Thinking about making an oxy-hydrogen system for use in the shop.

[stefang]

Strange luck, yesterday I bought a hydrogen-generator used for soldering, heating, etc..

Its a machine built back 1980 in Germany made by the company Mig-O-Mat:

Very massive unit, weights around 40kg and needs a power supply of 230V by a max. power consumtion of 1,8kVA.

Opened case, there is not much in it:

On the left, there is the transformator, it has a maximum output of around 300Apms at 5,5V, below is the step-switch to select the different windings of the transformator.
On top, in the middle, is the gas reactor, contains caustic potash solution (needs to be refuled with distilled water)...right above of it sits a pressure switch, which limits the gas pressure to 350mbar (ca. 5psi)
Below is the massive selenium rectifier..

Top of the Casing:

The hydrogen/oxygen comes in on the left side and is channeled trough a water separator, then a pressure gauge, and finaly the "booster", which contains methanole and a little amount of borax. The gas bubbles trough this liquid, which helps to make the flame a little bit softer and visible, afterwards, it goes to the torch.

The flame produced by hydrogen and oxygen is incredible hot and focused, with a 1mm long flame, i can burn a hole through 0,5mm steel...its awesome for small silver soldering work...

Its also relative safe, as there is no gas storaged, only the amount between the reactor and the torch...at work I had backfire one of those units, it was relative loud, you are scared to hell, and the hose was shredded a bit..but no "bomb".

Off course, I also have a video of it in action:

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SqS0L0-W1U[/ame]

Just burning down a 1mm piano wire..

Stefan

 

[tel]

Nice looking unit Stefan

 

[Deanofid]

In the UK, it was common to generate your own acetylene up until the early sixties.
Bogs

In the U.S., also, as John says, and I expect in the rest of the world too, else how would everyone have acetylene before tanks were common?

By the time I was in the trade, acetylene generators were rare, but I would see one now and then. A shop in my neighborhood still had one, but by then, unused. I've heard them referred to as an 'acetylene bell', and the ones I've seen had that basic shape. A bell reservoir under the generator that had a round tube that held the carbide mineral, with another container for water. The carbide came in tins.

A pretty neat thing. Fire from rocks and water. Kind of cool, like the other thing we like so much.. Steam from fire and water.

Dean

 

[shred]

If you know anybody that likes to crawl around in caves, those guys sometimes still use carbide lamps because they'll show a draft when a flashlight won't (and can provide heat, ignition, etc). But, with high-efficiency LEDs and Homeland Security, it's getting more and more difficult to get carbide in bulk..

 

[Tin Falcon]

Did a quick Google, search calcium carbide is available in the US. Minors grade but the shipping/hazmat fees are high. There is a place that sells 10 lb lots 5 quart sized paint cans for $85($55 of that is shipping and haz mat tax)
acetylene is strange stuff the bottles you buy are filled with vermiculite and acetone. the acetylene is held in solution much like co2 in a bottle of soda water. Tat is why it is important to keep acetylene bottles vertical.The reason for the aceone is acetalene is unstable at above 15 PSI.
Tin