- Your Acetylene Regulator MUST be replaced with a Propane Regulator (including for Propylene).
- You MUST replace your Acetylene hose with a Propane hose (including for Propylene).
- Check the label on your Flash Arrestor; if it reads “Fuel,” you can use it with Propane and Propylene. You’ll need to modify it to “Fuel” if it says “Acetylene.”
- Your torch SHOULD be safe to use with Acetylene, Propane, or Propylene; ours are, but if in question, contact the manufacturer. TAKE NO RISKS WITH GAS!!!!
Is it possible to use a propane torch with an acetylene torch?
Propane, often known as LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) or LP gas, is a popular fuel. It is carried and kept as a very cold liquid, and if it comes into contact with the skin, it can induce a “frozen burn” or frostbite. Inside a tank or cylinder, liquid propane is converted to gas. Propane is colorless and odorless in its natural state. Manufacturers add a chemical ingredient to propane to give it a unique smell, making it simpler to detect in the event of a leak or spill.
Welding
To begin with, propane cannot be utilized in gas welding. When acetylene is burned in the presence of oxygen, a reducing zone forms, which cleans the steel surface. Propane, unlike acetylene, lacks a decreasing zone and so cannot be utilized for gas welding.
Brazing
Propane can be used for brazing in the same way as acetylene can. Equal result for capillary brazing (silver brazing). Acetylene will be advantageous for Braze “welding” (thick flowing brazing alloys).
Cutting
Propane, like acetylene, can be used to cut. When cutting with acetylene, the tip of the inner flame cone is usually placed on the metal (1mm from the plate surface). If you try the same thing with propane, you’ll have to wait a long time. The preheat procedure starts faster if you lift the torch to use the outer flame cone. Because propane only produces a modest amount of heat in the inner flame cone (less than 10%), the majority of the heat in the flame is concentrated in the outer cone. In the inner flame cone, acetylene discharges over 40% of its heat.
As a result, acetylene is preferable to propane for cutting. While acetylene is hotter than propane in terms of temperature, the fact is that individuals are cutting with propane wrongly. They make the error of cutting with propane in the same way as they would with acetylene. The heat in the propane warmup flame is not the same as the heat in the acetylene preheat flame. In summary, cutting with propane necessitates a different method, while acetylene preheats faster in general. Because cutting quality is unimportant in shipbreaking/ship demolition yards and scrapyards, propane is frequently used for cutting.
Heating
…is a completely other story. It is incorrect to claim that propane produces less heat (plain wrong actually). Although acetylene is hotter, it produces less heat. Oxygen / Propane is used for the majority of the preheating. This is a proven fact. The amount of heat provided from propane is greater.
Economy
Propane’s stoichiometric oxygen needs are higher than those of acetylene. The volume of oxygen to fuel gas ratio for the maximum flame temperature in oxygen is 1,2 to 1 for acetylene and 4.3 to 1 for propane. As a result, when Propane is used, significantly more oxygen is consumed. Despite the fact that propane is less expensive than acetylene, the higher oxygen consumption offsets this.
Safety
The most significant disadvantage of utilizing propane on board is, without a doubt, the issue of safety.
With a specific gravity of 0,9, acetylene is lighter than air (1). If gas escapes, the temperature will rise. Propane has a Specific Gravity of 1.66, making it heavier than air (as do other hydrocarbon gases such as butane and MAPP* (modified propane gas). Any propane leak in an enclosed space will sink to the deck level, where it will accumulate and may go undetected.
The oxygen-to-gas combination must be within a specified range for propane to burn successfully. There should be four parts propane to 96 parts oxygen in optimal conditions. When the gas burns outside of these parameters, incomplete combustion occurs, resulting in an excess of carbon monoxide. If the space does not have adequate ventilation, this can be quite harmful. Working in enclosed places such as ballast tanks and double bottoms onboard a ship is common. As the deadly gas replaces oxygen in the bloodstream, carbon monoxide overdose can be fatal.
*”MAPP gas” is a registered trademark of The Linde Group. The original chemical composition, methylacetylene-propadiene propane, inspired the name. “MAPP gas” is a term used to describe a type of gas
Is it possible to utilize R-grade propane hose?
Welding hoses are frequently underappreciated and mistreated. Its users are dragging it through all kinds of mud and/or pulling equipment around with it. It’s been stepped on, driven on, spilt on, and forgotten about. Despite this, you rely on it to perform a critical function: securely transporting combustible gases to the torch. This rubber pipeline transports a plentiful supply of oxygen (at high pressure) with a combustible gas.
However, because the hose spends most of its time on the ground and performing its function, it’s easy to overlook its importance: it’s a game changer.
To ensure the safe use of welding hoses, the welder must perform several things, including turning and shutting it off, storing it, its working environment, and hose handling. But the purpose of this email is to explain why the type of rubber in your welding hose matters.
Permeation is one of the features of rubber hose. That is to say, any gas contained within the bore of a rubber hose will have a tendency to travel through the tube wall, through the reinforcement, and into the environment.
Once these penetrated gases have entered the environment, your next concern is whether they will build up in a certain location. If these gases are allowed to build up, they can cause explosions or pose a threat to human health.
