Propane and Propane Accessories

Propane, often utilized in various applications from household heating to industrial purposes, offers a versatile and efficient fuel option. Its range of accessories can enhance functionality, safety, and convenience. Users should be aware of the appropriate accessories to optimize their propane usage. For comprehensive details on propane applications and accessories, Google Search is a valuable resource.

I sold my oxy-acetelyne torch to buy an oxycon-propane setup that's popular among glass blowers, jewelers, and now among frame builders.

If you are looking for more details, kindly visit our website.

An oxyhydrogen setup would actually be ideal for convenience as it would just use water for fuel, but hydrogen has its own issues like low BTU, hydrogen embrittlement, flame visibility, high power requirements, running premix in hoses, etc. That being said, there are commercial HHO brazing gas generators.

This is a summary of technical considerations for the purposes of equipment selection, and at this point in time not a guide on how to use or set up an oxycon-propane system. I don't have experience with all of this equipment. Like most other things on this site, these are my personal notes from when I was shopping for a setup.

Oxygen Generator

An oxygen generator/concentrator is a medical device that filters oxygen from the air to produce ~90% pure oxygen. These are very expensive when new, and very cheap when used because they must be professional refurbished to be resold for medical purposes. There are numerous brands of oxygen concentrators. Any real medical device concentrator can be assumed to be of good quality as they are highly regulated. For the compact ones with flashy LCD screens on Amazon, caveat emptor.

Output capacity – Usually either 5 lpm (10.6 scfh) or 10 lpm (21.2 scfh). Oxygen purity tends to drop as flow increases. 10 lpm models tend to have much higher pressure. Some models like the Devilbiss 525 are reported to tolerate higher flow than listed, while other brands are very sensitive to excessive flow beyond 5l. 5l is adequate for framebuilding, but frame building is about the limit of a 5l concentrator.

Pressure – Usually 5 psi for a 5 lpm model. This is very low for an injector torch (Harris' injector mixer among the models listed here), but usable. Some recommend forgoing a flashback arrestor to avoid pressure drop. I do not recommend this. I found with a high flow (regulator) flashback arrestor there was only a 0.5-1psi measured pressure drop on both my 5L (7 psi) and 10L (20 psi) machines under various conditions, although this may vary from arrestor to arrestor, even of the same make. At 7 psi it was still able to deliver over 4 lpm with a small 0.9mm single orifice tip (XXS TEN-0 equivalent) with equal pressure mixer. Some models like the Devilbiss have higher pressure at 8.5 psi. 10 lpm models will often have much higher pressures around 20 psi. Oxygen concentrators have internal pressure regulators that can be adjusted, and manuals will list a range of allowable pressures. These regulators aren't great, but because there is no gradual pressure drop from tank pressure, they work okay and an external regulator is not required and they all have flow meters and flow valves. For a 20psi oxycon these aren't really a substitute for an external regulator though.

Noise – Oxygen concentrators make noise because they have air compressors, spec sheets will usually give a db figure. It doesn't really matter, but something to note.

Hours – All oxygen concentrators have an hour counter on them. They are meant to be able to be used 24/7 for years, so a unit with a few thousand hours on it will last many years to come as an oxygen supply for a torch.

Fittings – Some come with a threaded fitting which matches a "B" type oxygen fitting, identical to those on torch hoses. Some use a barb fitting. Most of these should have a cannula adapter which has a plastic barb to "B" type adapter. It's possible to make a barb to "B" adapter with brass fittings if the plastic one isn't trusted. Ones with "B" fittings will come with a "B" to barb adapter. While more people prefer the metal B fitting, one advantage of making a brass adapter is you can use a NPT T fitting which also lets you put a pressure valve on the output.

Humidifier shelf – All oxygen concentrators have a place to put a cup filled with water used as a humidifier for the oxygen. This only matters if you want to be able to put a 1lb propane canister on it so you have a portable oxy-propane setup. Designs like the Devilbiss don't really facilitate this. Most others do. This is completely irrelevant if you will use a 20lb BBQ tank.

Portable/pulse – Do not buy a battery powered portable pulse type, they do not put out steady oxygen and only produce oxygen as needed with breathing. This is the wrong type.

Home fill – These systems let you full up a portable reusable oxygen tank meaning you aren't limited by the machine's pressure or output or size.

Below is a comparison of 3 common oxygen concentrators in my area. What is common in your area will largely depend on the distribution network where you live. There are many other variants which may be available, but these are the common ones here. I have personal experience with 2 of them.

