My Oxygen tank is leaking!

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Just exchanged my Oxy tank last week, and today I hooked it up to my oxy-fuel rig, which I've not used in about a year. Slowly turned on the oxy, and heard it hissing loudly. Turned it off, made sure everything was tight, redid all the connections, and tried again. Still hissing loudly, and I could feel the gas escaping between the tank and the regulator. Turned everything off again, opened up all the windows and doors, turned off all the electricity, and came back inside. A few questions:Is this probably the tank, or is it a fault in my $100 chinese oxy-acetylene rig I got off ebay? Never had any problems with it before, but it's been about 9 months since I used it. Makes me think there's a problem with the tank. There's not supposed to be any rubber gasket or anything where the regulator connects to the tank, is there? I'm sure it's just supposed to be all brass, and nothing else. Am I missing something? How long until it's safe to go back in the shed and turn on some lights? How long until I can run the kerosene heater again? It's snowing outside and I'm cold."To tell which polarity to use go to the bathroom and pour some water down the drain. If it runs clockwise use straight polarity. If it runs counter-clockwise use reverse polarity. Or if it just gurgles use alternating current." -RandomDave
Reply:Originally Posted by SkippiiJust exchanged my Oxy tank last week, and today I hooked it up to my oxy-fuel rig, which I've not used in about a year. Slowly turned on the oxy, and heard it hissing loudly. Turned it off, made sure everything was tight, redid all the connections, and tried again. Still hissing loudly, and I could feel the gas escaping between the tank and the regulator. Turned everything off again, opened up all the windows and doors, turned off all the electricity, and came back inside. A few questions:Is this probably the tank, or is it a fault in my $100 chinese oxy-acetylene rig I got off ebay? Never had any problems with it before, but it's been about 9 months since I used it. Makes me think there's a problem with the tank. There's not supposed to be any rubber gasket or anything where the regulator connects to the tank, is there? I'm sure it's just supposed to be all brass, and nothing else. Am I missing something? How long until it's safe to go back in the shed and turn on some lights? How long until I can run the kerosene heater again? It's snowing outside and I'm cold.
Reply:Originally Posted by Skippii"How long until it's safe to go back in the shed and turn on some lights? How long until I can run the kerosene heater again? It's snowing outside and I'm cold.
Reply:In the field liquid teflon is my best friend with leaks.
Reply:Originally Posted by jreynoldsweldingIn the field liquid teflon is my best friend with leaks.
Reply:I have teflon tape for my air compressor...that's safe to use? I've always been very hesitant about putting ANYTHING on oxygen threads."To tell which polarity to use go to the bathroom and pour some water down the drain. If it runs clockwise use straight polarity. If it runs counter-clockwise use reverse polarity. Or if it just gurgles use alternating current." -RandomDave
Reply:Here's the new tank I got from Airgas..is this bad? Attached Images"To tell which polarity to use go to the bathroom and pour some water down the drain. If it runs clockwise use straight polarity. If it runs counter-clockwise use reverse polarity. Or if it just gurgles use alternating current." -RandomDave
Reply:Yes, that thread looks to be your problem. By the way, not all Teflon is for use with oxygen. Some of the more common stuff used fo plumming has a hydrocarbon based lubricant on it. make sure you use a Teflon approved for oxygen service.
Reply:Where you need to look is inside the hole not the threads. Look in the hole you will see a smooth area that mates with male end of your regulator that goes in the hole. look for any scratches or nicks in there as well as the piece on your reg. that goes in it.Trailblazer 302Hobart Stickmate AC/DCLincoln SP 135 TSmith torchSpoolmatic 30A
Reply:Those threads just pull the stem tight aganst the valve seat.The blue arrows in my picts show where the mating surfaces are. It is posible to have a bad seat on a valve. Some guys feel the need to tighten the nuts with the biggest wrench they can find and will crish the seat surface. The next guy may find that his reg stem won't match the deformed seat well and will leak. Attached Images.No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:Fixed.I think it was the threads. I tightened it pretty tight, until it felt like a darn good seal. Apparently, it just was caught on the damage to the thread, though. Using a bigger wrench, I could tighten it a bit more, and it formed a good seal. Didn't have to use any PTFE tape, which was lucky since I apparently forgot to bring it."To tell which polarity to use go to the bathroom and pour some water down the drain. If it runs clockwise use straight polarity. If it runs counter-clockwise use reverse polarity. Or if it just gurgles use alternating current." -RandomDave
Reply:tape don't seal it anyways.. it just lessens the friction so you can get on it a bit harder.. most problems occur when someone uses really huge wrenches to tighten brass.. i'm guilty of it myself.. a crescent spud has more torque than you realize..if you're not livin on the edge, you're takin up too much room..
Reply:I don't believe any part of the valve, or seat, on the tank is brass.  I think I recall the LWS dude telling me they're steel.Makes sense, you got 2000psi on the valve, seat, and regulator on the high pressure side.Anyway, I think I remember what the dude said.  It all be steel on steel"Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:I gotta funny feeling I'm wrong maybe.Too late to call the supplier to find out for sureSeems pure steel would be spark prone, maybe some sorta alloy"Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:the regulator is brass, man..if you're not livin on the edge, you're takin up too much room..
Reply:DISREGARD!!!!!!I called Kevin over at American...................they were still there!!The valve is a brass alloy!!For medical applications, and some other applications the seat is nickel plated to prevent any kind of corrosionWhew, glad I got that straightened up"Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:Originally Posted by farmersammDISREGARD!!!!!!I called Kevin over at American...................they were still there!!The valve is a brass alloy!!For medical applications, and some other applications the seat is nickel plated to prevent any kind of corrosionWhew, glad I got that straightened up
Reply:Actually, a lot of medical valves are aluminum.The nickel plating is on the outside of the regulator and stem, to prevent corrosion.  Has nothing to do with what is inside.