danarenor Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 Hi- I work as a jeweler, and have one small oxygen tank (about 14"high/ 17"diameter) and one small acetylene tank (20" high/ 20" diameter). I currently live in New Mexico, and will be moving to Wisconsin in about a month- I will be driving cross country w/a small car and a 10' U-haul box-truck. I am wondering if it is safe to travel with these 2 tanks secured in an upright position, in the back of the U-haul truck? My questions/concerns are: 1. Is it safe to transport them this way- could it be too hot in the U-haul for them? 2. Should they both be emptied of gas before being transported? 3. Is thare anything else I ought to know about how to safely transport these tanks? Thanks for reading this, and for any help you can offer me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
r smith Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 Just make sure the valves are closed and safety caps on all the way, they sit in the sun on a welding truck so no wories about the heat in a box van. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petere76 Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 Most tanks are leased and you may find that other outfits are not willing to fill tanks that they don't inspect and rotate through their own stock system. Unitor will not take Air Gas tanks etc. Peter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
r smith Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 He is right that some are not exchangable but some are, good idea to check it out though. Larger one for welding made by linde are universally accepted also ones that have no name cast/stamped into the ring seem to universally exchange as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ciladog Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 I assume that the tanks you have ( B or smaller) you purchased so don't worry about other companies filling or exchanging them. Just keep the acetylene tank upright, valves closed, caps on if you have them and take to the road. You don't need any placards unless you want to drawer attention to your trip. Just do it and play dumb if a situation arises. This is one of those situations where less is better. Have a safe trip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 Work vans are not required placards for a tank of each (or they ignore it around here, its farm country). Close them up, fasten them well and upright, pack around them. Have a safe move. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmccustomknives Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 If you have the option, go ahead and empty them out just for safety. A leaking acetylene tank can cause explosions, oxygen a flash fire. These tanks have safetys that can release the pressure if over heated from being in an enclosed box. I'm not saying this will happen, the odds are next to none. Things happen though. A tire fire out in the middle of nowhere + full tanks aren't a good combonation. FYI, I'm in the welding supply buisness and safety is a huge concern. The small tanks are always customer owned and most companies just swap them out for convenience as few fill oxygen on site and none will fill the acetylene. Recently a person purchased a small acetylene and transported it in his Toyota suv, he left it overnight not aware it was leaking. The next day he got in the suv and smelt the acetylene so he went to let the back windows down. You couldn't tell what kind of vehicle it was, somehow the man survives minus his eardrums. The explosion was violent enough to deploy the airbag. Just thought I'd share that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KjZitur Posted August 6, 2012 Share Posted August 6, 2012 And remember that if you have to lay the acetylene tank down to stand it upright for an equal length of time before using it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beth Posted August 6, 2012 Share Posted August 6, 2012 i seem to remember someone telling me a risk with acet is knocking the cylinder hard enough to loose/break the lining, which protects the gas from coming into contact with the metal wall of the cylinder. it is i seem to remember bad explosive news if it does - so take care the cylinder cannot rock and roll about, knocking on stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bentiron1946 Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 I have had my "B" tank in the exchange system for nearly 50 years now and it was and is a good deal. My only complaint is that some of the dealers are not good about making sure that the valves on the tanks are in good condition and they leak around the stem, so if you are transporting the tank with gas in it just make sure it is not leaking by doing a bubble test on the thing. If I was transporting it I would do it empty. It just isn't worth the price of a tank of gas to worry about the damage that could happen from an explosion from leaking acetylene is it? Always error on the side of safety. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodge Posted August 9, 2012 Share Posted August 9, 2012 I assume that the tanks you have ( B or smaller) you purchased so don't worry about other companies filling or exchanging them. Just keep the acetylene tank upright, valves closed, caps on if you have them and take to the road. You don't need any placards unless you want to drawer attention to your trip. Just do it and play dumb if a situation arises. This is one of those situations where less is better. Have a safe trip. IF?? If you don't have caps, GET THEM! If a tank falls with a cap, you just say, "Oh shoot!" If a tank falls over without a cap and the valve hits something, a full oxygen tank can become a land toredo and break through cinder block walls. Thats if it doesn't hit you or an innocent bystander first. The acteylene doesn't have as much pressure. It just can result in a firey explosion. This all just happens on a bad day, however. How is you day going? :unsure: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted August 9, 2012 Share Posted August 9, 2012 (edited) http://www.grainger....in_dim_search=1 Lockable is expensivehttp://www.safetyemp...etail.htm?07202 no idea who these guys are but $20 sounds good. My google search was gas cylinder valve caps under shopping. If a pair of caps sets you back $40 that would be cheap insurance, especially since you then keep the caps for all times you are transporting your tanks. I would talk to the place that services your tanks, or your local welding equipment supplier. It sounds like you are moving common small purchased tanks like in the kits sold at many big box stores. Phil Better search under shopping welding cylinder caps Phil http://store.weldingdepot.com/cgi/weldingdepot/scan/fi=products/st=db/sp=results/co=1/sf=category/se=Cutting%20Accessories/op=eq/nu=0/bs=1/ml=25/tf=description/to=x/se=1/sf=inactive/op=ne/sf=tax_category/se=1/op=eq/va=banner_text=/va=banner_image=.html?id=JfXUjUoa I have ordered from these people with a good quick transaction Phil Edited August 9, 2012 by Phil Krankowski Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry H Posted August 9, 2012 Share Posted August 9, 2012 If there was ever a post on over thinking something this is up there........ do it,.....do it ......do it........do it.........do it.....do it...just do it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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