Welders Oxy

[Paul Oliver]

Hmm

Had a look at our bottle today, we have moved up market and are now using proper diver grade O2, were so bland now.

Paul

[NotDeadYet]

Originally Posted by Andrew H

Out of curiosity what do you pay for a J of Helium? Does that come in different grades too?

Hasn't the J been replaced by some other virtually exactly the same sized bottle but with a new classification because the powers that be think it makes life easier? A J was 50L, actual volume obviously depends on fill pressure. DTL in Aberdeen supplied at 300bar for about £35 (diving grade) last time I bought some from them (many moons ago) so that's 15,000 litres (free).

Helium comes in various grades, and like O2 how much you pay depends on what purity guarantee you would like (more or less). When I buy gas I normally buy diving O2 and welding He, diving O2 is relatively cheap. I'd imagine the risk of contamination with welding He is pretty low since it is a shield gas rather than used in combination with other gases for combustion as O2 is. Chances are its also being used in a better environment (and with better personnel) rather than for chopping up cars at the local scrappie (no offence to anyone chopping up cars at my local scrappie).

It's also worth remembering that you aren't paying for purity but certification of purity. It is just a bit of paper in a big paperchase and it wouldn't be the first time that gas certified at grade "blah,blah,blah" wasn't what it said on the tin. It's always worth analysing any O2 you get delivered, surprising how many people will do a 100% O2 fill and just assume that the source gas was actually 100% O2.

I am 15p+vat a day but my gas costs a little more, around £25 a cylinder for dive O2.
helium is £103 a J here but it still works out cheaper than what a shop charges you when you work it out, just a bit of an "ouch" all in the one go.....

[Mdemon]

Just got off the phone to Air Products.

They use X47S cylinders (hadn't heard of J's) which hold 47 litres. Filled 200bar (196 guaranteed) - I think; the bloke wasn't sure. Diving O2 £29.54. Diving He £127.75. If I pick it up, they will charge me £11.01 for the priviledge! Rent of cylinders is £0.22 per day. Not sure why it is 200bar.

All prices include VAT - it's a nasty surprise when you do the maths on ex VAT...
Even so, compared with my LDS which is the cheapest around, I will be saving at least 40% on O2. Haven't worked it out for He yet.

Next stop, Linde, to see what they can do...

[beanie]

industrial O2 £7.66 (inc)

picking up is better than delivery which is ~£33

o and the handling charge is for all cylinder not each one

we got 220 bar last time real hot day and the cylinders where in direct sunlight

[beanie]

Originally Posted by Mdemon

Just got off the phone to Air Products.

They use X47S cylinders (hadn't heard of J's) which hold 47 litres. Filled 200bar (196 guaranteed) - I think; the bloke wasn't sure. Diving O2 £29.54. Diving He £127.75. If I pick it up, they will charge me £11.01 for the priviledge! Rent of cylinders is £0.22 per day. Not sure why it is 200bar.

All prices include VAT - it's a nasty surprise when you do the maths on ex VAT...
Even so, compared with my LDS which is the cheapest around, I will be saving at least 40% on O2. Haven't worked it out for He yet.

Next stop, Linde, to see what they can do...

didn't happen to get anything on other sizes per chance?

I'm wondering whether it's worth using smaller cylinders and pumping them all out into other cylinders

[Mdemon]

I've got their product list but no sizes - I do know that they do smaller sizes however. Is your idea that the pressure differential will be less so you will need less cylinders to boost to? Here's the Exeter yard's number. Funny bloke running it - told me to call back later because he was having lunch... Customer service "Devon Stylie".:o 01392 279715

I had a similar thought "pre-Haskel". I have a garage full of old cylinders from the local tip which I am tumbling, testing and O2 cleaning. Whichever ones pass will become an O2 cascade, with the advantage that I can take one with me as an O2 giving set for shore cover. Portable is good....

The bank cylinders will be the same in reverse for the Helium/Heliair. They, however, are NOT portable...

Can't get through to Linde... Maybe they're all out to lunch too...

[beanie]

yep we have a 10 a 12 and three 3s thinking get O2 pumoing it all out take it back save on the rental

[Dan]

We are also looking into doing our own nitrox fills or at least adding our own o2 first then getting LDS to top up with air. My gas bill so far has gone over £300 this year (please don't any of you helium boys bother to post to tell me how lucky I am to off spent only £300 ).

It would be nice to know how many fills you get. I could sit down and do the math but I am a lazy git. Generally we dive twin 12s on 32%, how many fills are we looking at from a j roughly.

[beanie]

Originally Posted by dan

We are also looking into doing our own nitrox fills or at least adding our own o2 first then getting LDS to top up with air. My gas bill so far has gone over £300 this year (please don't any of you helium boys bother to post to tell me how lucky I am to off spent only £300 ).

It would be nice to know how many fills you get. I could sit down and do the math but I am a lazy git. Generally we dive twin 12s on 32%, how many fills are we looking at from a j roughly.

you'll have to do the maths cause I can't remember - only been filling 3 with pure O2 for a year now but maybe 20 32% 12 litre fill or so