Shipping compressed gas cylinders

[Cord]

After I purchased my used welder on-line the seller asked if I would be taking the gas cylinder. None of the pictures show the cylinder and it's not in the listing so I didn't know the sale came with a cylinder. I can see the wear marks on the welder stand and it would appear a 8 or 9" cylinder was used. I'd guess argon. I'm having the welder shipped LTL so I asked the seller to use the welder one last time to document it's functionality prior to shipping and then to open the valve and empty the cylinder. I asked that he then cap the cylinder with the valve open and to put a piece of tape on the cylinder which says "Empty, valve is open". Do you see any problems shipping something like this?

Found this on a shipping website:

Are all calibration gases dangerous goods?
Yes. Each different type of calibration gas is contained inside a cylinder at a high pressure. This pressure represents a potential danger, as well as the danger of the gases themselves. Once a cylinder is empty, or near to empty, it may no longer be classified as dangerous goods. Typically, the cut-off point is 200kpa (29psi or 2BAR).

 

[Tractor Seabee]

You do not want to have the valve open at any time w/o regulator even if empty. They will get contaminated. To refill they than have to go through a special vacuum out process. All compressed gases are completely clean and dry. Full cylinders are shipped by motor freight all the time. The truck has to be placarded properly for the gas carried. Check with your shipper for any special procedures. Valves tightly closed and valve caps screwed on tight. They have to be hauled upright and tied down securely. Legally that applies when hauling in your pickup around town. Not heavily enforced. Acetylene is especially needs to be secured upright to prevent the acetone distributed within the filler from separating out.

Ron

 

[bigdeano]

I bought a tank of balloon helium. It just came regular UPS in a box. I measured the pressure. I think it was 250 psi.

Edit. I just looked at the box and says hazardous materials papers enclosed. I wouldn't think an empty tank would require anything special.

 

[Cord]

For the record, even with the cylinders empty, the shipping company refused to pick up the pallet without a hazmat label.

 

[bigdeano]

I guess they get more money with the hazmat label on it? Thanks for the update.

 

[sandman2234]

I bought a tank of balloon helium. It just came regular UPS in a box. I measured the pressure. I think it was 250 psi.

Edit. I just looked at the box and says hazardous materials papers enclosed. I wouldn't think an empty tank would require anything special.

So that would mean that an empty tanker truck is not required to have placards once he has dropped his loads of fuel? If it has EVER had any Hazmat material in it, your going to have to certify that it is free and clear, and who do you know that will certify it, rather than just make the o/p pay for HAZMAT material rates? My money is on the cylinder being required to be shipped as HAZMAT, and from what I am about to guess at, probably cheaper to buy a cylinder near you than have that one shipped if it is any distance at all. However... I might be wrong!!
I do know I hauled a Acetylene bottle from Atlanta to Vicksburg because the buyer couldn't get it shipped for any reasonable amount of money. I was going to Arkansas and he paid me well for going out of my way.
Best bet is to find someone going your way from there and have them haul the cylinder. Check the local hauling boards, and good luck!
David from jax

 

[bigdeano]

Just seems silly to me that an empty argon cylinder would be hazardous, since we breath it with every breath. But I don't make the laws.

 

[yomax4]

Never used is ok to ship. Once used not so much. Right or wrong. I've also tried.

 

[OkieDave]

Just seems silly to me that an empty argon cylinder would be hazardous, since we breath it with every breath. But I don't make the laws.

It's not the gas, it's the pressure--there's a huge amount of energy stored in compressed gases, even inert gases. As to why they won't take it, would you want the liability? Can you be absolutely certain the cylinder is empty, and not sitting on a broken valve that won't open? And that's before we consider its previous contents (do you really know what was in there?).

Gas cylinders get carried outside the vehicle for a reason (several, actually, including the possibility of asphyxiation as well as acute toxicity), and a lot of shippers just aren't equipped to carry them (or have appropriate insurance).

 

[crazyal]

The problem is that truck drivers aren't certified to verify if a cylinder is empty and not of any danger. A passenger jet crashed in the Everglades because some put out of date fuel cells in a box and someone else labeled them as empty. They got loaded on a plane and the rest is history. Drivers know that if something happens they are going to be visited by people with badges asking lots of questions.