Minor Burner --- HELP !!!!

[gubnavnania]

I bought my new 'second hand' minor burner + hose recently from US. This hose has American fitting.

I went to welding shop today asking if they have Australian fitting etc.

They told me that minor burner is high presure torch (because it has tiny holes on the nose) and can't use any NG/LPG and oxycon and because the hose that come with the torch (the red and green ones - American made) is not made for LPG/NG.

According to them, I should get the orange and blue hose for LPG and I can't use BBQ/pancake regulator as well.

Now, what should I do?

[wendbill]

The Americans colour code things differently from Oz. Honestly, I'd check if the regulator screws into the gas bottle. If it does, I'd use it, otherwise I'd get the hoses replaced.

They were confused about the torch as well when I took mine into the welding supply places. (We tried two or three places).

Barbara at Ozziebuddy can supply a gas regulator if you need one that is more sensitve than what you can buy from BOC. It's about the same price. She can also supply oxygen regulators if you go with tanked oxygen.

It also depends on whether you use an oxy-con or oxygen bottle. If you use an oxycon, you can use the medical tubing and attach it to the torch (we've covered ours with a fibreglass sleeve to avoid the melt factor.

[Dale M.]

Originally Posted by gubnavnania

I bought my new 'second hand' minor burner + hose recently from US. This hose has American fitting.

I went to welding shop today asking if they have Australian fitting etc.

They told me that minor burner is high presure torch (because it has tiny holes on the nose) and can't use any NG/LPG and oxycon and because the hose that come with the torch (the red and green ones - American made) is not made for LPG/NG.

According to them, I should get the orange and blue hose for LPG and I can't use BBQ/pancake regulator as well.

Now, what should I do?

Well they are wrong.... They do not understand the torches design and they are making assumptions about a torch design they are not familiar with... Explain to them the flame is not a hard flame like a cutting torch, its a soft flame more like burner on stove top...

Minor burner will work down to as little pressure as 1/4 psi or 7 inches water column....Or 0.01723689 BAR..

Ideal pressure is in the 2-5 psi range...0.1378951 Bar (137.8951 millibar) to 0.3447379 BAR (344.7379mili bar) range... But will work just fine as low as BBQ regulator output is, 1/4 psi or 0.01723689 BAR (US)...

Go to different welding shop or LPG supplier/jobber....

Tens of thousands of glass artists using a minor torch worldwide can not be wrong....

Dale

[gubnavnania]

What about the hose, Dale?

They told me that red and green hose is not suitable for LPG.

I have to get the orange and blue one for LPG.

[wendbill]

Yunita

Australian regulations for the hoses colour code Orange as LPG lines, and Blue for Oxygen. Those are the universal colours for Australia.

The bigger question is probably whether the American hoses are rated for the same pressures that the Australian regulations permit/demand.

[gubnavnania]

I thought color code supposed to be universal worldwide

[wendbill]

It's not.

[gubnavnania]

Sorry if I sound so stubborn, Wendy.

That's the only way I can learn something by asking a lot of questions that make sense to me.

At the moment the hose doesn't make sense.
If American vendors can sell it worldwide the hose either by itself or in kit for LPG, why can't Australian use it. Especially if acetylene is hotter than LPG.

[wendbill]

Australian regulations are not the same as the American regulations (at the very least on colour coding - there may be other differences). If your local welding place has sighted your American hoses, they're probably bound by regulation to get you to replace them to the Australian standards.

If you bought your hoses and regulators separately from the US, it's probable that the vendor had no idea that they wouldn't be suitable for use in Australia. Expecting vendors to be aware of regulations in different countries is too much to ask for I suspect.

You also have to remember the hose itself doesn't get hot. However the different gases will degrade the hoses in different ways. Presumably, this is why there are different standards for the different gases used.

In terms of the gas bottles it even goes so far as having acetylene bottles on different screw threads from LPG bottles I believe (anyone else feel free to correct to me).

If your hose has had acetylene running through it, you won't be able to use it afterwards for LPG. However I am assuming the hose was attached to your minor (you bought it second hand right?) when you bought it. As minors aren't designed to run on acetylene you can probably assume it only had LPG through it anyway.

If you can identify the type of fitting used, you can probably get a conversion fitting to "convert" the thread to the right sort to attach to your gas bottle.

[Paul Ewing]

Check the fuel hose to see what grade is printed on it. If it is a T grade hose, then it is fine for use with propane structurally. This may not meet Australian regulations for color, but color has nothing to do with the physical properties of the hose. If it is an R grade hose, then it is rated for acetylene only and should not be used for propane of LPG.

Cheers,

[gubnavnania]

Thanks Paul and Wendy.

The hose says T grade 200 psi.

[Dale M.]

You are good to go....That IS the hose type designated for LPG use in the US...

Now you just have to resolve the color issue.... Here in US fuel hose does NOT have to be red.... It can be any color. It just happens the lampwork industry has adopted the same color coding as the welding industry (US) for hose types and designations...

Dale

[gubnavnania]

Thank you very much Dale.

Saving me A$67 from buying new hose and at least A$70 from buying gauge type regulator. I'm going to use pancake one.