Each rubber hose will have a different penetration resistance. Welders have been utilizing acetylene as a fuel gas for a long time. Acetylene has proven to be effective; when used at low pressure, it has little influence on the hose’s composition or design. However, acetylene is no longer the most used fuel gas. To replace acetylene, new gases are being produced. Changes in the welding hose accompany the introduction of these additional gases. The novel gases are being created using certain hydrocarbons or hydrocarbon mixtures. When compared to acetylene, these unique chemicals have a different effect on rubber hose. In reality, the exact impact has yet to be discovered. Furthermore, the new gases operate at significantly higher pressures. Acetylene has a maximum pressure of 15 psi, however novel gases can operate at higher pressures (40psi). As a result, the acetylene hose is not suitable for the new gases.
There are two types of acetylene welding hose. The most common and least expensive hose is Grade R. Only acetylene is classified as Grade R. The tube and cap are not resistant to flames or oil. Only acetylene is used in Grade RM, and the cover is grease and flame resistant. However, the tube is not resistant to oil or flame. Grade R and RM should not be used due to penetration and the increased pressures of new fuel gases. When the fuel gas isn’t acetylene, Grade T should be utilized; nevertheless, acetylene can also be used (which is why some gas equipment manufacturers have put T grade hose in their kits). The tube and cover are flame and oil resistant, which is one of the advantages of Grade T. It also contains a self-extinguishing tube and lid that protects against external and internal hazards such as hot slag and flashbacks.
If your fuel gases aren’t acetylene, you’ll need to double-check the grade of your welding pipe.
For acetylene or propane, what color hose is used?
The fuel hoses are orange if you use LPG, showing that it is compatible with L-Gas. Your fuel hose will be orange if you utilize acetylene, gasoline, propane, natural gas, or any other fuel gas.
The whitish-blue flame will be smaller than the blue flames if there is an overabundance of oxygen, and the flames will oxidize. The welder sees just two flame zones as he progressively opens the oxygen valve on the torch body, so he attacks one of them.
The valve shaft or the fuse plug tries to extinguish the fire in the cylinders as rapidly as possible if a fire in the cylinder is smaller than the flame of the hose connection. When lightning strikes, a flame flashes back to the torch and extends to a hose regulator, or a fire breaks out in a cylinder with a small flame or hose connection, the acetylene valve or valve in that cylinder is swiftly closed and closed. With the oxygen tube in front of it and the gas valve behind it, the torch or oxygen valve must close fast and be in a closed position.
As a result, acetylene or another fuel gas can flow from the oxygen line to the regulator. The fuel gases are switched off when the torch is ready, resulting in a fire in the bottle.
Is it possible to use an acetylene regulator with a propane bottle?
There has been a lot of talk regarding the acetylene shortage. Alternative fuel gases such as propane and propylene have been promoted by gas firms. It would be ideal if you could get GENTEC kits for propane or propylene. However, if you currently have an acetylene kit, you might want to consider converting it to propane or propylene.
To begin with, you must still utilize an oxy-acetylene welding kit to complete the work because propane and propylene are insufficient. However, due of their higher BTU, propane and propylene can do a better job of heating than acetylene. Despite having a larger BTU than acetylene, propane and propylene require additional preheat time while cutting. The reason for this is that the heat is concentrated in the propane and propylene second flames. Another advantage of propane and propylene is that they do not have the same withdrawal problems as acetylene because they do not contain the noxious acetone.
You don’t need to replace the oxygen regulator, torch handle, or cutting attachment to utilize your present acetylene kit with propane or propylene. The following are some things to think about:
1. If the welding hoses in your kit are “R” or “RM” classes, change them to T-grade hoses. The hoses have this information on them. You won’t have to bother about T-grade hoses because they’re already included in GENTEC’s costumes. This will save you a lot of money.
2. In terms of regulators, if your acetylene regulator has a CGA510 connection, such as the GENTEC acetylene regulator, you may not need to replace it. Because it is designed to be operated under the same cylinder pressure as propane and propylene and gives a maximum outlet pressure of 15PSI, you can still use the acetylene regulator if your operating pressure is less than 15PSI. If your working pressure is greater than 15 PSI, you’ll require GENTEC 752F-40 or 152F-80 for medium-duty work, and 753F-125 or 153F-125 for heavy-duty work.
3. Replace the heating nozzle with a new one. The GENTEC 172HN series is designed for medium-duty work, whereas the 173HN series is designed for heavy-duty work. Both propane and propylene can be used with the same nozzle. Because the second flame generates the most heat, keep the nozzle’s tip about 2″ away from the work piece’s surface. You might try holding the flame higher to get a longer effective distance. GENTEC 175HN series multiple-flame heating nozzles, which have a longer elbow and larger heating head than the 172HN and 173HN, are also appropriate for propane and propylene.
4. Replace the cutting tip with a new one. Unlike the heating nozzle, propane and propylene have separate cutting tips. For cutting tip selection, please refer to the GENTEC Gas Welding and Cutting Apparatus catalog’s cutting tip section. In general, propane is represented by the 172CN and 173CN series, while propylene is represented by the 172CP and 173CP series. The 173CHN series is for propane while the 173CHP series is for propylene in machine torch applications.
