Did you need to take along an adapter of any kind?I went to a local welding supply store and they filled it for $22. no hassle, no questions. It's not an illegal gas for industry.
Did you need to take along an adapter of any kind?I went to a local welding supply store and they filled it for $22. no hassle, no questions. It's not an illegal gas for industry.
Most any gas/welding supply shop. If you want aviation approved, most places handle and fill it the same but give you the certificate. It used to cost me about $10 more for the certificate. In my certified planes, I even took my bottles to them for my 5-year check. I now live in TN and use Holston Gas, they have numerous branch stores.I’m sure I’m not the only RV’er to be frustrated by this but I’m having a heck of a time trying to get my portable oxygen bottle refilled at a reasonable price. It’s a small Mountain High AL-415 cylinder 14.7 cubic feet of oxygen at 2000 psi.
In the past a friend of mine generously filled it but his oxygen tanks are now low enough that the pressure output is insufficient to bring my tank to the full psi level. Using a medical oxygen refill station requires a prescription I’m told. Local welding oxygen suppliers won’t touch refilling an oxygen bottle used for breathing. FBO’s near me don’t have oxygen refill capability. The nearest place I’ve found is an airport maintenance shop about a 45 minute drive away and they want at least $50 to refill the small bottle. The drive plus recurring $50 refill cost every time I want to top my bottle off just seems like too much trouble.
Now I don’t use oxygen very often in my RV but I like to keep the bottle full for the unexpected trip. Due to age and an elevated diaphragm on one side, I tend to monitor my oxygen levels anytime I fly above 8000 feet and usually start supplementing my breathing with cannula oxygen around 8,500 feet.
Does anyone have a suggestion for a small oxygen bottle refill system that’s relatively inexpensive to purchase?
To clarify, oxygen supports combustion if something else is on fire in its presence, but oxygen itself is neither combustible nor explosive.Gents, PLEASE be careful with the do it yourself O2 fills. Oxygen is very combustible in the right environment and under pressure.
It costs me $8 to refill with my own O2 set up by leasing 2 large aviators oxygen bottles from Airgas.Gents, PLEASE be careful with the do it yourself O2 fills. Oxygen is very combustible in the right environment and under pressure.
first, even a brand new bottle of O2 is only shipped at 2200psi. The big ones will fill your little bottle about 4 times and Then you are filling at a lower and lower pressure each time. Oxygen is getting pretty expensive as well. The hardware (read adapters and hoses) are not all built the same either. Those eBay specials can kill you if they break under pressure. Find a scuba store and make some friends. Also- make sure you are getting straight O2 and not a mix $8 fill is way too cheap. An O2 fill with good aviators oxygen should cost you $15 or more. I wouldn’t be surprised at $25. I would charge at least that for a fill.
My understanding is there are only 2 grades of oxygen produced these days. So in a nutshell, medical, welding and ABO are the same. Probably the reason all medical applications include bubblers. I believe someone on VAF works at a plant that makes the stuff.Surprised that there's been no discussion of low humidity oxygen refills to avoid freezing the line....
Yes. Oxygen tends to be very drying to sensitive mucous membranes in the respiratory tract. Cheapest and most effective way to humidify the oxygen is to bubble it through sterile water.My understanding is there are only 2 grades of oxygen produced these days. So in a nutshell, medical, welding and ABO are the same. Probably the reason all medical applications include bubblers.
Oygen DOES require care in handling but not because it is combustible. In the presence of oils, grease, & even heavy make up or sunscreen we should be careful. O2 can promote auto ignition and cause severe burns. I witnessed an incident years ago in which a welder with some grease on his gloves hooked up a bottle and suffered hand burns and missed a few days of work. It would be a bad day if something like that happened in flight.Gents, PLEASE be careful with the do it yourself O2 fills. Oxygen is very combustible in the right environment and under pressure.
first, even a brand new bottle of O2 is only shipped at 2200psi. The big ones will fill your little bottle about 4 times and Then you are filling at a lower and lower pressure each time. Oxygen is getting pretty expensive as well. The hardware (read adapters and hoses) are not all built the same either. Those eBay specials can kill you if they break under pressure. Find a scuba store and make some friends. Also- make sure you are getting straight O2 and not a mix $8 fill is way too cheap. An O2 fill with good aviators oxygen should cost you $15 or more. I wouldn’t be surprised at $25. I would charge at least that for a fill.
Go to a good dive shop unless you live near a larger city and there you might find a welding shop that fills their own. Cost normally about 15 bucks a bottle.This topic on oxygen reminds me of an incident back, way back, when I first started using bottle oxygen. I took my brand new bottle down to the local welding shop and ask them to fill with aviation oxygen. They said they didn't have any aviation oxygen. I said I was a pilot (Mr. Obvious) and I needed aviation oxygen only. The young guy hollered for someone in the back and told him I needed only aviation oxygen. He laughed and looked me, leaned across the counter and said "Boy, oxygen be oxygen. Been filling at welding shops ever since . Dan from Reno
I will say that any Airgas can get you aviators oxygen and it isn’t too much more expensive then welders oxygen. They are probably the same but why not get the thing you are after if it’s easy?