Aceteylene Regulator Safety?

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Hey Guys,Long-time lurker, first time poster here.I've inherited my deceased brother-in-law's MC Oxy-Acetylene kit. He was in HVAC and used it to solder copper line. I'm going to buy a cutting torch and use it exclusively for cutting metal plate and heating frozen bolts.My question regards the safety of used regulators. A rebuild at the local welding shop is $60 a piece - is there a way to (safely) test their function at home? The regulators look fairly new, but I'd like to be careful.
Reply:Hook them up, back the adjust screws out and open valves slowly,,, no boom,,, okwww.urkafarms.com
Reply:Sberry,  what happens if boom!???  Guess regulator shot, huh.
Reply:I forgot to add,, stand beside them not facing them head on,,, good practice when opening any bottle with regs on.  Its a habit with me, never had a problem though.www.urkafarms.com
Reply:Well assuming you also got the tanks, and they have gas in them------with the brazing/soldering valves off, slowly crack the acet and oxy valves just enough to charge the regulaters and hoses, then turn them off firmly.The acetylene should have been set between 3 and 10 output, the oxy between 3 and 30 output. Watch to see if they hold pressure after being turned off. If not there is a leak in the torch valves, hose/hose fittings or regulator of each. You might ask your guy how much for a check up and opinion. Rubber and rubberized plastics do dry out and harden or crack with age, so it really depends on how old they are and how much outdoor or extreme environmental exposure they've gotten.  No real black and white answers. The MAIN safety factor is to never leave the tank valves open after you are through using them.
Reply:I have never had one go boom,,never seen it happen.  Opened hundreds,,,,lots of them just pulled out of tool boxes on lots of jobs. I have seen diaphrams leak after extended storage, nothing serious though.  Check that insects havnt built mud into the inlet and make sure no oil or grease on them.   Maybe an old fart like Franz has seen one go boom?www.urkafarms.com
Reply:squirrel,First off, welcome to the forum.One other thing to check.  With your torch valves off, open the tanks valves, set the pressures to 5 or so psi, grab a stick and whittle something.  If your pressures creep up, you could have a regulator in need of a rebuild.  My oxy does this, right now.  When my acetylene starts doing it, I'll go get them fixed.BTW, since you are new to O/A, here's a bit of info.  Acetylene and Propane valves are only opened part way.  Oxygen valves are opened until they stop.  The theory on this is the fuel tanks should be able to be readily turned off in case....  The oxygen is actually a compressed gas and the valve has a seal on the top side.  By opening it all the way, you seat this seal and preserve the stem seal on the valve.
Reply:One thing I would like to add is to make sure there are blow back arrestors on either the gauges or the tortch head .   revpol
Reply:My act regulator was made in the 70's and is still fine. I had to get the oxy regulator rebuilt once. It started slowly building up too high a pressue.
Reply:I was taught to stand to the side of regulators when you first open the valves also.  I was talking to the Pacific Air-Gas guy a while back and he told me of a regulator blowing off of an oxygen tank.  He said the guy didn't crack the valve before hooking up the regulator.  A spider made it's home in the oxygen valve opening and when it hit 2000+ psi, the spider compressed and ignited.  I have no idea how they pieced everything together to find that out.  The gas guys usually have a good story to tell. Common sense in an uncommon degree is what the world calls wisdom.