Saw in a garage workshop, their oxy accet gauges and hoses are connected with air line (pcl) fittings, obviously so the hoses could be quickly and easily removed, I didn't ask but is that not a dangerous idea as pcl fittings may well contain oil or grease especially when they were new? I don't think air line fittings should be used with gas.
- Thread starter Bsmith
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Jim Davey
R H Davey Welding Supplies Ltd
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Exactly this, the main concern is that they can leak, they are also not designed or certified for gas and as such there would be a liability issue should an accident occur. You can buy quick release gas fittings, a German firm called Staubli for one make them but they are of a much higher quality than your average PCL coupler and are of course rated for flammable gas usage.
Personally I have no problem (I'm a qualified Hand Gas safety equipment inspector) with people using airline couplers for shielding gas per se. (I wouldn't myself due to their tendency to leak, and if gas can get out, air will get in, risking oxidation issues)
People have been killed mixing airlines with oxy/fuel lines when the fittings are the same, I take a very dim view of this sort of thing when I come across it in the field and your garage should be warned he is putting lives of his employees, his customers and anyone within the blast radius of his cylinders at risk.
Personally I have no problem (I'm a qualified Hand Gas safety equipment inspector) with people using airline couplers for shielding gas per se. (I wouldn't myself due to their tendency to leak, and if gas can get out, air will get in, risking oxidation issues)
People have been killed mixing airlines with oxy/fuel lines when the fittings are the same, I take a very dim view of this sort of thing when I come across it in the field and your garage should be warned he is putting lives of his employees, his customers and anyone within the blast radius of his cylinders at risk.
brightspark
Member
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using pcl airlines on o/a is downright stupid and dangerous 
theres one born every minute. im glad there working no where near me,u only have to knock the coupling and it will release
theres one born every minute. im glad there working no where near me,u only have to knock the coupling and it will release
Spark plug
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I find with the people that do stupid things like putting a pcl connectors in o/a, the same saying always applys.......
You can't educate corned beef.
You can't educate corned beef.
Bill Edwards
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Silly thing to do, very few pcl couplings remain leak free for very long and the idea of that with an oxy/acet setup is rather worrying.
As said, there are the correct QR couplings available for this, though they do cost more money.
Question I have - how did they connect up the acetylene to a normal right hand thread coupling? Presumably they must have welded or brazed something together to convert the threads.
As said, there are the correct QR couplings available for this, though they do cost more money.
Question I have - how did they connect up the acetylene to a normal right hand thread coupling? Presumably they must have welded or brazed something together to convert the threads.
Bill Edwards
Member
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I suppose that would work. I wonder if they're using flashback arresters and check valves...?
2 female pcl's on the regulator outlets, I don't think there were flash back arrestors, next time I'm back there I will check that's if the place is still there, thankfully it's about 10 miles away, maybe I should have a quiet word at the fire station.
Question I have - how did they connect up the acetylene to a normal right hand thread coupling? Presumably they must have welded or brazed something together to convert the threads.
I didn't think to look, but the only way is a bodge job.
Question I have - how did they connect up the acetylene to a normal right hand thread coupling? Presumably they must have welded or brazed something together to convert the threads.
I didn't think to look, but the only way is a bodge job.
rtbcomp
Moderator
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No, as I said, the outlet of the regulator will be a hose tail. It goes tank > regulator > hose tail > hose > hose tail > PCL socket.
