Oxygen Refills- Robbed

[Marauder]

14 hours ago, Bob_Belville said:

I am thinking exchange for the 150 cu ft tank is under $25. While each time you fill a portable from it the pressure drops a little, you can top off 5 or 6 portable tanks from that $25. When a tank gets below 1500 psi or so exchange it. By cascading 2 or more supply tanks it's possible to use more of the supply tank and still get the portable up to "full".

If anyone wants to fill onboard systems, you’ll want at least the 280 cu.ft. cylinders in a cascade system. I have a 3 tank 280 cu.ft. transfill setup. With this setup, you’ll begin tapping into the 2nd cylinder for top offs (~2,000 psi) after filling 5 or 6 smaller cylinders (9 cu.ft.). 

[StinkBug]

After looking at the cost of "Aviation" O2 systems, and what the local FBO was charging to fill them I laughed and went with a cheap "medical" bottle and regulator, then bought the fittings to fill from the "welding" tank I already had in the shop doing nothing since oxy/acetylene has been made pretty obsolete by plasma cutting these days. I wanna say my big tank is 150cu ft. and I can fill my D size medical tank 5-6 times from 400psi up to 1500 or more. It costs $20 to swap out the big tank for a full one, so I don't feel bad about whatever I'm wasting once the pressure drops more than I'd like. I think right now I have about the same amount of money in my entire setup including the big tank, fill equipment and all the stuff I bring in the plane as one of the portable kits marketed for aviation use. 

[jaylw314]

As long as you have CGA-540 valves and  not the medical-type CGA-870 post-type valves, you shouldn't get many questions at welding or industrial shops.  If I get any questions, I just tell them I'm experimenting with some secret brewing techniques.  Since I live up here in beer-happy Oregon, that usually just gets some smiles and "oooh, okay" 

[Mooneymite]

This thread makes me appreciate 12,500 and below!

[Hank]

27 minutes ago, Mooneymite said:

This thread makes me appreciate 12,500 and below!

Since the ATL Bravo reaches 12,500, I need to measure the distance across SW-NE over the field and see how long it takes me to go that far . . . . It's the straight line path to Mom & Dad, the typical "remain clear of the Bravo" adds a good 30 minutes to the trip each way.

[gsxrpilot]

When I flew a C, I'd only fill the portable bottle if it was super convenient or if I even remembered to do it. Now flying the 252, the O2 is almost as important as the fuel. I've quickly gotten used to the cool, smooth, quiet, and usually fast air up in the flight levels. 

[DrBill]

i bought my empty o2 welding tank on craigslist  for $25. I took it to a welding supply and exchanged it for a full one for another.$25

I get about 3 refils from one tank.

Bill

 

[glenn reynolds]

I used to fly with a portable tank and was frustrated by how little oxygen the tank held, given the weight and space it took up in the cockpit, When I upgraded to my ovation with built in O2 a friend had me buy the pulse demand oxygen device from mountain high.  Yes the box costs $700 and yes that seems like a crazy amount of money so now let me give you the data:

I typically fly between ten and 16,000 feet, and almost never below five thousand (california has foothills which preclude flying lower).  I fly 50% single seat, 40% two seats full and ten percent three seats full.  I use a mountain high headset cannula and simply turn the system on prior to take off (it automatically turns on and off at five thousand feet).  I have now flown 275 hours on one refill of O2!!  To really make this oxygen efficiency sting, the aircraft bottle was emptied by accident when the hose from the plane to the pulse demand box was disconnected and thus drained the bottle (it was about a 1/2 full at the time).  So really I've flown 275 hours on about 0.5 refills of the ships tank.  

The pulse demand gizmo is like a scuba regulator, it only delivers O2 when you inhale.  I fly with a blood level pulse oxymeter and all is good so it works well.

I do have a three tank cascade refill system in my hanger, but it is now clear that I purchased much too large tanks, given my very modest consumption rate.  If you fly with oxygen (and you should) you really want a pulse demand box.  Two weeks ago, my wife and I flew from san francisco to Boston and back and we used less than three hundred pounds of oxygen.

[peevee]

we keep two 330's in the hangar and pay $35 a bottle to exchange them, invest in a o2d2 and you won't need gas on the road.

[FloridaMan]

That's bullshit. Who was the FBO? 

