Flashback demo with torch explosions

Flashback Arrestors Part 1. Who needs them anyway?
Watch this video on why you want a flashback arrestor on both your tank and your torch.
In the first example, see what happens when the torch tip hits the plate and because of the use of a flashback arrestor at the torch handle, you will witness a sustained flashback.
In the next example, you will see what happens to the operator when there are gases leaking out of your hose and you go to light your torch.

[@daz4312]

Been a metalsmith and jeweler for 45 years. As far as I know, I have only had one flashback. The torch popped, went out, and this ungodly whistling sound started coming out of the torch. Scared the snot out of me. I was welding outside by my house in an area blocked on two sides by a concrete garage wall and a concrete fence. I had read about this condition in a welding textbook many years before; it talked about that whistling sound being an indicator... Immediately I shut off the torch handle valves, reached over and shut off the tanks, and went inside the house for about a half a hour before I ventured forth to see if anything had happened. Everything was good. I bled the hoses out, set everything back up and went back to welding... That same textbook had a photo in the chapter on flashback, a set of tanks with about 6 feet of hose still connected just fine at the tanks, rest of hose lying on the ground, no torch handle in sight, but about a 4 inch bright flame sticking straight up off the burnt-off end of the hose. The caption on the photo said "Where is the welder in this picure?" My first thought was "Cleveland!" I figured that's how far he probably ran when the incident happened!! I have had a couple incidents with regulator creep on my acetylene tank... that will give you a bit of a start too... Don't let that thing rack itself up to 15lbs when you aren't looking! I worked at a metal fab shop for about 4 years and was surrounded by drug-using idiots there. One of the guys was over in the corner at the hot table where we did forge work and torch work. He picked up the torch, which had a large rosebud tip attached, and went to light it. I looked away for half a second at that moment and it sounded like a rifle shot went off in the room. I look over, and the guy is holding the torch and looking really confused. He shut everything down and left and I kept working. Next day I needed to use the torch, went over and picked it up to change the rosebud tip out, and realized there was a 3-inch long crack blown outward in the tube of the rosebud right above where it screwed into the torch handle. I took it off, and there was a sooty black burn mark straight through the explosive gas side of the torch handle and I could see daylight through the valve when I unscrewed the hose. Soot mark went all the way through to the hose coupling. And the idiot just laid it down on the table, never said a word to anyone, and walked away...left it for some other poor bastard to deal with. Same idiot blew the plug right off the plasma cutter cord at the wall. Reattached the plug, and blew it off the wall a second time. Whatever that was about fried something in the machine's circuit board and they had to get a new machine... Stood right in front of him and told one guy not to use an angle grinder a certain way, he went ahead and did it and promptly it jammed in the workpiece, flipped out of his hands and smacked the handle of the grinder straight against his mouth, cut his lip open down to the chin. He throws the still- running grinder down on the concrete and starts storming around the shop swearing and spitting blood everywhere. I went over the table to the socket and yanked the plug out of the wall and corralled the grinder. Told everyone standing there that I wasn't totally sure the switch was off and to be careful plugging it in next time. Sure enough, they came back from taking idiot to the hospital, one of them plugged the grinder in while it was laying on the table where I left it, and it took off running again... Should have checked it myself. And they let these yahoos play with explosive gas..... I was already really safety oriented, but I learned to inspect every tool I touched in there thoroughly before using anything. Loved working there building custom stuff everyday, but it was always a daily mine-field waiting to see which idiot would weld his thumbs together...

[@johnvomdeich]

Jesus Christ...

[@michaeldaigle7207]

