Andy98 Posted July 1, 2016 Share Posted July 1, 2016 Hi, I'm trying to decide if I should buy this regulator (c/w hose and pol): Bayou-Classic-5HPR-40-Adjustable-Regulator - $30. Or, I could pick up a 0-30 regulator from my local Praxair - they sell one by "Rexo-Therm" (model 567hbtz) - the only info I can find is in this pdf: http://www.vulcandemo.com/PDF/RT250TT.pdf ...The regulator itself will be ~ $35, and when I add a hose and pol it'll have me at ~$60. It does give me a guage port, so that's good I guess, and will make it easier to also add a cutoff valve (which goes before the regulator not after...right? Or does it not matter?) From the Bayou classic reviews, it seems like the thing will be no good at low pressures (their market is, afterall, people who want their fryer hotter not cooler). I'm assuming the rexo-therm is more of a "real" regulator and will actually work across the whole range. Note that I can't find generally-accepted fisher regulator for less than like $100 right now (I'm in Toronto, if that matters). Anyone have any advice? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted July 1, 2016 Share Posted July 1, 2016 propane tank => regulator => cutoff => burner The propane tank already has a cutoff on it---the tank valve Frankly I've been using propane forges for about 20 years now and I don't use a gauge. I tune the forge by ear and by eye. Gauges kept getting messed up from travelling/students. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buzzkill Posted July 1, 2016 Share Posted July 1, 2016 I went with a regulator that has gauges for both tank pressure and outlet pressure. It's not necessary, but the price was decent and the POL is already installed on it. https://www.amazon.com/Devardi-Glass-Propane-Regulator-Beadmaking/dp/B0108FI4M2/ref=pd_sim_sbs_236_1?ie=UTF8&dpID=51Ge09vU4FL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&psc=1&refRID=21YQVN4473XFHZZ6QACW So far so good with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy98 Posted July 1, 2016 Author Share Posted July 1, 2016 21 minutes ago, Buzzkill said: I went with a regulator that has gauges for both tank pressure and outlet pressure. It's not necessary, but the price was decent and the POL is already installed on it. https://www.amazon.com/Devardi-Glass-Propane-Regulator-Beadmaking/dp/B0108FI4M2/ref=pd_sim_sbs_236_1?ie=UTF8&dpID=51Ge09vU4FL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&psc=1&refRID=21YQVN4473XFHZZ6QACW So far so good with it. That's a really interesting option. Do you find it works well at lower pressure ranges (1-6psi?) What is the pressure range on it (amazingly, it's not listed in the posting...)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buzzkill Posted July 1, 2016 Share Posted July 1, 2016 I usually forge with my setup between 6 and 10 psi. With all naturally aspirated burners there is a minimum threshold where the velocity of the propane from the jet is too low to induce enough air to function properly regardless of anything else. With my burner in my forge around 2.5 psi is the lowest I can go and still have the burner function correctly. Yours may be different. In any case I don't think that has as much to do with the regulator as it does burner design and back pressure due to forge design. The regulator shows outlet pressure from 0 to about 45 psi IIRC, so that should be plenty for most of the burners I've seen in small propane forges. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikey98118 Posted July 2, 2016 Share Posted July 2, 2016 Dont confuse the higher pressures with much smaller gas jets found on naturally aspirated burners with the much larger gas jets and lower pressures found on SOME fan burners. 4 Lbs pressure on a 3/4" burner is likely to be the bottom of its turn down range. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy98 Posted July 3, 2016 Author Share Posted July 3, 2016 On 7/2/2016 at 1:28 AM, Mikey98118 said: Dont confuse the higher pressures with much smaller gas jets found on naturally aspirated burners with the much larger gas jets and lower pressures found on SOME fan burners. 4 Lbs pressure on a 3/4" burner is likely to be the bottom of its turn down range. Ah - that's interesting. It never occurred to me that there would be a minimum, but it makes sense. I guess why I was confused was that so many of the burner designs (including on Ron Reil's page) go on about how stable various burners are at low pressures (at one point IIRC Ron was talking in the oz's range) so I assumed a good/great burner would work at anywhere 0+. On 7/1/2016 at 5:36 PM, Buzzkill said: I went with a regulator that has gauges for both tank pressure and outlet pressure. It's not necessary, but the price was decent and the POL is already installed on it. https://www.amazon.com/Devardi-Glass-Propane-Regulator-Beadmaking/dp/B0108FI4M2/ref=pd_sim_sbs_236_1?ie=UTF8&dpID=51Ge09vU4FL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&psc=1&refRID=21YQVN4473XFHZZ6QACW So far so good with it. I've now ordered one - thanks for the steer. I'm picking it up in Dallas and flying it back to Canada in my carry on. I feel like I might have an interesting airport security experience, with the regulator and 7lbs of mystery refractory material. