How to properly handle a tank

[jrs_diesel]

I have noticed a trend in the SCUBA community that really concerns me. Before I learned to SCUBA, I knew the right way to handle a commpressed gas tank, whether it be argon, acetylene, welding O², nitrogen, propane, or whatever. I was taught even before I picked up a tank to NEVER handle a tank by the valve head. And the way I understand that is that handling by the valve head puts un-nessesary stress on the valve, tank neck, and threads. So whenever I handle a tank I never use the valve head and carry it by the main body of the tank.

I also never leave it or store it standing upright with no support. I see a lot of people do that too.

Anyone got any input on this?

 

[TwoTanks]

I'm not going to claim to be an expert on this subject, but when I look at the way a scuba valve connects to a tank, the base of the valve above the threads is quite a bit wider than the threaded section, and it sits tight against the tank lip like medical O2 valves and unlike industrial O2 and acetylene valves. I think that their design allows them to be handled by their valves and that is why they don't have screw on covers like industrial gas cylinders.

I believe that this type of valve is designed to be handled and carry the weight of the tank.

I don't think that there is any danger in handling scuba cylinders by the valves.

Just my opinion

TT

 

[UndrWatrDan]

You posed an interesting question, so I asked someone that has been trained in doing visual inspections and they are not aware of any issues with carrying the tank by the valve.

I was taugh many many moons ago to store my tank with several hundred psi and standing up so that any moisture, rust etc would be at the bottom of the tank where it could be easily seen. At home, our tanks sit on a flat stable surface, out of the way, and are not supported other than with the boot they sit in. But I do stress they are out of the way where they cannot be knocked over. If I have a tank in a high traffic area, on a boat etc, you can bet it's on it's side or strapped in place. When we teach a class, we stress not leaving tanks standing up, and tell the students that if we find one standing up without their hand on it, they owe us a 6 pack of soft drinks. I can usually get enough drinks to make it thru the open water weekend!

 

[Marek K]

It's certainly, I think, pretty much universally accepted that it's OK to carry tanks by the valve a short distance. Which is about how far it's possible to, without killing your fingers. I'll usually carry it with the valve body between my middle and ring fingers, trying to put as little leverage stress as possible on the valve knob.

Good question, though... I've often wondered myself whether this is actually OK...

Of course, this is not to be confused with lifting a scuba assembly by the 1st stage, connected to the tank -- which should absolutely not be done, AFAIK!!

As for the other issue... the reason not to leave a tank standing upright when diving is to keep from knocking it over and causing damage or injury. But you're right... a lot of people still do that. And as unstable as that is with stuff hooked and strapped on, I think we've all seen our share of rigs being knocked over.

--Marek

 

[jonnythan]

Well, let's be pragmatic. Has anyone ever seen a valve broken or deformed from someone carrying a tank with it?

 

[Tom Winters]

Well, you're right jrs - ideally, tanks should not be handled by the valve only and they should never be placed unsupported in the upright vertical postion. That said, I do it all the time.
Whenever I see tanks upright though, I always look to make sure they're stable - doesn't matter whom the owner is either. Worst possible case of a tank toppling and the valve breaking - well, if you can see the tank, it can kill you.
It's a common sense thing more than anything.

 

[matt_unique]

The best tank handling is demonstrated when someone picks up a set of doubles by the easy/obvious spot right in the middle of the manifold. Grrrrrr.......I lift my own doubles at shops to make sure this does not happen.

That would be a hell of a party to have a tank fall over and have the valve knocked off.....I have to admit I would like to see this done in a controlled environment!

--Matt

 

[StSomewhere]

On a related note, for those of us who do carry tanks by the valve :11: there is also a right and wrong side of the valve to hold the tank by. If your palm faces the outlet and the valve rolls off it rolls open, directly at your hand. If your palm faces the other side of the valve and the valve roll off, it rolls the valve closed.

Thanks to jbd for pointing this little bit of common sense out to me.

I have no idea why this wasn't covered in my OW class...

 

[jrs_diesel]

The best tank handling is demonstrated when someone picks up a set of doubles by the easy/obvious spot right in the middle of the manifold. Grrrrrr.......I lift my own doubles at shops to make sure this does not happen.

That would be a hell of a party to have a tank fall over and have the valve knocked off.....I have to admit I would like to see this done in a controlled environment!

--Matt

If you have seen the movie Gone in 60 Seconds (with Nickolas Cage), there is a scene where a head gets knocked off a tank (looks like a large CO² tank) at the shipping docks and the tank goes flying. Pretty realistic looking.

Remember, we are dealing with compressed gas, there is a heck of a lot of stored energy inside the cylinder. If the head gets knocked off, the cylinder in question is going to go flying. A good example I can think of is if a tank if left standing up on a dive boat and the boat rocks or the tank gets knocked over and the valve hits something.

I am going to get in touch with a tank manufacturer and ask them, I will post the results back.

 

[Curt Bowen]

I have noticed a trend in the SCUBA community that really concerns me. Before I learned to SCUBA, I knew the right way to handle a commpressed gas tank, whether it be argon, acetylene, welding O2, nitrogen, propane, or whatever. I was taught even before I picked up a tank to NEVER handle a tank by the valve head. And the way I understand that is that handling by the valve head puts un-nessesary stress on the valve, tank neck, and threads. So whenever I handle a tank I never use the valve head and carry it by the main body of the tank.

I also never leave it or store it standing upright with no support. I see a lot of people do that too.

Anyone got any input on this?

Dam, I had better quit dragging them through caves, down ropes and banging them against rock and gravel. Thanks, I guess no more cave exploration for me LOL