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Scuba Forum / Scuba Equipment / April 2004

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storage life of oxygen in steel tank?

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Achim Nolcken Lohse - 06 Jan 2004 21:32 GMT
Have been trying without success to find hard data on the safe storage
life of oxygen in a steel tanks at 2,015PSI.

Can anyone refer me to some authoritative source on this subject?
Answers received so far from those who should know:

scuba instructors with oxygen rating (2):

don't know/but suggest using nothing older than three or six months

staff of oxygen refill station (1): no problem with indefinite storage

Achim

axethetax
Alan Street - 06 Jan 2004 22:21 GMT
>Have been trying without success to find hard data on the safe storage
>life of oxygen in a steel tanks at 2,015PSI.
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
>
>Achim

This isn't exactly difinitive, but the US FDA's regulations on medical oxygen
are silent with regards to storage life. They do mention the use of high
pressure oxygen cylinders as a back-up to cryogenic delivery systems, but say
nothing about limiting their shelf life.

http://www.fda.gov/cder/guidance/3823dft.pdf

I also found nothing on DAN's website suggesting a shelf life for their oxygen
cylinders.

Alan
Morten Reistad - 13 Apr 2004 21:05 GMT
>>Have been trying without success to find hard data on the safe storage
>>life of oxygen in a steel tanks at 2,015PSI.
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
>>
>>staff of oxygen refill station (1): no problem with indefinite storage

Local oxygen supplier has a 1 year rating on medical O2; and
hydro test date plus one year for welding stuff. (this could
be as much as 6 years). I suspect this has as much to do with
recirculating tanks within hydro dates.

>>Achim
>
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
>I also found nothing on DAN's website suggesting a shelf life for their oxygen
>cylinders.

Clean, sterile O2 on mint condition cylinders (as O2 cylinder have to be)
should last for ages.

-- mrr
Lee Bell - 14 Apr 2004 12:21 GMT
> >>Have been trying without success to find hard data on the safe storage
> >>life of oxygen in a steel tanks at 2,015PSI.

As far as I know, pure oxygen will store pretty much forever.  I figure the
primary risk is to the tank.  Some of the oxygen will combine with the metal
in the tank, forming rust.  The gas remaining in the tank will still be pure
oxygen.  Loose rust might be a problem for the valve and/or regulator, but I
think that's a different issue/question.  Visual or, for that matter, hydro
inspections aren't much good in this context.  They're only required before
filling a tank.  There's no need to fill one that's stored without being
used.  I think I'd feel pretty comfortable with as much as 5 years.

On the other hand, I'd feel even more comfortable if the tank were aluminum,
which my O2 tank is.

I'd be more concerned with nitrox or trimix in the same steel tank.  I don't
know how fast O2 combines with steel to form rust, but, as it does, the mix
is bound to change.  Lucky for us, there's a solution to this potential,
perhaps imagined, risk.  Those that use nitrox or trimix, normally check the
O2 percentage at the time the tank is filled . . . well, I do.  While my
process for making contents is pretty rigid, particularly after getting bent
by making a mistake of this type, I still check the O2 percentage before
taking a tank from my home to the boat.  Any tank that does not fall pretty
darned close to the same percentage it originally did, isn't going diving
with me until it's been inspected and refilled.

Lee
Geoff - 14 Apr 2004 13:50 GMT
>On the other hand, I'd feel even more comfortable if the tank were aluminum,
>which my O2 tank is.

Why? What is different about an aluminum cylinder over a steel one for
O2 storage?
Lee Bell - 15 Apr 2004 01:16 GMT
> Why? What is different about an aluminum cylinder over a steel one for
> O2 storage?

Steel oxidizes continuously in the presence of oxygen.  Aluminum oxidation
is a self limiting process.  As soon as the surface is coated with aluminum
oxide, the process halts.

