I use oxygen and propane occasionally in my garage (part of my house). Not that happy having the propane there, even with flashback arrestors on the regulator. I'd like to drill a hole through the cavity wall and stick the propane at least outside, but not sure how's best to do this, where to site the regulator etc. I noticed a domestic propane cooking installation recently which consisted of a wall-mounted regulator (looked like it!) and a short hose connecting to the cylinder. Presumably the cook doesn't come outside every time they cook and shut down the cylinder and regulator! Would this be a suitable setup, maybe just with a gas cock inside the building? Or other suggestions?
well if you use it occasionally just shut it off at the bottle regulator is cheapest and safest. if your going through a cavity wall with the hose insert it through a copper pipe sleeve and seal round the outside so that no gas can escape in to the cavity if it leaks or you can use one of these https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/143094984988
Friend uses Propane & compressed air for heating\bending, Propane is outside & has bean for years, come in as @brightspark suggests, he has an adjustable regulator for both Air & Propane Our Hob is Propane fired 2 Cylinders both switched on all the time
Plenty of houses around my way running propane bottles outside for heating/hot water etc. They never turn the bottles off. You could always run a pigtail to a wall mounted regulator then have copper pipe from the regulator going inside. Put a leaver valve at the end of the pigtail if you want to turn it on/off every time. Might be easier to have the propane bottle inside and just turn off at the bottle? Propane will freeze up easily if you draw it off fast enough and the bottle is out in the cold.
Not sure about your setup but if it’s only occasionally could you leave it outside with the oxygen and Wheel the trolley in each time? Or use long pipes? I’m assuming if you are siting the propane outside the oxygen will be also? You’d need a shelter really. For what it’s worth there is no mains gas here. Folk have bottles outside through the wall and to the cooker / combi as already described. it will freeze in not that low a temperature. One guy I know has a water tank jacket on his. I’d be worried about trapping leaks personally. Whatever you come up with, remember propane sinks when it leaks. So drains, gulleys, pits are a hazard
I wouldn't be worried about having the propane cylinder inside the garage, just be sure to follow the proper shut down procedure every time you're finished with. Also the oxygen cylinder is just as dangerous as the propane cylinder.
My greenhouse was heated with propane for six years or so, the tanks and regulator sat outside and never came to any harm. The regulator and auto changeover were turned on around about this time of the year and left on all winter, the heater was isolated in the greenhouse during warm spells but the cylinders and regulator were un touched except for when replacing empty cylinders.
A domestic wall mounted reg wouldn’t give high enough pressure for oxy propane. Outlet pressure would be about 0.5psi. Running a high pressure pigtail through the wall would probably cause more trouble than it’s worth. It would probably be considered fixed piping rather than portable appliance so would probably come under gas regs. Safest option is to have as little high pressure pipework as possible i.e reg straight on the bottle and turn it off when you’re not using it. The oxygens probably as dangerous as the propane.
Just have a separate isolating valve inside the garage located close to where it comes through the wall. That way you can leave the bottle on outside and turn it off inside when not in use. It also means the regulator can stay on, any you’ve got low pressure pipe work going into the garage.
Thanks all! Doesn't that invalidate household insurance? Yes, seems that's correct, hadn't realised the pressure was so much less. So apart from the possibility of freezing the propane, would there be a problem leaving the cylinders and regulators out in the open? Seems the simplest method may be to stick them outside and drill a couple of holes through the wall (ducted to isolate the cavity). So no rigid pipework. I guess I could put a small lean-to roof over to keep the worst of the weather off - if needed?
I’d ask them. It will vary and the size of cylinder will make a difference. If they don’t like propane in there they won’t like oxygen
You'd want to check with your own insurance company about that, I'd imagine they'd want to know about the oxygen cylinder aswell.
Never used compressed air with propane - does it work OK - how hot does it get? Plus what sort of torch does he use. Interested!
flamefast torch propane and compressed air is more powerfull- hotter than just a propane torch . here's one in action
You can silver solder OK he uses it mainly for bending seems to work OK. More of a rose type burner it is oidn think it is a Seivert fairly crude will get a photo, @brightsparks looks like a BOC Safire style
Friend of mine had a new workshop built and phoned to add it to his house insurance. When asked what it was being used for he answered small lathe, etc and a little mig welding, and was told it was not possible to have insurance cover with welding equipment in there. As a second point I phoned Calor regarding a Calor heater. I asked if there was any reason not to use a propane bottle in it instead of the butane that they normally use as I had a pair of refillable Gas it bottles out of the Motorhome and was told it was not allowed to use propane indoors in the attached garage. Didn't seem to matter that I normally slept above them in the Motorhome.
I had the same with a propane cylinder, I asked the local Calor agent. He said no you shouldn’t but the heater will work fine if you “decide to try it”
My nipper keeps propane outside and the regulators dont like being exposed to the elements 24/7, he drops an upturned bucked over the top of the bottle to keep the elements off. Also worth noting that if you keep bottle gas of any description their should be a plaque somewhere to warn emergency services of the potential risk. Bob
yep the flamefast is on the right heating the cast iron part up in general and the oxyacet torch to do the brazing