God, that's an actual nightmare. I went to a technical highschool and studied everything from electrical, carpentry, machining, hvac and automotives to electronics, web design and CAD plus a few more all for a short few weeks each, then settled on HVAC. Imagine a shop full of 14 year old kids all with acetylene torches. It actually went relatively well. The only incident I can think of was before I was there and some kid tried to huff refrigerant. I can't believe a shop full of grown men were behaving more poorly than that. There was no lack of drug-using idiots either, we just all tried to take it seriously regardless. I got a huge lecture about pot after being pulled out of shop with a gram in my shoe, how i was putting myself and everybody else at danger and all that but I was near top of the class, I was always one of the first finished and my projects were always above and beyond. When we were asked to take the electrical components of a furnace and make them into a simulation on plyboard, it was simple enough to write up a quick diagram to help me lay it out, throw up some boxes, run wire, hook up all the components then neaten it up. While everyone else was still working, I pulled a spare R-12 compressor out of storage and a bunch of soft copper of two sizes, some valves, a couple fans, and some sheet metal and built a functioning air conditioner into the back of it, wrapped all my own evap/condenser coils, fabricated a box, tacked it up to the back of the board, ran the temperature probe of the thermometer to the box which had the evap coil and a huge lightbulb in it. If i called for heat it would turn the light bulb and fans on, reach temp and cycle off. Same for cooling but the A/C would turn on, fan for condenser would come on, it'd reach temp, turn the evap fan on, reach the target temp and cycle off until it called for cooling again. I really wish I could've kept that project. But yeah I don't think pot was hurting me too much then, worst that ever happened was I dropped a fairly large 480v fan motor on my foot, but it wasn't a huge deal, I didn't break anything.

[@nimnogaparus]

This is one of my biggest motivators to work for myself if I'm going to pursue a career in this field. No matter how safe you are, the idiot next to you will find a way to kill you. Thanks for the stories!

[@StephenFleming-b8j]

I was mentored welding and acetylene torch, at a brick manufacturing plant. I spent 23 years learning the trade, and never once in all of that time did the company purchase or install flashback arrestors. I did start my own business( portable welding service) after 10 years of learning and I had an incident where a rebuilt acetylene regulator failed and allowed too much pressure to the hose. While I was cutting, my hand drifted down the torch and I felt a ball in the hose the size of a golf ball. The regulator failed and there could have been a catastrophic explosion right in my hand. I have since then installed the arrestors on all of my torches.

[@Comm0ut]

Odd that a pressure rise would make a ball which is normally an internal hose delamination issue since pressure rise over the volume of a hose is even not localized. Sounds like it found a weak point in the hose when the regulator failed. While oxygen regulators have a blowoff valve fuel gas regulators cannot for obvious reasons so failure sends pressure downstream.

[@Dantheman6074]

@@Comm0utnah

[@chosenchad1155]

D for dumbass 😂

[@booneroberts1111]

One time in my shop class last month I tried to light an acetylene torch while my welding mask was up, I had the gas on forever because it took a while for my Ag teacher to help me because he was helping a classmate, and when he came up to help me, he adjusted the gas and oxygen and he was holding the torch and I was hovering over it trying to light it with the sparker, well I learned something about gasses that day, they can build up in welding masks, so when I lit it, it turned into a fireball and turned me into Ghost Rider for about .002 seconds flat and I threw my welding helmet on the ground and ran while patting my hair to make sure it wasn't on fire (it wasn't except for some singed head hair), he said that in the 20 years of teaching, he's never had that happen to a student, and for the whole weekend after I kept rubbing my eyebrows just to make sure they were still there, me and him still laugh our asses off even about a month later, after that, when I got home, I told my mom that he's gonna have a new question on the safety test now.

[@jacktheaviator4938]

The first time I had a bad flashback with a rosebud, I was a 18 year old apprentice, and it burned back, popped like a rifle shot, and sent the fat part of the torch tip flying across the shop where it smacked the wall. And for that reason, I won't let anyone stand close to me when using a rosebud. That chunk of brass flying left a significant mark in the concrete wall it struck. That would have definitely been a workman's comp claim if it had hit someone

[@rickl.1603]

It's funny how the people in modern day demonstrations argue with each other and yet you can see one person who knows more right off the get-go, skinny guy you win this one

[@SushiXVII]

I was working at a dealership last summer as a service porter. I was 18. One of the mechanics asked if i wanted to help. The dealership sends out old cat converters to be recycled, but they could only fit in a certain rectangular box. The company that takes them requires that the exhaust collector must be removed since they were designed with the catalytic converter as one piece. Welp, they cut the exhaust collector off so it can fit in the box. He didn’t wanna do it and offered me to try it so he can continue working on other things. He showed me how to do it and what flame to look for, how to use it briefly. Only safety thing i was told was to wear welding glasses and some leather gloves, jeans required of course. So at my young age, hell yea of course id take the opportunity because i never used an acetylene torch before and it was really cool, i cut off like 2 of them, went fine. Come another day, same thing. Im cuttin it on the floor since its big and quite heavy, as im cutting i didnt notice my pair of green and red hoses slip under the exhaust where i was cutting cause the glasses are so dark i can only see the flame. Loud hissing sounds, almost like removing the air of a tire were blasting through the shop. Mechanic next to me, doing an alignment ran over and me and him are turning off the cylinders. I cut through the green hose and almost through the red one. I didn’t realize how bad the situation could’ve been until i heard of what a flash back is with this things, so yea i almost died as well as anyone within like 100 feet. So now im trying to learn as much as i can about these things and all saftey precautions to take and how these things happen, because i will be getting my own torch one day since i “love” working on rusty cars, gotta love Michigan.