Lee
Budweiser - 06 Jan 2004 22:31 GMT
> Have been trying without success to find hard data on the safe storage
> life of oxygen in a steel tanks at 2,015PSI.
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
>
> axethetax

according to BOC
three years from date of fill  (medical oxygen)
https://pgw100.portal.gases.boc.com/scripts/wgate/zcpwp_b2c/!?~login=pgwmedical
Achim Nolcken Lohse - 07 Jan 2004 07:13 GMT
>> Have been trying without success to find hard data on the safe storage
>> life of oxygen in a steel tanks at 2,015PSI.
>>
>> Can anyone refer me to some authoritative source on this subject?
....

>according to BOC
>three years from date of fill  (medical oxygen)
>https://pgw100.portal.gases.boc.com/scripts/wgate/zcpwp_b2c/!?~login=pgwmedical

Thanks.

Couldn't access the page myself for some reason (full URL produced
"page not found", clicking on any of the three country sites produced
a blank page), but will take your word for it.

Achim

axethetax
Scott - 06 Jan 2004 23:55 GMT
> Have been trying without success to find hard data on the safe storage
> life of oxygen in a steel tanks at 2,015PSI.
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
>
>  don't know/but suggest using nothing older than three or six months

Pure, typical BS.

> staff of oxygen refill station (1): no problem with indefinite storage

More like it.

The issue that the Chicken Little types have come up with is that the O2 is
slowly degraded due to oxidation of the steel container.

A little thought would provide the answer.

Scott
rnf2 - 07 Jan 2004 05:21 GMT
> > Have been trying without success to find hard data on the safe storage
> > life of oxygen in a steel tanks at 2,015PSI.
[quoted text clipped - 18 lines]
>
> Scott

Oxidation of tanks equals rust. yah, so when the tanks blow and you see the
hole you know not to use the oxy. until then, the rust simply sits on the
bottom of the tank to be picked up on the next visual.

rhys
Mike Painter - 07 Jan 2004 05:30 GMT
> > > Have been trying without success to find hard data on the safe storage
> > > life of oxygen in a steel tanks at 2,015PSI.
[quoted text clipped - 23 lines]
> hole you know not to use the oxy. until then, the rust simply sits on the
> bottom of the tank to be picked up on the next visual.

That's true but there would have to be moisture in the tank and that is very
rare in (medical) O2 tanks.
Perhaps whoever was concerned about this has heard the tale of the mythical
air tank that had no O2 in it because of rust.
It's a possibility and would prove fatal if used (But a good way to die
since you would be purging CO2)
If the same happened in an O2 tank it would take a lot longer but you could
still use the remaining O2.

It's a non issue for 99% of the users of oxygen as it rarely sits around
very long.
Lee Bell - 07 Jan 2004 07:05 GMT
> > Oxidation of tanks equals rust. yah, so when the tanks blow and you see
> >the hole you know not to use the oxy. until then, the rust simply sits on
the
> > bottom of the tank to be picked up on the next visual.

> That's true but there would have to be moisture in the tank and that is very
> rare in (medical) O2 tanks. Perhaps whoever was concerned about this has
heard the tale of the mythical
> air tank that had no O2 in it because of rust. It's a possibility . . .

I would expect the tank to rupture before it got to that point.  With O2,
even if it did happen this way, the problem would be hard to ignore since O2
that had combined with the metal would no longer be a gas and the pressure
guage would show the tank to be empty.

> It's a non issue for 99% of the users of oxygen as it rarely sits around
very long.

Actually, it's a non issue for all of them, or, more correctly, the same
issue for all of them.  Fill your tank today and purge and refill it in
three months, it's still full of oxygen and still oxidizing.

Lee
Achim Nolcken Lohse - 07 Jan 2004 07:13 GMT
....
>> > > Have been trying without success to find hard data on the safe storage
>> > > life of oxygen in a steel tanks at 2,015PSI.

...
>Perhaps whoever was concerned about this has heard the tale of the mythical
>air tank that had no O2 in it because of rust.
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
>It's a non issue for 99% of the users of oxygen as it rarely sits around
>very long.

Just checked my records, and find I've been storing this one for over
five years.  The pressure gauge reads 1800 psi.

Achim

axethetax
Scott - 07 Jan 2004 17:19 GMT
> Just checked my records, and find I've been storing this one for over
> five years.  The pressure gauge reads 1800 psi.

So it has been slowly leaking.

