OK, you guys are making me nervous with the descriptions of deflagration. I've got a cart with an oxygen and an acetylene cylinder, no hoses connected right now. Is it safe to store this as is in a garden shed? Do I need to separate the cylinders or is it OK to leave them together in the cart?
Scott
Sure
They're OK together.
The one caveat that I got from the welding supply guy when I started on a cross-continent move was that the acetylene bottle must be shipped upright. The moving company naturally wouldn't ship the thing so it made the journey inside a car that was being towed on a trailer. It probably got quite warm in there but we placed the cylinder (a half-height one) upright on the floorboards and strapped it to the back of the passenger seat.
I suspect that keeping them upright during storage is the thing to do too. I've never seen a welding supply outfit store its bottles horizontal.
Actually your better off (code wise) to leave your regulators and hoses attached. When you have a cart that is "in service" You can have both gasses together on a cart as you describe. If your gasses are "in storage" they have to separated by 20 feet between them. And double chained to the wall. (one chain just isn't good enough anymore)
As for your own personal protection goes. Just make sure your tank valves do not leak. You should always close your tank valves when not in service. Don't rely on the regulator to not fail, they do.
Unlike Propane tanks, Acetylene and Oxygen tanks do not have pop valves that can release pressure if the tanks are over filled or heated.
You should ventilate your shed too. Put a vent near the floor. Propane, Acetylene, and Natural gas are heavier than air. They will collect at ground level.
Randy Hansen SC Glass Tech Scam Diego, Comi-fornia
Yes.
Do I need to separate the
It's fine to leave them together.
Keep the valves off, ventilation in ANY small shed is good idea.
I don't really like transporting acetylene cylinders in a horizontal position. Stand them upright for a couple of hours before using them. If you do light your torch and a purple flame comes from the tip, that's acetone. Not good. Anyway, transporting ANY gas cylinders (not just acetylene) in an enclosed area is a really bad idea. If you are moving any long distance, it's best to sell your cylinder and buy another when arriving. Most companies I deal with, (AIRGAS, PURITY,) don't have a problem with crediting cylinders.
Jim Kovar Vulcan, Mi
Hi, I just covered this in a welding course at the local community college, here goes................................... If storing without hoses and regulators the bottles should be seperated by sheet of steel approx 3/6" thick, kind of like a bulkhead in a boat. Storage area should be cool, dry and in an oil free area. Pure oxygen will cause oil to combust without a source of heat. It creates it own. Bottles should have all fittings removed and protective caps placed on them if storing for any length of time. The should also be chained or otherwise secured in an upright position. Acetylene cylinders should NEVER NEVER placed on their side, always upright.
Hope this helps
Bert Newfoundland
Store them where you like. If they blow, they'll get you from wherever you left them.
Keep them together and chained in the cart. One thing you really don't want to do is risk having them fall over.
Oxygen cylinders do have burst discs, and Acetylene bottles, as mentioned in the beginning of the thread, have fusible plugs that melt at a preset temperature.
Jim
Propane is heavier than air, but acetylene is slghtly lighter, and methane/natural gas is considerably lighter than air.
I believe so. Store upright and make sure shed is vented at top and bottom. Acetylene gas rises, so if you have openings in the top of your shed (ridge cap), the gas will just leak away and not build up inside the shed.
Naturaly gas is NOT heavier than air.
Harold
Not to worry Scott, since hundreds of thousands of users keep them in their shops for use, without incident. I'm currently keeping mine in the garage, but in a previous home kept them in my basement shop.
Just remember to ALWAYS turn off the tank valves after use. You never, ever leave the hose lines pressurized except when in use.
If have tanks in relatively good condition (not all corroded, slimey, ancient, etc.) and store them in controlled temperature conditions (say, under 120-degrees), you WILL NOT have any problem.
Harry C.
After talking to the fire marshal here at work (I was worried about housing code issues for them) I decided to put my OA rig in storage out in my garage. My worries about leaks, and also the effect of having the cylinders in the basement in the event of a house fire were similar to the thoughts of the fire marshal. He said he would not store them in his house, legal or not.
Jim
It has to be said .. the danger of any kind of fire or explosion is very very small compared to the danger of your tanks being stolen if you leave them outside.
Grant
jim rozen wrote:
Relative densities of various gases: Mol.Wt. Gas
--- ----
16 Methane C1H4 (natural gas) 26 Acetylene C2H2 28.74 Air N2 O2 Ar (78/21/1) 44 Propane C3H8 58 Butane C4H10I wouldn't like to depend on gravity to vent acetylene from any enclosed space. Methane or natural gas is a fair bit lighter than air.
-- --Pete "Peter W. Meek"
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