Oxy-Acetylene In Garage/Residential Environment

[nick952]

An oxygen-enriched atmosphere causes things that wouldn't normally burn to readily combust but you still need a heat source and fuel.

When pure oxygen comes into contact with a Hydrocarbon (Oil), there's no need for any additional heat source.

 

[Pete.]

When pure oxygen comes into contact with a Hydrocarbon (Oil), there's no need for any additional heat source.

Only under certain conditions, just having the two in close proximity isn't enough as demonstrated here.

 

[Wallace]

Slightly off subject
A bloke in the ship yard cooled himself down with the oxy from a cutting torch
He lit a cigarete on the bus going home
His clothes were saturated with O2 he could not be put out and died

I remember a video at college early 80's showing a pair of overalls set alight on a dummy before and after being liberally doused in oxygen, they certainly went well with the O2. Also vaguely recall some facts being spouted about cotton absorbing oxygen and the dangers of oily overalls.

We did have a couple of lads at the training centre who were happy to show how fast a cigarette burns when you blow a mouthful of O2 through it, that all stopped when one melted the filter into his lips!

 

[daleyd]

When my wife was a district nurse who recounted several tales of people causing serious fires with oxygen cylinders at home.

They were invariably copd sufferers who needed oxygen at home, but refused to give up the fags......

 

[Wallace]

When my wife was a district nurse who recounted several tales of people causing serious fires with oxygen cylinders at home.

They were invariably copd sufferers who needed oxygen at home, but refused to give up the fags......

Yes, I know a few stories from working with oxygen concentrators. The most common was of people smoking but the one that sticks out is the old boy who knew about the dangers while smoking and would always take the cannula off from under his nose. Trouble is he would treat the cannula like a pair of glasses and lift it onto his forehead while smoking but looking under the oven grille to check it was lit started the cannula burning back down around his ears. Despite being in so much pain he still laughed when he told our Engineer about it and said he must have looked like the devil with fiery horns running round the kitchen!

 

[Richard.]

Insurance is your problem here and no for or against argument is going to change that. Fuel gases can all be dangerous if your a wally with them but very safe if fitted, used, stored and shut down correctly. We've all heard and seen horror stories and the myths that come along with them too. If you can persuade and afford the premium to keep it and you use it as intended there isn't a problem with it. Whether it's believed it's safe inside or outside the insurance company/landlord will make that decision for you based on there assessment of your property and the regulations.

 

[3Rs]

Took the words of wisdom from my voice or fingers in this case Richard.

 

[Mr shiney]

Whilst not disagreeing on the safety aspects of correct handling of gas, I do have to counter the insurance side. When I first got my oxy/acetylene kit years ago I was frightened by the forums comments about insurance and notifying the fire brigade so I did both. The fire brigade were totally uninterested, said if I was storing on a commercial scale it might be relevant but for a flame pack 50 it was inconsequential as there were fat worse things for them to deal with in a house fire than that.

Next I contacted my house contents and building insurer who also stated the same thing, they had no interest in its a small hobby use set up and considered in the same risk category as BBQ gas.

So yes, get so training on using the kit but avoid the anecdotal forum expertise on the other stuff. The British have a real tendency to live in fear of rules and where there are non we seem to make them up just to make life difficult. We must all be masochsists.

 

[Rrunnach]

One important point I forgot to add in my previous post, make sure setup is well and truly purged, prior to firing up.

 

[Kent]

now then I haven't read through the full thread so excuse if its been said but

is the garage on separate insurance for work ? Have you then told your House insurer about what your doing? If the answer to either of these is no then that's pretty much were I was and you have invalidated your policy.

I warn you its very hard to even get an insurer to cover this

if you don't actually tell both your home and your business insurer (and I might wish to hold some evidence of that personally) you invalidate both. Yep its a scam

my std excess is about £200 my fire excess is £2500 and I have a list of conditions which seem in the main aimed at catching me out.

btw my nearest neighbour is 1/2 mile away so I cant really get claims past my property if I slip up