Analyze the gas.  If I was the one who bought it originally, and I know it
has been sitting there for 5 years, and it still has
1800 psi in it, I would use it.

Or, err to the side of prudence, dump it and blow another $25 and get a
fresh bottle.

Scott
Charlie Hammond - 07 Jan 2004 18:46 GMT
>> Just checked my records, and find I've been storing this [oxygen]
>>for over five years.  The pressure gauge reads 1800 psi.
>
>Analyze the gas. ...

What do you think it may have turned into?

Signature

     Charlie Hammond -- Hewlett-Packard Company -- Ft Lauderdale  FL  USA
         (hammond@not@peek.ssr.hp.com -- remove "@not" when replying)
     All opinions expressed are my own and not necessarily my employer's.

Scott - 07 Jan 2004 20:03 GMT
> What do you think it may have turned into?

This is a joke, right?
Charlie Hammond - 07 Jan 2004 21:09 GMT
>> What do you think it may have turned into?
>
>This is a joke, right?

No -- Althoug perhaps it was rhetorical.

The suggestion was to analyze the O2 in a steel cylinder
after some period of time.  My question was serious --
what other gas would you expect to find?

Unless some other gas or contaminant is introduced into the
cylinder, I would expect that only oxygen would be present.

Am I missing something?

Signature

     Charlie Hammond -- Hewlett-Packard Company -- Ft Lauderdale  FL  USA
         (hammond@not@peek.ssr.hp.com -- remove "@not" when replying)
     All opinions expressed are my own and not necessarily my employer's.

Chuck Tribolet - 07 Jan 2004 23:53 GMT
I agree.  Some O2 may be consumed oxidizing the tank, but there won't
be any gas but O2 in the tank.

Signature

Chuck Tribolet
triblet@garlic.com
http://www.almaden.ibm.com/cs/people/triblet

Silicon Valley: STILL the best day job in the world.

> >> What do you think it may have turned into?
> >
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
>
> Am I missing something?
Scott - 08 Jan 2004 02:27 GMT
> >> What do you think it may have turned into?
> >
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
>
> Am I missing something?

I don't mix or dive gas that I haven't analyzed.

I once got a bottle of He that was 19% O2.

I also once got a bottle of ABO that read 78%.

Scott
Achim Nolcken Lohse - 07 Jan 2004 23:42 GMT
>> Just checked my records, and find I've been storing this one for over
>> five years.  The pressure gauge reads 1800 psi.
>
>So it has been slowly leaking.

Not necessarily. I dimly recall being miffed that it wasn't properly
topped up when I got it, and I may have wasted a bit monkeying with
the regulator and mask. The pressure gauge may also be off, given it's
rather old (sold to me as surplus by the oxygen supply firm) and reads
to 5000 PSI.

>Analyze the gas.  If I was the one who bought it originally, and I know it
>has been sitting there for 5 years, and it still has
>1800 psi in it, I would use it.

That's my inclination too.

>Or, err to the side of prudence, dump it and blow another $25 and get a
>fresh bottle.

If I could do it for $25, I'd gladly get it refilled, if only to get
the full capacity of 2200 PSI. Unfortunately, there are some
obstacles:

1. the bottle was last hydroed (and plussed) in 1990, so it would need
a new hydro, and

2. I've been told you can't buy Oxygen anymore in Canada without a
medical prescription.

So I guess I'll make do with what I've got.

Achim

axethetax
Lee Bell - 08 Jan 2004 01:36 GMT
> 2. I've been told you can't buy Oxygen anymore in Canada without a
> medical prescription.

> So I guess I'll make do with what I've got.

So, welders have to be doctors?  OK, so doctors use O2.  So do aviators and
so do welders.  Neither needs a prescription.

Lee
Mike Painter - 08 Jan 2004 23:11 GMT
> > 2. I've been told you can't buy Oxygen anymore in Canada without a
> > medical prescription.
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> So, welders have to be doctors?  OK, so doctors use O2.  So do aviators and
> so do welders.  Neither needs a prescription.

