1. Oxyacetylene Start Up/Shut Down Procedure
Prepared by
Dr. Dale Carpentier and
Mr. Barry Brazelton
Monroe Area High School
Modified by Georgia Agriculture Education Curriculum Office
June 2007

2. Oxyacetylene Welding Start-up and shut down
Essential Question: What is the correct procedure for starting up and shutting down the oxyacetylene welder?

3. 1. Make sure regulator adjusting screws are loose
Turn counter-clockwise to loosen.
Check both regulator adjusting screws.

4. 2. Stand away from Oxygen Regulator and open tank valve slowly and then all the way.

5. 3. Stand away from Acetylene Regulator and Open tank Valve slowly 1/4 to 1/3 turn.

6. 4. Screw in Oxygen regulator adjusting screw until working pressure gauge is equal to tip size. 3 psi for a size 3 tip, 5 psi for a size 5 tip.

7. 5. Turn in Acetylene regulator adjusting screw until working pressure gauge is equal to tip size. 3 psi for a size 3 tip, 5 psi for a size 5. NEVER ADJUST OVER 15 PSI!!

8. 6. Purge the oxygen and acetylene lines to get rid of old undesirable gasses. Check working pressure gauges while purging lines to make sure pressure is correct

9. 7. Open acetylene torch value 1/8 turn and light with a friction lighter.

10. 8. Adjust to a clean burning flame.

11. 9. Turn on Oxygen slowly until you get a neutral flame.

12. Neutral flame is equal amounts of Oxygen and Acetylene and burns at about 5589 degrees F. Puddle is clean and flows easily.

13. Carburizing flame is excess acetylene and causes puddle to be cloudy.

14. Oxidizing flame is excess oxygen and causes puddle to foam and spark.

15. Shut down procedure 10. Turn off acetylene torch valve. (red side)
11. Turn off oxygen torch valve. (green side)

16. 12. Close oxygen tank valve.

17. 13. Close acetylene tank valve.

18. 14. Bleed oxygen and acetylene lines until all the gauges are at zero.

19. 15. Back out regulator adjusting screws.
Turn counter-clockwise.

20. 16. Roll up hoses and clean area.