Oxygen Tank

[Joshua21]

Hello, 

I purchased a Mooney M20M, (1991) and the composite oxygen canister is over 15 years old. My A&P is doing the annual and says we need to get a replacement because they are only good for 15 years. Does anyone know if this is true, and if so, where's the best place to get a swap? I live in North Florida. 

[kortopates]

yes its true and Lots and lots written on replacing them, use Google to search Mooneyspace for more information:

site:Mooneyspace.com oxygen tank replacement

Also know what size kevlar/composite tank you are replacing too

[Pinecone]

Aerox is in FL.  Owner flies a J.

I also hear the Jimmy Garrison can help getting a cylinder.

[LANCECASPER]

4 hours ago, Joshua21 said:

Hello, 

I purchased a Mooney M20M, (1991) and the composite oxygen canister is over 15 years old. My A&P is doing the annual and says we need to get a replacement because they are only good for 15 years. Does anyone know if this is true, and if so, where's the best place to get a swap? I live in North Florida. 

All early M20Ms had a 115 cu ft Composite tank. Roughly $2000 plus install, plus the boss gasket, plus possibly rebuilding the regulator. 

Whoever did your pre-buy should have made you aware of that so the previous owner could have paid for that since it is required or it needs to be placarded as INOP.

[Scott Ashton]

4 hours ago, Joshua21 said:

Hello, 

I purchased a Mooney M20M, (1991) and the composite oxygen canister is over 15 years old. My A&P is doing the annual and says we need to get a replacement because they are only good for 15 years. Does anyone know if this is true, and if so, where's the best place to get a swap? I live in North Florida. 

Give me a call anytime.  We just got them in stock….you probably will want the regulator to get at least a functional check.   Yes, the Kevlar cylinders have a 15 year life….

also get on the Dave and Ruth’s email list for the monthly fly outs for lunch, and the PPP is at LAL in January…..hope to see you at one of these.

[Joshua21]

Thanks Scott, I think my A&P may have reached out to you. I called and left you a message to call me back. I need some clarity and would appreciate a call if you have time today. 

[M20F]

On 12/6/2024 at 9:06 PM, LANCECASPER said:

Whoever did your pre-buy should have made you aware of that so the previous owner could have paid for that since it is required or it needs to be placarded as INOP.

This is why you make all pre-buys an annual.  

[LANCECASPER]

47 minutes ago, M20F said:

This is why you make all pre-buys an annual.  

The buyer would only turn it into an annual once the sale is consummated.

No seller in their right mind would submit to putting their airplane under annual inspection for the pre-buy.

[M20F]

53 minutes ago, LANCECASPER said:

The buyer would only turn it into an annual once the sale is consummated.

No seller in their right mind would submit to putting their airplane under annual inspection for the pre-buy.

We agree purchase price of $X.  Plane goes to annual at my choice.  All airworthiness is $X-issues.  Either the seller fixes their expense or we each walk.

 No buyer in their right mind should agree to anything else.  

 

[MikeOH]

29 minutes ago, M20F said:

We agree purchase price of $X.  Plane goes to annual at my choice.  All airworthiness is $X-issues.  Either the seller fixes their expense or we each walk.

 No buyer in their right mind should agree to anything else.  

 

BS.  What is airworthy is at the discretion of the mechanic!  As a buyer you can direct your mechanic to find EVERY DAMN LITTLE ISSUE and claim it's an "airworthiness" issue so you can conveniently subtract all those $X from the agreed price!

Great if you can convince a sucker seller, but I'm in the no seller in their right mind would agree to that camp.  Or, would you be just fine with the SELLER's mechanic signing off on the annual? 

[Marc_B]

I'm a big fan of the Aircraft Status Sheet on Mooney Flyer.  There are links in the "tools" for the status sheet as well as a "Guide to using the status sheet."  This also has info about oxygen equipment and places to record hydrochecks as well as end of life.

https://themooneyflyer.com/tools.html

As an aside, I used this Aircraft Status Sheet when I was looking for a Mooney and going through logbooks to see what's been done and what's upcoming...it's a great list and a great way to track these even now!

[M20F]

19 minutes ago, MikeOH said:

Great if you can convince a sucker seller, but I'm in the no seller in their right mind would agree to that camp.  Or, would you be just fine with the SELLER's mechanic signing off on the annual? 

This is the deal I agreed and a lot of others have agreed to with a major Mooney broker.  A prebuy without a “signature” is worthless.  It is always a buyers market.  

[philiplane]

Once you have a new cylinder installed, there are ongoing maintenance requirements you will find here:

 

https://www.ctcseminars.com/files/technical/8900_1_vol3.pdf

The biggest take away is the 3 or 5 year hydrostatic test. If you fill the cylinder to capacity just before the test is due, you do not have to do the hydro test until the cylinder is empty and need refilling. For low-use operators, you might get several extra years before needing to do the hydro test. Very few mechanics understand this. But it is based on pressure cycles as much as calendar years. A low-use cylinder will have few pressurization cycles, and therefore will not degrade as quickly as a commercial operator who might fill the tank on a weekly basis. 

    "A cylinder filled and installed in the aircraft before the requalification becomes due may remain in service until the cylinder is removed from the aircraft."

[exM20K]

3 hours ago, M20F said:

We agree purchase price of $X.  Plane goes to annual at my choice.  All airworthiness is $X-issues.  Either the seller fixes their expense or we each walk.

 No buyer in their right mind should agree to anything else.  

 

And the only seller who would agree to these terms has a plane you likely would not want to own.

-dan

[exM20K]

2 hours ago, philiplane said:

The biggest take away is the 3 or 5 year hydrostatic test. If you fill the cylinder to capacity just before the test is due, you do not have to do the hydro test until the cylinder is empty and need refilling

Thanks.  I did not know this.

-dan