(800) 853-2651
SHOP NOW

Two gas cylinders out of date

3

37 chief

Well-known Member
I took my 125 cu ft oxygen cylinder for an exchange. The date was 2007. It was probably a over all right. I have two torch setups one at my shop, and one at my house. This was my spare empty tank. It's possible I have had it that long. I changed it out a few years ago, and had been setting empty. My 40 cu ft Nitrogen,C02 was 2015. It is out of date also. So the tank exchange cost me 25.00 each tank for a hydro test, plus the gas. My question is: what causes the cylinders to go bad, needing a pressure test every 5 years. Might be cheaper when the date is close to just exchange the oxygen tank for 22.00, and not pay the 25.00 hydro test also. Stan
 
Yes it is better to exchange them before they expire, if you can keep up with such things, I know I can't.

I have never had one come back as a fail. I think as long as the tank has been currently in use, kept inside, or had at least some residual pressure, real good chance it will pass.

What they don't want is something that has been damaged, left open outside, repurposed, or abused.

Imagine the consequences of contents being mixed, or an oxygen cylinder having oil in it!

I'm surprised they are as lax as they are!
 
(quoted from post at 17:59:55 03/09/21) I took my 125 cu ft oxygen cylinder for an exchange. The date was 2007. It was probably a over all right. I have two torch setups one at my shop, and one at my house. This was my spare empty tank. It's possible I have had it that long. I changed it out a few years ago, and had been setting empty. My 40 cu ft Nitrogen,C02 was 2015. It is out of date also. So the tank exchange cost me 25.00 each tank for a hydro test, plus the gas. My question is: what causes the cylinders to go bad, needing a pressure test every 5 years. Might be cheaper when the date is close to just exchange the oxygen tank for 22.00, and not pay the 25.00 hydro test also. Stan
Click to expand...
ou can get a pretty good re-fill by connecting a full large cylinder to smaller empty cylinder.
 
The Nitrogen, C02 tank I got today has only two years left. That's ok. I will leave the valve open soon and drain the tank. I have added a lot of Nitrogen, C02, and a little acetylene, and oxygen to my atmosphere already in the past. I know I'm not the only one who forgets to close valves. Stan
 
Seems the supplier I use dings me for a hydro test every time I swap tanks. These are owned tanks. I also have a couple oddball tanks that I have to send to be filled. Those I just get charged as needed.

One thing that will fail a tank is an arc strike from welding.
 
Each time a tank is filled it stretches a little, then shrinks as gas is drawn off. Eventually it is weakened to the point where it will rupture, but that probably takes hundreds if not thousands of fill cycles. There's also a risk of corrosion if air is allowed to enter an empty cylinder.
 
In my area of Indiana, no place will touch an owned cylinder. They only deal with cylinders they leased. So, I've never been charged a test fee, but I have to renew a lease every 5 years to the tune of $150+. And swap bottles at $35 per swap. Torch and welder gas is a scam in my area, which is a reason I bought an induction bolt heater, it has cut my torch use in half.
 
My question is: what causes the cylinders to go bad, needing a pressure test every 5 years.
Click to expand...

When an axle snaps on a wagon or some other piece of metal fails, you look at it and see that the surface of the break is partially rusted, and say, "It's been broke for a while, just took until now to finally give up."

That's what a pressure test is for. It's to check for any of those invisible cracks or defects that have been developing over time as the cylinder is stressed by being filled and emptied, gets accidentally dropped, or is scratched/gouged.

The odds are slim to none that there are actually any defects that will cause the tank to let go. However, a tank blowing up in your face is a bad day for you, and a good day for a personal injury attorney, and another bad day for the welding supply.
 
The last time I needed to heat metal to bend it I used my plasma cutter. I have a pilot arc torch and just hold it close enough to heat it without cutting it. It worked great.
 
yep, metal fatigue.
same reason they test and date scuba tanks and periodically inspect aircraft structural metal
 
I never got upset over hydro testing, it's just a safety thing and I am surprised it costs so little. The place that does my tanks paints them up nice and pretty too. Does anybody know if they check for solvent level in the Acetylene tanks?
 
(quoted from post at 09:36:58 03/10/21) I never got upset over hydro testing, it's just a safety thing and I am surprised it costs so little. The place that does my tanks paints them up nice and pretty too. Does anybody know if they check for solvent level in the Acetylene tanks?
Click to expand...
would certainly think so, 1) because of the potential danger if low & 2) it is simple to weigh.
 
American welding and gas, inc. Filled an old cylinder Arigas wouldn't touch.
1317 Popular street
812-235-8044
give them a call.
george
 
Chief, your co2 test is good for five years,they can and do rot out from the inside. The nitrogen,argon and oxygen are good for ten years. It makes no difference what the date says on the tank in your shop,(a tank that is thirty years out of test is legal to have, just not to refill till tested)but if it is out of test(month and year are stamped)no one in their right mind is is going take a chance on a DOT inspection and have an outdated tank in their just filled stack. Just because someone will want yo know how long a tank will last before is is junk. We have tanks that have a German swastika stamped in them,they were brought over after WWII,and we retest them as needed and use them. And yes, 1 arc strike one the side of a tank it is junk,think you can sand it down, it is still junk.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

F
There any Hobart experts out there?
Replies
10
Views
567
Fritz Maurer
F
stevieb49829
Update on a couple of related things
Replies
0
Views
524
stevieb49829
stevieb49829
D
Bad voltage regulator
2 3
Replies
53
Views
25K
Btzj02
Btzj02
T
Yanmar 2210d no gas coming out of the tank.
Replies
0
Views
504
winston-HT
W
C
A bit of useful info?
Replies
0
Views
186
Caryc
C
Tractor Parts Tractor Manuals

We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today.

Copyright © 1997-2024 Yesterday's Tractor Co.

All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of any part of this website, including design and content, without written permission is strictly prohibited. Trade Marks and Trade Names contained and used in this Website are those of others, and are used in this Website in a descriptive sense to refer to the products of others. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy TRADEMARK DISCLAIMER: Tradenames and Trademarks referred to within Yesterday's Tractor Co. products and within the Yesterday's Tractor Co. websites are the property of their respective trademark holders. None of these trademark holders are affiliated with Yesterday's Tractor Co., our products, or our website nor are we sponsored by them. John Deere and its logos are the registered trademarks of the John Deere Corporation. Agco, Agco Allis, White, Massey Ferguson and their logos are the registered trademarks of AGCO Corporation. Case, Case-IH, Farmall, International Harvester, New Holland and their logos are registered trademarks of CNH Global N.V.

Yesterday's Tractors - Antique Tractor Headquarters
Website Accessibility Policy

Back
Top