Helium reclamation/recovery -- does it exist?

[sarysa]

So I've been out of diving for years, pondering selling a couple sets of doubles which both have a considerable amount of helium inside...from a planned dive that never happened. In that time the price of Helium has skyrocketed to the point that the helium inside is probably worth more than the tanks themselves. (given their age)

With that in mind, the next logical question is...can that helium be reclaimed? Are there places one can go to basically sell back that helium that'd otherwise just go to waste?

(also, sorry if this is the wrong forum for this topic...seems relevant to tech diving, at least tangentially)

 

[Johnoly]

... Are there places one can go to basically sell back that helium that'd otherwise just go to waste?

The first question a distributor will ask you is do you have a "certificate of analysis" on the actual contents? All gasses can be contaminated with O2 or even plain air. Just holding up an He analyizer won't cut it since so many other materials can be present. Then charges for boosting, min qty, etc, etc. Best to find a friend that will pay you to dive your tanks.

 

[PfcAJ]

So I've been out of diving for years, pondering selling a couple sets of doubles which both have a considerable amount of helium inside...from a planned dive that never happened. In that time the price of Helium has skyrocketed to the point that the helium inside is probably worth more than the tanks themselves. (given their age)

With that in mind, the next logical question is...can that helium be reclaimed? Are there places one can go to basically sell back that helium that'd otherwise just go to waste?

(also, sorry if this is the wrong forum for this topic...seems relevant to tech diving, at least tangentially)

I see you’re in the Tampa area

I’d be more than happy to help you drain those tanks right into mine

 

[Akimbo]

Virtually all commercial saturation diving systems have HeO2 recycling systems and a few have pure helium reclaim systems. I am unaware of any service that will reclaim small quantities of gas like a few sets of doubles with Trimix.

 

[sarysa]

Thanks for the info...guess we're not quite there yet. I sent you a PM though, AJ.

 

[macado]

It can be "reclaimed." See if someone with a booster wants to take the gas off your hands. I bet you can make a few bucks. A lot of boosters can scavenge tanks pretty low compared to say trans-filling.

I'm willing to bet you can find someone in your area to take the gas off your hands.

 

[kensuf]

I see you’re in the Tampa area

I’d be more than happy to help you drain those tanks right into mine

But did you call dibs?

 

[rjack321]

It can be "reclaimed." See if someone with a booster wants to take the gas off your hands. I bet you can make a few bucks. A lot of boosters can scavenge tanks pretty low compared to say trans-filling.

I'm willing to bet you can find someone in your area to take the gas off your hands.

Or a compressor and a trash bag. I suck out leftovers and store them for reuse all the time

 

[Tassi Devil Diver]

Interestingly I have found that the price of helium dropped by around 25% in my region recently, is that the experience of others?

 

[tphelps]

Interestingly I have found that the price of helium dropped by around 25% in my region recently, is that the experience of others?

Helium has gone up 25-30% over the past two years for us in Hawai'i.