o2 tank

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ScottD13

ScottD13

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Hey everyone, two questions regarding an o2 tank.

I should be able to get my hands on a 5lb medical o2 tank today with regulator. Can I get this tank filled at a welding supply store or does it have to be a medical o2 refilling station?

Also could I fill this o2 tank (after being emptied) with co2 if I wanted to use this cylinder for kegging?
 
AFAIK, any place that fills o2 bottles will fill it. However, all bottles will be labeled for their respective gas, and can only be refilled with that gas. I got my o2 bottle from our weld supply place. They service all of our gas needs, including co2. The bottle for the o2 was a medical bottle with a low pressure medical regulator.

My suggestion for anyone who doesn't have a co2 bottle yet is to go buy a 5lb one from the local liquor store, then just pay the $11-$15 to exchange it out when it gets empty. It is really convenient to do this for the mere fact when the bottle runs out most towns have a liquor store that will do this. YMMV. I have a 20lb co2 tank and a 5lb backup for this reason. My welding supply guys will fill my 20lb for cheap, but I have to give it to them knowing it will take a week to get it back. That is why I have the 5lb one, for those weeks when the 20lb is being filled.
 
You can't fill a cylinder meant for one gas with another.
(well you physically could but it would be a great big PIA since you would have to change out the valve on top of the cylinder) Most reputable gas filling places will NOT do this for you.
 
I still need to figure this out also because I have a medical tank that has enough gas for a few more brews.The valve is completely different from the typical welding tanks so I'm not sure if a welding place even has the whip for it.
 
i think CO2 and O2 use the same cga 320 valve however i dont know if you can find a local gas supplier that will change the tank around.

Also, i just thought about O2, mine is a high pressure tank like my Nitrogen tank. My CO2 tank is not rated for the same pressure but i still think the valves are the same. My Nitrogen valve is a cga 580. Only odd ball i have.

edit: I was referring to an industrial O2 tank, i have no clue on a medical O2 tank.
 
You can fill a tank with a gas other than what it is labelled for IF, you remove the label and change the valve/stem to the appropriate set-up for the gas you need. Most places fill by weight and or pressure so, the vessle means little to them. It really comes down to whether or not the tank has the appropriate labels and fittings.

As far as the medical O2 tank, often times you have to have a prescription to get them filled. If it doesn't have a standard stem for welding a weld shop can't fill it.
 
harpo said:
AFAIK, any place that fills o2 bottles will fill it. However, all bottles will be labeled for their respective gas, and can only be refilled with that gas. I got my o2 bottle from our weld supply place. They service all of our gas needs, including co2. The bottle for the o2 was a medical bottle with a low pressure medical regulator.

My suggestion for anyone who doesn't have a co2 bottle yet is to go buy a 5lb one from the local liquor store, then just pay the $11-$15 to exchange it out when it gets empty. It is really convenient to do this for the mere fact when the bottle runs out most towns have a liquor store that will do this. YMMV. I have a 20lb co2 tank and a 5lb backup for this reason. My welding supply guys will fill my 20lb for cheap, but I have to give it to them knowing it will take a week to get it back. That is why I have the 5lb one, for those weeks when the 20lb is being filled.
Click to expand...

Mine has a much smaller threaded stem than a CO2 tank. maybe that is just mine tho but, it is a standard welding "RO" tank.
 
Picked up my tank and she's a beaut! Virtually new but no o2 left...too bad. It's a gauge but no regulator when it's turned on it pumps out 20 lpm...yikes. I've been speaking to a few people off line and an under the impression that o2 tanks have universal fittings so I'll pop on over to my local welding supply and get some o2 in the up coming weeks.

Now I just need to get a flow meter/regulator off ebay.
 
ScottD13 said:
Picked up my tank and she's a beaut! Virtually new but no o2 left...too bad. It's a gauge but no regulator when it's turned on it pumps out 20 lpm...yikes. I've been speaking to a few people off line and an under the impression that o2 tanks have universal fittings so I'll pop on over to my local welding supply and get some o2 in the up coming weeks.

Now I just need to get a flow meter/regulator off ebay.
Click to expand...

Hmm..that's kind of odd. Most medical valve stems for O2 allow for 10 liters per minute if they are fixed - otherwise are variable.
 
Scott,

Not trying to bum you out, but medical oxygen is controlled "controlled substance" in the eyes of our illustrious government and regulated by the FDA. While it is no different that the o2 in the industrial cylinders it has been tested and meets their purity standards for medical use. It is illegal to possess/use and the welding distributor or medical supply house to fill or exchange with out a prescription.

It sounds like you have a medical o2 tank since there is a pressure gauge built in. I'm not sure about the valve threads (it been a few year since worked in a welding distributor) but if the are the same I think the best you may be able to do is replacing the medical valve with an industrial o2 or a co2.

Cheers...
 
giligson: Perhaps it is 10 but I was told it's 20...still looking into it. It's a MADA tank but I'm not sure which model.

bad67z: Thanks for the input but a very reliable source told me there should be no problems. Now, that being said I won't know for sure until I take to a supplier so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
 
if it says medical o2 strip the paint off and paint it green tell them it is for your plane. I use one of my scuba tanks thats full of o2, but most dive shops that serve tech divers want to see a certification to fill them. What part of Jersey are you in?
 
I scored 6 of these for free:


I would like to swap out the CGA-870 (oxygen) for a CGA-320 (CO2) valve. Or even an Industrial O2. Haven't pursued it though. It would likely cost too much. Maybe I'll find different purpose for them. As of now the've been sitting in the garage for 2 years....
 
That looks just like the one I got today...

i09482.jpg


And it has this regulator
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...ec33992&itemid=300312047512&ff4=263602_263622


It's 6lpm not 20 as described to me.
 
RDWHAHB said:
I scored 6 of these for free:


I would like to swap out the CGA-870 (oxygen) for a CGA-320 (CO2) valve. Or even an Industrial O2. Haven't pursued it though. It would likely cost too much. Maybe I'll find different purpose for them. As of now the've been sitting in the garage for 2 years....
Click to expand...

You can purchase the cga-540s on ebay and sell'em as o2 units
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...ec33992&itemid=270449221994&ff4=263602_263622

I'm wondering if I'll have to pick one of these up and swap the choke out to get filled at a welding supply.
 
kmack747 said:
Cga-320 valves aren't that expensive 22$ herehttp://www.chicompany.net/straight-co2-nitrogen-valves-for-aluminum-tanks-354.html


Would you like to part with one of them?
Click to expand...

Nice tip on Chi Co. Maybe I'll do that. They are out of Hydro test (I was working for the landfill, and they were tossed out because their cert was expired) How much is it to test? Do I need to remove the green? I usually associate that with O2.

My wife could likely get a Rx for me, but I already have welding Oxy/Acetylene tanks.

I hate shipping, but I would trade several of these for a similar CO2 with recent cert test. Or other gear (cornys, perlick forwards, diffusion stone, keggle tig welds, etc).
 
Ok, quick up date; as per John Nicklas of Praxair you can not fill a medical tank with o2 of any kind without either a prescription (medical o2) or a professional relabeling (swapping the valve system and industrial marking for welding o2) of the tank.

Now I also understand that there are places that may swap a medical for an industrial tank. I'll keep everyone posted.
 

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