Finally, remember to check the working pressure of propane or propylene, as well as the oxygen of the heating nozzles and cutting tips you purchase, even though the tip diameters of the cutting tips for acetylene, propane, and propylene are the same. With acetylene, the pressure setup for propane and propylene may be different.
Which is hotter, propane or acetylene?
If you ask any welder what they want from their welding tools, they’ll usually tell you that heat, efficiency, versatility, and clean cuts are the top priorities, depending on the type of welding they’re doing.
The fact that acetylene burns hotter is one of the most compelling arguments in its favor. When it comes to welding, many people believe that hotter is better. Is acetylene, on the other hand, actually hotter to burn? Yes is the straightforward answer to this question. Acetylene has a maximum neutral flame temperature of 5720 F in oxygen, while propane has a temperature of 5112. However, this does not imply that propane produces less heat.
Acetylene has the potential to burn hotter and perhaps pre-heat metal more quickly. Propane, on the other hand, may rival or even outperform acetylene with the right knowledge, parts, and setup. Obviously, there are numerous aspects to consider. The question isn’t which option is best, but which option is best for you, based on the work you want to do and the tools you want to utilize.
The fact that propane is safer than acetylene is one of the most compelling grounds for its use. Again, based on the numbers, this appears to be the case. Acetylene ignites at concentrations ranging from 2.5 percent to 82 percent, while propane ignites at concentrations ranging from 2.1 percent to 9.5 percent. It’s easy to argue that propane is far safer to use than acetylene based on these figures. However, keep in mind that both of these gases are combustible and must be handled with caution. Regardless of which choice you choose, the same safety precautions should be taken.
Finally, we must consider the great dollar, which is frequently the deciding factor in many commercial decisions. Acetylene has grown increasingly difficult to get in recent years, increasing the cost. Propane, on the other hand, is more readily available and stable for storage, making it more cost-effective. Indeed, the widening price gap between these two welding fuels has prompted many in the sector to explore switching from acetylene to propane.
Which hose grade is appropriate for propane and other fuel gases?
“What’s the difference between Grade R and Grade T Twin Welding Hose?” we’re frequently asked.
We’ve taken the trouble to clearly distinguish the two here for everyone to see.
It’s made for acetylene gas and oxygen, and it’s highly recommended.
It was the only type of dual welding hose available until around 15 years ago.
It should not be used with lp gas, propane, natural gas, or propylene.
The oils in propane will eventually dry rot the hose, hence it is not advised for use with propane.
It usually takes a year for this to happen. The hose will break on the outside and lose its pliability. This is a potentially dangerous scenario that necessitates the repair of the hose right now. The Grade R hose will not be harmful from the outset, but its lifespan will be reduced. Some cutters and welders care about the hose’s longevity, while others don’t. Grade R twin welding hose is less expensive, and for certain users, that makes all the difference. Regardless of the grade, their hose rarely lasts a year.
Alternative fuels such as lp, propane, natural gas, and propylene are ideal for Grade T twin welding hose.
It can, however, be utilized with acetylene.
It costs more than Grade R since it is designed to withstand the impacts of propane’s oils.
Although Grade T can be used for “All Fuel Gases,” switching between acetylene and alternate fuel gases requires changing the hose.
The remaining oils from the propane get lodged in the pores of the hose, causing this.
What is the composition of acetylene hose?
Acetylene pipe with a single hose for welding and cutting. Rubber compound is used to make the tube. Single propane pipe that can be used for welding and cutting. Rubber compound is used to make the tube.
On a torch, what’s the difference between an acetylene tip and a propane tip?
The main difference between propane and acetylene torch tips is that propane produces less heat and is less efficient in cutting, whereas acetylene produces a lot of heat and is better at cutting.
In gas welding, acetylene and propane are essential. Welding, brazing, and cutting can all be done with propane and acetylene. A welding or cutting torch has a tip that performs the torch’s function. Welding tips usually provide a positive pressure. It works best when the acetylene and oxygen pressures are equal. The single-hole copper alloy tip is usually affixed to a torch handle. This torch handle has a mixer that can mix oxygen with it. The welding tip tends to mix oxygen and fuel, after which the mixed gas is pushed through the welding tip. The gas is then burned at the very end.
The flame properties of the fuel gas that we utilize are frequently used to construct the tip. It also depends on how the cutting tip will be used. One-piece cutting tips and two-piece cutting tips are the two types of cutting tips.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Distinctions
2. What does a Propane Torch Tip entail?
3. What is the use of an acetylene torch tip?
4. Tabular Comparison of Propane vs. Acetylene Torch Tips
5. Conclusion – Torch Tips for Propane vs. Acetylene
What gas can be used in place of acetylene?
MAPP gas is one of the most commonly used acetylene alternatives in Oxy-welding. While other gases such as propane, propylene, and HGX Propane are more commonly used for cutting and brazing, MAPP can be utilized in place of acetylene, albeit at a lower temperature and at a higher cost for large-scale operations.