I swapped out my acetylene bottle today.
Got it back and put on the regulator and soaped the connection from the tank to the regulator and no bubbles. Good to go. A bit later I thought I smelled acetylene and looked at the fitting where the regulator goes in to the bottle and there was the slightest amount of small bubbles (I had not wiped the soap off after the test). I got the spray bottle and soaped it again. Nothing. Watched it for about 2 minutes and finally the slightest amount of bubbles start to form. Obviously a very slow leak. Disassembled and inspected the fitting on the regulator, no nicks burrs etc. Tried to look into the valve body of the tank and thought the seat did not look smooth/shiny so tried to rub it with a cloth on the end of my finger and got some dirt on cloth. Reassembled and still a very slow leak that it is not immediately noticed. I turned off the valve and did not bleed the regulator and watched the bleed down. Lost 20 psi on the high gauge after 20 minutes so 1 psi/minute leak. Not a lot but too much.
Question
I could take back to LWS and say replace bottle; but that is time and distance I would like to avoid.
Does anyone have any experience with smoothing the valve fitting seat with anything that might cause an adequate seal or do I not even want to consider anything other than replacement?
Got it back and put on the regulator and soaped the connection from the tank to the regulator and no bubbles. Good to go. A bit later I thought I smelled acetylene and looked at the fitting where the regulator goes in to the bottle and there was the slightest amount of small bubbles (I had not wiped the soap off after the test). I got the spray bottle and soaped it again. Nothing. Watched it for about 2 minutes and finally the slightest amount of bubbles start to form. Obviously a very slow leak. Disassembled and inspected the fitting on the regulator, no nicks burrs etc. Tried to look into the valve body of the tank and thought the seat did not look smooth/shiny so tried to rub it with a cloth on the end of my finger and got some dirt on cloth. Reassembled and still a very slow leak that it is not immediately noticed. I turned off the valve and did not bleed the regulator and watched the bleed down. Lost 20 psi on the high gauge after 20 minutes so 1 psi/minute leak. Not a lot but too much.
Question
I could take back to LWS and say replace bottle; but that is time and distance I would like to avoid.
Does anyone have any experience with smoothing the valve fitting seat with anything that might cause an adequate seal or do I not even want to consider anything other than replacement?
