Can I use propane rather than Acetylene?

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I have a Victor Oxy/Acy setup but at present I don't have the bottles, I'm using a small HVAC setup I had when I did A/C work. It seems I remember someone telling me a while back I could use the propane rather than Acetylene for the fuel.  I have a big propane bottle I use for my shop heater, but down here in Louisiana we don't have much of a heating season and I'd like to save the expense of buying an Acetylene bottle (as well as the space) if I don't have to.  Can I do it safely?Lincoln Pro Mig 180Everlast PowerARC 200
Reply:IT don't get as hot and you will need a different tip i believe
Reply:You'll need a propane regulator, propane rated welding hose and a special propane tip for the torch.Propane produces less heat than acetylene, doesn't work very well for welding.  Lots of scrap gets cut up using propane to save money but it doesn't work as nice as acetylene."The reason we are here is that we are not all there"SA 200Idealarc TM 300 300MM 200MM 25130a SpoolgunPrecision Tig 375Invertec V350 ProSC-32 CS 12 Wire FeederOxweld/Purox O/AArcAirHypertherm Powermax 85LN25
Reply:Originally Posted by noriteYou'll need a propane regulator, propane rated welding hose and a special propane tip for the torch.Propane produces less heat than acetylene, doesn't work very well for welding.  Lots of scrap gets cut up using propane to save money but it doesn't work as nice as acetylene.
Reply:You DO NOT need a propane reg. A propane reg has a higher output pressure because propane, unlike acetylene, is stable above 15 psi. All you need is a propane tip. It is recommended that you use grade "T" hoses, however I do not practice what I preach on that one. Yes, it takes a little longer for the preheat, but it cuts just fine. If you are not gas welding, just cutting, I would go with propane."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:Propane is just fine if you don't plan on welding with it.  Need propane tips and T grade hose is a plus, but you can use R grade for a long time before it degrades so the only outright expense is for the tips.  Propane is a lot cheaper than acetylene to use and you can get new bottles at the corner convenience store on weekends."The man of great wealth owes a peculiar obligation to the State, because he derives special advantages from the mere existence of government."  Teddy RooseveltAmerican by birth, Union by choice!  Boilermakers # 60America is a Union.
Reply:So all I relly need on my setup is another tip for the torch? I might look into how much the acy bottle is.  Cutting is all I need right now, but I have several brazing and welding tips with that outfit as well as a rosebud; might be worth just going with the acy. Thanks for all the info.Lincoln Pro Mig 180Everlast PowerARC 200
Reply:Bigger tip is all, we use Oxy/Propane for cutting 1" Steel plate... No problems there. I cant remember exactly, but it was like 5lbs of Oxy at gauge, 11lbs of Propane, but Im fuzzy today, it was always writin on the torch for morons like me...Lincoln Power MIG 210 MP ( boat anchor )Lincoln Weld-Pac 100 HDHobart IronMan 230Cutmaster 42Jackson NexGenSumner Ultra ClampsDWM120
Reply:Agree with the others. No need for regulator change. All you need is the different tip. Any welding supply can fix you up on that.It does not heat as hot as acetylene, but it does heat plenty enough and the lower price much offsets the added preheat time. I have run a propane rig on my truck for a long time and it does all I ever need it to for field work.Kevin- Springtown, TexasTruck:Chevy cab/ chassis 1 ton dually, big block and flatbedMiller BobcatVictor cutting rigTool boxes crammed full of stuffShop:Millermatic 250Lincoln 135Lincoln 225AC tombstone
Reply:Yeah, what these guys said...I've found that just doing cutting and bending you will go through abut 2 "K" bottles of oxygen to a 5 gallon pot of propane.  As per not being able to weld with propane, the jokes on them...I don't gas weld worth a **** anyway
Reply:The propane question really deserves a sticky. It gets asked often enough.
Reply:I've used the Propane on my torch since I've had it. I just checked last week on a 100lb bottle, $75 for a refill at Southern States. Around $140 if you have to buy a bottle. I'm using "R" rated hose, I got a 25 ft set at a farm auction a few years back. Haven't had any problems with them breaking down from the Propane.Rob H.
Reply:I'm using a small HVAC setup I had when I did A/C work.
Reply:Originally Posted by tackitIf I was younger or had a successful steel business I would take a look at one of these outfits. http://www.petrogen.com
Reply:Originally Posted by 48willysI've used the Propane on my torch since I've had it. I just checked last week on a 100lb bottle, $75 for a refill at Southern States. Around $140 if you have to buy a bottle. I'm using "R" rated hose, I got a 25 ft set at a farm auction a few years back. Haven't had any problems with them breaking down from the Propane.
Reply:I have decided to get rid of acetylene, keeping only a small cylinder for the very infrequent gas welding I do. I dug out all my alt fuel tips (all Victor) and found a handfull of GPN propane tips and also GPP propylene tips. I don't plan on buying any propylene but I wondered if these tips would actually work with propane, maybe just not 100% as well or efficiently. Both the propylene tips and propane tips were two-part tips, with the inner part recessed from the outer. I dug out the caliper and measured the recesses. The propane tips were recessed 0.080" but the propylene tips were recessed0.040", only half the amount of the propane tips. Otherwise they looked very similar indeed. I dug out my oxypropane kit (finding my one piece of Grade T hose took the longest) and hooked it all up. I set the propane regulator to 5 pounds and the oxygen reg to 25, opened both torch valves 1/8 turn and lit it up. It lit fine. I opened it up a bit at a time until I had that fine loud roar you associate with oxypropane. The cutting stream worked fine, clean and straight. I didn't actually cut any steel, but it sure looks to me like these tips will work.So if you are thinking of switching to propane and you run across some propylene tips, you might be able to use those and not have to buy a bunch of propane tips.metalmagpie
Reply:I agreee  with the rest of the folks regarding using propane my father's autobody shops have used it for decades and so has my farm shop.   As for the hose R or T I have used the normal  hose any never had a problem!! Best thing to do is when done with your job shut off the tank regulator and then purge the line of residual propane by triggering the torch.Co-Own CNC shop:Miller :1251 plasma cutter, MaxStar 700 TIG/Stick, & XMT 456 Multiprocess Welder.&  2 Hypertherm HPR260's Plasma CutterSorry I had a bad stroke but now I am back.
Reply:Just came across this on the Smith website under "FAQ", then "Gas Regulation".http://www.smithequipment.com/Can I use an acetylene regulator on an LP tank or an LP regulator on an acetylene tank?You can use an acetylene regulator on an LP/alternate fuel gas tank, but never use a regulator designed for LP/alternate fuel gases with acetylene.LP/alternate fuel gas regulators are typically capable of producing outlet pressures as high as 50-60 psi, whereas an acetylene regulator is designed to operate at pressures slightly higher than 15 psi.  Because acetylene becomes very unstable at pressures over 15 psi, using an LP/alternate fuel gas regulator would enable to the operator to increase the pressure to a point where it is unsafe as acetylene is unstable in the when released from the cylinder at pressures greater than 15 psi."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"