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On Mon, 20 Jun 1994, Frank Deutschmann wrote:

> Harold Gartner sez:
> > Welding gas is the same except for the degree of flitration.
> 
> Just a nit: there are actually two other differences, one important:
> 1) Medical O2 is tracked by lot (production run numbers) (we don't
> generally care about this one)
> 2) Medical O2 tanks are completely blown down prior to refil; welding
> O2 tanks are simply topped
> 
> Because of this, I check all O2 mixes with an O2 meter, even 100% O2.
> This protects against someone accidentally backflushing Acetylene
> into a welding O2 tank....  Tasting the O2 is a good idea also -- be
> especially on alert for a strong garlic smell (acetylene).
> 
You omitted the option of aviator oxygen. It seems that in order for 
people who need medical O2 to get it covered it had to be a "prescription 
drug". So guess what the legislators did ? So in many places you need a 
doctors prescription to buy medical O2. Not so for aviator O2.
In and around Washington all the shops I talk to fill medical and welding 
from the same O2 source, just different manifolds.
I have had no luck in getting any shop to fill my cylinders, which 
incidentally are steel 72s. I also broke down and bought an oxygen 80 
which they will fill. A little unwieldy but it provides enough O2 for 2 
divers for a relatively long decompression.
If you are going to use a lot of O2, get your own O2 tanks and a transfer 
hose.
If you are in New York, Bob Raimo @ Enchanted Divers sells mix and has a 
Haskell to empty all his mix source tanks. 
Ronnie Bell
in Arlington Virginia

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