Nitrox ready or o2 valve?
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Belzelbub
Contributor
Just about everything you can find these days is Nitrox ready. Usually up to 40%. For a tank valve, that may not be enough. It will be fine for bank fills, but if the shop uses partial pressure blending, they’ll want O2 clean.
From a valve perspective, it’s usually just the seals and lubricants that are changed to make it O2 clean. None of my valves are labeled O2 clean. Just the tanks.
From a valve perspective, it’s usually just the seals and lubricants that are changed to make it O2 clean. None of my valves are labeled O2 clean. Just the tanks.
Getting O2 clean valves is a problem, because they really can't be approved for O2 service because of the design of the valve--too many turns. Some valves will say in the clearest possible language that they cannot be used for gas percentages higher than 40%, yet those valves are quite popular for cylinders carrying 100% O2. I talked on the telephone with someone from that company about it, and he said very clearly not to use them for more than 40%, but you could almost hear him winking as he said it. When I last renewed my cylinder inspection certification, the course materials talked about it, and they had no solution for the fact that as a cylinder inspector you are expected to certify cylinders for O2 use even though you know the valves are not approved for that.
Some valves are labeled as being for O2 service, and they do that by making it so the valves cannot be opened quickly. IMO, that is not enough to qualify.
Some valves are labeled as being for O2 service, and they do that by making it so the valves cannot be opened quickly. IMO, that is not enough to qualify.
-Sven-
Registered
Can‘t talk about the US, but here in Germany it is pretty simple to buy oxygen-compatible valves. For example have a look at NAUTEC - Valves Made In Germany. All the valves are 100% oxygen-compatible. Or did I misunderstand @boulderjohn‘s posting?
. I rented one a few times and loved it!
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