The two most common causes of torch and tip overheating are:
- Incorrect flame adjustments
- Insufficient gas supply to the torch
An incorrectly adjusted flame is among the most common causes of overheating. If the torch and valves do not have enough gas flowing through them, the flame will lack the velocity necessary to push and burn away from the tip. As a result, the flame recedes and starves into the tip resulting in overheating. And because flames can reach up to 6,000 Fahrenheit, that heat is easily transferable from the tip to the torch.
Using the appropriate amount of oxygen can also help prevent overheating, as oxygen has a cooling effect on the tip as it passes through the torch and tips.
Tools such as flashback arrestors or check valves, while necessary for safety, can restrict the flow of gas and oxygen to the torch and cause overheating. Standard sized flashback arrestors will work well with tips up to a certain size, but a high-flow flashback arrestor should be used with larger tips. These high-flow models feature a larger diameter that created less gas flow resistance and therefore, less opportunity for overheating.