Oxycon + Shedio + Winter! Advice Pls!

[Fruddy]

Well, my new studio is only about a week away from being ready to go - I have ordered a reconditioned Oxy,torch and tool package from Martin, my stool and lights have been ordered and all my worktops have been installed and tiled.

As I am new to lampworking, I have spent a couple of hours today reading through all the posts in relation to Oxy installation etc. ready for next week and have been reading with interest the problems that people have in the winter, with them being sensitive souls to the cold and damp.

My new studio is a brick outhouse which is independent of my house, but not far away from it.  It has power and light installed, a well insulated fully tiled roof, wooden floor and brick walls.  I am a bit concerned though as to how my Oxy will cope in the winter.  As far as I can tell, it doesn't get particularly damp in there, as it houses an upright freezer and washer and dryer (which will remain in situ) but it does get quite cold.   I have the following questions, for advice, hope you don't mind?

Is it easy enough to disconnect the Oxy to bring it into the house? Would you recommend doing this each night in the dead of winter, when it is really really cold?

Does wrapping it in a thermal blanket help?  Is it sensible to ensure that the Oxy is not anywhere near an outside stone wall,i.e. should I keep it in the middle of the floor or perhaps even on top of one of my work surfaces?

Would it be a good idea to get a heater on a thermostat, to ensure that the temperature didn't drop below freezing and to reduce condensation?

Obviously, because I am starting Lampworking at home at this time of the year, there are only going to be a few weeks of warmer weather for me, until the winter gets here and, as someone who is inexperienced with the problems of running a set up - I am hoping to do everything I can to minimise problems with my Oxy setup, otherwise I am going to be one of those people who is forever on the phone to Martin and will end up driving him mad!!


Thanks in advance for any advice that you guys can offer.

Rachel

[Redkite]

Hi!

Not really able to give you qualified advice, but...

I would say it is possible to move the oxycon indoors after each use, as they all have castors, but they are quite awkward to move and heavy if you need to lift them over a sill or step. I also think you would risk shaking loose some "bits" inside if you did this over a long period.

Having said that, my first one did give up the ghost after just over a year in my shed. It also doesn't feel too damp and I had installed a fan heater with a "frost" setting, that comes on automatically to keep the temperature above freezing.

So maybe I was unlucky, but then again, these units have already had a "lifetime" of medical use, so perhaps they do need a bit of TLC. My interpretation of various discussions on this topic is that damp is worse than cold, so I'm not really sure how I'll proceed this winter myself, other than hoping it survives and/or setting the heater thermostat a bit higher.

[Sulis (Hazel)]

Hi Rachel,

I have wrapped my oxycon in a duvet before now during the winter, but I'm not sure that was really enough. Maybe Martin or Sean could answer that one really well. Another thing I've heard is never to run the oxycon for less than a few minutes at a time during normal conditions, as the filters and beds need time to get going properly and stopping midway shortens the life - though I'm not sure if this is a shedio-myth!

Hazel  xx

[sarah t]

you should turn your oxycon on and run it for a cup of tea before you start torching 

i think moving it about ,disconnecting it after use is un-necessary ....and the connector at the oxycon end is the only thing i have ever break on mine 

[Vicki]

I think as long as the atmosphere is dry, I do chuck a blanket over mine (but mostly I forget) in the winter.  My shed does get very cold, but it is dry & no problems so far (touches wood! I expect I'll have no end of problems now I've typed this  )

[saffie]

I kept mine in the shed for the last 3 years with absolutely no problems. No heating except when I was in there. no blanket  kept it dry and seemed fine! I was lucky my shed never seemed to get damp!
Sam

[Dragonfire Glass]

you should turn your oxycon on and run it for a cup of tea before you start torching 

Blimey - are they makng drinks now too? 

[Hamilton Taylor]

The problem seems to be mostly with damp. If the filter beds get condensation in them, they become less efficient, so don't produce as much oxy each cycle. This can cause the oxycon to throw a wobbly, and demand a service. Usually, bringing the unit into a centrally heated room and running it for a day or so drives the water off. A stream of warm air, say from a hair drier, might help.

I have pondered that, since cold air can hold less humidity than warm air (think rainforest), there may be a temperature component to the issue as well. Thing is, the unit gets quite warm once it's been on for a while , so I don't know how that one works. What we need is an Independent Study! Any experiment designers in the room??

sean

[Magpie]

I have pondered that, since cold air can hold less humidity than warm air (think rainforest), there may be a temperature component to the issue as well. Thing is, the unit gets quite warm once it's been on for a while , so I don't know how that one works. What we need is an Independent Study! Any experiment designers in the room??

Think warm air hitting cold windows = condensation. So the air in the oxycon will be warmer than the solid components as they will take longer to warm up, so the water vapour in the air will condense back to water when it comes into contact with a solid bit. Also when you turn it off and the air inside cools down you'll get more condensation. Possible?

If you send me, say half a dozen oxycons I can set up an experiment. Kitchen, David's shed, the kid's shed, the bike shed, the passageway, maybe a few places round the garden, even stick one in the bathroom to check for warm and damp..... 

[Hamilton Taylor]

Yeah, I'll get right on that this morning... 

sean

[Vicki]

you should turn your oxycon on and run it for a cup of tea before you start torching 

Blimey - are they makng drinks now too? 

[JaySpangles]

Mine lives in a stone shed with a concrete floor and no heating. There is no damp. It doesn't run from mid December until April  except for 2 weeks in feb. UP TO NOW I have had no problems.