True enough but if you walk into most wielding shops in the USA today with a
little green bottle and that stupid valve they will tell you they don't fill
medical O2 and that you should go to a medical supply shop.
Chances are they fill big bottles for that supply house.
The reason is the amount of paperwork required.
Lee Bell - 09 Jan 2004 00:28 GMT
> True enough but if you walk into most wielding shops in the USA today with a
> little green bottle and that stupid valve they will tell you they don't fill
> medical O2 and that you should go to a medical supply shop.
> Chances are they fill big bottles for that supply house.
> The reason is the amount of paperwork required.

You can run into the same thing walking into anyplace with one of those
green bottles.  Luckily, that's not the only way O2 is stored.  I have
medical O2 for my boat . . . oops, I have a scuba tank full of breathing air
that won't ever be used except by somebody that thinks he needs it for
medical reasons.  It's in a scuba tank, labeled O2 and has an O2 clean scuba
regulator, which means it's not much good for anybody who is not conscious.

I was simply responding to the "you can't buy" topic, not the issue of what
kind of bottle requires what kind of paperwork.

Lee
Mike Painter - 08 Jan 2004 01:39 GMT
> That's my inclination too.
>
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
> 2. I've been told you can't buy Oxygen anymore in Canada without a
> medical prescription.

The difference between medical O2 and industrial O2 is the paperwork.
If you can find a shop that mixes gas or an industrial shop that uses it and
has the filler that's the cheap way to go.

The other way is to find a Doc who will issue the prescription.
Just whisper when you go up to the desk....

I had a radiologist friend who dove and would occasionally go by his office.
I'd say I was there to see him about diving and would be immediately taken
to his work area. When I'd leave 20 - 30 minutes later the same people would
be sitting there and glaring. (Not that he stopped reading X-rays while we
talked but they didn't know that.)
Scott - 08 Jan 2004 02:28 GMT
> >> Just checked my records, and find I've been storing this one for over
> >> five years.  The pressure gauge reads 1800 psi.
[quoted text clipped - 27 lines]
>
> So I guess I'll make do with what I've got.

Use welding gas. It all comes from the same bottle.
Brian Nadwidny - 08 Jan 2004 21:29 GMT
> 2. I've been told you can't buy Oxygen anymore in Canada without a
> medical prescription.

You've been told wrong.

Brian
Edmonton, Alberta
www.mossmanscubaventures.com
Achim Nolcken Lohse - 10 Jan 2004 23:55 GMT
>> 2. I've been told you can't buy Oxygen anymore in Canada without a
>> medical prescription.
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
>Edmonton, Alberta
>www.mossmanscubaventures.com

Hmm. What's the world coming to when you can't trust a dive shop
owner? (same one who suggested a 3-6 month limit to storage).

BTW - you wouldn't know how I can get a copy of the Transport Canada
report on the tank explosion at Waterton a decade or so ago? I've
heard two very contradictory accounts, and would like to know the real
story. I still use a First stage modified by the fellow who was blown
apart.

Achim

axethetax
Brian Nadwidny - 11 Jan 2004 01:21 GMT
> Hmm. What's the world coming to when you can't trust a dive shop
> owner? (same one who suggested a 3-6 month limit to storage).

I would suggest to find a new shop.

> BTW - you wouldn't know how I can get a copy of the Transport Canada
> report on the tank explosion at Waterton a decade or so ago? I've
> heard two very contradictory accounts, and would like to know the real
> story.

I don't know where the official report is. I'm not sure what 2 stories
you heard because I've only ever heard the one where basically the tank
had the burst disk monkeyed with and the compressor had its'
overpressure relief mechanism compromised in some way and the operation
was left unattended during the filling process. I heard this when it
first happened and then again a few years later when I used to work for
a guy who did the examination on the compressor for the inquiry. You
could ask Daryl Cyr from DaSilva Travel for exactly what happened.

>I still use a First stage modified by the fellow who was blown apart.

Given his record with modifications, I doubt I would be using that
particular piece of kit.

Brian
Edmonton, Alberta
www.mossmanscubaventures.com
Achim Nolcken Lohse - 11 Jan 2004 19:16 GMT
...
>> BTW - you wouldn't know how I can get a copy of the Transport Canada
>> report on the tank explosion at Waterton a decade or so ago? I've
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
>first happened and then again a few years later when I used to work for
>a guy who did the examination on the compressor for the inquiry.