[@daz4312]

This is also the reason you never use a cigarette lighter to spark a torch, always use a striker or piezo electric starter. The mixture of gases from the torch and butane in the lighter can explode in your hand. It may not happen often, but once is enough. Don't take the chance.

[@RwP223]

Why I carry a zippo

[@jacktheaviator4938]

I've had a butane lighter explode in my shirt pocket, it isn't a big deal, the danger has been GROSSLY exaggerated. If you don't believe me, take a butane lighter and lay it on a table, and burn it with a torch. Much less impressive than a firecracker. The plastic body of the lighter doesn't contain the explosion enough to build any real energy. It's just a fireball, which flashes and then disappears.

[@imStrato]

Still don't understand how mixture of the gases from the torch and butane in the lighter can cause an explosion inside the lighter. Butane in the lighter is pressurized, and it cannot react on its own (there is no reactive mixture inside the lighter, more precisely, there is no air/oxygen), and because of the positive pressure there is no way for air to get in. It is the native safety mechanism for all pressurized gas vessels. Only when butane is depleted, and when pressure equalizes with the external pressure, some air can get into it and create reactive mixture, but i doubt such amount of gases can cause any serious reaction (except scary popping). Maybe we are thinking about different types of cigarette lighter.

[@ernestchadwell9069]

​@@imStratoit's bs.

[@rich5034]

@@imStrato Thinking the gas leaving the lighter is subsonic so the mixture just has to propagate faster than that to react.

[@lasaraungbakri7386]

Does LPG tank need a flashback arrestor I.e on the regulator? To be used for cooking stove

[@lonewolf333]

I know of two jewelers who did not use flashback arrestors with their oxyacetylene setups, and had the hoses whipping around everywhere on fire. Both of them suffered second degree burns, and got a really good scare. Both were able to shut the tanks off before a larger catastrophe, so they were lucky. Disregard this equipment at your own risk.

[@GoodEvenings]

here here

[@alanshezar8163]

Thanks for the lesson. Great video.

[@network_king]

I just got a torch set at an auction cheap, needed new hose. Came with an old dockson and victor model wands. I got new hose and got a set of backflow stop/arrestors at harbor freight that screw on the torch side. If i stop it there i don't see reason to put on the tank side too unless you set the hose on fire.

[@mikethemechanic7395]

Been a mechanic for 20 years. Never wore leather gloves just rubber. Used a torch and the fittings were loose and were shooting out flames. I was on a ladder and could not throw the torch off. I got a nice burn on my hand. Was lucky it was not worse. I was pretty pissed off someone did not tighten the fittings. But it was my fault I did not wear proper gloves.

[@obfuscated3090]

Good post. Rubber gloves are for wrenching. Welding gloves are for welding and mine NEVER touch oil until they're condemned from welding use.

[@abibodlogistics]

I am a diy person and one thing about me is that I like to follow strictly the rules of a particular practice properly.By the time that I got all the oxygen acetylene equipment I did not start using them until I got the flash back arrestors for both sides,the regulator and the torch side and one thing that really surprises me is that I have seen different professionals that did not have these safety device on their equipment.

[@drodriguez394]

Oxygen = not flammable

[@jmjaxson]

@@drodriguez394......you may have been joking but are you familiar with the 'Apollo One' Fire? The command module was sealed and pressurized with 100% pure oxygen at only 16 PSI. An electrical spark in that environment created a inferno that took three lives.

