Noob torch handle and welding tip question

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I bought a new torch handle today made by victor its model is wh270fc-v.  The only problem was for some reason my welding supplier doesn't have any welding tips for it.  So I went to another store and bought a hobart 770149 welding tip.  It says its a #2 welding tip and is victor compatible type 13.  I tried to put it on the torch handle but it seems like it only catches 1 thread,  I took it apart and seen that there are two orings so i put a little spit on them and now it seems like it catches 1.5 threads.  From looking at the tip and torch it looks like they should go together.  I want to know if anybody thinks I just need to tighten it with a wrench or am I using the wrong tip.  I would rather ask than learn the hard way by destroying both.
Reply:You should be able to easily tighten it just about all the way on with just your fingers. Shouldn't ever need a wrench to tighten. Using it the way it is, is very dangerous. It may be the wrong tip with a slightly different thread.Last edited by Welder Dave; 03-04-2015 at 01:43 AM.
Reply:I found this:"Use with CA 270-V Cutting Attachment, 0-UM Series Welding and MFA-1 Series Heating Tips".  The 13 series tip that you bought may not be compatible.  I have a victor torch that uses 101 series welding tips.  There are alot of 101 series clones.  not sure about the 0-UM series.  So there are many different series out there.Syncrowave 210HH140Victor O/A
Reply:I think you may have a tip to fit a model J Victor torch which is slightly smaller with a different thread. I think model W tips might be the right ones for your handle. I read the  WH270FC is a lower end medium duty Victor but attachments for a high end 100FC handle will work with it.
Reply:Thanks guys I appreciate all the responses.  I also seen that a lot of kits that have this torch come with like 2-um-1 tips or similiar.  I found on victors website that a 4-um-1 and 7-um-1 look to be universal mixers for the 100 series torch.  A 2-w-1 is the marking on the torch tip i got and from what I see it looks like a 2-w-1 will fit a 100 series so this should work on my torch.  I found a way to get this threaded collar thing to slide off the tip and was able to verify both orings are seating good.  Dave you said it was dangerous to use the wrong tip, aside from the fire hazard and the panic it can cause is there any other things that could happen.  I have a smaller torch set that have had the nozzles work loose and sometimes a fire will happen at that connection but I just turn the gas off and tighten it.  The panic the first time was kind of exciting but now im just calm about it cause its happened a few times.
Reply:The actual tip may be the same but the mixer that the tip threads into will be different. It needs to not only seat fully but should thread on with little effort. The big problem with the nut not tightening properly is it will allow the gases to leak at the connection and could cause a flashback or worse. It's kind of the same as having bad O-rings. The oxy/acet. gases will mix and burn inside the torch. I've had this happen and it sounds like you have too. You need to panic when this happens and get the cylinders shut off fast or you could have an explosion. Acetylene with oxygen will burn back in the hoses. I'd get the UM series tips. I saw a website selling a tip that fit the 270FC as well as the 100 series but if you find a 100 tip to try, make sure it threads easy and snugs up without a wrench for 90% of the thread. I'd probably just wait a week and get a UM series tip so you know it's right.
Reply:Originally Posted by Welder DaveThe actual tip may be the same but the mixer that the tip threads into will be different. It needs to not only seat fully but should thread on with little effort. The big problem with the nut not tightening properly is it will allow the gases to leak at the connection and could cause a flashback or worse. It's kind of the same as having bad O-rings. The oxy/acet. gases will mix and burn inside the torch. I've had this happen and it sounds like you have too. You need to panic when this happens and get the cylinders shut off fast or you could have an explosion. Acetylene with oxygen will burn back in the hoses. I'd get the UM series tips. I saw a website selling a tip that fit the 270FC as well as the 100 series but if you find a 100 tip to try, make sure it threads easy and snugs up without a wrench for 90% of the thread. I'd probably just wait a week and get a UM series tip so you know it's right.
