Long drive with O2 bottle

[RandomGuy1]

So I will be doing some of my first deco dives in a few weeks while on vacation. I was planning on taking my AL40 with O2 along in the car. I will have my wife and 1 year old son in the car as well. The more I think about it, it makes me a little nervous driving that far with a cylinder of O2 and them in the car. What would you do in this situation? Rent once you get there? Not worry about it? Take empty / low pressure tank and fill once there?

 

[Doby45]

Put it in the car and crack on..

 

[northernone]

Put it in the car and crack on..

Agreed.

Of course the safety precautions you take with your family are very personal. I know a few people who will not DRIVE a car with their child on board, and I respect their decision and see why it makes them nervous to have a child on a public motorway at all.

Regards,
Cameron

 

[victorzamora]

I drive 7 hours each way to FL for my cave trips and have carried over 300 cubic feet (2xAL40s and 3xAL80s) with me. Total trip length was over 1200mi. All the tanks were at least at 2500psi for a large portion of the driving.

I just make sure it can't fall at all or jostle too badly and carry on with life. I almost always transport mine with regs attached, but maybe a valve plug is a better option?

 

[Marie13]

Plenty of people haul around O2 for medical purposes and I'm sure they drive all over. Now, I don't know the size of the cylinders used for medical purposes but it's not that unusual, is my point.

 

[rhwestfall]

valve plug.....

EDITED - brain fart, thinking tri-mix.... no, not for >40%.......

 

[ScubaSteve85]

Plenty of people haul around O2 for medical purposes and I'm sure they drive all over. Now, I don't know the size of the cylinders used for medical purposes but it's not that unusual, is my point.

Yup. Was a paramedic for many years and always kept a bag of medical supplies, along with a tank of O2 in my trunk. Never had any issues, even in hot summer weather. That was a D size aluminum tank that held 425 liters at 2,200 PSI, so somewhere between a 13 and 19 cf pony.

 

[RandomGuy1]

Not really worried about it falling or being jostled around as much as being rear ended. We will be in a Small SUV with the cylinders in the back. Wife and 1 year old sit in the back seat so it would be right behind them.

 

[CuzzA]

@Texas Torpedo may have some insight. I believe he had a o2 tank explode in his truck. Perhaps he can offer some do's and don'ts.

 

[divad]

Not worry about it? Take empty / low pressure tank and fill once there?

This, because you're already worried about it and other drivers generally suck. Especially when they're on your ass AND the phone at the same time.