Flame color on gtt lynx is purple

FYREMAN · #1 2013-03-20, 5:14am

I recently purchased a GTT Lynx. Ive been working with the torch for about a month now. I was making a marble yesterday and once i finished it, I removed my glasses and realized that my flame had a purple hue to it. Has anyone else ever experienced this? At first I thought my eyes had not adjusted back to normal from having the purple glasses on for so long. This was not the case. A friend even comfirmed that the flame was indeed purple. I tried adjusting the fuel/oxy mixture 10 different ways from sunday with the same results. I cut it off and made sure the torch face was clean. (which it was). I just got a fresh propane bottle about a week ago, but my oxy bottle is getting low.(500 lbs) I dont thing the low oxy pressure has anything to do with it beings this has never happened before. I am wondering if there are some type of impurities in one of my bottles? Also Im wondering if this continues will it damage my torch? I tried calling GTT yesterday but no one answered the phone. Any insight and possible corrections to this problem will greatly be appreciated. Thanks, Jason

RSimmons · #2 2013-03-20, 5:56am

Sounds like dirty propane to me.

Robert

FYREMAN · #3 2013-03-20, 7:19am

do you know if its going to cause damage to the torch if i continue to run it like that?

RSimmons · #4 2013-03-20, 9:44am

I don't know that it will damage the torch but the flame chemistry has changed and is, IMHO, likely to give you unpredictable results with any reactive glasses. We don't know what the contaminant is but from the flame color I would guess it's a potassium compound of some sort. It *might* leave deposits inside of the torch jets but that's a wag on my part. I would return the tank if possible or get another supply of propane.

Robert

FYREMAN · #5 2013-03-20, 9:59am

OK, I just got off the phone with Wally from GTT. He said there are possibly two things that could be the culprit. 1) inadequete ventilation (which has never been a problem before) or 2) High humidity. Im leaning towards #2 beings that it has rained here for about the last solid week. He said a lot of folks in florida deal with the humidity due to all the short rain showers and hig heat. He also said it shouldnt hurt the torch, so thats a relief. Thanks for your help as well Robert. I have another propane tank, so i might try that as well just to see if it helps.

RSimmons · #6 2013-03-20, 10:34am

I'm curious to see if the other tank is the same, so please post the results. I've never heard of humidity turning a flame purple, but Wally knows his stuff.

Robert

FYREMAN · #7 2013-03-21, 7:35am

OK, i got home last night and started the torch and ran it using various flames and everything was back to normal. I even tried the other tank of propane and it worked fine too. Im starting to believe the humidity was the problem, because it has dried out some outside and i fired up the woodstove do to cool temps outside lately, so it must have helped with the humidity in my studio. Thanks for your imput and concerns Robert.

RSimmons · #8 2013-03-22, 6:38am

That's a new one. Thanks for the follow up.

Robert

dragonart glass · #9 2013-03-22, 7:16am

Wow, thanks for posting this. Who knew!!

Dale M. · #10 2013-03-23, 7:54pm

Was just playing with newly acquired torch and when I severely fuel (propane) starved flame it when to purple hew and candle became shorter and hissy....

Dale