Oxygen cylinders?

[N729LS]

Wasn't sure where to post this, but the classifieds are the most read, so...
I recently acquired a transfill adapter for my portable O2 bottle and now need to get a large oxygen cylinder for the source. Anyone have some advise on where to get such, and just what to get?

• Is industrial oxygen OK, or do I really need to get aviator's oxygen?
• What size bottle is reasonable? 150CuFt?
• Should I buy a bottle or rent?

Notes: I don't go into the flight levels and keep the portable bottle in the cockpit, so I am not worried about freeze-ups. I would expect to refill not more than 1/year.
Thanks,
Andy

[Untainted123]

It's been discussed in a couple other threads on here already, but if you work your way through these articles, you will have a pretty good idea of what you need. Basically, if you have the "small" setup for in the plane, get the biggest one you can afford or store for the "big" setup to fill from in the hangar. Usual safety caveats apply, but I have found it hard to work around the "medical" oxygen cartel and so went with the smallest "welders" oxygen tank that they would exchange without questions (ie, CGA540), and pieced the rest together from eBay. If you are really worried, try running it and breathing it for a few hours at your desk, if you keel over, it was the wrong gas

https://www.kitplanes.com/homebuilt-o2/

https://www.avweb.com/features/pelic...elders-oxygen/

[Norman CYYJ]

Get note from your doctor for oxygen, no problems then navigating around the medical supply companies.

[swjohnsey]

Originally Posted by N729LS

Wasn't sure where to post this, but the classifieds are the most read, so...
I recently acquired a transfill adapter for my portable O2 bottle and now need to get a large oxygen cylinder for the source. Anyone have some advise on where to get such, and just what to get?

• Is industrial oxygen OK, or do I really need to get aviator's oxygen?
• What size bottle is reasonable? 150CuFt?
• Should I buy a bottle or rent?

Notes: I don't go into the flight levels and keep the portable bottle in the cockpit, so I am not worried about freeze-ups. I would expect to refill not more than 1/year.
Thanks,
Andy

I bought a new 80 cf bottle off ebay for around $200 and a transfill adaptor for another $62. I use industrial oxygen. You can swap bottles or request to get your bottle back. Big bottles are hard to handle.

[RV7A Flyer]

How many times do we have to say this? *All oxygen (other than laboratory grade) is the same*.

Welder's, industrial, medical, aviator's, whatever...it all comes out of the same tank, and yes, they all meet the mythical aviator's oxygen spec.

[airguy]

Originally Posted by RV7A Flyer

How many times do we have to say this? *All oxygen (other than laboratory grade) is the same*.

Welder's, industrial, medical, aviator's, whatever...it all comes out of the same tank, and yes, they all meet the mythical aviator's oxygen spec.

This is absolutely true today, in America anyway. 30-40 years ago that was not the case, but now it is. The only economic way to make oxygen now in the civilized world is the cryogenic process, which makes very pure oxygen and is used for all purposes other than special lab work. The hospitals get filled up from the same LOX truck that the welding supply houses use. Any plant not using the cryogenic process has long since gone out of business.

[climberrn]

Locally, the tank rental is about $10 per month per tank for the 260CF. Purchase was $300 per tank. Made more sense to purchase outright in the long run. 260CF are the only size the welding supply (locally) deals with, since they don’t fill them on site. About $35 per tank exchange, full. With 2 tanks can get many fills, especially if you settle for a lower PSI, like 1200. Local FBO fill was $55, and filled the 2000PSI tank to 1800. Only did that once.

When you get the tanks, less information is better. If they press you, it can be for an Oxy-Acetylene setup. Was asked to leave the local air gas two separate times when I mentioned aviation oxygen.

[RV7A Flyer]

Originally Posted by climberrn

When you get the tanks, less information is better. If they press you, it can be for an Oxy-Acetylene setup. Was asked to leave the local air gas two separate times when I mentioned aviation oxygen.

That only shows how ignorant they are of their products, but it's in line with all the other businesses that get nervous when someone mentions "aircraft" (HD, Lowe's, auto parts stores, you name it). They don't need to know any more than the color of my money. If pressed, it's for Nunya. Nunya business.

[Ed_Wischmeyer]

I got a fiberglass (or something like it) from Mountain High, years ago. Lighter than metal.

Used it to and from AirVenture, peacefully cruising above the clouds...

[scard]

I have somewhere around 10 cylinders of various "process gasses" at multiple locations. We own all of them as opposed to lease just for accounting simplicity. I guess, if our shop was going through a pallet of welding gas per day, that would be different.

Being a flat lander, anytime I'm above 9k' for more than an hour, I turn on the good stuff. We spend so much time at 14.5k' with the -9 wing, I can't imagine being without it, or worrying about conserving. I love my Mountain High pulse demand.

Then there is the hydro cert... Nobody out in the world will touch it if it is out of date. I've used the local wholesale fire extinguisher service co. with great success for hydro.