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Propane regulator issue


Grundsau

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I run my propane forge at 5psi with a fisher regulator.
This evening the forge was run for a short time and then was shutdown.
After turning off the gas valve on the forge, I went to to the LP cylinder and noticed the gauge pressure slowly climbing.
It has never doen that before and always held at 5psi.
I purged the system, turned out the pressure knob and then turned the tank back on.
Then turned the pressure knob to set it to 5psi and tt happened again.
The forge will run at 5psi but soon as I shut the gas off at the forge the pressure starts to climb again.
Do these regulators sometimes stick?
It is stored indoors but gets put outside in all kinds of weather when being used.
thanks

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What you describe, is a very common phenomenon with diaphragm type gas regulators.

The regulator's job, is to meter the gas, at a preset pressure, ... and any downstream valve, should only be used to adjust the volume of gas flowing to the burner, .. not as a shut-off valve.

When you close a valve, downstream from the regulator, you inhibit it's function, ... of metering the gas, ... by eliminating the necessary pressure differential.

Pressure accumulation in the line, between the regulator and the downstream valve, is an undesirable, and potentially dangerous condition.

The correct practice, is to always turn the gas off upstream from the regulator, and preferably, at the source.

With bottled gasses, the plumbing found downstream from the regulator, is very likely NOT rated for the pressure, that's available on the upstream side, ... and the regulator is NOT an adequate safety device, to prevent an over-pressure condition, in that downstream plumbing.



.

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Hi Smoothbore and Backwoods Blacksmith, thanks for helping.

Smoothbore, I'm not completely clear on what you are saying.
Doesn't a regulator regulate the amount of gas pressure downstream from the regulator?
And a meter meters the volume of gas being consumed over a period of time? In this application there is no need for a metering device.

Every gas forge available for sale that I've seen has shut-off valves downstream from the regulator.
Is that design a safety issue?

I always bleed the line and turn out the regulator adjustment when finished for the day.

Talked with Jay Hayes this morning and he is sending me a new regulator.
thanks.

Here is the set-up

gasforge1-1.jpg

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I think your regulator is going bad. Pressure regulators are supposed to only allow the downstream to have a certain pressure. If my fuel regulator was behaving in that manner I would be looking for a replacement, or taking it for rebuild, in short order.

Welding gases are always shut off downstream of the regulator during daily use. The regulated line pressure should not change during any period of time with the appliance shut off. Gases should be shut off at the source when unattended, and the regulator not relied on for storage.


Phil

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