Problem w/ oxygen regulator?

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Hubby and I just bought a Victor Welding/Cutting Torch. Before I got home, he cracked the cylinders, cleared the hoses, etc as suggested in the accompanying booklet. The oxygen keeps cutting out so we doublechecked the regulators. Acetylene is fine - nice and smooth.  The oxygen seems to spit and sputter and the needle on the regulator bounces around and flutters.My first thought was dirt/debris, but he swears he followed all the instructions for first time usage. Does anyone have any ideas?  Is it possible we just got a faulty gauge?  Thought I'd doublecheck w/ some veteran welders before contacting/complaining to the company where we purchased the outfit.Looking froward to learning some tricks of the trade.Thanks in advance for your help and hope all who read have a safe and enjoyable Thanksgiving.
Reply:(please dont take offense at this sugestion, but...) make shure you are only opening the Acetylene is open 3/4 to 1 turn. (not full open) The Oxygen, on the other hand, needs to be FULLY opened. also, asuming your using a cutting attatchment, make shure the main O2 valve on the torch body is fully open. (as oposed to the preheat valve.) its best to start looking at the simpler fixes, before the more expensive ones. Travis
Reply:If the oxygen cylinder only is opened, the pressure is set to 5 or 10 psi, then the torch valve is opened and left open, does the pressure (as shown by the gauge needle) still fluctuate? Is the regulator a single, or a two stage unit? Is the hose new? Any check valves, flame arrestors, etc.?Was this equipment new and purchased from a store (if so, what kind?), or used, from an individual? The more details, the better we can understand the situation.
Reply:Sorry Travis.  Your post was completely correct, but completely irrelevant.I've had a number of oxygen regulators flutter.  It could be dirt, or a bad regulator.I once had a dual stage where adjusting the first stage fixed this, but if you've shut the oxygen, purged the lines, and after re-opening the oxygen this continues to happen, I'd search out the member "oadoctor" on this group.  He always seems to have the best regulator answers here.Oh, BTW, is that a "Victor" torch, or "Victor Compatible" torch?I had a Chinese regulator that always did that from day one to some extent.  The good regulators should be very smooth, and while even the best regulators flutter to some extent (although it may so little that it's only visible in a flame the size of a hair). the chinese ones just aren't as good.
Reply:We bought a brand new Victor 0384-0936 Genuine Portable Torch Cutting/Welding from Weldfabulous. The oxygen regulator is a CSR150CR single stage.  Hoses, etc are all new. Our LWS does not fill tanks, they only do exchanges. So we turned over our new empties for some used full ones that are supposed to be inspected, etc. Both tanks were cracked before any hoses were hooked up.Once the hoses were attached, each line was purged/cleared. I just read in the book that it should be purged at 3-5 psi. My husband cannot recall just what he had it set at, but said it was definitely higher than that. We are not using the torch that came on the Victor. Instead we are using (or attempting to use) a Cobra DHC 2000 (formerly known as Henrob.)  I am presuming that what they are calling Safety Check Valves are the same as flame arrestors. Is that correct?When using the Cobra, acetylene was opened 3/4 turn and pressure was set at 5 psi. Oxygen was opened all the way and pressure was set at 8 psi.It would start to cut beautifully, then suddenly stop. It looked and sounded as though the oxygen had stopped coming out. He would release the trigger, push it again, it would be fine for a few seconds, then it would stop again.Using the valves on the torch, we opened the acetylene only, pressed the trigger, adjusted the flame, and looked at the regulator. It was holding steady at 4.5 psi. We then opened the oxygen valve, squeezed the trigger, and the needle on the oxygen regulator began rapidly fluctuating as high as 20 psi and as low perhaps 2 psi. It sounded as though it was spitting and sputtering.  It was definitely not a smooth stream of oxygen.At that point we stopped and read back over the manual to make sure we hadn't missed a step in the initial set up.  When it appeared as though everything had been done correctly, I got on the web to see if I could find out anything before simply assuming we have a faulty regulator and contacting Weldfabulous.We did not disassemble and repurge the lines. Do you think we should try that?We appreciate any and all help.Many thanks and hope everyone has a safe and enjoyable Thanksgiving.
Reply:That was a good, detailed reply!Check valves keep the gases from going backwards; they are to prevent oxygen from getting into the fuel gas line, and vice versa. Flame arrestors serve to keep a flame from burning back through the arrestor, even if the mix could support combustion.Because the pressure is fluctuating from zero to such a high value, it does sound as if  the problem is in the regulator and not a restriction within the hose or farther out. Since the regulator is new, I would call your LWS to be sure they carry Victor, and then ask them to check it. I'd assume it would be under warranty, and Victor would be interested in the problem.
Reply:Originally Posted by Newfiemama1213We are not using the torch that came on the Victor. Instead we are using (or attempting to use) a Cobra DHC 2000 (formerly known as Henrob.). . . . . .Oxygen was opened all the way and pressure was set at 8 psi.
Reply:8 psi isn't low at all.I've used my Victor and Harris regulators all the time at 3 psi with my "little torch".It's low for most cutting torches, but 8psi is high for most welding tips.The Henrob/Dillon/Cobra/whatever-its-called-today is designed to cut with a much lower oxygen pressure than a typical 6-flame preheated cutting tip anyway, so that sounds about right to me for that torch (not that I've much experience with one of those).In any case, even if 8psi is too low to read on your gauges (and I have two sets of Harris regulators that came with low side gauges that started at 20psi), it should still work at a lower setting (and I've changed most of my low side gauges to ones that top out at 100 psi, instead of 200 psi, so I can get a better idea of where they're set).Anyway, if that's a Victor regulator (which is one of the best out there BTW), it should not be doing this out of the box, and I'd try for a warranty exchange.  That's not right at all, but it does happen.  There are rumors that Victor's quality control has dropped a bit since they started making things in China, but who knows.
Reply:Without the equipment to test I can not be certain, but it should as if you have a flow restriction.  The torch burns fine for a while because the hose has been pressurized, as that pressure dissipates the flame becomes erratic.  I would try a new oxygen cylinder first.  If that does not work and  this is brand new regulator, I would see about getting a replacement regulator.OAdoctorwww.regulatortorchrepair.com
Reply:Of course the regulator could be defective, but I have a hunch that it's not.Expecting a very low-end regulator of single stage design to deliver outlet pressure at 1/500th of inlet pressure and to maintain that delivery pressure and volume with minuscule precision, is asking a lot. I believe that this use could be a misapplication for the regulator's design. I guess I would wonder how well the regulator performs when used with the torch included in the kit?It's not fair to Victor or to the dealer to blame the regulator without  at least confirming that it's being used within spec and is compatible with the torch's pressure and flow requirements.The "hose pinch" test will cost nothing and will quickly confirm at least basic regulator function.Good Luck
Reply:I guess I would wonder how well the regulator performs when used with the torch included in the kit?