A Little Help with 2 M10 Concentrators...

[mamacita3113]

I tried looking all over the forum first for anything that would show me how to hook up my 2 M10 concentrators to my National 8M torch. I couldnt find anything here on the forums, nor online. I am new to glassblowing. Just started a fe months ago. I FINALLY just got my 2 M10s from Jack at Unlimited Oxygen. What a fiasco, but from what Ive seen from other peoples posts on here, it ends up being worth it. I do have a few problems tho.......Jack had told me that everything I would need to hook up my 2 M10s to my torch would all be in the box with the units when delivered. The only thing I got was 2 large boxes, each box containing 1 M10 Oxygen Concentrator, 1 instructional DVD, and that was it! No hoses, nozzles, or anything that will hook both units to my torch. The instructional DVD only explains how to insert the filter, remove for cleaning, and how to hook up one hose. It dont explain how to hook up 2 of them to my one torch. It dont show me how to hocCan anyone help me and let me know what I should do? Thankyou kindly in advance. :)

[istandalone24/7]

yea they come with nothing save for the unit, the instructions.
you'll need either some green oxygen hose, or some vinyl hose from homedepot, and a Y connector to join them. also hose clamps from the auto parts store.
adding a holding tank will greatly reduce (if not eliminate) the breathing...the pulsing of the flame (which happens as the oxycons cycle).

[istandalone24/7]

a quick google search found this:

http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=233159

no offense, but if you don't know how to hook up a torch, do you have someone who can show you how to safely and properly run the torch?

[mamacita3113]

I know how to hook up a torch. I hooked it up to my oxygen tank. Thats what Ive been using till my oxygen concentraters came. I just didnt know what parts I need to purchase for my oxygen concentraters in order to hook it up my to my torch is all. I may not of explained that properly in my 1st post sorry. I was just a bit confused cuz all I got was the machine, and a dvd and that was it. Nothing else. All this boils down to is I just wanted to make sure when I go to purchase the parts I need, that I get the right stuff. Thats all. :)

[istandalone24/7]

if it were me, i'd just get some cheap vinyl tubing from home depot or the like, some hose clamps and some of the y connectors from the auto parts store. easy peasy.

[Greymatter Glass]

Are we over-complicating this, or is there something wrong with the concentrators?

A medical concentrator, unmodified, should have a plastic barbed fitting on the output area where you'd normally hook up a cannula or mask. You hook your torch up to that fitting however you need to.

On concentrators for glass blowing that fitting is sometimes replaced with a metal "B" fitting for a welding hose. If you've hooked up a torch to a tank before you know what a B fitting is...

Either way the process is the same ... you put a hose on the output of the concentrator and hook the hose to your torch....


There's no magical device that goes between the torch and output of the concentrator, just a piece of hose. For non-medical oxygen you can use any vinyl, nitrile, or Buna-N rubber hose (Don't use latex) you can get from any large hardware store or welding supplier, you're not dealing with high pressure but a hose clamp should be used anyways.

For hooking up 2 concentrators you'll need some kind of "Y" connector... if this is something Jack said would be included and it wasn't contact Unlimited Oxygen and get them to send it (it's a $1.00 part)... but if you're in a resourceful mood you can pick them up from a hardware store on the cheap, it's just a little plastic "T" or "Y" shaped connector in with the little bags of brass and plastic fittings in the tubing/hose area of the plumbing supplies.

[Instablaze]

When I got my two concentrators from UO they came with a little clear 't' connector. You can see it in this pic:

http://i1053.photobucket.com/albums/s479/instablaze/oxycons_zps36b0aee1.jpg

[gn0me]

One thing I'd like to add - concentrators in general don't like having their flow stopped, such as when you turn off the torch. A lot of them have alarms, since they're originally intended for medical use, and if the oxy stops, grandma could kick it.

That being the case, it can be pretty helpful if you add a relief valve onto another tee, and set it so that extra pressure is relieved at 15psi or so (lower for concentrators not from Unlimited Oxygen). This may not be necessary for UO concentrators, but for anything else (especially if the concentrators aren't matched - if they put out a different pressure, you could have one overpower the other and damage it) I'd recommend using one of these (and use one myself!):

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/CDI-CONTROL-DEVICES-VacuumPressure-Relief-5Z763?Pid=search

[funksizzle]

I was wondering about that gnome. Learning all the options for lines/manifolds, and stuff takes time, take it easy on peeps.
See, I was wondering about the same thing, also while they are warming up, whether you should have a y hooked up to a runoff, then turn that one closed, and open other when they are warmed up. That was my idea, since I'd be taking breaks all the time. So honestly, with concentrators, and breaks under a fifteen minutes, you may as well just leave the torches running so you don't have to reset it all up. What's really gonna go wrong with a torch? You got it mounted/clamped down? Then it's safe to leave it. Even if ya fell asleep for a few hours, whatever. that's like a 50 cents in propane. The cookie you ate cost more. Thats a good link though gnome, thanks.

[istandalone24/7]

no runoff line needed. when the oxycons are "warming up" (which is bs...within a mintue or less they put out good o2) you're torch's oxy will be open anyway, purging all the low purity o2 from start up. don't over think it....

[funksizzle]

O yah. Thanks

[mamacita3113]

[QUOTE=Instablaze;723830]When I got my two concentrators from UO they came with a little clear 't' connector. You can see it in this pic:


Yea, mine didnt come with any of that stuff. Not even the green nozzle like thingys that the hose hooks up to to the machine. So it looks like ill need to go get all that stuff. I can get all that at a local hardware store right? This is how mine came, no other parts no nothing!


47380

[gambitglass]

It looks like a standard 1/4 NPT fitting female to hose barb would connect to the machines, you can then T the two lines together withou a plastic T from home depot. If you have a grainger near you they will likely have the 1/4" barb fitting in stock.

[istandalone24/7]

also any medical supply store sells the green plastic barb.....known an a christmas tree at the med supply stores.