Turn off propane tank?

ShellyJo1969 · #1 2010-07-09, 8:29pm

Do you have to turn off the propane tank after every session? I mean I turn off the safety handle inside the building and of course my tourch, but I mean the handle off handle on the tank itself?

I have been because my hubby said it would slowly leak out if i didn't?

It's a butt pain to have to switch that off every time but I will if necessary to keep from wasting propane.

Does anybody know the facts about it?

msjjjj · #2 2010-07-09, 9:50pm

yes - that way you don't leave a source of propane should a leak develop.

M.

Alaska · #3 2010-07-09, 10:21pm

Check with your propane dealer as they may have an electrically operated valve that could be placed at the tank. Then just hit the switch and the propane is on.

Deborah · #4 2010-07-10, 6:36am

I turn it off at the tank and inside the building. I don't want to have to think about it...and I would. lol

beadsoncypress · #5 2010-07-10, 7:08am

Let me say "Just do it!" That way you won't lose the propane and stop any leaks before they happen (unless it is at the tank connection itself). Mine tank has a long hose I snaked through a former water connection hole in the wall (I have my studio in a former travel trailer) and it sits outside on the ground, until I can either build an enclosure or find something that will work and look nice sitting there!

mtarara · #6 2010-07-10, 7:01pm

Yep, turn it off at the tank!!!
Mary T.

Elizabeth Beads · #7 2010-07-10, 7:48pm

Not only must you turn it off at the tank, you must bleed the line. So turn off the valve at the tank first - let the propane still in the line burn out - and then turn off the torch knob!

SuzyQ · #8 2010-07-11, 4:07am

It's a butt pain for me too. Especially trudging through feet of snow to get to my tank in the Winter. But imagine how much of a butt pain it would be if you blew up your studio?

Jenne · #9 2010-07-11, 4:27am

I turned everything off just to be safe. If I leave my studio and think I may have forgotten to turn it off...I turn around and double check :O

kbinkster · #10 2010-07-11, 1:28pm

Turn it off at the tank and back out the T on your regulator. If you don't back out that T, it will wear on the diaphragm inside the regulator.

If your lines are short, you don't need to bleed them (they don't hold a large volume of gas when they're short), but whatever you do, keep the dadburned fuel valves on your torch shut unless you are at the torch. Make that a habit.

I know that some safety things are a pain in the butt, but, you have to do it. We are dealing with stuff that can blow up and/or burn down your house (and your neighbors' houses). You want to keep all of your equipment in proper working order.

There is a safety forum here on LE. It would be good to go over there and search around, too. There are lots of questions and answers.

squid · #11 2010-07-11, 1:42pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by kbinkster

Turn it off at the tank and back out the T on your regulator. If you don't back out that T, it will wear on the diaphragm inside the regulator.

If your lines are short, you don't need to bleed them (they don't hold a large volume of gas when they're short), but whatever you do, keep the dadburned fuel valves on your torch shut unless you are at the torch. Make that a habit.

I know that some safety things are a pain in the butt, but, you have to do it. We are dealing with stuff that can blow up and/or burn down your house (and your neighbors' houses). You want to keep all of your equipment in proper working order.

There is a safety forum here on LE. It would be good to go over there and search around, too. There are lots of questions and answers.

This first part will greatly lengthen the life of your regulator

Gail Joseph · #12 2010-07-11, 2:44pm

Okay, you got me. What does "back out the T on your regulator mean?" Maybe that is what's wrong with my propane/oxy situation Kimberly??? I've probably wrecked my regulator!!!!-Gail

squid · #13 2010-07-11, 2:48pm

The handle that you turn to set the pressure on your regulator - that's the T handle. Unscrew it every time you turn your propane off.

