way on the market. So even if a new regulator costs 8000 bucks is this worth your life?
Yep! Even just the oils from your skin is enough to cause an explosion. High pressure oxygen, it isn't worth the cost of a new regulator to be picking the old one out of your face when you turn it on.
It's easy to clean parts to oxygen-safe standards (I worked with LOX in the Air Force among other things) but people have to study to know what those are. I use acetone and of course work outdoors. Nitrile gloves always.
Hey Isaac when you took the first bumper off yours was crack so is it supposed to be split or not? I just know you said you didn't know and I can't really tell on the replacement parts. And thanks for this video I have a regulator I need to repair
Mine is an argon/CO2 regulator by OXITURBO Italy the valve comes out from the back without dismantling the regulator. I have taken it to bits but there does not seem damaged. I cannot find the manufacturer so I might have to buy a new one from China!!!
That SR style body could be decades old or quite recent. SR stands for "Safety Regulator" as it improved on the older designs. They are still made because there really isn't any significant improvement on the new ones. An old is as good as new after rebuild which you can have done cheaply too online or via your local welding supply.
I just got a new Aceyteline bottle from NAPA. It wouldn't seal with a brand new regulator. There was a bunch of crap, like teflon tape on the tank side threads. I know it's frowned upon to seal up tank threads with anything, but when you are force to do a cylinder exchange program and only find out after they are closed for the whole weekend, and you have something to do on a weekend warrior project, what would you do?
Hand brush it out with a bristle brush, remove any debris, crack the bottle open to blow out the CGA fitting, examine the cone end for dents/damage and then attach regulator.
Question:had an acetalyne reg leaking it caught fire at reg and tank.Helper ran away i just turned gas off and it went out.I see the same spike in pressure like yours also leaks gas out of little air holes around reg.Is this normal.Cheap set of torches anyways.Can reg be fixed or better to get new sey of torches higher qaulity.Thanx appreciate your vids
As we are discuss hydrogen carbon (oil) &oxygen - don’t use oil based forming agents (fairy liquid ) to test for O leaks Don’t use lubricant on the cylinder connection WD40? And. Do not use copper tube anywhere in the acetylene line i.e. joining hose pipes. There is an explosive chemical reaction between copper & acetylene.
after you are done working/welding do you set your gauges / back them all the way off showing no pressure on the gauges ? Again always good info and technical help in all your videos , please more videos Alan Thomas
I'm of course not him but I usually don't. I shut off the cylinder then bleed down the hoses. After rebuilding many regulators I see no benefit to worrying over that since they're simple and robust. The only regs I rebuilt were bought used with intent to rebuild them. A rebuild can last decades on a reg. A torch could go a century and I have two Oxweld W-1s that old.
This might be a silly question but, could you just make a new one from an old inner tube? I'm not sure about that white plastic one. Awesome video, never tore into one. Had one do the same, took it in, OMG, could've purchased a whole new torch kit for what they charged me. It was the Oxygen regulator as well. Great video as always, cheers :)
The only "silly" question is one you don't ask. The answer in this case is NO. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-9KOcfRucehU.html High pressure oxygen is dangerous when it contacts the wrong materials. Use only oxygen-safe cleaning procedures and correct factory parts or you can easily be injure or killed. Not joking. Use no oil.
Others posted that it’s viton (fluorine rubber), so unless you’re inner tubes are made of that you shouldn’t. If you’re inner tube has petroleum products or another substance that reacts with high pressure oxygen it could go boom.
No, the feature which ensures that does not happen is why Victor named that style the SR for safety regulator. The blowoff valve prevents overpressure when the high pressure seat fails as sooner or later any seat will. It's common for regs to last fifty years without failure they're so well made. Once overhauled they're good for another 50.
G'Day..nice repair,,YES very important NO OIL,,That Grease is a cryotype grease,,inert,,won't react to any thing why it is use on this sorta gear,,,we did a stack of regs up for work had to find and purchase this super speacil grease,, $100 au money for 30 mls..so we used it sparinly,,Place in Melbourne Australia makes it,,3 weeks to make,, No Moly No mineral oil ,,very very important,,mineral oil and oxy gas= big bang,,Huge Fucking bang,, Ever see an impact gun run on pure oxy,,,yer we couldn't find all the peices,either,, Luckerly the gun was distroyed but no one was injured,, this bloke spent an hour getting the right fitting to plug in to oxy main,,yes we have a bottle bank and run hard line where required,,so no bottle's laying round,,just need a short whip and fittings,,save pushing heavy oxy carts around,,
