Question Where do you get oxygen cylinders filled?

[coolfilmaker]

I’m investigating different system types and I’m trying to figure out if getting large oxygen cylinders filled with medical grade oxygen is something that isn’t that hard to do or if it’s actually a big pain. It seems like it can’t be that hard because a lot of the nitrox systems I see have them.

 

[rjack321]

I found tanks on Craigslist without a name on the neck ring. That’s the hard part. Most of the oxygen tank listings have a business’s name on the neck ring and/or significant rust. They said they can convert helium tanks to oxygen service, and those are much easier to find in good condition. That’s how I got my welding tanks.

The lack of a neck ring may or may not help you. Swapping from CGA580 to CGA540 is easy

As others said, with most larger gas suppliers you typically would pay a lease fee for the bottle. You can then you simply swap them out with a fresh bottle when it's empty rather than owning your T bottles of oxygen. You just pay for the gas and any fees/taxes for any new bottles you get.

It is far easier this way. The gas supplier doesnt have to keep track of your personally owned cylinders and they handle all hydros and valve replacement on the cylinders themselves.

Not around here. You bring in an "owned" cylinder and they give you an "owned" one from their stock - similar to how a propane cylinder exchange works. I might bring in a 1970s era cylinder and get a 1930s era bottle back or vice versa.

They do have both short term and long term leased cylinders too. But most private individuals avoid those because there's a significant cost just to have that bottle sitting in your garage and it's cheaper in the long term to own the bottle and exchange it

 

[macado]

Not around here. You bring in an "owned" cylinder and they give you an "owned" one from their stock - similar to how a propane cylinder exchange works. I might bring in a 1970s era cylinder and get a 1930s era bottle back or vice versa.

Ah interesting. It may very well be the case with some gas suppliers here; I should try this as I have a bunch of personally owned cylinders that I just use for air banks. I forget what Praxair or Airgas's policies are.

I'm using another local gas supplier in my area and they don't really like dealing with personally owned tanks but perhaps I should ask them again.

 

[rjack321]

Ah interesting. It may very well be the case with some gas suppliers here; I should try this as I have a bunch of personally owned cylinders that I just use for air banks. I forget what Praxair or Airgas's policies are.

I'm using another local gas supplier in my area and they don't really like dealing with personally owned tanks but perhaps I should ask them again.

Yeah it's a very regional, business specific thing. Some places only lease bottles, some only have corporate accounts, some deal in private cylinders, some won't sell to a individual, it's highly variable.

 

[JohnN]

Not around here. You bring in an "owned" cylinder and they give you an "owned" one from their stock - similar to how a propane cylinder exchange works. I might bring in a 1970s era cylinder and get a 1930s era bottle back or vice versa.

Same here in Oregon. You bring an empty tank and they swap it for a new one.

 

[flymolo]

a gas supplier by me said just bring in any tank and as long as it looks decent he'd take it. i have no idea if those guys are looking in that tanks or not. i kind of don't want to know what the inside of those storage bottles might look like.

 

[broncobowsher]

As other's have stated. Everyone I know uses Aviator grade.
Return an empty bottle, get a filled one. I've had too many O2 and needed another Helium. No issue exchanging the O2 for a Helium. Empty bottle has the same core charge regardless of what was in it. Otherwards, an empty K-cylinder is an empty K-cylinder. The will valve/paint/fill with whatever they need to use it for. I've had cylinders that mush have had 20 coats of paint over the years. You could barely read the original stampings.
Mine are all owned, no lease. But they all have marked necks. Some shops get fussy, others could care less. Very regional. Even to the point of 2 shops a couple miles apart.
Unless I specify that I want my exact bottle back, never a hydro. I might turn one in that was hydroed a year ago and get one that was done 4 years ago. That is baked into the exchange. I've been doing this for 20+ years between diving and welding. The one I would do a hydro on was a CO2 bottle for filling tire when off-roading. Had a custom paint job on it.

 

[sea_ledford]

Every supplier is a bit unique in how they deal with refills vs exchanges vs owned vs leased cylinders. Prescriptions for medical, availability of ABO etc. It's hard to generalize across suppliers since they all seem to make up their own rules and policies.

And then the rules change with whoever you are talking to on the phone.

I swear Airgas must run help wanted ads that say "Never had any experience in customer service? Like to talk to people like you know it all, even if today is your first day? We have a job for you!"

 

[greeniguana]

Large suppliers dont look in any tanks. They don't even fill them. They send them out for that.

The big suppliers will readily "confiscate" your tank if they "think" it's a rental. Your word against theirs, use caution. Been there.

At large suppliers, If it's your tank, you're responsible for hydro fee. They dont hydro your tank and give it back, you just get a different full tank that's in hydro. Be careful there too, so you don't end up with a rental unknowingly.

(Edit, I'm not talking about mom and pop gas operations no such thing here)

 

[rjack321]

Suppliers dont look in any tanks. They don't even fill them. They send them out for that.

The big suppliers will readily "confiscate" your tank if they "think" it's a rental. Your word against theirs, use caution. Been there.

If it's your tank, you're responsible for hydro fee. They dont hydro your tank and give it back, you just get a different full tank that's in hydro. Be careful there too, so you don't end up with a rental unknowingly.

My supplier has 2 fleets of tanks, rental/leased and privately owned.

Private tank hydros are included in the gas fees when you swap your owner tank (around here)

 

[Capt Jim Wyatt]

Medical O2 has moisture in it. Aviators has no moisture in it.

It may all come from the same source but the aviators O2 is dry, or at least drier. You don't want to put moist gas in your scuba system for obvious reasons, but you do want moist gas in a medical O2, again for obvious reasons.