Connecting 2 x 5L Oxycons

Started by Tonyb, October 20, 2014, 01:20:29 PM

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Tonyb

Hi,

I have a second 5L Oxycon (called Amy) and tried adding it to my existing 5L one (called Alan) at the weekend. When Alan or Amy are connected to my torch independently, they happily work fine and the little black balls on either gauge hover nicely just under the 5L mark. However, when I connect Alan and Amy together, I'm not sure if Amy is producing any oxygen.  I had a 30 cm tube coming from both Alan and Amy into a 'Y' piece, which then went in a single tube to my minor torch. I switched Alan and Amy on and expected their little black balls to rise to show they was producing some output and was looking forward to the extra oomph (technical term!). However, Amy just droned away and didn't register that she was producing anything. I turned Alan down a bit, but still nothing registered on Amy's gauge. Could I have set Alan too high and he's puffing into poor Amy and stopping her from producing anything. Is there a process to run through to get these working happily together, or do I need to play around to balance the output on each.

Thanks - it was hard to avoid the 'Carry On Film' description. Mind you, you should have seen the first version I wrote. :)

Tony

www.beadables.co.uk

Steampunkglass

I think you've hit the nail on the head! Check also for leaks in the joins (use the old cycle tyre repair trick of sticking the joint underwater and seeing if bubbles come out) and also check for kinks in the tube. If you open the oxygen knob on your torch you can check for blockages by temporarily bending one of the outlet tubes from the 'dominant' oxycon to stop the output from that one to make sure you then get the other one then should take over and show it's giving out a supply. 

Carefulkate

I have no advice just found the whole carry on thing so funny
hope you get it sorted  ;D

helbels

I think you've given my old oxycon a sex change - he's Andy, not Amy!!

Maybe Andy and Alan are objecting to being attached to each other's tubing, in a homophobic manner!!  ;D

tinker

Assuming the oxys are working fine on their own, I have no technical knowledge or indeed bravery to even attempt opening them up but do check the tubes , the advice I got from Martin was to turn the pressure down on the dominant oxy until they get level, ball wise. Hmm, not editing that ;) Get the flame to the right level first and then give your knobs a tweak till its right. Oh boy.
On mine (Platt and no-name), this means turning 'Platt' quite a way down to get them both running at between 4 and 5 which is their optimum output level. Hope that makes sense :)

Carefulkate


Nicknack

There was an old man from Devizes
Who's b*lls were of different sizes,
One was quite small
And of no use at all,
But the other won several prizes.

I'll get me coat.

Nick

Tonyb

Thanks all.

So I think I need to make sure both Oxycons are balanced.

Or in 'Carry-On terminology, I shall twist Alan's knob to see if I can get the balls to the same level.

That is a sentence I never thought I'd type on this forum ;D

Tony

www.beadables.co.uk

Dietmar

Make shure to have a hose of enough diameter between the y-connector and the torch. the larger the diameter, the less is the loss of pressure on the way. Keep the valve on the torch as open as possible. Decrease the flow on the "dominant" concentrator untill the presure in your system is low enough to let the weaker machine have an output in a regulated amount. You can regulate the output of oxy on the concentrators, only; never close the valve on the torch. Not for igniting the flame (forget "POOP"*) just hold the lighter under the torch end and open the gas with a little popp.
* = POOP means the igniting and extinguishing procedure for bottled oxy, start propane first, then oxy and close oxy first, then propane. Forget about what drops behind the dog or other anymals.