Learn Something Every Day

Learn Something Every Day is what I try to achieve..

Well today, I observed something, but I need somebody to tell me what I learned, beyond the obvious.

I have to tin a lot of small pieces of copper. I hooked my Sieverts Soldering Iron to a tank and nada. :huh: No gas, no air, nada.

I kept clicking the starter to see if anything would happen and my hands got greasy! :woohoo:

I unhooked the line and it was gooey! I pulled the line apart at each end hooked an air fitting to it.

It took me 1-1/2 hours to clean out the torch and get the line 99% dry. I got it going and it did hiccup a few times the first hour or so.

I want to know what I learned.... Do the lines just absorb water? In the shop? Did last uears use being out in the weather, but somewhat covered cause rainwater to seep in? I know I learned something, but what????? :unsure:

Just an observation. Where there is a gaseous drop in pressure, a vacuum is induced - i.e. moisture laden air, producing condensation.

seen-it-all Said: Did it stink? It looks like mercapatain oil that they put in propane to make it smell. I had got a tank filled one time that had a lot of oil in it and if your hose is attached to the tank and the tank is stored on its side the oil can get in the hose.

Totally odorless. I never store tanks on their side, or use them that way. And I've been thinking about the possibility of storing them with the OPD and Quick Connect fittings off to prevent condensation, but I bet I end up with spiders in them then. :huh:

Did it stink? It looks like mercapatain oil that they put in propane to make it smell. I had got a tank filled one time that had a lot of oil in it and if your hose is attached to the tank and the tank is stored on it's side the oil can get in the hose.

Me neither, until today. Had a jb 150' in the air once, so bought acetylene lines to use for propane. Worked great. Day in, day out. FOrgot to turn the propane off one day. The line squirted yellow foam out for 45 minutes before I could use it again. :laugh:

I never had a problem with propane so I can't help you there

If you use Acetylene you can't lay the tank on it's side for long periods of time. There is a clay like stuff inside the tank that will ooze out

My feeling, no facts, is that the OPD end and the quick-connect other end prevent excess/unused fuel to clear the line by evaporation and it leads to condensation.

Propane, propane line. Ever used acetylene line for propane? Learning curve there!

What kind of gas are you using