When I first heard the story, it was that someone else had started
filling the tank and left it unattended. The casualty then surfaced
from a dive, heard the compressor screaming, and rushed ashore to turn
it off just in time to have the tank blow up in his face. In that
account, the tank was aluminum.

Later accounts referred to double burst discs or the wrong type burst
disc in a steel tank.

I recently asked Darrin Barker at Aquasport in Calgary about it, and
his response was essentially that he knew all the details, that the
victim got a bad rap, and that I had no need to know more - "don't
worry, be happy" ....

I, on the other hand, now worry whether its possible for a technician
(like Darrin,say, who sold me a used steel tank not so long ago) to
accidentally put the wrong burst disc in my tank valve.

I mostly get my air fills from the local volunteer fire departments.
I've seen some major lapses of attention at the fill gauge, and they
don't always let me stand by to keep an eye on things.

In any case, I'm baffled because from my admittedly limited reading on
the subject, I didn't think a portable compressor could generate
enough pressure to rupture a sound tank, steel or aluminum, especially
at altitude.

So I'm still wondering:

1. was the tank aluminum or steel?

2. did it have a current hydro?

3. was it corroded or dented?

4. where did it burst?

5. what burst disc(s) was/were in it?

6. what model compressor was used?

7. what pressure did it reach/what pressure was the compressor capable
of at that altitude?

> You
>could ask Daryl Cyr from DaSilva Travel for exactly what happened.

Why is it so difficult to get the text of the official Transport
Canada report, or at least a summary?

>>I still use a First stage modified by the fellow who was blown apart.
>
>Given his record with modifications, I doubt I would be using that
>particular piece of kit.

Oops!

Its an old Voit Titan II, and I just had it serviced by Darrin. Got it
done in a rush for a recent trip to Cuba, and still haven't gotten
around to asking him why he removed the reserve lever. It's mighty
handy if your SPG fails.

Achim

axethetax
Brian Nadwidny - 12 Jan 2004 04:02 GMT
> On Sun, 11 Jan 2004 01:21:37 GMT, Brian Nadwidny <nadwidny@excite.com>
>
> I recently asked Darrin Barker at Aquasport in Calgary about it, and
> his response was essentially that he knew all the details, that the
> victim got a bad rap, and that I had no need to know more - "don't
> worry, be happy" ....

If it's really important to you, the guy to talk to is Jack Madro from
Subsea in Edmonton. He did the equipment investigation. Or like I said
Darryl Cyr from DaSilva (he was there and was injured in the incident).

Was Darrin even diving back then?

> In any case, I'm baffled because from my admittedly limited reading on
> the subject, I didn't think a portable compressor could generate
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
>
> 1. was the tank aluminum or steel?

Steel

> 2. did it have a current hydro?

Don't know.

> 3. was it corroded or dented?

Don't recall anyone saying that it was.

> 4. where did it burst?

Split open down the side IIRC.

> 5. what burst disc(s) was/were in it?

Double disked (again IIRC)

> 6. what model compressor was used?

Don't know

> 7. what pressure did it reach/what pressure was the compressor capable
> of at that altitude?

What would altitude have to do with anything? Also I believe the
estimate for when the thing blew was around 7500psi.

> Why is it so difficult to get the text of the official Transport
> Canada report, or at least a summary?

Personally I've never tried so I don't know. You'd have to ask them.

> Its an old Voit Titan II, and I just had it serviced by Darrin. Got it
> done in a rush for a recent trip to Cuba, and still haven't gotten
> around to asking him why he removed the reserve lever. It's mighty
> handy if your SPG fails.

A reserve lever on a 1st stage? Interesting. Never seen a beast like it.

Brian
Edmonton, Alberta
www.mossmanscubaventures.com
Achim Nolcken Lohse - 13 Jan 2004 21:44 GMT
>If it's really important to you, the guy to talk to is Jack Madro from
>Subsea in Edmonton. He did the equipment investigation. Or like I said
>Darryl Cyr from DaSilva (he was there and was injured in the incident).