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swedefiddle Posted July 3, 2016 Share Posted July 3, 2016 Good Morning Andy, Don't put it in your 'Carry-On' and you won't have a problem. It is better to have a better regulator, you can adjust up or down to experiment what works. Neil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikey98118 Posted July 5, 2016 Share Posted July 5, 2016 Thank you for bringing up this subject, Andy. The more I learn the more I forget the early lessons... You will find one of my first burner design shown on Ron's burner pages, and I seem to remember that he was running it at the bottom of his regulator's range, but it was a design that ran at much lower mixture speeds than my later burners; it was also a much smaller burner (1/2" copper mixing tube, which would make it the equivalent of a 3/8" burner size if I remember). the larger the burner the nigher the bottom of its turn down range will be. Also the faster the burner is designed to run the higher the bottom of its turn-down range. That little burner was the last one I ever made that produced a secondary flame envelope; a lack of which that is important to me, but it had a heck of a long turn-down range which was important to him. I have no idea what will end up being important to you or various other folks; this is why I try to write on how things work, so that everyone else can do a better job of making informed decisions, about how to get where they are trying to go. And if where they decide to go makes me laugh, I try to do it quietly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy98 Posted July 18, 2016 Author Share Posted July 18, 2016 On 7/3/2016 at 2:32 PM, swedefiddle said: Good Morning Andy, Don't put it in your 'Carry-On' and you won't have a problem. It is better to have a better regulator, you can adjust up or down to experiment what works. Neil No fun doing it that way, plus it buys me an extra 45 minutes waiting at the other end for my luggage. Turns out security was fine. They didn't really blink at the regulator, and the two "bricks" of powder (the satanite and bubble alumina) were dutifully removed, tested, and allowed on. The agents were more amused than anything else. The regulator is now here, ready to go. Just waiting on a propane hose. On 7/5/2016 at 11:59 AM, Mikey98118 said: That little burner was the last one I ever made that produced a secondary flame envelope; a lack of which that is important to me, but it had a heck of a long turn-down range which was important to him. I have no idea what will end up being important to you or various other folks; this is why I try to write on how things work, so that everyone else can do a better job of making informed decisions, about how to get where they are trying to go. And if where they decide to go makes me laugh, I try to do it quietly Really interesting - You wanted to minimize/eliminate the secondary flame envelope for efficiency reasons (...because it's burning fuel at a lower temperature?) or am I not getting it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy98 Posted July 22, 2016 Author Share Posted July 22, 2016 On July 5, 2016 at 11:59 AM, Mikey98118 said: That little burner was the last one I ever made that produced a secondary flame envelope; Question: What determines how much of a secondary envelope is created? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikey98118 Posted July 25, 2016 Share Posted July 25, 2016 Andy, No matter whether it is a fuel-air burner or an oxy-fuel torch, flame speed determines that; simple isn't it? Of coarse a whole lot of complicated stuff determines whether or not you can live with everything else about such a flame once you reach that goal With a few fuels like acetylene flame speed is naturally high, but most fuels normally have pretty low flame speeds; but those same fuels can be manipulated to double or triple those speeds, while acetylene cannot be varied anywhere near that much. this is one of the chores of combustion engineers; too bad they aren't telling the rest of us how to. I believe it was you that was promised the address and phone number of the member of our casting group who hosts the monthly meetings, so that you could get directions there from Olympia; If it wasn't you, please inform me so I can keep searching. Bill Ross 1661 E Thomas Rd Grapeview, WA 98546 360-427-4122 billwross@aol.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy98 Posted July 26, 2016 Author Share Posted July 26, 2016 On 7/25/2016 at 3:19 PM, Mikey98118 said: I believe it was you that was promised the address and phone number of the member of our casting group who hosts the monthly meetings, so that you could get directions there from Olympia; If it wasn't you, please inform me so I can keep searching. Unfortunately, you'll have to keep searching - wasn't me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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