O2 for O2

[triple8s]

My factory composite O2 tank has exceeded its life cycle and I'm faced with replacing it. Anyone who's been there done that got any advise? A Bo driver/friend said he would label the factory sys inop and go with portable but I hate wires and hoses laying everywhere. Wonder what the cost for a new composite cyl is and also has anyone replaced the composite with an aluminum or steel ? Just wonder what others have done.

[FoxMike]

I am planning on replacing my bottle in the future with a new composite bottle.  I have a 115 cu ft bottle and I like having one that size.  A steel one that size would weigh a ton.  A portable bottle is easier to fill but a pain to manage in the cockpit.  I do use a fair amount of O2 but the big bottle does not need filled very often.

[N201MKTurbo]

I have a 115 steel with a few years left on it if you are interested. It doesn't weigh a ton...

[DonMuncy]

The steel tanks really aren't that heavy, but you will probably want to stay with the same as what you have, so as not to have to screw up the wt and balance.

Although there might be cheaper ways, I got my steel tank (76cu ft) from Aerox. The base price was $1190, but they gave me a 20% discount with very little persuasion.

[Awful_Charlie]

I did my kevlar 115CuFt cylinder late last year, and with a regulator overhaul, customs, import & shipping etc to the UK, it worked out at just over 2000GBP. Small bonus is that it came fully charged!  I did the job through Zodiac, but it took longer than anticipated due to the lack of availability of a single O ring.

 

Like the OP, I like not adding any further to the mess in the cockpit (why oh why didn't Mooney put the O2 outlets next to the headset sockets for each place?), and I value the useful load enough to pay the premium of the kevlar over the steel (although in my case I might get a little back, as my CofG is well forward even with two charlie weights). One thing to bear in mind though, you will probably spend a bit of time without a cylinder at all, and that will make a considerable difference to your CofG.

 

It's a fairly easy job to get in and out, but it helps if you have a midget with 20" fingers on-hand

 

HTH

 

Ben

[Guest]

Call The Oxygen Lady in California. www.aviationoxygen.com Pheobe is her name.

Clarence

[Awqward]

Hi Ben, I think I'm faced with an about to expire Kevlar cylinder....would you recommend getting Zodiac UK to change it out?

 

AQ

[Awful_Charlie]

Hi Anthony

 

I would call them to check availability and pricing, and then consider trying one of the US suppliers, but it will be a bit of a gamble as doing your own import  you might or might not get stung with the VAT and/or import duties. When I last needed a hydrostat test (about 4 years ago!) Zodiac were very helpful and competitive vs. the other EU possibilities I checked out.

Heather Armon-Jones
Coordinator Unit 610, Avenue West, Skyline 120 - Braintree - Essex - CM77 7AA - UK
Tel: + 44 (0) 1376 329 194 ext 250 - Fax: + 44 (0) 1376 340 734
Heather.ArmonJones@zodiacaerospace.com

 

If you have the 115CuFt cylinder with the altitude compensating regulator, I have a 'spare' time expired one here, which you could send in, get replaced/overhauled, and then swap with yours - that way you have no time without a cylinder and don't have to juggle the W&B. My next trip over to the UK (Rochester, Kent) is middle of July, so could bring it to there if that helps

[Awqward]

Thanks Ben....I have the 77.1cuft with ACR....(being only a J 77cuft is enough for the lower altitudes I fly than you!)...but thanks for the offer. I am looking at an Aerox PMA replacement ($1514 on their website)... I contacted a distributor in France and they are working up a quote to supply a new cylinder and service my regulator and send it to me with a full charge....hopefully for less than €2,000...I am also going to see what it would cost to get an Aerox cylinder sent directly from the US and then send it along with the regulator to someone (Zodiac?) for servicing / filling....