Gail Joseph · #14 2010-07-11, 2:52pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by squid

The handle that you turn to set the pressure on your regulator - that's the T handle. Unscrew it every time you turn your propane off.

ooooooooooh! Oooops!

gmkcpa · #15 2010-07-11, 3:16pm

I have what I think are quality gauges on both my oxygen and propane tanks. I turn my torch off and then close the valves on both the propane tank and oxygen tank. I keep my propane gauge at 5 lb on the line side. When I return to my studio a day or two later that gauge shows -0- lb. I've leak-checked everything, so how come the pressure between the gauge and torch drops to -0-? I wouldn't call it a leak, but I guess technically it is. So, I ALWAYS shut the valve on the tank when done for the day. Incidentally the same thing happens with my oxygen. I keep my oxy line pressure at 40 lb (I use a Carlisle CC). It takes about two days for the line pressure to drop to -0-.

Now I'm real curious to know what happens to everyone else's line pressure over a 24 hour period of sitting idle with the tank closed and the torch closed and not having bled the line.

ShellyJo1969 · #16 2010-07-11, 3:48pm

I've just been lampworking for a couple of weeks now so I'm glad I found this out early. I usually turn it off at the tank, but on the few occasions that I didn't, when I went back the next time it was still sitting on 10lbs where I set it.

So to answer gmkcpa (sorry i don't know your real name) I guess yours must be leaking if it's letting off the pressure all by itself.

So (kbinkster) you're saying to:
1. turn off your torch
2. turn off the safety handle inside studio
3. turn off the tank valve itself
4. turn off the t handle on the regulator till it reads 0 and then reset the lbs you want each time?

ShellyJo1969 · #17 2010-07-11, 3:55pm

Here's an article at wetcanvas about this very subject if anybody is interested. I don't do all of these steps at all. Now I'm gonna have to go relearn what to do.
http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=241808

ShellyJo1969 · #18 2010-07-11, 4:01pm

I've dropped a line about this discussion over at Art Glass Answers and asked Bill and Dale to pop in on this discussion so maybe they can enlighten us some more about proper procedures.

mnoelker · #19 2010-07-11, 4:46pm

I always turn off the propane at the tank, bleed the hose, turn off the propane at the torch, back off the t, then unscrew the hose and bring it inside. I don't want any worries when dealing with propane.

Dale M. · #20 2010-07-11, 6:40pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShellyJo1969

I've dropped a line about this discussion over at Art Glass Answers and asked Bill and Dale to pop in on this discussion so maybe they can enlighten us some more about proper procedures.

Answer posted at AGA...

But "mnoelker" nailed it.....

Dale

playswithfire104 · #21 2010-07-11, 7:15pm

I've been lampworking for at least 6 years and this it the very first time I ever heard of "backing off the T". My propane regulator pretty much doesn't do anything. We use propane in our house for everything from heat to fireplaces. There is a line that the gas company installed that runs from the tank to a regulator that is set to, I think 5 psi. Thenit is hardlined into my studio to a shut of valve then through a regulator to the hose then to my torch.

Dale M. · #22 2010-07-11, 7:41pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by playswithfire104

I've been lampworking for at least 6 years and this it the very first time I ever heard of "backing off the T". My propane regulator pretty much doesn't do anything. We use propane in our house for everything from heat to fireplaces. There is a line that the gas company installed that runs from the tank to a regulator that is set to, I think 5 psi. Thenit is hardlined into my studio to a shut of valve then through a regulator to the hose then to my torch.

It only applies to a "adjustable" regulator for torch line..... Its common practice in welding industry to do this, its so during the inrush of propane when turning tank on, the instant hit from the high pressure doe not damage diaphragm in regulator....

Dale

crabby31 · #23 2010-07-11, 7:50pm

One thing I'm still a little fuzzy on. When done torching, after the propane is bled from the hose, is the torch propane knob supposed to be open or closed?
Sorry if that is a dumb question - noob ignorance!

squid · #24 2010-07-11, 7:52pm

it's good practice to close it after you bleed the line so it isn't open for when you use it again, but it doesn't really matter either way.

crabby31 · #25 2010-07-11, 7:58pm

Okay, thanks for the help!

