O2 hydro test in southern California Inland Empire

[MikeOH]

My O2 tank is past its hydro date and I'm having a heck of a time finding a place close by. (Best so far is near KLGB and that's an hour drive each way)

Any suggestions from locals (KPOC, KCCB, KEMT, KCNO, KFUL, KRAL, KAJO)?

Thanks!

[Pinecone]

Check with local dive shops, compressed gas dealers, and fire extinguisher companies.

[Ron McBride]

Check with welding supply shops.  They can refill it also.  You may need a prescription though.  Ask your doctor, he should write it out for you.

also, ask your local fob’s who to go to.  

[Pinecone]

No need for a prescription, you are not buying medical O2.  Welding O2 is the same stuff.

[MB65E]

Mike, HRD in Santa Clarita is where I send all my bottles for work. They do rafts too. 
-Matt

[MikeOH]

5 hours ago, Pinecone said:

No need for a prescription, you are not buying medical O2.  Welding O2 is the same stuff.

Interestingly, and annoyingly, the shop in Long Beach that I found originally wanted a prescription from a Dr. to fill for $22 (after they did the $31 hydro test), .... but upped the fill price to $36 after they found out it was for aviation!  But, I only need to show them my pilot cert!  No explanation/justification for the price hike!

[Igor_U]

3 hours ago, MikeOH said:

  No explanation/justification for the price hike!

Because they can? 

Seems like a good price regardless. I was paying 50 for a portable bottle at KPAE.

[Ragsf15e]

2 hours ago, Igor_U said:

Because they can? 

Seems like a good price regardless. I was paying 50 for a portable bottle at KPAE.

Still that’s not bad in Seattle.

I found a local welding place that has been taking care of me.  $25 hydrostatic test and $25 fills.  They don’t do “aviator breathing oxygen” all the time so I have to leave it for ~2 weeks.

[Fly Boomer]

11 hours ago, Ragsf15e said:

Still that’s not bad in Seattle.

I found a local welding place that has been taking care of me.  $25 hydrostatic test and $25 fills.  They don’t do “aviator breathing oxygen” all the time so I have to leave it for ~2 weeks.

What do they do to generate "aviator breathing oxygen"?

[Ragsf15e]

4 hours ago, Fly Boomer said:

What do they do to generate "aviator breathing oxygen"?

I wondered the same.  They told me they fill large quantities for the local USAF base every two weeks, so that’s when they do ABO.  I didn’t get more than that out of them.  I wonder if it’s the difference in bottle regulator connections?

[MikeOH]

53 minutes ago, Ragsf15e said:

I wondered the same.  They told me they fill large quantities for the local USAF base every two weeks, so that’s when they do ABO.  I didn’t get more than that out of them.  I wonder if it’s the difference in bottle regulator connections?

I had one place I called tell me it was an extra $10 because of the 'regulator fitting' R&R.  Not sure why an ABO is any more work than removing any other 'regulator fitting'...seems they all just thread into the top of the tank?

[Coachella Bravo]

I've read that aviation / med O2 has a higher H20 content that industrial 02. Whether thats true or not I can not say.

[Fly Boomer]

2 hours ago, Ragsf15e said:

I wondered the same.  They told me they fill large quantities for the local USAF base every two weeks, so that’s when they do ABO.  I didn’t get more than that out of them.  I wonder if it’s the difference in bottle regulator connections?

That would make sense.

[MikeOH]

32 minutes ago, Fly Boomer said:

That would make sense.

Okay, I'll bite...why would the type of bottle regulator connection be so significant?

[Fly Boomer]

15 minutes ago, MikeOH said:

Okay, I'll bite...why would the type of bottle regulator connection be so significant?

I think welding bottles use a CGA-540 connection.  Not sure what medical or portable aviation bottles use.

[MikeOH]

1 hour ago, Fly Boomer said:

I think welding bottles use a CGA-540 connection.  Not sure what medical or portable aviation bottles use.

I think you are correct.

What I'm trying to understand is the 'upcharge' for the aviation connection vs. any of the others; why should it matter since they all thread into the top of the cylinder?  Don't they have to remove any of them to test?  I suspect it's another 'because we can screw the aviation industry' more than even medical!

[Fly Boomer]

45 minutes ago, MikeOH said:

 I suspect it's another 'because we can screw the aviation industry' more than even medical!

I suspect you are right.

[Pinecone]

On 9/12/2024 at 5:53 PM, MikeOH said:

I think you are correct.

What I'm trying to understand is the 'upcharge' for the aviation connection vs. any of the others; why should it matter since they all thread into the top of the cylinder?  Don't they have to remove any of them to test?  I suspect it's another 'because we can screw the aviation industry' more than even medical!

They don't remove them to FILL the bottle.  Just to do the hydrostatic test.

But they may have to change the hose or fitting to fill an aviation bottle versus medical bottle.  But that should be 5 minutes max.

[Pinecone]

On 9/12/2024 at 3:34 PM, Coachella Bravo said:

I've read that aviation / med O2 has a higher H20 content that industrial 02. Whether thats true or not I can not say.

No.  ALL O2 these days comes from liquid O2.  Virtually NO H20.

ABO used to be less moisture that medical due to the risk of freezing.  But now it all comes from boiling off liquid O2.

Notice in the hospital they put a bubbler on the O2 to add moisture.

https://www.avweb.com/features/pelicans-perch-13getting-high-on-welders-oxygen/