acetylene tank fitting? new torch won't fit

[crosby]

hi guys. I blew a regulator on my old acetylene torch, and got a new set for my birthday (Chicago Electric). It's Chinese, but it will work for me. I saw a Harris set at Lowes, but that was $175, I paid $100 for mine with blockback protectors. Anyhow, I can't hook up the acetylene regulator because my acetylene tank has a male fitting (the valve on the top of the tank) and so does my acetylene regulator. I checked out the nice Harris set at Lowes, and it has the same fitting. Is there supposed to be some sort of adapter between the tank valve and the regulator? Or do I have an old tank, and they're different now? I guess I will have to take the tank and the regulator to Merriam Graves when I can get up there. Thanks very much for any help guys!!

[krue]

If I'm not mistaken my victor setup had a male fitting with the tanks being female and left hand threads. If you haven't heard anything more definite by tomorrow I'll go to my brothers and check.
This ebay auction under the description talks about an adaptor, sounds like what you need.http://cgi.ebay.com/VICTOR-OXYGEN-AC...QQcmdZViewItem

[crosby]

Hey Krue, thanks for the message. You may be right. I read somewhere they put these failsafes in so it is very difficult to have an accident by putting the wrong regulator on (reverse threads for acetylene) etc. I will post what I find out tomorrow here in case anyone is interested. I just want to get my plow frame and bumper off the front so I can start switching stuff over to my "new" frame. Thanks a lot!

[78chevstepside]

You have a odd bottle. Most Every acetylene has a female connection with a left hand threaded male gauge. A adapter may be needed and may be hard to find. Consider getting a standard bottle.

[crosby]

Hi guys, here it is. I have a 40 cubic foot bottle, which is not as common. It has a smaller valve, and needs an adapter to work with "normal" torch regulators. If I had the bigger bottle, I would probably wouldn't need it. Back in business! Thanks guys!

[crosby]

hello again. quick question... I got my adapter, and hooked everything up nice and tight, and it's making a funny sound. Sounds like it's coming from the vicinity of the blowback protectors. Both acetylene and oxygen are doing this. It's a vibrating sound, relatively consistent unless you really open the valve a lot, and then it seems to go away for the most part. The acetylene guage is all over the place (up to 100 lbs), and it goes down right away when you open the valve. How much is a full tank of acetylene supposed to read? Maybe do I have an empty tank? The line side guage goes up pretty high when you hit the valve, then that goes way down too, and then the tank guage goes up and down. Something sounds wrong to me, so I haven't tried to light it yet. Do the flashback arrestors make a funny sound normally? Do you guys think I have an empty or very low acetylene tank? It is a 40 cubic foot bottle. Thanks very much for any help!!