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Fittings for Oxygen vs. Acetylene

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McDermott1711

Mechanical
Nov 17, 2010
318
"...Some gas fittings are left-handed to prevent disastrous misconnections. For example, oxygen fittings are right-handed, but acetylene, propane, and other flammable gases use left-handed fittings."
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Is it true? Do you have any experience in this regard?
 
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Yes it is true.

No experience in connecting the wrong pipes though!
 
CGA fittings use various combinations of left and right hand threads, interior and exterior threaded nuts, and various sized glands, to try to avoid hazardous mix-ups of gases from cylinders, whether that be composition or pressure. Of course the CGA fittings typically thread into the regulator with a 1/4" NPT fitting, so the possibility that a dedicated idiot will mix them up still exists.
 
Non-flammable gasses using right-hand (conventional threads) fittings in this case include oxygen. But also CO2, argon, helium, and other mixes.
 
[If folks are going to be messing with compressed gas cylinders and piping/controls for same etc., it perhaps should be mentioned there are a many more nuances/niceties of such that are also important e.g. OSHA regs and some detailed training e.g. ] Have a good weekend.
 
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