Mailing List Archive

Mailing List: techdiver

Message Display

In a message dated 96-11-15 00:26:01 EST, you write:

<< When buying this O2 from the welding shops as aviator O2 how can you
ensure the quality of the O2?
  >>

Mako,

You don't buy oxygen from welding shops. You buy oxygen of any grade from a
Gas Supply House, many of which are suppplied by the gas purveyors, IE:
Liquid Carbonic, Air Liquide, Linde, etc.....

True many gas houses supply welders and welding shops but most do a
significantly more business with hospitals and hospital supply companies. 

Oxygen is avaiable in 3 grades.

Industrial (ie: for welding )
Aviators (low moisture content)
Medical (requires perscription in some areas and by quantity)

The main significant differecne in these cylinders is not the gas it the
handleing of the cylinder.

A welding O2 cylinder since it is ASSUMED that it will not be for breathing
can be refilled ON TOP of what is in it. There is a chance, albiet small that
some acetelyne MAY have back flowed into that cylinder due to a bad check
valve on the welding rig. It has no affect on welding but could if you
breathed it at depth.

Medical and Aviators Grade Oxygen are handled more meticulously.  When a
cylinder is returned for recharging the cylinder is emptied REGARDLESS of how
much is in it and is further emptied to a vaccuum. There by eliminiating the
possiblity of ANY gas being in the cylinder at time of refilling.  These
cylinders are then labeled ot tagged, serial marked and if you like a purity
report will be provided to you as to the exact percentage of oxygen (usually
99.??).

These procedures are not arbitrary they are set by the CGA compressed gas
association.

I buy oxygen all the time from a gas house here in NY --- usually 10 large
cylinders at a time -- medical grade -- no perscription --- they deliver and
pick up and its about $20 per cylinder. We then will use it for filling our
training bottles (cpr/first aid stuff) trans filling our O2 scuba deco
bottles, and hauling the full cylinders on the boat for Oxygen deco with
whips over the side.

If its gonna go into your body dont chintz out buy the stuff you need. If you
have NO OTHER choice than to get industrial grade O2 do it with caution.

Good Luck

Joel Silverstein

Navigate by Author: [Previous] [Next] [Author Search Index]
Navigate by Subject: [Previous] [Next] [Subject Search Index]

[Send Reply] [Send Message with New Topic]

[Search Selection] [Mailing List Home] [Home]