I have recently built a Frosty Tee Burner for a gas forge of mine. Is it absolutely imperative to have a regulator attaching to the propane tank? There is already a valve on the burner. If I do absolutely need one, can someone point me to where I could get a cheap and good one?

Thanks,

              Jacob

Yes, you do need a regulator for the most efficient use of the forge. A 0-30 psi regulator is best and the regulators used for BBQ's are not adequate. The weed burners at Harbor Freight have a regulator that works just be sure it's for propane.

You only need an adjustable regulator on your propane forge if you want to operate it in a safe and repeatable manner.  Personally I would never work without one, but I have an aversion to uncontrolled gas fired systems.

You can google them and find one to your liking pretty easily.  Ideally you should get one with a gauge, but you don't need such.  Either 0-30 psi or 0-60 psi range will be fine.

1 hour ago, Irondragon Forge & Clay said:

Yes, you do need a regulator for the most efficient use of the forge. A 0-30 psi regulator is best and the regulators used for BBQ's are not adequate. The weed burners at Harbor Freight have a regulator that works just be sure it's for propane.

I actually used the body of a Harbor Freight weed burner for my torch. It only has a little valve near the burner bit. Is that a regulator? (I used the usd 19.99 one.)

I have a student who started out trying to skip using a regulator and just use an adjustable valve.  After having to spend a lot of time adjusting it as the bottle pressure varied in use he decided that a regulator you could set and forget for the entire forging session was well worth the trouble.

Cheapest one I've bought was from a turkey fryer that was being sold on at a fleamarket. the hose had slipped out of the trailer and ground down the brass nose for the bottle.  I bought the set up for a couple of bucks and replaced the nose with one from a trashed regulator.

What did they suggest when you went to your local propane supply company?  

You need a regulator like this one. Mine came with a gauge to show what pressure (PSI) it is set to. Usually can find them on eBay or propane company.

 

Strangely enough I found a 0-40 psi regulator on-line that was cheaper than a 0-30, go figure. I'm not sure about posting a link here so if you want to just message me. 

Mine came with the regulator, gauge, and 5 foot hose

 

Bob

With an adjustable regulator, you don't need a needle valve (although it is still nice). On the other hand, a needle valve cannot replace the safety of a regulator.

I bought a Fisher regulator off Amazon.  When I opened the package I noticed loose metal at the back of the inlet and 2 broken threads.  I’m wondering how much metal fell inside the regulator during its trip from China?  I was able to remove the loose metal and the broken thread pieces. It seems to thread ok and I think with a little pipe dope it should seal fine but am thinking about returning it for another.  Anyone think I should keep it and use it?

Send it back.

Agreed; the broken thread should have never made it out of the factory!

Thought I was buying a decent quality regulator.  Maybe I just got the one that slipped past the quality control inspector while he was in the bathroom.  I can only catch the obvious defects.  Who knows whats one the inside.  Any suggestions for a better regulator?  Or do I order another and hope its better?  I notice the regulator is rated 3-35psi.  Is a 3psi minimum a problem?

Fisher 67CH/743

DWH: Yes, No, Maybe: depending on information YOU didn't provide.  Without details on the burner how are we to guess what it might run at?

Pine Ridge LP290 ribbon burner.

Running 1/4" line to a 1/4" needle valve then to a mixer which is 1/8"

Edited August 9, 20187 yr by DWH
add more info

If I understand correctly, adjusting the regulator psi merely adjusts the capacity of the line.  The higher the psi, the more propane that can be delivered.  The regulator is also used to maintain a consistent pressure.  The needle valve is what actually controls the volume of propane that gets to the burner.  Setting the regulator psi above the psi required by your burner is not a problem.  Setting the regulator psi below the psi required by your burner would be.

I don't see a need for a regulator to go to 0 psi.  A regulator isn't designed to be a shutoff devise.  That's what the valve on the tank is for.  Unless I'm missing something, a regulator with a minimum psi of 3 should not be a problem if you're using a needle valve.

DWH, if your using a pine ridge, clearly you have invested some $$ in trying to build a quality forge.  I would head to the local gas/welding supply and pick up a Harris 25 GX series regulator.

Your correct that the regulator is not meant to be a shutoff. Using a needle valve in the force air or blown system is basically like using a orifice in a blown system, your creating a blockage to flow so that you can adjust your PSI up to compensate, allowing it to register better on the regulator, but final flow is the same. If the forge runs at say 2250 degrees with the needle valve half closed and the reg at 10 psi, and 2250 degrees with the needle valve open and the reg at 5 psi it's flowing the same amount of propane into the forge, your just creating more back pressure on the reg with the needle valve.

In my system, a standard single nozzle blown forge, I have no orifice or needle valve, and just use the reg and my air gate to adjust temp. Sometimes I bring the regulator down as low as I can to reach the temp zone I want, so having a reg that goes to near 0 for me is a good thing.

Cms3900:  makes sense.  I plan to have my tank outside and the regulator at the tank.  If your regulator is at or near your forge it would be convenient to skip a needle valve and just use the regulator.  My needle valve and gate valve are near the front of my forge so I can see the flame when making adjustments.

i’ll look Into a Harris regulator.

thanks

I like the Harris 25GX regulator.  It is a little more expensive than the Fisher but I like that it is "Made in the USA" and "100% tested, 100% of the time" according to their website.  A regulator is the only thing keeping your system from going to full bottle pressure, so worth spending a little money for the extra safety.

According to the publication NFPA58, a tank with 20 lbs of gas at 105 degrees would have 235 psi. That kind of pressure at the forge would be scary. It was 112 degrees (in the shade) at the shop just a couple weeks ago.  

That bottle pressure in a hose... no thanks.

I believe the propane is a CGA510 fitting so any welding regulator for acetylene/LP should work with that fitting.  You will see a red line after 15psi on an acetylene gauge as after that acetylene gets unstable (inside the tank it is dissolved in acetone iirc).  Should still be usable up to the max line for propane.. just don't have the tick marks for accuracy but can probably get close looking at the other end of the needle.  I would think a propane specific regulator would likely just has a full scale gauge instead of redline at 15.

I have a Hobart I got years ago for less than half cost that i will be using.  Sadly made in China.  The regs from the Victor torch set I have are also China but I think the welding style regulators are likely better quality?  You also get dual gauges so you know how much is left in the tank just by looking.

Just be sure to release the pressure off the diaphragm when done for longevity (tank off, bleed the line till gauges go to '0' and then unscrew the pressure adjuster handle till it moves freely (at least that is how it is with my Victors.. you can feel when the handle engages the diaphragm. 

 

See above for one issue I didn't think of.. reverse thread on the fuel regulator

9/16" - 18 LH