Is something wrong here?

cakey · #1 2006-02-03, 9:59am

Can any one tell me if something is wrong here?
My husband bought me a Carlisle Wildcat torch for xmas. I have a 200 cf o2 tank. The presure is set at 7. I can make beads for about 10 hours before I run out of O2.This seems like an ALOT!! of O2! Am I wrong? The only other torch I have used is a HH. So I really don't know if this is an unreasonable amout of O2 to going through or not. Can anyone help me?
I really can not afford a concentrator. It took me 2 years to get off the HH.
Now I can't afford to refill my tank every 10 hours!!

alexm · #2 2006-02-03, 10:28am

I could get 15 hours out of the tanks when I used tanked oxygen. Try turning down the oxygen expecially if your flame is hissing, which indicates an oxidizing flame. Your flame should be relatively quiet. If you turn down the flame and you see yellow or orange tips on the flame you have turned the oxygen down too low and you're getting a reducing flame.

Actually, if you consider how much you will spend on oxygen, an oxygen concentrator will pay for itself very quickly. Then your oxygen is free.
I used to go through 3 to 4 tanks of oxygen a week (I am a full-time lampworker) until I got an oxygen concentrator. I figure it paid for itself in 2 months and now I don't have to lug the heavy tanks around to get refills.

pam · #3 2006-02-03, 10:34am

Hi Cakey, The amount of oxy you use is totally dependent on your torch and the size beads you are making. You can burn up a lot of oxy if you have your Minor turned on full force, so your torch adjustments mean a lot.

Having said all that, it does seem as if you are going through a lot of oxy. I have a Cheetah and making large beads I usually get 20 to 25 hours of torching out of a 250 cf tank. So, my questions are these: Do you shut your tank off after each torching session? Have you checked for leaks between your tank and your regulator and your regulator and your torch?

Here is a response I made to someone else and rather than having to rethink the whole process I am copying it here. "Not shutting down after each session can definitely make a difference if you have a small leak anywhere. Peryhaps the leak wouldn't really make a difference while you are using the torch, but when you shut off the torch and the pressure is still there against the fittings, the hose and the torch, you can lose quite a bit.

One thing to look at is to turn off your torch, turn off your tank and watch the gauges on the regulators. One is for the pressure from the tank, and if it starts falling, then you are losing oxy somewhere between the tank and the torch-end of the regulator. Sometimes you can have a leak that makes the second gauge (the one that regulates the pressure to the torch) go up past what you have set it to. This means that the oxy is leaking into the section of the regulator that controls the outgoing pressure, but is probably going no farther. If the second torch gauge falls and the tank pressure stays the same, then you are losing oxy somewhere between the output of the regulator and the end of the torch. I hope this makes sense. It's harder to type it than it is to think it."

I hope this makes sense to you as I am probably not saying it as well as it could be said, but these are things to look for. Also, you didn't say what your propane is set at. It should be approximately half of what your oxy is. If you have your propane set higher, then you will have to turn up your oxy to achieve a neutral flame.

I hope that someone with experience with a Wildcat answers you because I am not really experienced with that torch. Good luck, and let us know if you find the answer.
Pam

cakey · #4 2006-02-03, 2:47pm

Thank you for your fast responses! My propane is set at 3 and my O2 at 7. I have checked everywhere for leaks. On all 3 of the refill tanks I have used. No leaks. Pam, I will try your last suggestion about checking the regulators after the torch and tanks are off and see what that does. I may just have to sell the wildcat and buy a smaller torch.

cakey · #5 2006-02-03, 2:50pm

Oh yeah, Yes, I do turn off the tanks Even if I just run in the house to warm up for a while. When I'm done working for the night, should I also turn the regulators back to zero?

pam · #6 2006-02-03, 4:02pm

Okay, so far so good. I'm not really sure what you mean by "turning the regulators back to zero". For the moment I am going to assume that you turn off your tank and drain the oxy from the hoses, then loosen the fitting that adjusts the amount of pressure to the torch. That should be done after your session, but you really don't need to shut down anything but your torch when you run in the house for a minute or two.

However, I just looked at the specs for the Wildcat, and it is probably using a lot of oxy. It's a 19 port torch, so yes, it is going to use lots of oxy. My Cheetah is only 12 ports and the Lynx is 7, I believe. I am sure the Wildcat is a very good torch and if you need that size flame then it is just going to take more oxy than a smaller torch like a Minor. Good luck. At this point I hope you find a leak, at least that is curable!!
Pam

cakey · #7 2006-02-03, 6:36pm

I don't loosen the fitting that adjusts the amount of pressure to the torch.
Should I be doing this when I'm done for the day?
I do turn off the O2, the propane tanks, and let out the extra from my torch.

PaulaD · #8 2006-02-03, 7:25pm

Try setting your WIldcat on 2 psi propane and 5 psi oxygen.. That has been working for me. Paula

parisgal · #9 2006-02-03, 11:01pm

Another thing I learned when I got my tank -- turn the oxy tank *all* the way on, I was told they are made to be "on" or "off", not in between. My oxy consumption went down when I did that.

pam · #10 2006-02-04, 6:02am

Hi Cakey, Yes, you need to loosen that adjustment, because if you don't, then when you open your tank up, the tank pressure slams against the diaphram in the regulator and could blow it out. I doubt that has anything to do with your oxy consumption, but it is a good practice to get into. I'm glad Paula responded, since she is using a Wildcat.