Burning bottles

[WorkshopChris]

Interesting read,

Totally coincidentally, I was just refreshing on this (not that I have any oxy-ace kit now, but never hurts to have a gander).
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/attachment.php?attachmentid=368119&d=1447173207

Always worth spending a few minutes on this sort of thing.
I noticed that the info just says always keep cylinders upright.
I am sure advise use to be that if a cylinder was laid down for transportation, then to leave for a minimum of 12 hours before use. (always imagined this was to allow the acetone to settle down in the cylinder)

 

[Robotstar5]

I am sure advise use to be that if a cylinder was laid down for transportation, then to leave for a minimum of 12 hours before use. (always imagined this was to allow the acetone to settle down in the cylinder)

I was working in the Ford Tractor plant in Basildon when some contractors arrived with O/A bottles lying in the back of a Transit, they wern't happy when the Ford engineer told them to leave them upright for 24 hours before he would allow them to start work.

 

[Swift&Bold]

I recommend you read that document Brad93.

It's just prompted me actually, are you still using that same cylinder Blenkie1?

 

[Morris]

Many moons ago (late '70's actually) two of us were cutting a job up in the small(ish) workshop when a red hot large lump went the wrong way and fell on the pipes. The oxy pipe burnt through first and caught alight, as would be expected. It was not restrained at all (I know...) and started whipping around through a large arc and making an unholy racket
Three of us cleared a six foot gate in an instant before one of use was brave enough to go and turn the bottle off

 

[Bill Edwards]

on the bright side, this thread has made me decide to double check my cylinders!

I've got oxy/acetylene, 2 bottles for the mig, and a bottle of dry nitrogen (all big bottles).... anyone know the best/safest way to keep them?

oxy/acetylene is on a trolley, think I might strap them to the wall in the corner too, they don't get much use... guessing the other stuff is ok as long as the building doesn't catch fire as they're non flammable?

The only safe way is secured upright so it's impossible for them to fall over. That's the big issue with cylinders because if they go over and the valve gets broken off it becomes a rocket.
My Oxy acet rig on a trolley is left where if it tilts it's against something as it's not a purpose built trolley and so thought has to be given to where it's kept.
If yours isn't as stable as you'd like then by all means chain it.

 

[Bsmith]

One of the first things the welding instructor leaned me was to turn on the oxy bottle first then the acetylene, no more than 1/2 turn each valve. Turning on the oxy first meant that the key was left on the acet valve during use.

 

[Bill Edwards]

I use Energas cylinders which have a hand wheel valve, no key needed.
Why on earth they don't all do this, it's far superior. It's got the obvious safety advantage plus no faffing about with the silly keys we lose track of and which won't turn all the way for hitting the regulator etc.

 

[Bsmith]

I use Energas cylinders which have a hand wheel valve, no key needed.
Why on earth they don't all do this, it's far superior. It's got the obvious safety advantage plus no faffing about with the silly keys we lose track of and which won't turn all the way for hitting the regulator etc.

Suppose it was maybe to give unwanted people difficulty in opening the valves, like gas/electric cabinet.

 

[ukracer]

First thing i did was panic. I did think for a split second to switch bottles off but the flames would be a foot coming off the top and self preservation kicked in and ran. Got in to the big workshop grabbed an extinguisher and ran around to the main door and covered it with foam. It did exactly nothing. I ran past the bottles to the managers office told him it was a major fire. He went to have a look, opened the door said 'oh f@£K, closed the door set the alarm away. Everyone had an extingusher trying to put it out and it did eventually go out not sure if it was the reason it went out or the fact it was running out of pressure. Fireman came and soaked the bottles with water.

It must of been alight for about 4-5mins although felt longer. The fireman must have been throwing water at it for about an hour to cool it. Fire officer said it was nothing we had done wrong (relief) and he was happy for us to go back in once they had got the temperture down.

View attachment 84462

Should have gone into a dam for 24 hours...

 

[ukracer]

I use Energas cylinders which have a hand wheel valve, no key needed.
Why on earth they don't all do this, it's far superior. It's got the obvious safety advantage plus no faffing about with the silly keys we lose track of and which won't turn all the way for hitting the regulator etc.

Because you would t get near the valve grouping if it's on fire. We always carried an extended cylinder key for that very reason..

 

[brightspark]

I'm ok my pit fills with water id just shove the bottle in

 

[blenkie1]

I recommend you read that document Brad93.

It's just prompted me actually, are you still using that same cylinder Blenkie1?

No the supplier is coming to pick it up Mon

 

[Bill Edwards]

Because you would t get near the valve grouping if it's on fire. We always carried an extended cylinder key for that very reason..

OK that's a fair point, though I've yet to work anywhere where I've been aware of such a key in existence for emergencies, so on the whole I'd still rather a hand wheel.
There's no reason whatsoever though why a handwheel couldn't also have provision for a standard key as well anyway, it's only a little bit of square...

 

[brightspark]

even using hand wheels is difficult to turn off in an emergency as there set in the ring on top of bottle on air products bottles . a key on boc bottles is more acesible

 

[normspanners]

It makes you twitch a little when there is a 5ft flame, over your head, and you are crouched down and have to keep taking the key out for another turn of the square till the flame subsides probably only takes a few seconds but seems like hrs.

 

[WorkshopChris]

It makes you twitch a little when there is a 5ft flame, over your head, and you are crouched down and have to keep taking the key out for another turn of the square till the flame subsides probably only takes a few seconds but seems like hrs.

Once you have had to do it once you make sure whoever opened the cylinder before you only opened it half a turn and put the key back in the acetylene and not the oxygen.

 

[Jim Davey]

I'm really surprised at this.
Standard procedure for Acetylene involved in a fire is a 400m exclusion zone within line of sight and a minimum cooling period of 24hrs with regular hourly checks using thermal imaging.

Its a 200 metre radius.

 

[Robotstar5]

Its a 200 metre radius.

Even that was too much for my last place after it was pointed out that if we had a fire involving our O/A set the exclusion zone would close the access road to the industrial estate we were on and the other businesses could sue us for loss of trade. We got rid and bought Oxy/Propane and a plasma cutter instead

 

[blenkie1]

We are on a industrial estate and even though we were told go to the entrance of the estate and wait, people were going past to the other businesses on it!

The local paper has it on the front page as an explosion and not a fire.

 

[brightspark]

We are on a industrial estate and even though we were told go to the entrance of the estate and wait, people were going past to the other businesses on it!

The local paper has it on the front page as an explosion and not a fire.

beefing it up sells papers not the simple truth