Using Propane with Acetylene Tips

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Why can't you use propane in acetylene cutting/ heating tips? All the info that I've read says that you need different tips, but doesn't explain why.
Reply:Propane only burns somewhere near 4600-4800 deg.  Acetylene burns nearly 1000 deg hotter.   It quite simply boild down to you needing more propane coming through the nozzle.   As far as I know all gasses except Acet. use a 2 piece design tip.   There may be an exception to that rule somewhere, but I don't know of it.     Even MAPP uses a 2 piece tip & it's temp is only 300-400 less than Acet.IF IT WORKS, DON'T FIX IT2 Lincoln CV-300 / LN-7 GMALinde-VI 253,400 & 450 w/MIG35 feedersCNC Table with Oxweld O/A & Hypertherm 1250G3Lincoln Ranger GXT 250Hobart-MicroWire 300ESAB Heliarc 161ESAB-Mobilemaster 2 CC/CV Feeders& more
Reply:my tip for propane are slotted down the side of the inner piece (2 piece where acet. is one piece and has holes drilled has to do with pressureidealarc 250/250 ac-dc tigidealarc 250/250 ac-dc tig #2 used for sticklincoln sp100hh125dual arbor grinder polisher30 yrs of hand tools52 pitch blocks 6p-26prake gauge -pitch gaugeG&D prop repair 918-207-6938Hulbert,okla 74441
Reply:You need a different regulator for propane too.  Both the regulator and tips need to flow more gas with propane than acetalyne.   If you go to the Smith website, they list the proper tips and regulator to use with propane.  I imagine Victor has the same info on their site as well.www.smithequipment.comMM350P/Python/Q300MM175/Q300DialarcHFHTP MIG200PowCon300SMHypertherm380ThermalArc185Purox oaF350CrewCab4x4LoadNGo utilitybedBobcat250XMT304/Optima/SpoolmaticSuitcase12RC/Q300Suitcase8RC/Q400Passport/Q300Smith op
Reply:Propane needs a different cutting tip because it does not burn as fast as acetylene.  You can use propane with a acetylene heating tip, but it will not be as good if you use a heating tip designed for propane.OAdoctorwww.regulatortorchrepair.com
Reply:Thanks OAdoctor! That is the exact answer i was looking for. Thank you for your help
Reply:Actually I think you can use acetylene regs with propane.   It will not work the other way around. The acetone that acetylene is disolved into will eventually ruin the diaphram in a propane reg.  Same thing applies to fuel gas hose. DON'T USE ACETYLENE.IF IT WORKS, DON'T FIX IT2 Lincoln CV-300 / LN-7 GMALinde-VI 253,400 & 450 w/MIG35 feedersCNC Table with Oxweld O/A & Hypertherm 1250G3Lincoln Ranger GXT 250Hobart-MicroWire 300ESAB Heliarc 161ESAB-Mobilemaster 2 CC/CV Feeders& more
Reply:I use both acy and propane. Acy for welding and propane for cutting cause it is cleaner and cheaper. Change bottles not regulators. Acy and propane reg is the same. You can just buy a propane tip and you are in business.
Reply:You can use an acet. reg with propane. However if you require more than 15 psi you are otta luck. But with a Smith SC50-5 two piece cutting tip, one 100# propane cylinder, reg set @10psi you can cut 8" thick steel. In other words, you don't need a propane reg.Also Smith does make a one piece propane tip, the SC46 series. I never used a one piece because my LWS has always sold me the two piece when I ask for a #? propane tip.As far as hoses go, grade R is for acet only. Grade T is for use with acet and other fuel gasses including propane.Just got off the phone with Smith. He said an acet tip will not work properly with propane because the tip of a tip used with propane needs to be recessed. The tip of an acet tip is flush. He also said he wasn't aware of any safety issue, just that it would not work properly."Where's Stick man????????" - 7A749"SHHHHHH!! I sent him over to snag that MIC-4 while tbone wasn't looking!" - duaneb55"I have bought a few of Tbone's things unlike Stick-Man who helps himself" - TozziWelding"Stick-man"
Reply:I just buy propane tips (it's not like they cost much) but my cheap friend drills out the center hole of acetylene tips (he got a bunch for free) instead. I'm not motivated to experiment and like the Victor two-piece propane tips.As for the regulator, thanks to an informative OAdoctor post I use Victor SR460A regulators with stainless diaphragms (seats are same part number verified via the Victor manual) so swapping between acetylene and propane has zero risk to internal components. I haven't needed more propane pressure yet.Last edited by farmall; 02-10-2010 at 07:06 PM.