Phillips Everflo

Devilbiss 525DS

Devilbiss 1025DS

Output Volume

5 LPM (10.6 CFM)

5 LPM (10.6 CFM)

10 LPM (21.2 CFM)

Output Pressure

5-7 PSIG

8-9 PSIG

19-21 PSIG (8.5 aux)

O2 Purity @ 5LPM

90-96%

87-96%

87-96%

O2 Purity @ 10LPM

-

-

87-92%

Fitting

3/16" barb

9/16-18 "B"

9/16-18 "B"

Size (LxWxH)

9.5"x15"x23"

12"x13.5"x24.5"

12"x13.5"x24.5"

Weight

31 lbs

36 lbs

42 lbs

Noise

45 db

54.5 db

69 db

1lb Tank Shelf

Yes

No

No

Notes

The alarm is much more annoying and goes off if you try to go above 5 LPM due to "high flow" not low purity

Same size as 525, but heavier and with more compressor noise

Phillips EverFlo 5 LPM

Devilbiss 525 5 LPM – Note that the stickers are gray and the bottom is black

Devilbiss 1025 10 LPM – Note the stickers are dark blue and the bottom is gray

The EverFlo makes a good welding cart style and should still be able to run normal size framebuilding tips. It has a shelf for a 1lb propane tank, it has a smaller footprint, the top has a lot more nearly flat area to attach storage (you can easily attach a bin to hold your torch, tips, soapy water spray bottle, flux, etc.). However, the alarm is very annoying and trying to get more than 5 LPM of flow will set off the audible high flow alarm. Otherwise, it is fairly quiet, and the most noticeable noise is the solenoid valves hissing. If you plan on doing jewelry, the smaller one is better. The bottle shelf isn’t perfect, but in a better location than most since it is in the rear and gives you access to the regulator key without it sticking out and it has plenty of clearance for gauges. It's plenty adequate for the hobbyist when it's going to spend more time being stored than used and very easy to wheel everything out when you need it.

The 1025DS makes a good shop oxygen concentrator to be paired with a BBQ tank and tool/welding cart to hold your stuff that is stored where you're going to use it. The compressor is much louder (db is not linear, every 10 db is about twice the perceived volume), although not unbearably loud, and propane flames are pretty loud when the torch is actually on. It has high enough pressure that pressure drop from a flashback arrestor should not be a concern. I feel the pressure is actually a bit high and could use a regulator, although pressure can be adjusted with the flow valve and there's an aux port with 8.5 psig. The male B fitting makes it easier to attach a torch hose, but actually makes it harder to add in an external regulator or pressure gauge. You can kind of reroute the "B" fitting to just use a hose and stick a 1lb bottle 3/4 of the way on the shelf, but you'd have to fabricate a shelf and a way to strap the bottle in, as well as remove the "B" fitting and route with just a hose. Even then the regulator key sticks way out. There's also just no place to mount stuff. It's considerably worse at being a moveable brazing cart. It's undoubtedly a more capable machine, but it's also hard to say there are any advantages if you don't plan on running an injector mixer or big tips.

Cheap option: Whatever 5L medical generator you can find on craigslist for $200 or under
Expensive option: Whatever 10L medical generator you can find.

Propane Accessories

First thing is a regulator, which keeps the pressure relatively constant. I feel this is a part that's important to spend a lot of money on. Fuel leaks are very bad. Regulators are going to be the only component that has moving parts that move on their own. Cheap ones have been known to malfunction and not regulate properly, sometimes resulting in ever-increasing gas pressure and flow. Not to be excessively patriotic/jingoistic, but buy a nice MUSA one. You could in theory run a 1/2 psi BBQ one with an injection mixer, but I won't recommend it. There are increased risks with a regulator malfunction once you add pressurized oxygen into the mix. Propane is stored as a liquid, and tank pressure will vary mostly based on temperature (environmental temperature, and temperature drops from decompression), so single-stage is fine for 95% of the propane in the tank. Contrary to popular belief, output pressure rises as tank pressure falls.

Fittings – The fittings will define physical compatibility with the rest of your equipment. BBQ tanks use CGA-510 threads, also common for acetylene. 540 fittings will not work. A "steak saver" can adapt CGA-510 for use with 1 lb camper stove propane bottles. Most regulators bodies have NPT fittings and gauges and are highly modular, so input, output, and gauges can be swapped out as needed, but NPT fittings should only be swapped as little as possible due to wear and deformation of threads. Most will have "B" (9/16") output hose fittings, smaller HVAC port-a-torch regulators may have "A" hose fittings.

Single/Dual Stage – Dual stage regulates better. Dual stage costs a lot more. You may have to adjust your flame every now and then with a single stage. Propane is stored as a liquid, so pressure is pretty steady and based on vapor pressure rather than the mass of fuel remaining.

Gauges – BBQ regulators often have no gauge. A decent regulator will have real gauges with pressure markings. For frame building, a 15(30) psi low-pressure/output gauge is better, but