Looking for help with my Carbide Generator

[rom82]

Hi All,

I have been using a Petzl Aceto with the horrid Ariane generator for a while now. It has been generally fine but the generator has stopped working.

Basically when I turn on the water tap the generated gas does not make it as far as the gas hose. Instead it appears to be getting into the water chamber. I say this because the air hole (located just before the gas hose and under the black rubber outer hose) bubbles with water.

I would imagine if was as simple as a crack in the chamber then some gas would still be escaping into the hose but there's absolutely nothing.

If anyone has any help I would really appreciate it. Anyone who's solution is 'why don't you just used LEDs instead', etc etc yawn yawn 

Thanks!

 

[JJ]

I have a brand new unused Ariane generator available if you want to make me an offer for it. All proceeds to CRO.

Cheers JJ

 

[cavermark]

Have you taken both hoses off and checked for blockages? (if the gas can't get up the tube to the headset it might be forced back into the water chamber.. although I can't remember exactly if this is possible tbh)

 

[bograt]

Mark is right, most carbide generators blow back into the water reservoir if the gas outlet is blocked and back pressure builds up.

 

[rhychydwr1]

Never had this trouble using candles.

 

[paul]

Have you taken both hoses off and checked for blockages? (if the gas can't get up the tube to the headset it might be forced back into the water chamber.. although I can't remember exactly if this is possible tbh)

It could be possible if the jet is blocked. Have you checked the jet, rom82?

 

[rom82]

Hey, thanks all.

The jet is fine (it's also brand new), or at least it's not part of the current problem as the gas is not exiting getting into gas hose.

I never realised that the tube which carries the gas from the carbide pack to the hose must have an outlet in the water tank, it seems odd but is obviously a very sensible safety mechanism.

I have tried find something long and thin enough to ram out any caked lime in the tube but it seems I'm hitting something solid. It feels more like a a base rather than lime i.e. I don't think the inner tube is straight but has  a kink in it (perhaps at the gas outlet to the water chamber?).

Is there any fluid used to wash out the spent lime??

Yes I think these new fangled carbide lamps are no great replacement for the old reliable candles and magnesium strips 

 

[bograt]

Don't think theres a connection between gas outlet and water, it usually blows back through the water drip feed.
You could try soaking it in domestic lime scale remover? (Dilute HCl), make sure you rinse it well afterwards.

 

[sluka]

Ariane - the queen of darkness - as we told here (Czech Republic, Slovakia). We use, or used, mostly the acetylene generators with injection of water into carbide chamber. Much better than gravity system. Simplest system was made from two empty spray cans, quite complicated and expensive was Meander Alustar.

http://www.podzemi.net/products/picifuk-model-ladislav-kahle/

http://web.meander.sk/pages/ealustartext.html

One of the most used one:
https://scontent-a-vie.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xap1/v/t1.0-9/1622803_575150895919491_6440577612504571656_n.jpg?oh=60f0e8fc25b9b2045d17dfbe87def50f&oe=54E5C5F0
https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpa1/v/t1.0-9/10620666_575150935919487_2653898174430954475_n.jpg?oh=912f5997b82412d3cd42ceb9b25905ac&oe=551D8FC9&__gda__=1424111985_1ec5f9e1a97d9bc034e26527e8673605

 

[robjones]

I never realised that the tube which carries the gas from the carbide pack to the hose must have an outlet in the water tank, it seems odd but is obviously a very sensible safety mechanism.

A vital safety feature because acetylene spontaneously combusts on reaching 3 atmospheres. Combust in this instance meaning explode. Violently. There is a football-shaped ammo box in Otter Hole that exploded when the 'spent' carbide in it turned out to be not wholly spent. Ammo boxes are reasonably thick steel sheet. Imagine what an exploding generator would do to your waist!

 

[rom82]

Thanks bograt, of course, that makes sense. I managed to get a very thin long allen key into the pipe and there is definitely an obstruction there, some black sooty/oil gunk came out. Poured some vinegar in it did nothing but will try what you suggest.

"Ariane - the queen of darkness", I like that, accurate I think I will eventauuly replace this arriane with something better but I've not being using carbide long enough to justify buying something new yet.

Thanks for the heads up robjones, hehe

 

[Dave Tyson]

"Ariane - the queen of darkness", I like that, accurate

I wonder if this phrase was modeled after  "Joe Lucas - Prince of Darkness"  in reference to the appalling lights produced by Lucas Electrical and fitted on old british motorcycles. You couldn't you see anything with the headlights and worse the tail light was about as bright as a firefly - just as well the roads were a bit quieter then....

Dave 

 

[paul]

This link may be of some use: http://www.manualsdir.com/manuals/236877/petzl-ariane.html

 

[rom82]

Just foe the record in case anyone in the future has same problems as I had...

Finally got around to trying to fix the blockage. Some store bought Limescale remover (as used for kettles etc) did the trick. I just let it sit in the Ariane over night and it cleared it out pretty well.

Thanks all for the advice!

 

[bograt]

Just foe the record in case anyone in the future has same problems as I had...

Finally got around to trying to fix the blockage. Some store bought Limescale remover (as used for kettles etc) did the trick. I just let it sit in the Ariane over night and it cleared it out pretty well.

Thanks all for the advice!

Good for you, I thought it might work!