during transport . . . I took my tank down to get it filled up this morning & didnt have anywhere to put it in the back of the truck , so I just sat it on the floor on the inside . It was wedged up against the seat & the kicker , but how bad of an idea was that ? I was nervous the whole way home . Should I tie it down to a palette into the back of the truck next time or something ? Iv'e heard stories . . .
I just put the cap on tight aim in out the back(incase blows itll take out the tailgater!) and strap it down with a bungie cord! Im sure others will tell ya differant!
For What it's Worth..... My welding teacher taught me the biggest danger is asphyxiation from the argon if the valve leaks. Make sure you're windows are down while driving. If the windows are shut and the valve leaks, you would breathe argon and not know it, starving your body of oxygen. 9th grade ag shop education there.
You should be fine...as long as you have the safety cap on.....Argon is an inert gas........not explosive...It';s just the pressure inside that could cause it to be a missle if the valve is knocked off......... I've seen a bottle go through a solid concrete wall about a foot and a half thick.....when I worked in a Hospital in the military.... But, you should be ok......
Anything under HIGH pressure is dangerous!!!!! Not to mention that thing is heavy and could get thrown into you even in a slight fender bender......don't worry about the gas, it won't hurt ya....Ever see a top knocked off a tank? I didn't think so, if you did, you wouldn't ride around with one in your front seat................
by the way, my little 40 size bottle doesn't even use a screw on cap like normal bottles do. Don't know why, I imagine it would make a good rocket if the valve got knocked off of it.
Yep, Weight, Pressure and Asphyxiation are all you need be concerned with. We use T size ones around here for purging glove boxes. I think the most dangerous thing is the grad students hauling them around.
[ QUOTE ] You should be fine...as long as you have the safety cap on.....Argon is an inert gas........not explosive...It';s just the pressure inside that could cause it to be a missle if the valve is knocked off......... I've seen a bottle go through a solid concrete wall about a foot and a half thick.....when I worked in a Hospital in the military.... [/ QUOTE ] I saw one go through two steel bulkheads on the sub tender I was on. There's a reason that you see the delivery trucks carry tanks upright. I would suggest a strap in the bed to hold it upright. Mutt
I'd recommend wedging it in your ass next time, but it's probably safe to say you're already transporting goods up there...
[ QUOTE ] by the way, my little 40 size bottle doesn't even use a screw on cap like normal bottles do. Don't know why, I imagine it would make a good rocket if the valve got knocked off of it. [/ QUOTE ] believe it or not. some genious engineer decided that the little 40lb bottles dont need safety caps because in a fall they Do not generate enough force to knock the valve off.. (at least that was the explaniation that the welding shop guys gave me..) for what its worth.. I wouldn't ever carry one inside an enclosed vehicle.. and I got a little nervous when the mini truck guys started going to nitrogen to power their air rides and stuff.. always transport the bottle standing up and in the back of a truck..
Okay , that's pretty much what I figured . I wasn't as much worried about the gas itself as the presure of the top comming off . And actually I have seen what a tank / missle can do , I just wasnt sure about the PSI on an argon tank . I will fab up somekind of carrier for it next time . Thanks for the advice everyone . .. even you Mike
How big of a cylinder holds 12,500 psi? I've got three large cylinders which only are rated @ 22 to 2300 psi!You might be looking At the KPA side of the guage which is Kilopascal
the US Army uses argon to cool off the missle heads on the stinger missles. If the army uses it, it must be safe
Argon from welding supply companies, like oxygen, is normally not available over 2200 psi (where I come from).
its about as dangerous as a loaded gun. if handled properly, by an experienced user, you should have no problems.
There were some guys here in milwaukee who worked for a shredding and recycling plant, and they got arrested and fired for taking sledgehammers and busting the heads off of 4 foot tall argon tanks and letting them shoot into lake michigan. Apparently they found them a mile and a half away. Sounds like more of an alabama thing to me....
When I was 15, I was welding on my beetle and the wall outlet where the welder was plugged in went up in flames, I grabbed the fire extinguisher and no luck, I tossed the gas cans outside and left the burning building without shutting the regulator on the welder off, I called the fire dept from the house (my parents where at work) and ran across the street warning everyone that tthere was soon to be a HUGE explosion from the open tank of argon. When the firefighters arrived I warned them and they informed me that argon was inert and the building was not going to loose what was left of the roof at any second. Guess I should have paid more attention in chem...
it is illegal in california to transport tanks without safety caps... im talking talking the big bottles.. from what my friend tells me, its a hefty fine if caught.
Jonnycola- just imagine, get an old go-kart frame, attach a bottle on either side- have two guys bust the heads off at the exact same time. Good thing I didn't think of this when I was a kid.
I once saw pictures of a DEVASTATED shop building where a large tank went rocketing around... I have also heard of people getting their eardrums burst (and their windows shattered too) by hauling pressurized tanks around in enclosed cars with the windows up. Use a pick up truck, strap the thing down to where in cannot roll or slide, and keep the cap on!
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