[The Other Red Baron]

I can't find a single place around here that will even fill.  They do exchange only.  I wonder if they'll take my old medical tank as a swap...

[Gagarin]

Has anyone tried portable oxygen concentrators. No need to refill.

www. inogen.com

 

Edited June 19, 2020 by Gagarin

[Yetti]

3 hours ago, Gagarin said:

Has anyone tried portable oxygen concentrators. No need to refill.

www. inogen.com

 

There is a thread around that discusses that

[The Other Red Baron]

5 hours ago, Gagarin said:

Has anyone tried portable oxygen concentrators. No need to refill.

www. inogen.com

 

Looks like they're only good for one person up to about 15k.  I'd just stick with a bottle unless you got cash burning a hole in your pocket.

 

[daytonabch04]

I only needed 500-600 psi (about 3/4 full) and was quoted $125 for a fill-up from an FBO the other day..

[Gagarin]

I use a portable tank that last 8 hours at 20,000 feet. I filled up with oxygen only at local SCUBA shop that has Nitrox capability for $15.00. Not a bad deal.

[N201MKTurbo]

I built my own filling rig. It costs me about $25 to fill my bottle about six times.

[Cody Stallings]

Yes Sir, That’s Robbery.

A near by FBO at MEM will tell you the price is the same weather it’s a Lear 45 or a Portable.

Thats never made any sense to me.

I went the 280cf or 330cf x2 an never looked back, In my opinion it’s the only way to go.
Also, I have found when one has copious amounts of O2 in their hanger, they tend to use it more regularly(Not so worried about the gouging at the next Re-Fill).

That equates to having a more refreshed feeling after the flight, operating in Cooler Smoother thinner air is also an added perk.

[larryb]

My understanding is that at an FBO servicing oxygen is an A&P task. So you will pay A&P rates.

[philiplane]

Most FBO's use a $2-3K triple tank cascade system on a cart. With a golf cart to pull it. And tying up an employee for 30-60 minutes. When you run the numbers, charging under $50 per fill is a loss. A reasonable fee for a fixed oxygen fill is $70-90. Portables are only a little less, at $30-50, since the time is less, but the equipment remains the same. 

[FloridaMan]

St Pete Air at KSPG in Florida charges me $45 to do my Rocket. Just thought I'd mention it here. 

[great circle]

Servicing aircraft O2 is done with aviators breathing oxygen, a certified mixture that has no moisture content. For GA aircraft (Part 91, non-pressurized) this may not be important, but for 135/125 operations it is required. This is what most FBO's have, hence the cost. Also, an A&P has to do the servicing and sign it off. 

Most of out servicing is on commercial aircraft, so you will pay commercial prices. No apologies for that should be expected. 

[Red Leader]

I just read every post in this thread and am surprised that only one person mentioned a portable oxygen unit (Innogen). I looked into that a short while ago and found it is not rated for any significant altitude. Another thread I read recently mentioned one pilot used his portable at an altitude well over 10k with no problems. Although these devices are expensive, I wouldn't use one simply because it is not designed to function properly at altitude and I will not risk the safety of myself, passengers or those on the ground due to dependence on, or a malfunction of, such an iffy device. 

On another note, slightly related, has anyone built an oxygen charging system in their hanger using the older generators and an oxygen compressor? I was looking at the Invacare XL and Homefill 2 bundle, thinking that since it can fill small tanks to 1700+ PSI, why could we not adapt that for use on our planes? It is medical-grade oxygen, so if there was someone who wanted to raise a stink, they wouldn't be able to do much about it. Of course, it would much slower to fill a plane (perhaps a day or two), but once the rig is purchased and set-up, the operating cost would be less than minimal. Thoughts?

[McMooney]

i fill my portable at the local gas supply, had to force the guy to take 20$ last time

Edited July 6, 2023 by McMooney

[haymak3r]

On my flight home from LA a week or so ago, I had my bottle filled at McClellan Jet Services. Great FBO btw just east of Sac intl. It was 80 bucks to fill it up.  It would be nice to use o2 from my oxy/acetylene welder, but am weary of doing so. It is usually about 40 bucks to replace the tank when I run out. That's much cheaper for a lot more o2 lol. Getting the adapters to fill my portable seems like it would pay for itself pretty quickly.