Identifying Oxygen/Acetylene Tanks

[adirondackmtnman]

I just bought a set that was many moons old...the last hydro date on the oxygen tank was in 1980, and they're due every 10 years, or when they're presented for refilling if it's been more than 10 years. The company I deal with charged $30 as well for the hydro, and they had to verify the serial number had never been reported stolen. Once you're set with your bottles, exchange them before the hydro date to avoid the test fee, its significantly cheaper to exchange. The acetylene bottles will never be good for filling with anything but acetylene, they're filled with a packing material which holds acetone, in which your acetylene is dissolved. If you're unsure how they've been treated, your best bet is to exchange them before using out of them, if any of the acetone has been drawn out, it can make the acetylene unstable...not "cheap" to exchange, but IMO worth it for safety.

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[paulharvey]

Ok, here's what I've found

Oxy tank #1 is ~7" x 45" to where cap would thread on. It says Union Carbide Linde Div. It has 10-72+ 10-85+ numbers, and UN1072 on sticker.

Oxy tank #2 is ~8.5" x 51" to where cap would thread on. It says "Property of National Cylinder Co" and has 5-56+ 6-61+ 7-65+ 8-76+ 9-60+ numbers and a 2A-8335.

Acetylene tank #1 is 5.5" x 18" and has no threads for a cap. It says "The BOC Group" and says "to be refilled at BOC gas authurized facility only". Googled it, and said BOC Gas was defunct in 2006. Also says Airco on paper sticker

Last Acetylene had nothing other than a part of a paper sticker saying acetylene.


Regulator says "Prest-O-Lite" and Torch says Smithfield Equipment.

 

[adirondackmtnman]

The X-XX numbers on your oxy tanks are hydrotest dates...those are some OLD cylinders. The first number is the month, second is the year.

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[adirondackmtnman]

I would take them all to your local gas supplier. Mine wouldnt even charge me if the hydrotest came back bad...worth a shot. The oxygen cylinders you've got are bigger than I can purchase anywhere around here, so they're definitely worth a hydro test

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[paulharvey]

Looks like a type-K and a type-S oxy tank per airgas size charts.

 

[Arc weld]

Do some phoning around first or go to the welding supplies(without the cylinders) and find out what size of cylinders you have. If it says Union Carbide, that's Praxair and they don't usually sell larger cylinders, only small ones up to about 80 cu. ft. Same thing goes for BOC that is now Linde. Yes it's confusing because the Linde is the same Linde as on the Union Carbide cylinder but they are 2 completely different companies. Linde was the first or one of the first to figure out how to separate air to get pure oxygen. I'm in Canada so there may be different rules where you are. Worst case is you need to take out a lease. Even if the cylinders weren't supposed to be sold, they might be useless to you. If that's then case, I've heard you can remove the valves and sell them to the scrap dealer. I wouldn't mess with an acetylene cylinder though. Just need to do some checking first. Sometimes cylinders are stamped COP-customer owned property.

 

[Ken45101]

For someone who's only gas welding experience is a micro map-oxy rig (used only to burn bolt holes in 16 ga) , would propane or acetylene be better to learn on, cutting, heating, and possible brazing?

Edit: I know I need to look at multifuel hoses, but I think I will need hoses anyways, are they significantly more money?

There is not a big difference is price, if any.

In my limited experience, acetylene is easier to use than propane, but that could just be my inexperience. People say propane is cheaper, which is true, but it uses more oxygen. A 20# barbecue tank will outlast a 128 cu ft oxygen tank

The big problem with acetylene is the limits on withdrawal from a acetylene tank severely limits what you can do with a smaller tank. (Safety limits acet to 1/7 per hour.) With that small acetylene tank you have, you will probably be limited to cutting thin material. Likewise, using it for heating will be very limited.

 

[BukitCase]

Actually Ken, the new recommendations are even more cautious -

Fuel your safety knowledge - Safety Tech Cell - TheFabricator.com

I bought my A/O stuff when the 1/7 rule was still gospel - even then, I had to get the smallest rosebud Victor made at the time, and the LARGEST single tank (size 5) in order to stay below the 1/7 rule.

In 30 years, I've not had a hose problem staying below 1/7, although in all fairness I don't use the rosebud very often... Steve

 

[paulharvey]

The pictures I took of the tanks.

 

[dstig1]

There is not a big difference is price, if any.

In my limited experience, acetylene is easier to use than propane, but that could just be my inexperience. People say propane is cheaper, which is true, but it uses more oxygen. A 20# barbecue tank will outlast a 128 cu ft oxygen tank

The big problem with acetylene is the limits on withdrawal from a acetylene tank severely limits what you can do with a smaller tank. (Safety limits acet to 1/7 per hour.) With that small acetylene tank you have, you will probably be limited to cutting thin material. Likewise, using it for heating will be very limited.

I can say you will use at least 3 of that size O2 tanks, and STILL not be out of a fresh 20# propane tank. Then it went over to grill duty and kept going for quite a while there too... This was all cutting torch work too, so that is the worst case for O2 use.