I've done a bit of research over the past few days, too. One local industrial gas supplier is AIRGAS. I can order Aviators' oxygen from them. They do not keep it in stock. Price is $62 for a 200 cubic ft. sized refill (actually a cylinder trade, empty for full), not including the cylinder.
Rather than use welding oxygen, some may want to spend that $62 rather than the $31 welding O2 costs and have the piece of mind that comes with knowing that the aviators oxygen can be tracked by lot # and you can get a certificate of analysis for it if requested. That is what I was told the difference is. They do not normally provide paperwork unless asked for here, because they have to get it from their distributor. I does not come with the shipment. Disclaimer: I'm not sure they can't do this with all of their gas cylinders no matter what the content. In today's litigious society it would seem like a good idea.
They also sell veterinarian oxygen. So, I talked to my vet nephew after church, today. He doesn't use enough quantity to buy the big cylinders. What he uses is about the same size as what most of us have in our planes. I asked him if there was any difference between it and medical O2 and he said none that he knew of but if I try it and start mooing I couldn't blame him! Anybody else want to volunteer?
I am managing a small airport so I checked around the web on what I could install a fill system for and found these links with system prices.
http://www.deltaoxygensystems.com/id115.html
and
http://aviationoxygen.com/aviation-o...e-systems.html
It would never pay to have even the smallest fill system unless you have traffic that used oxygen. I've never even had one request for an oxygen fill in the 4 years I've been manager. Well except for one unnamed RV'er. There is only one other piston airplane on our field besides mine that is equipped with oxygen. The jets and turbo-props are pressurized and their emergency bottles are serviced elsewhere.
p.s. If you want to hear some horror stories about breathing the wrong gas, catch me at Oshkosh. In a previous life I worked at a chemical refinery where we separated gases via cryogenics. You can also ask me at Osh what I use in my RV7 oxygen bottle...
Joe
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