tank prices

I'm looking at buy a couple of used argon tanks. I forgot to get the size but they are about 5ft tall, and maybe 10" in diameter. They seem like a "common" size. These tanks are customer ownered but are from the airgas rotation stock.

The business is closing and they are asking $100 apiece, empty.

Is this a fair price? I asked at airgas and they said that to buy a tank from them would be $180. I'm on the west coast in USA, if that makes a difference.

I have an old tig machine at home that I'm trying to get up and running. Al

Reply to
Alpinekid
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I would check to see when the last test was done. it will be stamped on the bottle up near the neck. Also enquire if and how you get them refilled. If Airgas is closing in your area will you be hooped? Randy

The business is closing and they are asking $100 apiece, empty.

Is this a fair price? I asked at airgas and they said that to buy a tank from them would be $180. I'm on the west coast in USA, if that makes a difference.

I have an old tig machine at home that I'm trying to get up and running. Al

Reply to
R. Zimmerman

The local airgas dealer said that they will swap the tank, any tank with the airgas sticker on it, for a full tank for the cost of the gas as long as it has a current hydro-test stamp. They wont say how long the new tank will have before it needs to be retested.

I'm a little worried about giving up my specific customer owned tank. I dont do much welding and if I just paid for a new test I may have the tank for years before I need to refill it. If I swap for another tank I may not have very long before the test is required again.

Plus companies change, they get sold etc, they change their policies. Nothing is provided in writing and even if it was I'm just a little guy and they are a big corp and therefore I have to pratical recourse but to bend over and take it again.

What are peoples thought on swapping tanks vs taking the few extra days and trying to get your same tank back.

Al

Reply to
Alpinekid

Totally unnecessary, unless you have a nice looking aluminum tank you are trying to hold on to. They swap you tank for tank. Keep your records. If it goes out of hydro before you empty it and return it, just point that out to them on your paperwork.

It is always advisable to keep the paperwork. It is no hassle to merely exchange tanks if you have the paperwork. Most times, they don't even check it after the first time because you show up on the computer as owning the tanks. Doing business at the same place repeatedly helps. Go in, and get on a first name basis. No problem exchanging tanks after that.

The short story is ..... they want to sell gas to repeat customers. They also want to sell you tanks, but once you have those, all you need is gas. If one doesn't treat you right, just tell them about it, load up, and go elsewhere. I don't think you will have to do that.

Steve

Reply to
SteveB

If the tank is in date and good - that is a good price from what I got last December - $208 for a #250 COC CCFT tank.

On the west coast in Northern Ca.

Reply to
Eastburn

I recently got an 80 cu.ft. C25 bottle for my baby MIG it looks new.

the stamping on the neck (along with a bunch of numbers ) say 02-2003 and 2015 also the words SPUN, and FREE

i would think it was made or tested in 2003 , and good through 2015 is that right ?

also I've read somewhere that pressure should be close to 3000 PSi, this one only had 2000 PSI , is it normal?

thanks

Reply to
acrobat-ants

Hydro test certification is usually good for five years. Most tanks are filled to 1800 psi. The working pressure is stamped on the neck too. The last date of hydro will be stamped there also.

Steve

Reply to
SteveB

The rated pressure of the tank is the end of the string of letters/numbers that starts with "DOT", and it's probably not 3000 for this tank.

Hydro date is the date of the _last_ hydro - expiration is 5 years after that - this one expires in February of 2008.

Reply to
Ecnerwal

SPUN indicates that it is "spun steel" i.e., during the making of the cylinder, the molten steel matrix is "spun" in order to homogenize the grain structure. The "2015" is the DOT pressure rating of the vessel, i.e. 2015 p.s.i.. The tank's hydrostatic test stamp indicates it is good for 5 years unless it has a "star" symbol next to it...that would indicate it is good for 10 years. If it has a "plus"- + sign that indicates that the cylinder can be filled 10% beyond it's rating.

Normal pressure for your full cylinder will read approx. 2200 in the summer and as low as 1800 in the winter.

Peace, Harp

Reply to
Harpman

Thanks a lot for clearing up those marking on the bottle. I just learned sometihing new again. that is why I am hooked reading this forum.

I checked the bottle again, it does have a star symbol, and a + sign as well. and it had a fresh white teflon paste looking pipe sealent where the valve assembly screws in to the bottle.

the word I thought say " FREE" is actually REE and there is an other stamping front of REE almost looks like an F , actually it looks like it is sideways and seems like UDN? but smaller letters

thanks again for the info

Reply to
acrobat-ants

It was hydro'd in Feb of 2003 (if that's the only date then it was new then. It is rated for 2015psi fill (or 10% over that if there is a "+" stamped after the latest hydro date. You may also encounter 2400 rated tanks and

1800 rated (CO2 service generally, as its vapor pressure is about 830 psi at 70°F) Tanks will (in the USA) require rehydro test every 5 years forever. About 2000 psi would be normal.
Reply to
The Masked Marvel

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