Proper way to store tanks?

[Sonic04GT]

I just purchased 2 Worthington HP100s. I am currently deployed so these won't be used until I return in September. What is the proper way to store these for the next 4 months?

Right now they are filled with 500psi lying down in my bedroom. Any issues with that?

Thanks in advance,

Chris

 

[snowflake4727]

It is recommended that they be stored full. I don't think lying down or standing up matters.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

They should be stored full, or near empty (couple hundred PSI storage fill) with full actually being much safer in the event of a fire (asuming you have the proper burst discs installed.)

The side walls on tansk are much thinner than the bottom of the tank so any rust or pitting is slightly less of an issue there. Allowable depths for pits vary by material and to some degree by tank manufacturer, but in general a deeper pit woudl be allowable in the bottom of a tank than in the sidewall. Gravity being what it is, any water droplets would end up on water ever surface of the tank is lowest. So all in all you are better off storing tanks vertically or at least near vertical, rather than horizontal.

I will store my doubles leaning against a wall and you can line them up that way leaning against each other. The downside of a vertically stored and unsecured tank is that if the burst disc ruptures, life will get exciting at your house - but in 25 years of owning and storing tanks I have never had a burst disc let go on my tanks (I change them when the tank gets hydro'd etc). If you do not change the burst disc every 3-5 years, your mileage may vary.

 

[scubadude79]

As what DA said, store the tanks vertically.

 

[Paintballpsyco2369]

I store mine standing, and full, or near full until I get them filled. The only Issue I could see with long term storage in regards to vertical or horizontal, is that if they are not secured, then in Vertical position someone else might knock them over. Best of luck and be safe.

 

[Sonic04GT]

Cool, thanks for the tips. I'll have my father lean them up against something and maybe get them filled. The shop I bought them from said 500psi is fine to store them but wanted a second opinion.

 

[SparticleBrane]

The "correct" answer is upright -- as mentioned above you are trying to minimize any corrosion that might be present in your cylinders to the bottom of the cylinder rather than the sidewall.

On the other hand if you have compressor oil or any other moisture in your cylinder, something is wrong and needs to be resolved immediately!! The last thing you want to do is breathe atomized compressor oil...


For my tank storage setup, I store them both horizontally and vertically. Doubles vertically, single tanks (up to four 130s and two 40s) horizontally. If I have space I can also store some single cylinders vertically in the cabinets on the other sides.



One of these days I'll finish staining and varnishing this thing. At the rate I'm going, that will be never.


Double LP72s on the left, double Al80s on the right.

LP80s on the top rack, 119s on the bottom.

...and if I don't store cylinders there, the cats take over...

 

[spt29970]

It is obvious that you don't live in earthquake country. Your rack looks nice, but a little ground motion would topple the cylinders in the upper boxes right onto their valves; not good. Around here, you are required by law to restrain cylinders from falling by either using a rack or chaining them to the wall, not that many recreational divers comply.

I use a wire tank rack similar to http://www.scuba.com/scuba-gear-225/042060/Pelican-Tank-Rack.html

 

[SparticleBrane]

It is obvious that you don't live in earthquake country. Your rack looks nice, but a little ground motion would topple the cylinders in the upper boxes right onto their valves; not good.

This is true -- North Carolina doesn't normally get earthquakes. Hurricanes, however...

I was considering coming up with a restraint system but haven't done it yet.

 

[Hockeynut]

Wrong, Wrong, Wrong. Proper storage is at my house and my house only. Get them over here. NOW!