Re-Certifying oxy acetylene tanks in FL

[JNB]

I have 2 expired tanks, took them to be refilled. The store refused to fill them - thats okay. They also refused to recertify them. They were expecting me to buy new tanks from them. I live in West Palm in Fl. Is there a requirement for the shops to recertify at a cost? Does anyone know where I can recertify the tanks without the sales pitch for new tanks? I just finished using the gas in the tanks which were included in the deal on a property in NJ that my brother bought.

Thanks for any info.

 

[BillBeyer]

Sounds like they are lease tanks and you do not have the lease in your name. I own mine and just exchange them as needed with full tanks. I do have a large oxygen lease tank that I use on my propane cutting rig but a friend of mine gets it exchanged for me because I do not have a lease in my name.

 

[2458n]

Depends on the dealer. We have one in town that pushes you to lease the tanks. They will not sell you a tank even if you try to buy. Always pushing you to have the tank inspected and require you to wait a week when refilling a tank that you have a bill of sale for. Purchased a wire welder from them and have regreted the service ever since.The other dealer in town allowed me to purchase my tanks 30 years ago and has been exchanging tank for tank ever since. If you do not have a bill of sale you are usually out of luck. In Ohio the tanks that are sold to an individual have a smooth collar on top of the cylinder-leased will usually have something casted on the top of the cylinder. When buying a cutting outfit at a auction you usually are just getting the gauges and torch. Auctioneer will throw in the tanks becuse of the resulting hassles. Shop a couple of dealers and see what their take is on inspection ,trades , etc.

 

[Willl]

Ditto on the dealer. Grab the yellow pages and find somebody that will work with ya.

Do you own the tanks ?

 

[JNB]

No markings of any kind on the tanks. I guess I own them. I will try other dealers and see what happens.

 

[Mark @ Everlast]

JNB,
I can't promise you anything, mind you, but I have a dealer in Hollywood down there that is quite large and overall pretty decent guys. They may be able to help you out, still even after you tell them I sent you.

Otto, or Gilley, Florida Gas Welding Supply

 

[Jim in ICT]

If you can, go directly to a major gas distributor and don't both with a dealer. Some of the majors have grown through aquiring other distributors and are used to handling odd or out of date cylinders. Possibly get a transfer of ownership, or a bill of sale from your brother to show ownership. A major that fills their own cylinders sets their own policies and may have more flexibility to work with you.
Around here, if you can show ownership and the cylinders don't have another dealer's name on the neck ring, you can generally get them exchanged and pay a fee to have your cylinders hydrotested for them to be exchanged again.

 

[sandman2234]

What size are the tanks? Cubic feet should be marked, as well as the last hydro date. Just because there is no name, doesn't make it an owner or a lease tank. Some sizes are both, and a prefix code gives the answer. Do you know the last company to fill it?
David from jax

 

[Gary Fowler]

I had some that needed recertifying and just took them to my local welding supply in Hot Springs Ark. THey charged me a recert fee (nominal dont recall the exact fee but less than $50 per tank) then they exchanged my tanks for their tanks, set me up an account and away I went with new tanks. I had 2 oxygen and one acetylene. The acetylene didnt require recert only the O2. I had bought these from a guy in Dallas. Had no problems at all and they didnt ask me to buy any or lease any.

 

[yomax4]

Every High Pressure welding tank has the last hydrostatic test date stamped into the shoulder of the tank. It will be follwed by a + sign that means it is good for 5yrs before needing another test. If it has a + and a Star, It is good for 10 yrs. Check that 1st before paying for another test. If you find an independant distributor they have less rules and will often send your tanks in for hyrdrotest and fill. The downside is waiting a week to get them back. Last I remember it was $30 to test a tank. Some other independants will just swap tanks and not worry about it. They enjoy the gas business.

 

[Soundguy]

i'd find a place that will swap them.. many places that have thouroughbred gas cylinders ( gas pony ).. they will swap your owner tanks for their gaspony tanks.. there is a 1 time fee for the swap.. it's not bad.. like 19$ per tank. after that you are good..

soundguy

 

[shade tree welder]

The other dealer in town allowed me to purchase my tanks 30 years ago and has been exchanging tank for tank ever since. If you do not have a bill of sale you are usually out of luck. In Ohio the tanks that are sold to an individual have a smooth collar on top of the cylinder-leased will usually have something casted on the top of the cylinder.

Ditto on the dealer. Grab the yellow pages and find somebody that will work with ya.

Do you own the tanks ?

Some other independants will just swap tanks and not worry about it. They enjoy the gas business.

Laws in states vary some, mostly LWS rules are the biggest problem. I own
all my cylinders I have titles for all of them, we have titles in Illinois. I just
swap them at my local LWS. Most mine have smooth neck rings and the LWS
swaps them with smooth when in stock but as long as I have titles it really
does not matter. Airgas will not refill/swap my cylinders, so they do not get
any of my business. The other independents will; but cannot beat SJ Smith's
pricing so I stick with them, and the free delivery is alwasy nice. I do have
to pay a hydro charge every 10 years on the tanks to SJ Smith. They actually
track that. Actually around here generally 3 years of lease/rental rates are
about equal to purchasing a cylinder. The smart LWS's sell tanks, dumb one
lease them but once the owner moves he owns them... LOL

I would look for a better LWS.

 

[Mark @ Everlast]

Here in GA, they won't even sell you a full size tank anymore.:confused2:

 

[shade tree welder]

Here in GA, they won't even sell you a full size tank anymore.:confused2:

That sucks how about businesses can they still purchase them?

 

[Skyco]

i'd find a place that will swap them.. many places that have thouroughbred gas cylinders ( gas pony ).. they will swap your owner tanks for their gaspony tanks.. there is a 1 time fee for the swap.. it's not bad.. like 19$ per tank. after that you are good..

soundguy

Might want to look at this-

Thoroughbred Industrial Cylinder Exchange

 

[Regneufeld]

Here in Canada we can only purchase the small tanks. I have 2 oxygen and one acetylene. they don't keep track of which tanks I actually own, I just take them in and pay for the gas they filled different ones with. That said there are or were tanks you could buy from canadian tire or some such place and those tanks they will fill and give back to you but no exchange. Not even sure tanks like that are available anymore.

 

[Soundguy]

Might want to look at this-

Thoroughbred Industrial Cylinder Exchange

that only applies to those large cyls. everything smaller is no problem. ( or if it is tb blue it is no problem )

I didn't see if the OP posted his cyl sizes or not.. so it was just a sugestion..

soundguy

 

[Mark @ Everlast]

That sucks how about businesses can they still purchase them?

No, I have a business...Lease or rent only. They say its a liability, blah blah blah,

 

[Skyco]

Might want to look at this-

Thoroughbred Industrial Cylinder Exchange

that only applies to those large cyls. everything smaller is no problem. ( or if it is tb blue it is no problem )

I didn't see if the OP posted his cyl sizes or not.. so it was just a sugestion..

soundguy

Understood, just pointing out they don't exchange all the sizes they sell unless meeting their conditions. Don't know why they are stricter on the larger ones. IIRC at one point they wouldn't take ANY cylinder from someone else for exchange. Looks like they backed off that, probably killed their business....



Found out why they won't take larger ones, they were sued by Airgas for taking in their cylinders. Theirs as in they still owned them, they were on lease.

 

[Soundguy]

who wants to pay 150$ every time they need to get more 02....

soundguy