DOES ANYONE USE NATURAL GAS TO TORCH?

[Diane]

I was thinking about going over to natural gas for my beadmaking.  I don't notice the smell from propane when I'm working in my studio but when I go out and come back in again it's horrible.  I've done quite a bit of torching lately and  also notice I have a sore throat quite a lot - not really bad but enough to notice. I was wondering if anyone out there used natural gas and what they thought about it. I do use ventilation but the propane seems to 'hang ' about.
Diane x

[glassworks]

natural gas is a lower pressure and i suggest that you look around for the implications of that.. i know that the bethlehem torches (the betta particularly) and the mega minor are both designed for use with natural gas - i am not sure about other makes/models... i also seem to remember that natural gas has a lower calorific value than propane - but i cannot swear to that.. this simply means that the torch will need to be "tuned" differently to get the same flame.. in principle there is no problem at all - and you can get your local gas chappy to plumb you in!.. the savings in fuel costs will be high! ;-)

[fionaess]

That is a really interesting question Diane... I do hope that you find a definitive yes or no answer...  I'll see if I can find out more 

[fionaess]

http://www.lampworketc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=417

[beadysam]

I'd be a bit worried if I could smell propane at any time at all.....

[Kaz]

I get the smell too. You can only smell it when you go out for a while and then go back in - it's smells like a swimming pool. My DH is a gas engineer and my pipes etc. are all checked for leaks. Plus I have ventilation and an extractor.
Kaz

[firedinglass]

I assumed that being able to smell it was normal!  After a session beadmaking i can't smell it in my studio but when i go into the room above there is a very strong smell, especially if I have been reducing a lot(not my waistline unfortunately) !!!! I use an oxycon and propane-should i be worried? I have a Carbon monoxide alarm and it seems OK.

[beadysam]

The only times I have ever been able to smell it is when I've changed cylinders, or when I first turn on the propane in the seconds before I light it.  Oh, and I smelt it at a friends house when she had a leak, and at the flame off when people hadn't turned off torches properly.  Apart from that, never. I'd be worried if I could smell it. Even   on the 2-3 times I've forgotten to turn on my ventilation I've had no smell.  I also check my connections at the start of most sessions too, with a soap solution - make sure you wash it off though as it furs up metal.

[Kaz]

Some people may have a very sensitive sense of smell - my DH tells me I do, so it could just be that?
I can only smell it when I have been for a walk to the shop and then go back in and it is not a horrid smell, just a bit weird like a warm swimming pool or recently bleached floor smell.
It really has been checked and double-checked and I have a CO detector (you would not be able to smell that anyway)
So I am not worried!
Kaz

[fionaess]

Ok then, I admit I have an enquiring mind... so I tried to find out what the natural gas psi is when it goes into UK households..  nothing on the net, so I phone British Gas.  Well, I might have been asking them 'what is the meaning of life'  , they had no idea what I was talking about and recommended I phone Transco.  So, I phone Transco, and asked the same question, after a lot of being transferred I was finally told that it should be between 19 - 22 millibars.  Ok I said, thank you... Oh no, said the person I was speaking to.... I have to book you in for an engineers visit   What ??  Well, since you phoned up about a gas problem we have to follow it up with an emergency engineers visit !!!!   I explained that I had no problem with my gas supply, I was just interested and asked a general question. That wasn't good enough for Transco, who insisted that an engineer had to be called out.  Then I was read the 'Gas Safety Rules'...
Did I smell gas, did any of my neighbours smell gas... (no, no)  I must turn off all electrical appliances, ensure there was adequate ventilation, and also ensure that any pets were safely contained !!!!!!!   I couldn't stop laughing during this... but was told that I had to have an emergency visit from a Transco engineer.  30 mins later he turned up !!!   So I had once again to go through my story, that I just wanted to know what pressure gas came into my house at .....  and there were no, none, had never been, any gas leaks.  Poor man, he looked very bemused.

[Vicki]

maybe transco should listen rather than read their wee book of rules

[Diane]

Oh Fiona - I am sorry you had so much trouble but thank you for trying to find out more for me - I do appreciate it. I won't bother trying to find out any more by 'phone. 
I must admit I do have a keen sense of smell - years ago they'd have sent me down the mines first instead of a canary!
Pardon the pun but this might have to go on the back burner for a while until we think about it a bit more.
Thanks again for all your interest
Diane x

[Tollgate-Debs]

Just an idea - perhaps a call to CORGI, who regulate gas installation in the UK might result in better information. 

CORGI                                     
1 Elmwood                                           
Chineham Park
Crockford Lane
Basingstoke
Hampshire
RG24 8WG

Opening Hours
Monday to Thursday 9.00 to 5.30
Friday 9.00 to 5.00


Contact Numbers
General Reception -               0800 915 0480       
Membership enquiries & consumer advice -               0800 915 0485       

I'm sure they won't send out an engineer!

Debs

[fionaess]

Oh Fiona - I am sorry you had so much trouble but thank you for trying to find out more for me - I do appreciate it. I won't bother trying to find out any more by 'phone. 
I must admit I do have a keen sense of smell - years ago they'd have sent me down the mines first instead of a canary!
Pardon the pun but this might have to go on the back burner for a while until we think about it a bit more.
Thanks again for all your interest
Diane x

No worries Diane... I thought it was very amusing - I've checked out the nortel torches and yes, they do take natural gas. Its a really interesting proposition... gas on tap, and I am going to do more digging about it.

[Sherry Bellamy]

I use natural gas with my minor, and two concentrators. (It was three concentrators, but one of them has succumbed to old age.)

I'm on house pressure, and I have sufficient heat to make really large beads, etc. I'm pretty happy with it. I had to hire a licensed gas-fitter to do the install, and my cost was about $350. CDN.