I'll share my experiences with welding tanks. I have always owned tanks, never leased. I live in CT where people can own large tanks, but you cannot buy them from a local welding store. Basically people are grandfathered as owners. Here is where it gets tough. If I walk into a big welding store chain with no-name tanks (or with someone else's name on them) they will not exchange them unless their company's name is on them. I called around and went to several different suppliers and found a company that exchanged basically any tank you brought as long as you answered "Yes" when they asked the question "do you own this tank". If the tank had a valid test date they exchanged the tank. If the date was too old, they charged the $25 test fee and gave one of their full tanks. Now, the tanks are "in their system" and future exchanges are no-questions-asked. After looking at the tanks I got from them, some were marked with paint on. Others had the ring at the top with the name of long since defunct welding supply chains. I have picked up tanks at the local dump/transfer station, taken them in and exchanged them and now have tanks "in the system". I know the rules in different states vary but that is what I have gone through.
