Oxycon Question/Issue

[Max Hardcastle]

Hello Dear Lampwork Etc.

I've sunk a considerable amount of money into tanked oxygen and as lampworking is becoming a lifelong endeavor I want to switch to an oxygen concentrator (probably the cheaper option over time).

My ideal oxygen concentrator runs my Knight Bullet torch (similar to a Barracuda in size) from inside my old vw bus. 12v dc power source or an inverter will be necessary.

I am always on a tight budget so I definitely can't afford anything over $500, shooting for $200. I wouldn't mind just running the center flame which probably only needs 5lpm (similar to a minor burner). I also have an old minor burner that I could use instead.

If you have any thoughts as to what I could do that would be great. I read somewhere that the oxygen concentrator takes very little energy, but I could be wrong. How long do you think a car battery would run an oxycon for?

Thanks so much!
Max

[Dale M.]

About 1 maybe 2 hours at most....

A typical oxycon takes about 5 amps or 500-600 watts.... When you use a inverter to step up the VW bus's 12 volts (in this case 10 fold) to 120 volts oxycon requires you also increase the amperage draw on battery in this case a factor of about 10... So the inverter (including conversion loss) and powering the oxycon is going to draw on the range of 50-60 amps. As I said, you are only going to get a hour or two at that rate till battery goes low enough that inverter drops out.... A few dozen extensive charge/discharge cycle like this on battery is going to shorten its life tremendously...

Dale

[cheng076]

There have been several threads by people who have set up a mobile torching studio either as the only available space or as a traveling thing. Assume you want to do the traveling thing. If you look at the power requirements of a studio you will find;

Oxycon 5 or more amps x 120 VAC = 600 watts
Kiln 15 + amps x 120 VAC = 1800 watts
Lights 2 or 3 amps x 120 VAC = 250 watts
Misc.(radio, etc) 1 or 2 = 150 watts
TOTAL ..... 23 +- amps or 2800 watts aprox.

And I haven't mentioned ventilation; another big power user - 4 or 5 amps at least.

Auto batteries with an inverter just wont cut it. A possible solution might be a generator in the 3500 watt range, probably $500.00 minimum. All the mobile instalations I've heard about used tanked oxy for various reasons.

[Dale M.]

Originally Posted by cheng076

There have been several threads by people who have set up a mobile torching studio either as the only available space or as a traveling thing. Assume you want to do the traveling thing. If you look at the power requirements of a studio you will find;

Oxycon 5 or more amps x 120 VAC = 600 watts
Kiln 15 + amps x 120 VAC = 1800 watts
Lights 2 or 3 amps x 120 VAC = 250 watts
Misc.(radio, etc) 1 or 2 = 150 watts
TOTAL ..... 23 +- amps or 2800 watts aprox.

And I haven't mentioned ventilation; another big power user - 4 or 5 amps at least.

Auto batteries with an inverter just wont cut it. A possible solution might be a generator in the 3500 watt range, probably $500.00 minimum. All the mobile instalations I've heard about used tanked oxy for various reasons.

Actually the 23 amps is misleading if one is considering battery power.... When you are using a inverter to jump up the 12 volts DC to 120 volts AC you are looking at about 230 AMPS load on 12 volts side... You are going to fry a battery in about 10 minutes..

Dale

[Max Hardcastle]

Thanks for the info-- I guess tanked oxy will have to suffice! I'm going to be working outdoors so ventilation won't be much of an issue. I generally save pieces and batch anneal, so the kiln is out... I might be able to work with a car battery still

[cheng076]

Dale, I was not considering the inverter even a remote possibility. As I said 20 plus amps on the AC side rules that out almost entirely; although it can be done. I've seen some of those hopped up car stereos that use more power but are way expensive to set up.

Outside torching and later batch annealing is very doable, however.
PJH

[CD Lampwork]

Yea, we gave up on the battery option early on. But in nearly five years of torching and traveling full time we were never without shore power (a place to plug in). Pretty much every campground had power, 30amps at least. We too ran a barracuda, 2 M20s, a kiln, ventalation and AC. Took almost every one of those precious little amps.

I'd be interested in pictures of the VW set up. I'm currently in the process of selling out 1971 camper. We've gotten a little soft I suppose.