MK Products CobraCooler 1999 - Manual (Page 3)

inerting with nitrogen or carbon dioxide,
and using protective equipment.
Water-filling just below working level may
substitute for inerting.
A container with unknown contents
should be cleaned (see paragraph
above). Do NOT depend on sense of
smell or sight to determine if it is safe to
weld or cut.
Hollow castings or containers must be
vented before welding or cutting. They
can explode.
Explosive atmospheres. NEVER weld
or cut where the air may contain
flammable dust, gas, or liquid vapors
(such as gasoline).
D. Compressed Gas Equipment
The safe handling of compressed gas
equipment is detailed in numerous
industry publications. The following
general rules cover many of the most
common situations.
1. Pressure Regulators
Regulator relief valve is designed to
protect only the regulator from
overpressure; it is not intended to protect
any downstream equipment. Provide
such protection with one or more relief
devices.
Never connect a regulator to a cylinder
containing gas other than that for which
the regulator was designed.
Remove faulty regulator from service
immediately for repair (first close cylinder
valve). The following symptoms indicate
a faulty regulator:
Leaks - if gas leaks externally.
Excessive Creep - if delivery pressure
continues to rise with downstream valve
closed.
Faulty Gauge - if gauge pointer does not
move off stop pin when pressurized, nor
returns to stop pin after pressure release.
Repair. Do NOT attempt repair. Send
faulty regulators for repair to
manufacturer’s designated repair center,
where special techniques and tools are
used by trained personnel.
2. Cylinders
Cylinders must be handled carefully to
prevent leaks and damage to their walls,
valves, or safety devices:
Avoid electrical circuit contact with
cylinders including third rails, electrical
wires, or welding circuits. They can
produced short circuit arcs that may lead
to a serious accident. (See 1-3C)
ICC or DOT marking must be on each
cylinder. It is an assurance of safety
when the cylinder is properly handled.
Identifying gas content. Use only
cylinders with name of gas marked on
them; do not rely on color to identify gas
content. Notify supplier if unmarked.
NEVER DEFACE or alter name, number,
or other markings on a cylinder. It is
illegal and hazardous.
Empties: Keep valves closed, replace
caps securely; mark MT; keep them
separate from FULLS, and return promptly.
Prohibited use. Never use a cylinder or its
contents for other than its intended use,
NEVER as a support or roller.
Locate or secure cylinders so they cannot
be knocked over.
Passageways and work areas. Keep
cylinders clear of areas where they may be
stuck.
Transporting cylinders. With a crane, use
a secure support such as a platform or
cradle. Do NOT lift cylinders off the ground
by their valves or caps, or by chains, slings,
or magnets.
Do NOT expose cylinders to excessive heat,
sparks, slag, and flame, etc. that may cause
rupture. Do not allow contents to exceed
55 degrees C (130 degrees F.) Cool with
water spray where such exposure exists.
Protect cylinders, particularly valves from
bumps, falls, falling objects, and weather.
Replace caps securely when moving
cylinders.
Stuck valve. Do NOT use a hammer or
wrench to open a cylinder valve that cannot
be opened by hand. Notify your supplier.
Mixing gases. NEVER try to mix any gases
in a cylinder.
NEVER refill any cylinder.
Cylinder fittings should never be modified
or exchanged.
3. Hose
Prohibited use. Never use hose other than
that designed for the specified gas. A
general hose identification rule is: red for
fuel gas, green for oxygen, and black for
inert gases.
Use ferrules or clamps designed for the
hose (not ordinary wire or other substitute)
as a binding to connect hoses to fittings.
No copper tubing splices. Use only
standard brass fittings to splice hose.
Avoid long runs to prevent kinks and abuse.
Suspend hose off ground to keep it from
being run over, stepped on, or otherwise
damaged.
Coil excess hose to prevent kinks and
tangles.
Protect hose from damage by sharp edges,
and by sparks, slag, and open flame.
Examine hose regularly for leaks, wear, and
loose connections. Immerse pressured
hose in water; bubbles indicate leaks
Repair leaky or worn hose by cutting area
out and splicing. Do NOT use tape.
4. Proper Connections
Clean cylinder valve outlet of impurities that
may clog orifices and damage seats before
connecting regulator. Except for hydrogen,
crack valve momentarily, pointing outlet
away from people and sources of ignition.
Wipe with a clean, lintless cloth.
Match regulator to cylinder. Before
connecting, check that the regulator label
and cylinder marking agree, and that the
regulator inlet and cylinder outlet match.
NEVER Connect a regulator designed for
a particular gas or gases to a cylinder
containing any other gas.
Tighten connections. When assembling
threaded connections, clean and smooth
seats where necessary. Tighten. If
connection leaks, disassemble, clean,
and retighten, using properly fitting
wrench.
Adapters. Use a CGA adapter (available
from your supplier) between cylinder and
regulator, if one is required. Use two
wrenches to tighten adapter marked
RIGHT and LEFT HAND threads.
Regulator outlet (or hose) connections
may be identified by right hand threads
for oxygen and left hand threads (with
grooved hex on nut or shank) for fuel gas.
5. Pressurizing Steps:
Drain regulator of residual gas through
suitable vent before opening cylinder (or
manifold valve) by turning adjusting
screw in (clockwise). Draining prevents
excessive compression heat at high
pressure seat by allowing seat to open
on pressurization. Leave adjusting screw
engaged slightly on single-stage
regulators.
Stand to side of regulator while opening
cylinder valve.
Open cylinder valve slowly so that
regulator pressure increases slowly.
When gauge is pressurized (gauge
reaches regulator maximum) leave
cylinder valve in following position: for
oxygen and inert gases, open fully to seal
stem against possible leak; for fuel gas,
open to less than one turn to permit quick
emergency shut-off.
Use pressure charts (available from your
supplier) for safe and efficient
recommended pressure settings on
regulators.
Check for leaks on first pressurization
and regularly thereafter. Brush with soap
solution. Bubbles indicate leaks. Clean
off soapy water after test; dried soap is
combustible.
E. User Responsibilities
Follow all Safety Rules.
Remove leaky or defective equipment
from service immediately for repair.
Read and follow user manual
instructions.
F. Leaving Equipment Unattended
Close gas supply at source and drain
gas.
G. Rope Staging-Support
Rope staging-support should not be used
for welding or cutting operation; rope may
burn.
1-3 ARC WELDING
Comply with precautions in 1-1, 1-2, and
this section. Arc Welding, properly done,
is a safe process, but a careless operator
invites trouble. The equipment carries
high currents at significant voltages. The
arc is very bright and hot. Sparks fly,