leaky torch!

[jammie]

Wasn't sure where to put this or what to call it!  A couple of days ago I had noticed a strange smell when torching. Hot head on bulk. I have the windows open and the neighbours have a wood burning stove so I often smell it and am used to it though at first I kept checking I wasn't burning anything. The new strange smell was a bit like turnip!! Well, it's nearly halloween and 'neep heids'...turnip lanterns ...was what the smell reminded me off. I though, hmm, maybe they're making soup next door and neip heids. But then it started to smell off. A bit like rotten turnips. I checked the gas etc and couldn't find anything. The smell came and went a bit so I kind of ignored it. I thought /had read that propane smelled like rotten eggs. Anyway yesterday I got fed up of it and smelled all along the tube and tank and found the smell at the flashback arrestor bit.  OH  took the whole torch  apart and resealed it with ptfe, it still smelled. So he did it again, we knocked the torch a bit to see if anything came out, it didn't. We raised the hose then as it was on the floor, bled the pipes again and then put it together again sealing both ends....smell gone!
The strange thing is that going back to making some beads, as soon as I turned the torch on the flame was better than its been in yonks. I must have been torching at a lower heat, smaller flame. I did notice it had been taking longer to melt the glass, but put it down to making larger beads and just the hot head.
I dont really know what  happened or what was wrong. I do know I wont ignore anything I smell or any change in the torch......and will watch out for any rotten turnips! 

[♥♥Tan♥♥]

How strange, although the tubes do seem to work loose over time, my oxy hose was leaking for ages before I realised.

[stuwaudby]

I'm confused - the smell was coming from the flashback arrestor so you stripped down the torch

PTFE melts at 327 DegC - you shouldn't rely on it to seal anywhere on your torch that gets hot.

Propane is more volatile than Ethyl Mercaptan (the oderant added for smell). This means that more propane is present in the gas in your bottle than the liquid. Over time the concentration of oderant in the propane liquid will increase meaning that the smell of your gas will increase dramatically. I find that as I get to the bottom of a bottle I get gas smells from the flame, without any leaks.

It could be simply that your gas is getting low.

Remember that PTFE melts at 327 DegC - you shouldn't rely on it to seal anywhere on your torch that gets hot.

[jammie]

It was strange Tan. It is good that the torch is hot now though.

Ah thanks for that stuwaudby When I did the smell test to see where it was coming from I could smell it at the flashback arrestor. Did the bubble leak test   tightened it all at that end. Then because the smell was still there took the torch bit off gave it a knock and checked that end. Took of the torch checked it and put it back. just wanted to check everything and the smell did seem to be at the torch end...sort of coming off it in waves.
I didn't know the ptfe melted when hot then. Its sealed the bit at the flashback arrestor and seems fine there.
I did wonder again if it was smelling yesterday but we checked again and there were no leaks. So yes I could see that it might smell a bit when the tank gets low. It definetly sorted the torch out whatever was wrong there i dont know.
Does the additive smell like rotten eggs or turnips then or is that a subjective thing...does it just smell.

[stuwaudby]

Rotten turnips would be a good description. It's easy to find out, turn your torch on for a second without lighting it and enjoy the pong.

[jammie]

Just to add the cannister was empty yesterday right enough so does seem partly at least to do with a low tank.