ShellyJo1969 · #26 2010-07-11, 11:10pm

Bill and Dale don't agree about backing off the regulator.
http://www.artglassanswers.com/forum...&p=2080#p2080]

So I guess the best answer would be
1. shut off your propane and oxygen at torch
2. shut off indoor propane safety valve
3. shut off propane on tank itself
4. bleed the propane line inside at torch

Everything else is at your discretion and do what you feel is best for your situation. Dale thinks it's good to back off the T valve and that is cool. But as Bill pointed out, backing off the T valve isn't necessary for safety reasons, it's only (supposedly) supposed to help take pressure off your regulator. But not everyone agrees on this point and it's possible that it might in fact wear out your regulator quicker from turning it on and off all the time. So while everything else is a safety must, backing off the t valve is an "at your discretion type of thing."

Bill and Dale always give very good thought provoking answers to any question I've ever asked about lampworking setups and I for one feel very fortunate and grateful to have them donating their valuable information. Thanks Guys!

kbinkster · #27 2010-07-12, 12:14am

Equipment maintenance is important to safety. If your regulator fails and starts to leak, you will have a problem. Back out the T.

If you leave the T in and turn off the tank, and while you're away, the line bleeds out (whether by you bleeding the line or by mysterious leaking) when you go back and turn the tank valve back on, the sudden push of full tank pressure gas will slam against the diaphragm. That can damage the regulator. My husband, a torch manufacturer, explained this to me a long time ago and we discussed it again tonight. He has known people who have ruined their regulators by not backing out the T.

If you back out the T when you turn off the tank, when you go back to turn it on again the next time, just set it again. It isn't hard to do. You don't have to set it to an exact pressure - usually just turning it until it reads somewhere between 5 and 10 psi is just the right setting for most bead torches and is a good setting for many regulators, too.

Gail, that regulator might be shot or it could just be struggling at the low psi (under 5 psi). I would try bumping it up to 10 psi and see if it stops that fluctuation. If it doesn't, you can take your regulator to a welding shop and have them look at it and tell you if it is busted. They can usually repair them too.

ShellyJo1969 · #28 2010-07-12, 2:28am

OK kbinkster, so how exactly do you do that process? My husband set mine up at 10psi and I haven't touched it since.

You turn off propane at torch
turn off propane safety valve in studio, turn off propane tank, then what? turn t valve till it reads 0, then go back inside and bleed line?

thanks

msjjjj · #29 2010-07-12, 3:56am

Shelley - turn off the propane tank, go back inside and bleed the lines, THEN back out the T valve until it drops to 0.

Marjorie

Seasoned Soul · #30 2010-07-12, 4:33am

I think I'm doing it correctly please advise if not (Mini CC, 15 Oxycon, Propane)
Start:
1. Open Oxygen at Torch
2. Turn ON Oxycon and let run for 10 min thru line
3. Go outside and turn ON/Open Propane at Tank
4. Turn Regulator knob to show 5-6 psi
5. Go inside, turn oxygen OFF at Torch
6. Turn Propane ON at Torch and Light
7. OPEN/ADD Oxygen and melt glass

Stop:
1. Slowly lower both Propane and Oxygen at torch
2. Turn Oxygen OFF at Torch
3. Turn Oxycon OFF
4. Go outside and turn Propane Tank OFF/Close
5. "Back out the T on my Regulator"
6. Go inside and Bleed my Propane Line
7. Turn Propane OFF at Torch

***Two things I don't do each time: I have to safety valves on propane line, one outside and one inside. I don't close those off at the end of each session. I do turn them both off if I'm going to be away for more than a day though.
I have made a habit of these 7 and 7 steps, if they are in the wrong order or I should add or delete a step please let me know so I can retrain myself. Safety is soooo important!!!