Getting O/A tanks filled - no papers

[Pooh_Bear]

I have a neighbor that has a set of O/A tanks.
They were given to him years ago by a widow friend of his.
They had belonged to her husband and she had no use for them.
I saw them laying out behind his shed and asked him about them.

He said I could use them if I could get them filled (exchanged).
But he has no papers for them.
And with no papers for them nobody will fill them.
I'm sure they also need to be hydrostatically tested.
That used to cost about $20 per tank. Don't know what it is now.

How can I get papers for these or how can I get them filled.
Who will fill them without papers.

I am in the Chattanooga area (Dunlap) if that helps.

Thanks.

Pooh Bear

 

[RonR]

Around here, I don't think you can get them filled (actually exchanged) without a lease.

Years ago, I bought an O/A cutting torch set at auction. It was announced that the unit included the 15 year balance of a 20 year bottle lease, that was transferable. Figuring in the lease value, I got the torch set for about $30.

The auction house gave me a letter of sale with the person's name on it. Took that to the O/A supply company and they re-issued the 15 yr lease to me, no cost.

I'd go ask the person who owned them if he had a lease and with whom. If there is a balance of time left, it should be transferable.

Best wishes,
ron

 

[Freds]

The tanks I used to deal with were imprinted with the gas co's name. Different places filled different tanks. You could look for that name (Raimy for example) and see if one of your welding supply shops handles those tanks.
They usually keep pretty good track of their tank's leases and will have approached the original owner/leasee if the lease had expired for either the tanks back or $$.

 

[mark1]

Around here usually you buy the first set up,but when ever I have brought my tanks in for exchange they just give me another tank without ever looking up if I was the owner or not. and I pay the refilling fee.however they all do have RWC on the tank and it's usually 2-3 years at a time so no one remembers me? And I'm sure I couldn't find any of the papers I originally purchases it so if you can figure out what company services your tanks go for it!

 

[AntrimMan]

I don't need any papers either. Cash is good enough paper at the welder supply center I visit.
The hydro is covered whether you own or lease, it's included in the original contract as long as you get the cylinders from the welder supplier. If you buy online I think you are on your own for hydro's every five years (I think) from the last insp date stamped on the cylinder..
Diffferent gas companies use different cylinders and will not exchange theirs for others.
I have a plumbers torch set-up on a 45cu ft acetylene cylinder that I bought from a dead man's son for $40 complete, without any papers at all, about 20 years ago. It isn't empty yet and if I need it filled before I die I will give it a try, it's not from the same company I currently buy gas from.
Are you sure everybody want's papers? Take them around and see if someone will service you and please report back so we all know.
Best of luck,
Martin

 

[Pooh_Bear]

I went thru this same problem back in the late 1980's.
My Dad had bought a set of full tanks from an individual. No papers.
He had got the tanks back in the early 70's, about 72 I think.
We didn't use them much, but eventually the oxygen tank ran out.
I tried to get them filled then. But with no papers no one would touch them.
I finally found one place that let me do the exchange but I had to sign a paper saying I owned it.
And I had to pay for a hydro test.
That place has moved since then I don't remember the name of the place.
I'm not even sure they are in business any longer.

At the time I called around asking about tanks.
I could buy a set of tanks outright with papers and could get anyone to fill them.
Or one place would lease the tanks to me for 10 years but then only they could do the exchange.
If I owned the tanks I would be responsible for hydro testings.

I was told the local co-op here would fill them with a bill of sale.
Can I just get my neighbor to write me out a bill of sale for the tanks.

I got a TSC catalog and it says in it they will do an exchange if I acknowledge ownership of the tanks. Wonder what they mean by that. Do I need papers or I just need to sign something saying I own the tanks.

Guess I need to make some phone calls for this.

Thanks.

Pooh Bear

 

[cleatus]

Bought a lifetime lease 25yrs ago and have never had to show papers. I have used 8 or 10 different welding suppliers in this time and one of them even swaped for standard bottles. The only thing I ever told any of them was that I had purchased a lifetime lease and they exchanged bottles.

 

[cleatus]

As a transplanted Tennassean from Dyersburg, I have to say that somethings do seam to be easier in Tejas. I been here since Christmas day 1961, so if asked I now say I'm a Texeeian.