Thanks, will see if I can contact them.

...
>> So I'm still wondering:
>>
[quoted text clipped - 27 lines]
>What would altitude have to do with anything? Also I believe the
>estimate for when the thing blew was around 7500psi.

Whew! I had the impression portable compressors had to struggle just
to fill to 3500psi. Have several times seen this given as a reason for
not buying high pressure steel tanks. I assumed the lower ambient
pressure at altitude would make this task significantly more
difficult.

Thanks very much for these details. They're fairly reassuring compared
to what I'd imagined.
....

>> Its an old Voit Titan II, and I just had it serviced by Darrin. Got it
>> done in a rush for a recent trip to Cuba, and still haven't gotten
>> around to asking him why he removed the reserve lever. It's mighty
>> handy if your SPG fails.
>
>A reserve lever on a 1st stage? Interesting. Never seen a beast like it.

The lever takes up one side of the first stage, so there's only a
single LP port, on the other side. This is probably why I was able to
pick it up cheap at a U of Calgary equipment swap twenty years ago.
This is also why I had to get a one-inch brass extension adapter for
the port, so I could fit a three-way connector for the two second
stages and the inflation hose. The LP extensions just barely clear the
knobs on my tank valves.

The 1973 edition of "Dive: the complete book of skin diving", by Rick
and Barbara Carrier, shows two similar 1st stages, the Aqualung Navy
Unit, and the Healthways Scubair "J". The "Complete Guide to
Snorkeling and Skin Diving", by Al Thompson, 1980, shows yet another
Aqualung 1st stage with a reserve valve, so I guess they were on the
market for a while.

BTW - have you come across any adapters that allow you to attach two
yoke-style first stages to a single tank?

These adapters are readily available in Germany, but only for DIN-type
connectors.

Achim

axethetax
Brian Nadwidny - 14 Jan 2004 02:27 GMT
> BTW - have you come across any adapters that allow you to attach two
> yoke-style first stages to a single tank?

Nope, never ran across one.

Brian
Edmonton, Alberta
www.mossmanscubaventures.com
Lee Bell - 14 Jan 2004 03:44 GMT
> > BTW - have you come across any adapters that allow you to attach two
> > yoke-style first stages to a single tank?
>
> Nope, never ran across one.

I would expect that a Y valve in 232 bar, i.e. with the A clamp slugs, would
do the trick.  I assume they're around.  Curtis?

Lee
Alan Street - 15 Jan 2004 01:54 GMT
>BTW - have you come across any adapters that allow you to attach two
>yoke-style first stages to a single tank?
>
>These adapters are readily available in Germany, but only for DIN-type
>connectors.

Scubapro sells a DIN H-valve that you can screw yoke adapters into.
Achim Nolcken Lohse - 16 Jan 2004 03:30 GMT
>>BTW - have you come across any adapters that allow you to attach two
>>yoke-style first stages to a single tank?
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
>
>Scubapro sells a DIN H-valve that you can screw yoke adapters into.

I'm looking for an adapter I can attach to filled tanks, so I can use
it on rental tanks as well as switching it between my own.

I haven't seen an H-Valve, but I'm assuming it screws directly into
the scuba tank like a Y-valve?

Achim

axethetax
Brian Nadwidny - 16 Jan 2004 07:11 GMT
> I'm looking for an adapter I can attach to filled tanks, so I can use
> it on rental tanks as well as switching it between my own.

What you're looking for probably isn't available (outside of Germany)
because it sounds like a huge CF that no manufacturer would touch with a
10 foot lawyer.

> I haven't seen an H-Valve, but I'm assuming it screws directly into
> the scuba tank like a Y-valve?

Yes

Brian
Edmonton, Alberta
www.mossmanscubaventures.com
Brian Nadwidny - 16 Jan 2004 17:30 GMT
> > I haven't seen an H-Valve, but I'm assuming it screws directly into
> > the scuba tank like a Y-valve?

Before the nitpickers get their panties in a knot, upon further
reflection I guess the more precise answer is "No". An "H" valve screws
into a somewhat specialized tank valve that has an side port on it for
things like H valves and manifolds or this port can be blanked off.

