I just got set up for propane/oxy cutting and am using a Victor #1 tip propane tip and Victor torch. I'm having a problem with the cutting head getting really hot after about a minute or so of cutting. The supply where I got the torch and tip have sent me another tip and head to try, but they are getting hot. I'm running about 40psi on the oxy and around 6psi on the propane which is fed from a 20lb. bottle.
Anyone know what could be doing this? It's getting frustrating only having about a minutes worth of cutting time before I have to shut it down to cool.
What do you mean by too hot? Is something bad happening? How are you gaging that it's too hot? These things are made to work in a very high temp enviroment.
JT, I'm really not sure if it's something I need to worry about, but it's getting hot enough to steam off spit really quick when you touch it. The longer I use it, the hotter it gets and to be honest, it doesn't feel right for some reason. It's almost like the oxy-propane is mixing and burning in the head before it even gets out to the tip. I took the tip out and it's black inside the cutting head. Not really sure as to what's causing it though.
I would turn up your propane pressure. 6 psi sounds OK for acetylene but too low for propane. Very likely part of the combustion is at or slightly inside your tip orifices, causing the overheating. The gas flow should be enough to keep the tip from overheating when everything is set right. And the flame would be just barely off the tip, not noticeably but enough to keep the tip heat down. Too much pressure isn't good either but you would probably be OK at 20 psi for medium and large tips.
Another possibility is that you're holding your preheat flames too close to the steel and the heat is diverted and reflected back to the tip. Try keeping your primary flames off the steel by about 1/8 -1/4".
The torch does overheat with no cutting at all. I tried the propane at 15psi and it's not getting hot as quickly as it was, but it's up there within a minute. I've checked the torch handle and cutting head, the oxy/fuel lines and the regulators the pressure on the the propane and oxy tanks, but it's still heating up pretty fast. The seats in the handle seem to be good. Can't figure out as to what's making it hot like this.
OK, now I would advise that you double check the type of tip you're using. What you are describing should not happen, you should be able to have the torch lit for hours without overheating. It sounds an awful lot like you have a tip made for acetylene being used with the propane.
I would double check the stock numbers to make sure someone didn't put the wrong tip into the right package. And I would re-check the manufacturer's info on the type of tip that should be used for propane.
The tip is a Victor #1 GPN two-piece tip for propane. I've tried two seperate two-piece propane tips and they are both doing the same thing in getting hot like this. Could it be anything in the torch handle itself?
I've run out of suggestions other than to have your distributor or local weld supply store check the torch out for themselves. It could be a problem with the torch. But usually if the torch body has a problem, the oxygen and fuel mix too soon and the flame burns inside in places it shouldn't. Then the torch is often hard to light without popping (flashback) or you might hear a whistling or humming sound accompanied by some part of the torch becoming cherry red. Either symptom represents a serious safety concern but it doesn't sound like those are happening. Chet
Here's link that may help, they have Victor supplies and show the product numbers for both Oxy/Acet cutting tips and Oxy/propane cutting tips.
[revised] I posted a link that I thought had Victor products shown at a glance, here try this one instead.... http://www.gossonline.com/Victor%20Tips.htm You'll have to scroll down the page to the propane tips.
Here's link that may help, they have Victor supplies and show the product numbers for both Oxy/Acet cutting tips and Oxy/propane cutting tips. 
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