[@spannaspinna]

@@jmjaxson oxygen is not flammable at all it aids combustion

[@daz4312]

@@jmjaxson Oxygen is not flammable itself. It is combustible. Basic chemistry. It is an oxidizer, it creates and feeds fire. When sparked, it causes everything else that is flammable in the near vicinity to immediately combust. Particularly if there is grease or oil present anywhere. You do not need a fire or electric spark for oxygen to start off a fire with grease/oil. The rapid oxidation is what "sparks" the fire, by forcing everything else that can to burn. Flashback arrestors come in twos, as stated above by Steezy Dan, a red and a green, because if your torch goes up, you don't want that oxygen feeding the fire, and it helps prevent the oxygen from mixing with grease/oil in that might be in the area. Pure oxygen fuels fires like nothing else. Don't stand anywhere too close to a sick person wheeling around an O2 tank who insists on still smoking... That is a bomb just waiting to go off.

[@flaplaya]

Thank goodness for the DMF solvent and diatomaceous earth fill in the acetylene tank. Way more stable but can really bite if mishandled

[@thedazzlingape2006]

I heard that you only need arrestors at the propane/acetelyne hose?

[@appliancedude63]

This just happened to me while working on a refrigerator in a customer home. The entire torch turned cherry read. Luckily I was close to the tanks and had a wet towel in my hand. I'm getting me a set of arressors.

[@tartarsauce2601]

Just had a situation where I touched a rosebud tip to an axe head I want to heat treat and it popped once. Torch seemed fine for a few seconds but then it started sounding like a machine gun was going off in my garage. Still not sure if it was caused by me touching the tip to the metal. The tips looked clean, but I will definitely have to see if there are arrestors on the acetylene set I bought.

[@NightNinja540]

The one in the shop I work at does the same from time to time. Boss and lead don't seem worried though, it's just treated as an annoyance. I've started doing my own research though just in case there's something I need to look out for.

[@someone6u6dont6no]

Alot of people don't know how to set their rose buds to the right psi

[@WayneWiederrick-ep3ff]

Just now my torch caught on fire at the handle scared the shit out of me, and when starting the torch it started popping I don't know if it's my O rings or not can you give me any feedback

[@jmartin_og]

This is great info. Are there the same issues with a propane oxy setup. Ie flashbacks and don’t touch down your tip?

[@AS-np3we]

Supose I had a Flash Back while filling a 55gallon contractor bag, and suppose it exploded as the ending result. Right as the handle was pulled out of the bag. What would cause a "spontaneous Flash Back" with no elements of ignition no static electricity the bag was wetted down with water. Would the CFM rate of the 2, mixtures cause a Flash Back, and or excessive use of "White" Teflon Tape on thread's of the guages, and back purge valve. Is "White" Teflon Tape volatile in the mixture of the 2, gasses? can a piece of old rotted hose spit threw the line or tape cause a reaction? Or maybe a hot batch of gas? Tanks are good no problems there no leaks on the handle but no tip or tubes to feed the tip on the handle let me know what you think caused it what's the most reasonable way you think it happened thank you.

[@yoilikecornbread]

Filling a trash bag with acetylene😂 oh man I bet you though you were dead for a second when that went off

[@spannaspinna]

Sounds like static from the bag to me

[@JuberKnows]

I've done this before as a gag. But, to answer your question, oxygen will create static when blown over plastic. I know how loud mine was 50 foot away. I can't imagine having it in hand when it went off 😂😂😂😂😂

[@tomspeed2000]

Last day I wanted melt small amounts of gold oxide using HHO generator, after a few seconds I understood the handle of torch getting so hot, than being melting, I understood the gas burning inside the torch, I turned off the generator but still the flame burning inside the torch because its get super hot, than i put it in the water bath but i lost my torch, I don’t know why its happened..

[@rockyhayer]

Thanks for Sharing.

[@adeelrafique5706]

Which country are you from, if I come to your country, I can get a job?

[@kevinragsdale6256]

I have an old harris torch that just barely leaks oxygen, is this dangerous? I have not used it. I got the setup from a yard sale like that.

[@yamahajapan5351]

Go for it!

[@adeelrafique5706]

My name is Adeel and I am from Pakistan and I am doing gas welding work for ten years

[@VeritySnatch]

if you dip the tip in your weld pool you can fire molten metal across the workshop and down your mates back

[@danielbigalk2259]

Id like to.thank you for explaining mixing in the tip vs the handle. (Im building my own).

[@billyhamza5066]

sorry to be offtopic but does any of you know of a tool to get back into an Instagram account? I was dumb lost the password. I love any assistance you can offer me!

[@santanadash7571]

@Billy Hamza instablaster =)

[@billyhamza5066]

@Santana Dash thanks so much for your reply. I found the site thru google and Im waiting for the hacking stuff atm. Seems to take a while so I will get back to you later with my results.