Reply:The 270FC and the 100FC (any 100 series handle made by Victor) take the same tip. The type 13 was originally an Uniweld number for tips that fit thier copy of the 100 series Victor and the Original 100 series.  There are so many imported copies of Victor equipment with variations on model number it is easy to get confused about what fit what.  Take the nut off of your type 13 tip and see if it screws down all the way on the 270FC.  If it does then you have a tip that should work.  It is hard to tell from the picture you posted, but it appears the cone end of the mixer on the type 13 tip is a little bigger than an authentic Victor tip, which could keep it form screw down as far you think it should. We see the same thing in some of the imported torch and regulator we rebuild.  The equipment works,but the spec are just a little different.  If the o-rings are not sealing properly, you will know it right away because the flame will flash back to the connection between the handle and tip.  Your torch had built in flash arrestors and check valves.  The FC after a Victor model number means Flash Arrestor and check valves, C means only check valves.  You do not have to worry about a flash back getting into the hose, the flash arrestors will prevent that from happening.  If you have a flash back, cut of the Oxygen off on the torch first then the fuel.  In order for a flame to continue to Burn it must have oxygen.Having flash arrestors and check valves built in is a great feature.You should periodical check the check valves and flash arrestors to make sure they are working properly.Also, if you ever have a Victor torch rebuilt, make sure you use a quality repair facility.  We have seen several torches that have been "repaired" by other shops with holes drilled into the flash arrestors.  This is very dangerous.  You as a user think you are protected from a flash back, but since the flash Arrestor has been drill out you are not.  We remove the flash arrestors on every torch we rebuild and inspect them and change the o-rings.Hope this info helps,OAdoctorwww.regulatortorchrepair.com
Reply:The actual flash back arrestor "filter" is replaceable as well. They get plugged up and that's probably why some hacks drill them. I've seen Victor to Victor not fit and I think it is the model J that is slightly smaller where the handle threads onto the tip or cutting torch than the medium duty torches. The nut needs to thread on very easily.
Reply:Originally Posted by OAdoctorThe 270FC and the 100FC (any 100 series handle made by Victor) take the same tip. The type 13 was originally an Uniweld number for tips that fit thier copy of the 100 series Victor and the Original 100 series.  There are so many imported copies of Victor equipment with variations on model number it is easy to get confused about what fit what.  Take the nut off of your type 13 tip and see if it screws down all the way on the 270FC.  If it does then you have a tip that should work.  It is hard to tell from the picture you posted, but it appears the cone end of the mixer on the type 13 tip is a little bigger than an authentic Victor tip, which could keep it form screw down as far you think it should. We see the same thing in some of the imported torch and regulator we rebuild.  The equipment works,but the spec are just a little different.  If the o-rings are not sealing properly, you will know it right away because the flame will flash back to the connection between the handle and tip.  Your torch had built in flash arrestors and check valves.  The FC after a Victor model number means Flash Arrestor and check valves, C means only check valves.  You do not have to worry about a flash back getting into the hose, the flash arrestors will prevent that from happening.  If you have a flash back, cut of the Oxygen off on the torch first then the fuel.  In order for a flame to continue to Burn it must have oxygen.Having flash arrestors and check valves built in is a great feature.You should periodical check the check valves and flash arrestors to make sure they are working properly.Also, if you ever have a Victor torch rebuilt, make sure you use a quality repair facility.  We have seen several torches that have been "repaired" by other shops with holes drilled into the flash arrestors.  This is very dangerous.  You as a user think you are protected from a flash back, but since the flash Arrestor has been drill out you are not.  We remove the flash arrestors on every torch we rebuild and inspect them and change the o-rings.Hope this info helps,
Reply:Do you know the proper way to balance the torch for welding? Hint, it's not in the instruction book and you don't need the gauges on the regulators. If the torch is popping means it's back firing and that can lead to a flashback. Not having the torch balanced is a major cause of back firing. Your torch has flashback arrestors but only from the handle valves back. You can still have a flashback at the mixer connection.
Reply:Once I got the pressures adjusted right and quit touching the work with the tip the popping went away.  I set my regulators to 5 and 5 with valves on torch open,  I will look into how to do torch balancing and give it a shot.  Thanks.
