Leaking Acetylene Regulator

[fictitious]

Hey guys,

First post here, I've been lurking a very long time, anyways I bought a weld mark (I'm fairly certain it's a Victor rebrand) medium duty oxy-acetylene welding torch about 10 months ago and I used it for a couple months till it got too cold and snowy outside to weld (I have to open the garage door to weld) ,anyway so I went to go use it other day and I smelled that lovely acetylene smell when I opened up the regulator, after much testing with soap and then swapping out the hoses I've found that it is in fact the regulator and not the hoses that seems to be leaking. So my question would be does anyone know what can cause a regulator to do this? I haven't even touched the thing since I last used it in fall 2008 and it wasn't leaking when I put it away.

Thanks,
Jason

[nfinch86]

Hey guys,

First post here, I've been lurking a very long time, anyways I bought a weld mark (I'm fairly certain it's a Victor rebrand) medium duty oxy-acetylene welding torch about 10 months ago and I used it for a couple months till it got too cold and snowy outside to weld (I have to open the garage door to weld) ,anyway so I went to go use it other day and I smelled that lovely acetylene smell when I opened up the regulator, after much testing with soap and then swapping out the hoses I've found that it is in fact the regulator and not the hoses that seems to be leaking. So my question would be does anyone know what can cause a regulator to do this? I haven't even touched the thing since I last used it in fall 2008 and it wasn't leaking when I put it away.

Thanks,
Jason

Jason, Hello & Welcome to the Forum;

The regulator sat for 5-6 months? the hose is tight to the Regs.?
the Regs. are tight to the Bottle?
If I remember correctly some Older Acet. Regs had a Fiber Gasket ?
Lastly check inside for a Spider nest of some other foreign matter !!

Probably something simple, Good Luck !

................. Norm

[Aerometalworker]

Jason,
Did this sit in the cold? If so its possible the diaphram has taken a "set" and shrunken a bit. Can you unscrew the front housing by hand? Bottle valve OFF of course. If its loose, have it tightened by someone familiar with doing the work. Doing it improperly can distort the housing.
-Aaron