Changing to propane

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What do I need to do to change on my cutting/welding torch  from acetylene to propane ?
Reply:An adapter to thread your acetylene regulator to the propane tank (or a new propane regulator), and propane tips for the torch.Rich
Reply:The regulators are the same. Your acetylene regulator will work just fine with propane. You will need to get the tips for propane. Forgot ot mention you won't be able to do any welding with propane.
Reply:You also need/should have hoses rated for propane, not acetylene.  Some use their acetylene hoses with no problem, but I'd change.
Reply:R grade hose is not acceptable for propane.  T grade will work with acetylene and propane, so see what hose you have.I basically did nothing other than put on a different tip, and it works well.  I bought the largest propane rosebud that they make for my torch.   I wanted serious heat output, but I was worried about exceeding the 1/7 tank per hour rule with acetylene.   Propane has no such restriction.  Otherwise, I continue to use my torch as an oxy-acetylene torch.   As someone else said, you can't weld with propane, but you should be able to braze. I don't think that this applies to welding use, but if you withdraw propane at a very high rate you could get freezing on the tank.  Sometimes I see freezing on my propane tank while using my forge; I notice the tank pressure goes down at the same time.   This makes perfect sense, as the propane vapor pressure is a function of temperature.  I just put the tank in a pan of water and the problem goes away.   Generally, this problem seems more common when the tank is nearly empty.Sculptures in copper and other metalshttp://www.fergusonsculpture.comSyncrowave 200 Millermatic 211Readywelder spoolgunHypertherm 600 plasma cutterThermal Arc GMS300 Victor OA torchHomemade Blacksmith propane forge
Reply:Get a biiiiiiiiiiiig oxygen bottle. In fact, get several. Propane gobbles up oxygen like you wouldn't believe.
Reply:An acetylene regulator should thread right onto a standard 20lb propane tank, both use the CGA-510 fitting. You should change to Grade T hoses, although I've heard of people using Grade R for years with no ill effects. Supposedly, the propane degrades the liner inside Grade R (acetylene only) hoses. I've heard you can use acetylene tips in a pinch, but the flame will try to "leap" off the end of the tip. I know Victor's propane tips are recessed to prevent this, others aren't. Most welding torch bodies support all fuel gases, just the tips are different. You can't weld with propane since the combustion does not create a shielding gas (CO2) in the way that oxy-acetylene does. And like Kelvin said, you'll go through a lot more oxygen using propane than you would with acetylene. Oxygen-to-acetylene ratio is something like 1.2:1 whereas oxy/propane is 4.3 to 1. But propane gives off more BTU per volume, and is cheaper per volume than acetylene. Not to mention easier to get, and you can grab the tank off your gas grill if you run out instead of waiting until Monday morning for a refill. My welding shop is open 8-5 M-F so I was pretty much never able to get my tanks filled unless I had a day off.I never gas weld anymore since I got my TIG setup, and I don't cut often, so I sold my O/A tanks and went with propane (3 tanks already for my grill) and a reconditioned oxygen concentrator for the oxygen. Got a UN-J mixer and TEN-series tips for my Victor J28. Works great for small brazing or heating/bending projects, which is all my o/a setup was used for anyways. If you need to do any cutting, however, stick with big oxygen tanks, the concentrators don't put out high enough pressure for cutting anything more than sheet metal.
Reply:With regard to the hose, you could get a better grade like T or RM. I have RM grade, i have used nothing else... so i cannot say for R grade.AS mentioned the fuel regulator 99% will fit in the average 20 or 30 or 100 lb propane tanks. As it is a CGA-510. (just make sure you don't have air liquide acetylene fit up)You will need a larger orifice hole for your heating and welding tips. However you could use a number 4 and it would work as a number 3. ( for heat output)Good luck!VictorPraxairAir LiquideMillerLincoln Electric