Anyone got a Cheetah??? I Need Help!

[spheresofglass]

Hi,

Not sure if anyone can help me but I'm stuck, I managed to get my new torch set up yesterday... late in the day I might add, two oxycons, with Y connection and propain into the torch, fired up the torch and sat down to play, but the flame kept dieing off on me, i.e. oxy rich, propain poor.  So, I thought dam, bottle needs changing.... no full spare, hubby forgot to change it! (made a mental note never, never to trust him with something so simple again!) and in the morning vowed to find an open garage.  However, had a brain waive over night and robbed the gas fire of it's large bottle... should keep me going for quite some time.  It's full, so, got the torch going watched it for a second and blow me, the propane starts dieing off again!

I'm stuffed and want to use my new torch and cant... sob, sob.... can anyone give me some advice!  Have I missed something vital or do I need to buy an extra bit of kit that I had not realised I needed?

Sandy

[glassworks]

what regulator you got?...

[spheresofglass]

Standard 0 - 2 bar.

[Josephine]

Are you giving the oxycons time to get going before turning on the propane and trying to light it?

[spheresofglass]

Yes, they get plenty of time, about a minute in total, then I fire up the propane, even after running for a while I cannot keep the flame steady, the propane keeps dropping off....

[beadysam]

I run mine for about 10 mins before I light my flame, and usually let my flame run for a few mins after that to just settle in a bit...

[spheresofglass]

I will try that this evening... I'll give Martin a call today.  Wondered if I needed a different regulator on the propane, after Q asked it made me think.  Sam, what's yours set at? 

Sandy

[glassworks]

sandy, are you absolutely sure it is the propane dropping off?... ie, the flame starts normally enough but then the flame gets more and more like a jet (pale blue) and then eventually fades out... and if you do not touch the propane valves and just turn the oxycons off then you can still not light the propane flame again?...

[beadysam]

I've got one of the "mouse ears" regulators and I think its set at about 1/2 bar.  My bobcat runs at a bit lower pressure than a minor I think.  I set it ages ago and never look to be honest.  I just know where the indicator hand should be but I never bother looking at the numbers now its set. I run my oxycon at full open and control the oxy at the torch, it usually bobbles along at about 4.5 -5

[spheresofglass]

I set the oxycons running, then light the propane, the flame is good, however, if I stand back and watch, prior to adding the oxy into the flame the flame drops, i.e. the propane flame gets smaller... much smaller, almost half the size, that's from a good 8 inches down to four.  I have to turn the propane up to get a good flame, but even with the oxy added to it they drop back whilst I'm working in the flame.  It drops down to something so small it almost snuffs it'self out! I have to keep turning the propane up to keep the flame the same size!

That's my problem.

[beadysam]

Can you borrow a regulator from someone to see if your reg has gone?  Otherwise, I have no idea!   Good luck, and if you decide you can't be bothered with it all, just send me the Cheetah and I'll see to it that it is disposed of safely

[glassworks]

okay, there is no doubt a problem with your regulator (especially if you are absolutely sure your propane supply is good)... i would lop it off and take it to a distributor for testing, or even just get a new one..

one completely left field thing to check, and only because it once happened to us, is that there is nothing blocking the inside of the torch itself.. this came about when a brand new minor we supplied would not stay alight despite everything we tried.. eventually DH of torch buyer took the barrel apart and found a bit of swarf stuck inside which was diverting the propane back out the oxy valve side!!!!! totally the most unusual thing i have ever heard of, but once the metal shaving was fished out it worked fine?...