Trans fill questions

[boydski]

Whatever you do, just don't say "scuba" "breathing" or "diving" while at a gas supplier. They have no clue about these things and life will be a PITA if they think you are doing anything with their gases other than what they understand.

Don't ask don't tell.

Hi Richard,

I used to believe the same thing, and in fact was quite paranoid about not letting my gas supplier know what I was using the gas for. However, when we switched suppliers about a year ago (much more attractive pricing), we came clean with the new supplier, and they know exactly what we do with the gas.

This has worked to our advantage a couple of times. Once they even called right after I left their shop to notify me that one of the bottles I picked up was from an old supply of mis-labled bottles and was in fact Baloon Grade Helium, which they knew I didn't want to be breathing.

YMMV

 

[rjack321]

Who are you using?

I'm with Central Welding and they are ok. But more than once I have been concerned that if they found out about breathing they'd cut off my supply or make me get an O2 prescription. Just little hints they've dropped here and there about tanks or gases. I'm using welding helium which is supposed to be 4 nines and <0.5 ppm hydrocarbons and CBing with welding O2.

I own all my cylinders (5) and exchange.

 

[MikeFerrara]

I've used a couple of different suppliers and both know what I use the gas for. I never had a problem.

It's no secret that divers use mixed gas and, IME, the suppliers are happy to trade money for gas...that's what they do for a living.

 

[boydski]

Who are you using?

I'm with Central Welding and they are ok. But more than once I have been concerned that if they found out about breathing they'd cut off my supply or make me get an O2 prescription. Just little hints they've dropped here and there about tanks or gases. I'm using welding helium which is supposed to be 4 nines and <0.5 ppm hydrocarbons and CBing with welding O2.

I own all my cylinders (5) and exchange.

I was originally using Airgas, but switched to Pacific Welding due to the significant savings and they were very cool about what we were using the gas for. I think the guys at Airgas had a pretty good idea, but I always evaded the questions.

We do the same thing with the cylinder exchange (although we have twice as many), and had no trouble swapping Airgas marked cylinders at Pac Welding.

We're using the same grade of helium as well.

 

[rjack321]

Maybe I'll start by calling and asking about sales to divers. To avoid having a name/face associated with the voodoo gas.

I would like to come clean with them, if only to be honest and everything.

But they aren't super duper smart about gases. This is based mostly on my phone calls about maximum allowable hydrocarbons in their industrial He. I eventually got the "specialty gas" guy. They are a subsidiary called "Cryogenics..." something. He was able to give me the 4 nine and other specs.