Victor Oxygen cutting Torch Regulator

[gaa642000]

I have tooken up welding & bought a used set of victor torch gauges.But the oxygen regulator developed a leak at the flat hex nut type fitting located between the torch head hose & actual fitting nut to oxygen tank. This fitting has a predrilled factory 1/16" hole, where i think the air is flowing? It (leak)started while cutting a plate & will not cut off on its own. Only when you cut the main valve off on the oxygen tank.Is this some type of check valve? How do i repair & stop this problem?
Plus what is the difference between a single stage & two stage oxygen regulator ? HOW do you tell the difference?
Thank You.

[gsganzer]

You probably have a hole in the regulator diaphragm. Take it to any welding supply shop and they can probably service it or send it out for repairs. I'm not sure I'd be comfortable enough with fixing something that's high pressure and oxygen service. Let someone who's experienced do it.

[CJDave]

[img]/forums/images/icons/tongue.gif[/img] Not all regulators have that little valve on them, and I cannot for the life of me remember what it is on there for, unless it is just a high pressure safety valve to prevent hose burst if the regulator doesn't work right. A TWO STAGE regulator is just that, two diaprams instead of one. They have a very different look from the rear, and you can easily see that they have a sort of offset arrangement with two places that unscrew instead of just one. [img]/forums/images/icons/tongue.gif[/img]

[GaryM]

A little further explaination of a two stage regulator.

With a single stage regulator you have to keep making adjustments to your pressure setting as the tank pressure drops. That's because the regulator setting is related to the input pressure. It's not an absolute value.

With a two stage regulator the first stage drops the tank pressure to maybe 50 PSI and the second stage regulates that 50 PSI to what ever you set it to. Perhaps 20 PSI in this example. As long as your tank pressure is higher than the 50 PSI the first stage is set to, you will not need to make any adjustments.

When I learned to gas weld, we were taught to turn off the tank valve and release the regulator adjustments when we were done. So when you use the rig again you need to reset your pressure. And of course the pressure needs to be changed when you change tip sizes or change to a cutting torch. For an occasional user, not welding for long periods I think a single stage is OK. And the price is a bit lower too.

[CJDave]

[img]/forums/images/icons/tongue.gif[/img] If you are using very long lengths of hose on the torch, the two-stage regulator is a little better because it responds better/quicker when you shut off the torch, and the long hose doesn't end up acting like a tank and give you what amounts to a false pressure setting when you begin your next cut. As much cutting as I have done, I've never actually owned a two-stage regulator. I've used them, but my own stuff has always been single stage[img]/forums/images/icons/crazy.gif[/img]

[CJDave]

[img]/forums/images/icons/tongue.gif[/img] Oh,.....and one more thing.......with very large heating tips (rosebuds) you can ice up a single stage regulator whereas the two-stage won't usually frost over. [img]/forums/images/icons/crazy.gif[/img]

[GaryM]

CJDave

If you ice up the regulator that gives you pain relief if you get burned! [img]/forums/images/icons/laugh.gif[/img]

[mspaul]

Hi,

The post was professionally written and I feel like the author has extensive knowledge in the subject. Keep it that way.