>I agree with David. I had a small set and was always frustrated with
>the lack of capacity. The problem with the larger tanks, at least in my
>area (Wash. D.C.) is that many welding supply shops have strict rules
>about refills. In my case, the original supplier went out of business,
>and when I took the tanks to another place they would not refill them as
>I hadn't made my original purchase there. I finally found a shop that
>would refill them, but it was a hassle. I also was told to be careful
>with the dates on the tanks that you own as the tank that's given to you
>refilled in exchange for yours can have a date that has expired and so
>you cannot have that tank refilled next time and may be forced to buy a
>new tank. Always have the tanks you own refilled, not swapped with
>others.
>
>I'd love to hear more about this date business on the tanks--anyone.
>
All DOT-spec tanks are required to be requalified periodically. (For
most bottles, it's a visual inspection and a hydrostatic pressure
test, though ultrasonic testing is becoming more common.) How often
depends on the tank type, and what's stored in it. For DOT 3AA
bottles (which is what the vast majority of welding O2, Ar, and He
cylinders are) it's every five years -- but most welding bottles
qualify for a special 10 year interval, if they're removed from a
gang, rack or vehicle and are hit with a hammer (really!) before each
refilling. DOT 3 cylinders (acetylene tanks, mostly) are every five
years. The month and year of the last test is stamped on the bottle.
For 3AA cylinders, there's almost always two additional markings as
part of the date stamp. A + sign, indicating that the bottle can be
overfilled by 10% (I
ve never seen a bottle without one of these); and a five pointed
star, which indicates that the bottle gets the 10 year retest
interval.
Tanks past the re-qualification interval can't be refilled or offered
for transportation. If they were filled before the expiration of the
interval, they can be offered for transportation. The rules on tank
ownership vary from state to state. Some states title bottles, and
you can't get them refilled without showing the title. Some states
don't. Around here, most suppliers will take a bottle with anyones
ownership ring on it, and give you a filled one with theirs on it. I
don't know if they trade the bottles they get with the suppliers they
belong to, or if they just swap the rings. In some areas, suppliers
won't touch a bottle that doesn't have their neck ring on it.
David
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