Reply:That's how a book will tell you how to balance a torch but it's flawed. Every tip has a maximum useable gas flow and you use that to balance each individual tip. First loosen the regulators right off but have the cylinder valves turned on.Then turn in the acet. screw so that you have enough fuel to light the torch.With the torch lit open the acet. valve on the torch all the way open.Slowly turn in the adjusting screw and watch the flame getting bigger. When the flame jumps away from the tip is the indication that this is the maximum gas flow the tip can handle. The pressure on the regulator gauge does not matter. Often times it barely moves.Now turn the acet. torch valve down so the flame is still in contact with the tip and open the oxygen valve on the torch all the way open.Slowly turn the oxy adjusting screw in and watch the flame turn blue.Once you have enough of a blue flame, open the acet. torch valve all the way. Turn the oxygen adjusting screw in until you just get rid of the outer flame feather. You should have rounded flame cones, pointed means too much oxygen.Your torch is close to being balanced now but not quite.With both torch valves still fully open and your neutral flame, very slowly turn in the acet. adjuster screw and see if the flame gets the outer feather back.If the flame stays the same, back off the acet. adjuster screw and then turn it in again to get your neutral flame back.Most times the flame will change slightly when you turn in the acet. adjuster after your initial neutral flame. If the feather comes back, slowly turn in the oxy adjuster screw to get your neutral flame back.Then repeat this procedure of turning in the acet. adjuster screw to see if the flame changes. Usually doesn't take more than 2 tries.Your torch tip is now balanced. Every tip will need to be balanced separately. It seems like a lot of work but isn't really. You can throttle down the flame with the torch valves but you want to stay around 75% open or more because too low of flow through the tip can cause back firing. This is a common problem with rosebud heating tips. If the flame is still too hot, use a smaller tip. Rosebuds and cutting attachments don't need to have balanced pressures. In the case of a rosebud, higher oxygen pressure is used because it helps to cool the torch head.
Reply:Thanks Dave,  Ill start doing it that way then if it is the best way, what advantage does this have over just setting them at 5 and using to knobs to get a neutral flame,  I guess when done this way it makes it harder to use too much oxy or acet by limiting the knobs amount they can go over neutral?.  Something else I wondered what happens if the hose gets a leak?  The flame arrestors wont do me any good in the handle then right?  I got some arrestors before I bought my handle so I have a extra set, couldn't I put them on hoses by regulators in case I catch a hose on fire or break it.  These giant bombs a few feet away can make me a bit nervous at times.
Reply:Flame arrestors have one way check valves so can't be interchanged between the torch and regulator but you can put an extra set on the regulator. Some companies require them at the torch and regulator. As far as balancing torch, don't you think what actually happens at the tip would be the most accurate compared to just a general setting? You still to use the torch valves to adjust the flame just not for the initial balancing when you have them all the way open.
Reply:Flash Arrestor are a restriction to flow.  They will only cause the torch the back fire more easily if the are on the regulators and torch.  They are best on the torch.  When using a torch, I want the flame snuffed out before it gets into the hose.OAdoctorwww.regulatortorchrepair.com
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Reply:Some rosebuds and high capacity scrap torches don't recommend flashback arrestors but Victor for one also makes high flow flashback arrestors.
Reply:Dave your method of balancing kind of makes sense to me (but I am not pro by any means). My only question is why do none of the manufacturers reccomend this? I have a set of Purox torches (Esab) and not some fly by night Chinese knock offs. This is not remotely close to the user instructions they provide. Same thing for my vintage oxy acetylene handbook.. doesn't mention this method. Just wondering why that is?Miller Multimatic 255
Reply:Maybe because for small tips, the gauge on the regulator barely moves and this might indicate their gauges are off? I was taught how to balance a torch in high school and then in technical school where they also told us to do the extra steps to be certain the torch is balanced. There's more steps involved which might be another reason you never see it in any manual. It's no different than an air nozzle of water nozzle having a maximum flow rate for its size.
Reply:never tamper with o-rings ever...:drink up:could be the wrong thread pitch or tip. usually u should buy a victor tip for a victor body.VictorPraxairAir LiquideMillerLincoln Electric