Suggested 02 Bank Storage Bottle?

[SouthernSharktoothDiver]

@Tracy Interesting. I might be in touch about buying one off you. Could definitely see it being useful for nitrox blending, which is something I'd like to get into.

 

[Tracy]

@Tracy Interesting. I might be in touch about buying one off you. Could definitely see it being useful for nitrox blending, which is something I'd like to get into.

It would be very slow for that. It would work, but would be annoying to use for that purpose. I made them for filling o2 bottles and transfilling things. They are excellent for that.

 

[InWay2Deep]

I use one of these,

USUN XB30-OL Booster Pump

USUN XB30-OL Booster Pump USUN Model: XB30-OL 100mm driven lightweight and easy to carry air oxygen gas booster pump for diving use. Usun air-driven gas booster pumps are ratio devices that utilize low-pressure compressed air driving a larger diamete

www.diverightinscuba.com

And then I get a K bottle from my local gas supplier, I lease the tank for $100/yr and get it exchanged for $45, I run it down to about 500 psi. Factor in all your expenses for those extra tanks and the fact that you won't get 3k fill on your little bottles and AL80 cascade setup the booster's start to make more sense (assuming you CCR dive a lot). I did it b/c my local dive shop charged $40 for an O2 fill (no matter the tank size) and I just couldn't see paying that so I spent 2000 .

 

[TravisD]

I just couldn't see paying that so I spent 2000 .

DIY Fills are almost never about saving money. They seem to be one or more of:

1. Convenience
2. Needed another hobby (owning a fill station)
3. Spite

 

[JackZwykle]

Why not a J from a gas supplier? And a whip? It's what I used before getting a booster on top of it.
Safe, minimal investment.

50l times 200bar is about 5000-6000 whippable litres of O2 - give or take 60-100 HOURS of time on the loop before you swap the cylinder, without any booster. With a booster it goes to about 9000 litres of O2 - LOTS.

I bought my own J now and swap, but most providers will rent for a very reasonable rate and I used to do it.
The only investment is the whip with O2 J appropriate adapter.

Just in fuel and driving time it paid back in 3 months for us.


EDIT: About the whip - I would STRONGLY advise a precise digital one. And reading on precautions and speed of O2 charging, especially when feeding from a full J, if not gas blender training.

 

[1fspeed]

Like @InWay2Deep I bought a Usun XB30. But instead of leasing for $100+/yr, I bought a used K bottle (220 cuft) for $50 from Facebook Marketplace. I took it to my local gas supplier (Linde) for exchange and got a T bottle (300 cuft) of ABO for one time upgrade fee of $25. Used T bottles are hard to find around here.

Now I own the T bottle and only pay for the exchange every 6 months or so. The larger T bottle keeps me transfilling for longer with less booster time.

Since no one in my area fills O2, I had to go the DIY route. Also, don’t forget a copy of the Oxygen Hackers Companion by Vance Harlow.

 

[InWay2Deep]

Now I own the T bottle and only pay for the exchange every 6 months or so. The larger T bottle keeps me transfilling for longer with less booster time.

Is it still in Hydro? Whats their stance on filling bottles that are out of Hydro? That was my only worry w/ buying my own bottle. I have a few that I bought but I just use them for storage at home.

 

[broncobowsher]

Is it still in Hydro? Whats their stance on filling bottles that are out of Hydro? That was my only worry w/ buying my own bottle. I have a few that I bought but I just use them for storage at home.

Owning a K or T bottle and going to the gas supplier goes 2 different ways. (At least to me locally)
You exchange the bottle, the supplier will send you on your way with one in hydro
You want your exact bottle refilled, you pay for the hydro.

I had a nice CO2 bottle (for filling tires when off-roading) that had some custom clear coat and logos on it. I would do a refill. It was a pain. Drop it off. Wait for them to pump CO2. Then go back later (usually a week) and pick it up. And if out of hydro, add more time delay and expense.

All my O2, Helium, and welding gas bottles I own. No lease payments. Got them in various purchases or trades over the years. I take that in, often years out of hydro, exchange. No issues. They did try and throw I have to pay for a hydro on a bottle once, I kicked back that I got it from them nearly expired and the caved in about 2 seconds and I still never had to pay for one. Never know what bottle I will get back. Right now I have a couple with '42 manufacturing dates. Do the same thing with at work. Any bottle gets traded for any other bottle. Sometimes we want more O2 on hand, or argon, or MIG mix. No issues trading one empty Argon for an O2. I did that a couple years ago when I found a couple Helium bottles for cheap and traded an empty one for an O2. No charge for trading an out of hydro He bottle for a current O2. Remeber that out of hydro doesn't mean you can't use it, just you can't fill it for interstate commerce.

 

[InWay2Deep]

Remeber that out of hydro doesn't mean you can't use it, just you can't fill it for interstate commerce.

Yea, but just because _we_ know that, doesn't mean the local gas monkey would, I was looking for easy when I got started. Thanks for relaying your experience. I might try taking my personal HE T bottle in next time and seeing if they will fill/exchange it. If so I'll start gathering bottles and just not renew my lease.

Appreciate it.

 

[1fspeed]

Is it still in Hydro? Whats their stance on filling bottles that are out of Hydro? That was my only worry w/ buying my own bottle. I have a few that I bought but I just use them for storage at home.

When I brought the used K bottle in to exchange we didn't talk about hydros, and I don't think they checked if it was current. The T bottle I now own is current for two more years., but I go through a couple a year so it'll get exchanged before before I have to worry about that.