 

[Berniep]

Check the ring of metal just under the safety cap threads. If there is a company name there they are or were probably leased from that company. When I bought my mig gas tank the prices, leases, test charges varied greatly within even the one company (several outlets) I was looking at. The dealer I used sold me the tank outright and said if I exchanged it with him I would never have to pay the test fee. He also said if I exchanged it with someone else to make sure that the ring did not have a company name on it (in the metal, not talking about paint here)
So check several places even if they have the same company name.

 

[Gravy]

PoohBear,

Around here (SW Virginia) the local TSC swaps 'em out no questions asked. I've never had any papers with my tanks, and havent had a problem with any welding suppliers.

Dave

 

[wroughtn_harv]

Some tanks belong to the dealer. Those can never be bought or sold legitimately.

I've got a long history with my supplier. We trust each other. I've got a pretty good supply of bottles over the years. What has happened is a customer or business has asked me if I wanted some bottles that were in their way for some reason or another.

Some of them have been lease bottles which means the owner got them back. But some of them were privately owned and those became mine.

Like I said we trust each other. If I bring them in they know I've got them legitimately. And if they say they're lease bottles I know they aren't stealing my find but doing what's right.

Trading out bottles with TSC is like buying my propane at HD.

I could do it. But why?

 

[MMM]

Red Ball (Lincoln) won't fool with anything but their own bottles and usually look you up on computer for lease. I've got 4 "National Gas" bottles from Dallas area I can't fill.

 

[hobbyfarm]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( How can I get papers for these or how can I get them filled.
Who will fill them without papers.
)</font>

Here in TEXAS, they don't care about such things as papers.
("papers, we doneed no stinkin papers")

I've never run into that problem here. Auction, stolen, lost & found or otherwise, I've never seen the guys here ask for that. You simply exchange them for a new bottle, no questions asked.

Asking for papeles, give me a break. That's asking way too much.

 

[Pooh_Bear]

I asked about it at TSC recently.
The guy there said they would exchange them without papers.
But the date on the tanks had to be current.
He said they wouldn't touch them if they were out of date.

So where can I get the hydro test done so they will be in date.

Pooh Bear

 

[hobbyfarm]

I don't know if you've ever seen them fill these tanks.

They use what looks like an Olympic-size pool and the tanks are actually filled underwater. Any leaks become quickly apparent as bubbles in the water. As far as I know, all the highly compressed gasses are filled this way.

 

[Gravy]

Harv,

I hadn't even thought about the lease angle, etc. I've always owned my tanks.

As for using TSC: it may seem like heresy to say it, but I get better and more reliable service there than from my locally owned welding supply. Said local welding supply has more than once told me "we're out of acetylene" (or 1/8" 6011 rods, or...) but we should be getting some in a week or so".

TSC also open on weekends, and is more conveniently located for me.

Another classic case of YMMV, I'd say.

Dave

 

[AlanB]

Simplex Grinnell fire systems in Nashville is the closest hydro facility I know to you.

You can probably also have a real welding supplier exchange them and pay a bit extra and have in date tanks.

 

[AntrimMan]

For hydro testing the first place to start is a gas supplier. They will have a source and hopefully it can just be an additional charge added to the swap price. Walk in empty, pay, walk out filled. If they insist on doing the hydro to those particular bottles that you bring in, and they fail, you are out of luck, you pay up-front and the failed bottle is not returned, and no refunds.

The next place to ask about a hydro is a fire extinguisher servicing company, they have a source.

After that I would ask a scuba dive center where to get a hydro done, they are mandatory every 5 years, cost around $30 for an aluminum 80.

Finally I would go to a fire station and ask them where they get their scott air-pak's hydro'd.

Just be sure of one thing.... with a current hydro do you have a gas supplier willing to swap the bottle. If TSC say's they will then you are good to go, just be certain.

Here is something that the dive centers alway do when filling a scuba cylinder... they crack the valve and if there is no hiss they won't fill it without examining the inside for moisture contamination, just a point of interest but I have not seen this same behaviour at the welding gas supplier. Strange, since compressed O in the presence of H2O is a serious oxidizer.

Here is a pic of an out of date hydro test, 9 (symbol) 83 c, the symbol in the middle is the mark of the person or company who did the test, the rest is the date of manufacture or test date, the actual stamping may vary slightly, person to person, but always includes the month and year and is stamped near the neck.

I'm all done rambling. Thanks for your patience, I hope this helps you Pooh Bear.


All the best,
Martin