How does one go about shipping tanks?

[LakeCountyDiver]

How do you ship tanks. I called UPS and they said to ship 2 AL80's would be $150 from FL to MN. I see in the classifieds all the time people getting it shipped for about a dollar a pound.

Is there a trick I am missing?

 

[Peter_C]

It should be way cheaper than that. I shipped two HP80's from Tennessee to California for $72 without a commercial UPS account. Cut it in half if you have a commercial account.

Sometimes it is cheaper to ship things separately depending upon weight and size. They have a 50lb weight limit, which is the big one. Keep that in mind and run the numbers on shipping them single. Also cut the shipping tag off the internet if you have a scale. Typically it will save you money and is much cheaper than shipping from the mail stores.

Tanks are pretty hard to hurt in shipping. Remove the valve and wrap it up well. The neck needs to be welll protected by a couple layers of cardboard, and if there is room in the box protect the tank the best you can.

 

[LakeCountyDiver]

I would be shipping them with air in them so the recipient wont need to get a VIZ on it when he gets it

 

[missiegreen]

If I am not mistaken, if you get caught with them having air in them when shipping and they damage other items ( say the valve gets knocked off and your tank turns into a rocket) you are liable for all damage incurred.. They consider tanks with air hazardous goods.. And from my understanding do not tell anyone there is air in them at the shipping company, if the shipper checks and they find air in the tanks they are allowed to dispose of the item on the spot...

 

[w ripley]

Just remove the valves and ship them. UPS charges by the #, not by the item unless it is hazardous which open tanks are not. Be sure to plug the tank openings by putting tape over them, if you don't have the plastic plugs. LDSs usually have the plastic plugs that they will give you, but tape works just as well.

 

[LakeCountyDiver]

Well all the online retailers ship them with air in them.... How do they get away with it????? They ship it "ready to go" with a current VIZ and everything.

If I ship tanks to my brother and they come empty then he will need to get a VIZ on them. Thats stupid to pay for a VIZ twice.

 

[Brewone0to]

Nobody will put a tank with a valve attached in/on an airplane.
Not only does it present a flight hazard,
I believe there are still some parts of an airline jet that haven't been recovered in the bottom of the Everglades in South Florida.
It is impossible to X-Ray so if they let it on an airplane they will open it to inspect.
DEA also doesn't care for hermetically sealed hollow objects that can not be X-Ray for it's contents.
If you must ship in with gas in it, it will need to be ground only shipped.
Then because DOT controls filled cylinders in transit.
It becomes "Hazardous Cargo".
Just seal the tank with duck tape as previously mentioned and ship them.
BTW. Greyhound hauls freight fairly cheap as well.

 

[zoom5]

I would be shipping them with air in them so the recipient wont need to get a VIZ on it when he gets it

Shipping the tanks with more than 40.6psi will result in the package being considered a Class 2.2 Non Flammable (UN1002) Hazmat regardless of whether it goes by ground or air. I would just tell the guy to borrow a transfill whip to put enough air in them if he is concerned about paying to get them viz'ed.

UPS charges by the #, not by the item unless it is hazardous which open tanks are not.

UPS and Fedex also use what is called dimensional weight which means they take into account both the size and weight of the package and turn that into a billable weight. For example, a package with an actual weight of 30lbs may be marked as 50lbs dimensional weight since it is larger than a "normal" package and will take up more room in an aircraft or trailer.

 

[Bhtmec2]

Well all the online retailers ship them with air in them.... How do they get away with it????? They ship it "ready to go" with a current VIZ and everything.

If I ship tanks to my brother and they come empty then he will need to get a VIZ on them. Thats stupid to pay for a VIZ twice.

They ship via ground transport...... not air. That is why when I want to order tanks here to the island they have to ship without the valves. It is way cheaper to do UPS ground than air.

I have a hose and add air when I get them so I do not have to get a new VIZ. All a shop will do is check the sticker and make sure there is pressure. Just my 2 cents.....

 

[halocline]

30 PSI would be sufficient to keep the tank from ingesting any ambient air and allow the tank to be shipped without creating any sort of hazard. I suspect that's how most vendors ship tanks with valves installed. Actually, if we're talking about an AL tank, there is really no reason to worry; it's not going to rust and the tiny bit of moisture that might get in the tank in shipment could easily be dried just by sticking a LP hose in the tank that's connected to a regulator on another tank and running some scuba air through it, then re-install the valve.