Propane pressure regulator question

[tomf52]

Does anyone have experience or knowledge of the different pressure propane regulators available? My situation is that I have a plumbers furnace and using a regular barbecue grill regulator in the line does not permit enough of a flame for efficient lead melting. Hooking it up direct without a regulator makes for a flame that is more akin to a blast furnace, very difficult to regulate with the on/off valve on the burner. Something in between is needed, but what range? I see 0 to 10lbs, 0 to 30lbs and so on advertised but not sure of which one to buy. Thanks for any help you can give with this. Tom

[shadowcaster]

10 pounds high pressure seems to be about standard. The variable ones are just that.. variable, 0 to 30 pounds. I have a variable one and it allows for much more control.

Shad

[bangerjim]

My furnace runs directly from the tank to the valve, then thru a restriction orifice. It does sound like an afterburner on an F15 on high,, but is totally controllable with the needle valve. The valve is a special one that does not shut off completely and that serves as a "pilot light" setting to keep things lit but at very low flame.

Fisher Controls sells a 67 series regulator with a 0-30# range that will work for your purposes if you really want a reg.

bangerjim

[jsizemore]

A pre-set 10 psi will work fine and keeps my 10 quart dutch oven hot enough with 150lbs of pure pb liquid with ease. It's red in color.

[427smith]

I have a very antique plumbers pot 30 pound capacity. the burner screws directly on the tank with no regulator. about 1/8 turn open will melt 30 pounds wheel weights in 20 min. I then turn it almost closed to skim and flux.

[Spruce]

The Red regulators are for high pressure. I have an adjustable and a fixed, both work well. The fixed does not have a gauge, so I don't know what it's set at. I run the adjustable at 30psi.

The needle valve is the slick trick, dial a temp. I found mine here, www.tejassmokers.com, hoses, gauges, regulators, valves, etc.

[MtGun44]

The home pressure for propane is something like 1/2 psi, IIRC. VERY, VERY low. I doubt that
all "non home" propane devices use the same pressure.

Bill

[bangerjim]

Actually propane regs for home stoves and ovens run about 7-8 inwc. That is definitely not enough to fire our smelting burners!

You need a PSI reg that will give you 5-10 PSI.

bangerjim

[NineInchNails]

Check out Bayou Classic Depot (http://www.bayouclassicdepot.com/propane_burner_parts.htm). They sell 10psi regulator kits and 0-30psi regulator kits. I have both regulators and they both work excellent. They also sell hose + regulator kits (http://www.bayouclassicdepot.com/propane_regulator_kit.htm). Some burners benefit from higher psi (0-30psi for instance) and others may only need 10psi (which can be regulated using a small needle valve). That tejassmokers.com company appears mark up their prices more than others I've seen. They have some specialty parts that are not listed at Bayou Classic Depot, but a lot of their regulator stuff seems a bit overpriced.

I suppose you can't go wrong with a 0-30psi setup. It could be used for just about any burner. You just have to adjust the regulator to suit your needs. Watch the flame and make adjustments after you fire it up.

[MtGun44]

Yes, the home pressure is specified in inches of water rather than psi, and the usual
standard is 11 inches of water which, now that I check, the exact conversion is 0.4
psi. My point is still correct even though I was off by on tenth of a psi, that home
propane pressures run at around 0.5 psi, I hadn't done the exact conversion then.
Most folks are not at all familiar with inches of water as a unit of pressure, so I just
approximated it in psi to make the point easier to understand.

My point was that the pressures for a home appliance are VERY, VERY low and not
at all appropriate for other burners. So any sort of home appliance regulator is not
going to work worth a darned for a turkey cooker or other burner with high flow and
needing much higher (like 20-30 times higher) pressures.

Bill

[w5pv]

Pick yourself up an acetylene regulator it can be adjusted through a range of gas pressure and volume ranges.Harris makes a dandy that you should be able too find at the local pawn shop.

[NoZombies]

I've used a number of the 30 PSI regulators over the years, and I very much like the ability to run the pressure where I need it for the application.

[Mk42gunner]

ahhbach answered this question a couple of days ago. http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?214935-General-Machine-Products-Casting-Equipment

If you follow the link in his thread you should find what you need. I did not look far enough to find prices, so I don't know if they are high or not; but it should give you some ideas.

Robert

[birddog1148]

I have a very antique plumbers pot 30 pound capacity. the burner screws directly on the tank with no regulator. about 1/8 turn open will melt 30 pounds wheel weights in 20 min. I then turn it almost closed to skim and flux.

I have one of these too that I got from and old plumber. Will they fill these old style tanks? It seems with regular grill tanks if they are not the new valve they wont.

[427smith]

haven't filled mine for a couple years, I had no trouble getting mine filled because it won't fit a gas grill. but i'm sure you need to find a fill station with knowledgeable employees

[Kskybroom]

+1 At a fill station




haven't filled mine for a couple years, I had no trouble getting mine filled because it won't fit a gas grill. but i'm sure you need to find a fill station with knowledgeable employees

[Kskybroom]

Pick yourself up an acetylene regulator it can be adjusted through a range of gas pressure and volume ranges.Harris makes a dandy that you should be able too find at the local pawn shop.

I use a acetylene regulatot works great on a old plumbers pot. Sounds like a jet plane.
My ? is will popane eroad the regulator, So far it have not.