A word or three about...... Oxycons...

[glassworks]

just a general note about a long chat i have had today with our oxycon suppliers here in Belgium.. we have also had a spate of queries about intermittent and slow running oxycons and have replaced a number of them as a precaution.. these replaced units are now working their way back to us and i took some in today to the tech department at the oxycon guys to try and find out why they seem to be falling over a bit more than we would expect..

after taking a few apart there is one thing which is notable in most of them, and that is that the sieve beds (lungs) have got a lot of moisture in them.. this is the equivalent of pneumonia for oxycons as the "wet" sieve beds make it difficult or impossible for the oxycons to deliver oxygen, and lead to the electronics reducing the flow rate more and more to compensate - and in some cases this is the direct cause of the failure of the unit..

my guys are happy enough to rebuild the sieve beds and replace them with new ones - at a relatively good cost too - but he is very clear that the combination of cold and wet conditions is making itself felt.. his advice was to try and ensure the units are breathing warm and DRY air - apparently it is NOT the temp of the unit itself that is the problem..

i would really REALLY appreciate an idea from everyone where they are using their oxycons, and if they notice more trouble during the colder and wetter snaps?.. my guys think they may be able to rig units up ("winterise" them) for colder conditions - but it is the cold wet air which they feel will need to be addressed..

any feedback or hints and tips i would be grateful if they can be posted here?..



on a separate note - if i continue to buy in the volumes i am buying - i can get a good price on brand new units.. this may not be the way forward for everyone, but i believe there is a group of regular lampworkers that would like the certainty of brand new, fully warranteed units - which as a lamp worker you will NEVER wear out.. what do people think?..

[Sarah]

this is the equivalent of pneumonia for oxycons

Sorry I know that this isn't very helpful but how do you treat an oxycon with pneumonia 

And I think I would be interested in an oxycon that was very reliable - depending on the price of course. But if it as sensitive to the cold & damp as the others I don't think I could justify a significant additional cost.

[Vicki]

My oxy lives in my shed, which seems so far to have stayed very dry in this 'orrid weather, I have been wrapping it in a cellular blanket at the end of a session during the cold, maybe if there is moisture in the air, perhaps the blanket will catch it perhaps rather than keeping it warmer   Would keeping a couple of bowls of salt as somebody said in another thread help? & maybe one day, when my oxy goes to the big studio in the sky I might consider a brand new one, if i can afford it when it happens

[beadysam]

I'd love a brand new one but as Sarah said the cold/damp conditions problems make me reluctant!  I work in a cold damp brick built pig sty.  Its usually not too bad but the floor has quarry tiles on compacted soil so the floor is always damp.  Some days, when the weather is particularly moist every single surface in there has a layer of condensation, you can't see in the window and the mirror is fogged up.  Unless I change location  I can't see this improving.  When I put the woodburner on it dries out the shed nicely, but there's no point in lighting it unless I'm in for a long stretch - my backs playing up and I'm managing a couple of hours at the most at the moment.   I'd be very reluctant to subject a shiney new oxycon to this sort of environment...

[Revontulet]

I've been having a bit of trouble with mine since I moved into my studio (well-insulated shed). Although well insulated and dry, it's quite cold when I first go out there - I've found that the flame improves as the shed warms up. Also, turning the output down on the oxycon helps - but then the biggest flame is a bit smaller than I'd like. 

I've consideed getting a 'thermotube' heater which is designed to be left on, to keep frost & condensation at bay (around £20 and £1- £2 per week to run) - would that help do you think?

I've been debating about a second oxycon vs bottled oxygen to get a bit more 'oomph' for boro 

[Billie]

In a cold cellar (not noticed any damp, but we are talking about a cellar).  I've not had any problems with mine yet, but am interested in knowing how I pre-empt any problems as I can't afford another one, nor repairs 

[Ilona]

Mine is in a nice dry warm bedroom and I have not noticed any problems, so if there are problems maybe it is down to cold.
see pic below.

[Lush!]

I'm working in my porch, its a kind of conservatory structure with a quarry tiled floor.  It doesn't have a damp problem - I used to use it as a store room when I had a clothes shop on Ebay - but as the top half and roof are glass, it does get pretty cold.

Q, I've had my (allegedly) faulty oxycon wrapped up in its box awaiting collection for a few days now - the weather's warmer too, do you think I should try it again?


Dawn - what's a thermotube heater?  I'm interested!

[Revontulet]

Dawn - what's a thermotube heater?  I'm interested!

It's like a narrow drainpipe that fixes to the wall & gets warm, is only 120watts (the 2 ft one - they come in 1ft to 6ft and can be joined together). there's a link below:
http://www.cnmonline.co.uk/Thermotube-Tubular-Heater-3ft-180-Watt-pr-16971.html

[Lush!]

Doh, I don't believe it!

There used to be one of those heaters in my porch - the elderly people that lived here before were keen gardeners and probably used the space like a greenhouse.  I had it removed!  Maybe it didn't work ...

[glassworks]

hey bluebottle - i'm trying to get the damaged box back from parcelfarce, and then a new one shipped out from belgium.. i'm trying to understand where the boxes are being damaged so i can at least get a new one out to you!..

the one we had back from a lady in france works perfectly in our dry barn, even though the air temperatures is freezing - so i do begin to wonder if it is the moisture thing after all...

[Billie]

Well, I've been assured the cellar isn't damp but I may wrap Oscar the oxycon in a little blanky just to make sure he doesn't get cold... It has been -6 here so far (many a car is being wrapped around a lamppost because of the ice) and it's set to get colder yet 

[Vicki]

I was thinking today off getting my sewing machine out today & making a plastic lined jacket for it (is that sad? ), I'm assuming as long as its dry already if i put the jacket on it after i use it it should stay dry

[MangoBeads]

Q my oxy had a split in the casing but you were on hols when it arrived - I dont have the box anymore 

[Amber]

I'm resurrecting this thread because I thought it might be useful now the weather's turned 'orrible, especially Dawn's tip about the thermotube heater  

I thought about wrapping my oxycon in the bubble wrap it came in, to prevent the cold and damp?