Brian
Edmonton, Alberta
www.mossmanscubaventures.com
Scott - 11 Jan 2004 16:42 GMT
> Hmm. What's the world coming to when you can't trust a dive shop
> owner? (same one who suggested a 3-6 month limit to storage).

The one who wants to sell you overpriced sh.t gear, fills and 02 cleaning?

Do you know how to tell that the guy is lying?

It's when his lips are moving.
Lee Bell - 07 Jan 2004 07:00 GMT
> The issue that the Chicken Little types have come up with is that the O2 is
> slowly degraded due to oxidation of the steel container.

Which is a problem only if the filtration system is not capable of removing
rust.

Lee
Jörg Kühnel - 07 Jan 2004 18:34 GMT
Achim Nolcken Lohse schrieb:

> Have been trying without success to find hard data on the safe
> storage life of oxygen in a steel tanks at 2,015PSI.
>
> Can anyone refer me to some authoritative source on this subject?
> Answers received so far from those who should know:

Hello Achim!

This is no hard data but anyway:

Here in Germany the government stores
some thousands of O2-tanks for decades
(for defence purposes or similar use i guess).

Since our government is very very much "on the safe side"
(or at least tries to be...) with (almost) everthing they do,
I guess there should be no problem at all with the O2 inside...

Me myself I have a O2-tank and O2-regulator I carry when going diving
just in case anything bad happens and I can help myself or other divers
´till the ambulance arrives .
It was last filled in 1968 (!) and still the O2 in it is in perfect condition
(I had it checked by a friend working in a hospital
- it even now still complied the german hospital standards...)

Just my personal two cents... 8))

HTH

Jörg
Signature

Ich glaube jedem, der die Wahrheit sucht.
Ich glaube niemandem, der sie gefunden hat.
(Tucholsky)

Achim Nolcken Lohse - 07 Jan 2004 23:42 GMT
On Wed, 7 Jan 2004 19:34:51 +0100, "=?ISO-8859-1?Q?J=F6rg_K=FChnel?="
<news@easydiver.de> wrote:

>Achim Nolcken Lohse schrieb:
>
>> Have been trying without success to find hard data on the safe
>> storage life of oxygen in a steel tanks at 2,015PSI.

...

>Hello Achim!
>
>This is no hard data but anyway:
>
>Here in Germany the government stores
>some thousands of O2-tanks for decades
...
>Me myself I have a O2-tank and O2-regulator I carry when going diving
>just in case anything bad happens and I can help myself or other divers
>?till the ambulance arrives .
>It was last filled in 1968 (!) and still the O2 in it is in perfect condition
...

Thanks Joerg, that's reassuring information.

Achim

axethetax
srspencer@hotmail.com - 08 Jan 2004 14:32 GMT
>Have been trying without success to find hard data on the safe storage
>life of oxygen in a steel tanks at 2,015PSI.
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
>
>axethetax

I can't say in US but in Canada.
If it's for life support one year. (WCB)
If it part of fire fighting system in a plant lets say it has to be
checked monthly and vip / gas changed yearly.
It needs to be vip'd once a year any way and hydro'd once every 5
years.

T
Achim Nolcken Lohse - 10 Jan 2004 23:55 GMT
>>Have been trying without success to find hard data on the safe storage
>>life of oxygen in a steel tanks at 2,015PSI.
[quoted text clipped - 18 lines]
>It needs to be vip'd once a year any way and hydro'd once every 5
>years.

Interesting. Something like the inert pharmaceutical products that
have to be turfed out after two years.

When did the 5-year hydro requirement come into effect? When my bottle
was filled in 98, it was already out of hydro for 8 years.

It seems to me that at one time steel oxygen cylinders only required
hydroing every ten years.

Achim

axethetax
Karl Denninger - 10 Jan 2004 04:25 GMT
>Have been trying without success to find hard data on the safe storage
>life of oxygen in a steel tanks at 2,015PSI.
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
>
>staff of oxygen refill station (1): no problem with indefinite storage

Commercial tanks of O2 have an "expiration" date - typically four years or
so in the future!

--
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