[@billyhamza5066]

@Santana Dash It worked and I finally got access to my account again. I'm so happy! Thanks so much, you saved my ass :D

[@santanadash7571]

@Billy Hamza no problem =)

[@puppy6646]

What is the purple stuff that comes off the torch when it is exploding? 2:23

[@daz4312]

The long purple vertical streaking visible on the screen? Camera can't handle the light output from the explosion, that is some kind of reflection in the lens or issue with how the camera is recording it.

[@wyxxniney6]

Shane mc who????? Ohh shiiiii

[@4dirt2racer0]

thanks, thats great information

[@rickl.1603]

The skinny guy knows what the f*** he's talking about

[@DaDaDo661]

I watched a 10 year old video of yours and you told us to Google regulator burnout. This video was the first thing that popped up. Lol it only took you 10 years to make this video

[@kenmey6803]

never seen this happen but have heard of it. my new torch worked perfect when cutting a car frame in half put it away went back to use it 2 months later now blows out no matter how I just the knobs on the torch. I cleaned the tips nothing works to fix this ahhhhh

[@hanssarumaha3105]

Thanks alot

[@amolatole9514]

Thanks

[@KoikeAronsonRansome]

You're very welcome Amol!

[@Martin-xh1hd]

You're welcome

[@massmani8491]

Helo sir..do you explain the tig welding

[@luke-te3sr]

I asked my employer to get me flash back arrestors.. they said "not necessary"

[@diasahgasparias5991]

Hope you’re still alive Buy them yourself and take them with you once you find a new job ASAP

[@luke-te3sr]

@@diasahgasparias5991 I left that job. I'm in the oil fields now

[@jpoplin1]

How would it go back to the tanks you need oxygen there is none in the line only fuel

[@VE5AEA]

Jpoplin, Touching an oxy acetylene torch tip to the workpiece while you are cutting or welding will cause a backfire, which sometimes can cause a reverse flow of high pressure oxygen to backflow into the acetylene line. if this happens, oxygen is now backfeeding into your acetylene line instead of mixing properly and going out the torch tip...now all you need is heat or a spark to complete the fire triangle. If this happens, you now have a fireball in your hands. Flashback arrestors at the torch keep the problem at the torch and protect the gas lines and tanks.

[@jpoplin1]

@@VE5AEA would you then not have to much oxygen being run at higher pressure & having modern one way regulators would not be an issue.

[@VE5AEA]

@@jpoplin1 Flashback is very much an issue with every torch design and regulator design, regardless of the working pressures being used. Every school taught welder starts their career with OAW (oxy acetylene welding). Before they can light a torch in the class, they go over the safety aspects of flashbacks and what to do when they happen. Its only not an issue when you recognize its happening, and take the steps necessary to prevent it from erupting into a fireball (as the video shows). Its very much a issue if its happening and you don't recognize it or dont think it can happen. They sell flashback arrestors for a reason..because flashbacks happen and you may never even know it (as the video points out).

[@jpoplin1]

@@VE5AEA they sure sold you the safety. It can’t go back to the tanks find one case of it.

[@Jimmeh_B]

"Without burn back arrestors that flame could run right back to the tanks and case a larger explosion". "Those are the guys walking around with three fingers" What absolute bullshit.

[@viclemmon]

Get rid of the hard hat.

[@bearbait2221]

Just got a full torch setup. No one at the welding shop said anything about flashback arrestors? Thats sad. Thanks for the safety tips I'm ordering them now. I work with old school "pro" welders and i ask them simple questions about what they are doing when running the torch like what length of feathers they like to run? The 1 guy looks at me barks thats some beginners sh!t fuk off. Later as i watch him flame out by bumping the torch tip like 30 times and the torch keeps popping and whistling. I walk over to the bottles and all the fittings are loose the hoses the regulators every thing is loose and leaking in a shop with the big bottles. I think the big door being open saved us all that day and maybe the wind?+ me the noob can hear that torch is not right and I go check it before it had a chance to explode>but the big pants Texas 40 year pro told me that's noob sh!t stupid. He almost killed us all. I will never forget that and will always question safety even if some cocky Texan thinks he knows it all. Listen to your gut. My gut tells me every welder I have met from Texas is a prick.

[@theautodan7095]

I wonder how many lives have been saved by flash arresters..?