tanks stored outside

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hey now.if i was to store acetylene outside during the summer months and we have a heat wave would that effect the acetylene in anyway? what about during the winter? if it got freezing out and snowed the amount it did near me this winter the tanks would be 100 % under snow. would that effect acetylene or oxygen tanks?i live in an apartment and if i get an o/a set up id have to store the tanks outside under the stairs. my original idea was to use disposable tanks of o2 and mapp or propylene with smith regulators (the ones they make for disposable tanks) and then use a smaller torch like a smith aw1a or meeco midget.i dont use this stuff everyday. it can sometimes be weeks in between use. any advice is appreciatedLast edited by outlawskinnyd; 04-09-2011 at 02:20 AM.the grand ol' opry aint so grand anymoremiller maxstar 150sworking on an oxy/acet set up
Reply:temperature will affect the pressures you see on the tank qauge, but wont affect performance. but the idea of leaving stuff like this outside where it could be stolen or worse some nitwit mess with it and cause a fatality..its your tanks, you are liable.....
Reply:welding stores keep cylinders outdoors 24/7/365. If you want to secure them, start with a secure eyebolt and then run chain up and tightly padlocked around each cylinder top, with the bottoms restrained within a steel frame.
Reply:Originally Posted by weldbeadtemperature will affect the pressures you see on the tank qauge, but wont affect performance. but the idea of leaving stuff like this outside where it could be stolen or worse some nitwit mess with it and cause a fatality..its your tanks, you are liable.....
Reply:Well, for one thing, don't even think about the disposable oxygen.  It'll cost you a fortune.  Those $8 bottles last only a couple of minutes.Even so, and MC and 20cf oxygen are pretty small.  They'll do plenty of jewelry work, but otherwise, I'd think about a B tank, and 60cf of oxygen at a minimum.I would say that if you caged and locked in the space where you stored them that would cover your security base liabilities.  Of course, do not store them with the regulators on (those should be kept inside anyway).Tank farms do keep these outdoors, even in the desert sun, BUT, sometimes they do vent, and sometimes that can ignite.  It's quite rare, and not something to be seriously concerned with, BUT you should have NO concerns keeping them in the shade.  That's 100% safe, at any outdoor temperature.The bigger question, is does your landlord approve?  This can be an issue say if the tanks are visible, and their insurance agent takes a walkthrough and gives them grief.  I would say that enclosing the space under the stairs with say picket fencing (or something that looks like it belongs), not airtight, but enough to conceal what's in there, may be more important than simply locking the bottles up.  It's not hard to cut a lock, but if there's nothing to see, to attract idiots, you're less likely to have problems.BTW, where are you located?  Some areas treat this type of thing differently.
Reply:For some reason bees love to build hives inside cylinder caps.So...  beware of that if you're dealing with outdoor stored cylinders, in bee season.Good Luck
Reply:Originally Posted by rlitmanWell, for one thing, don't even think about the disposable oxygen.  It'll cost you a fortune.  Those $8 bottles last only a couple of minutes.Even so, and MC and 20cf oxygen are pretty small.  They'll do plenty of jewelry work, but otherwise, I'd think about a B tank, and 60cf of oxygen at a minimum.I would say that if you caged and locked in the space where you stored them that would cover your security base liabilities.  Of course, do not store them with the regulators on (those should be kept inside anyway).Tank farms do keep these outdoors, even in the desert sun, BUT, sometimes they do vent, and sometimes that can ignite.  It's quite rare, and not something to be seriously concerned with, BUT you should have NO concerns keeping them in the shade.  That's 100% safe, at any outdoor temperature.The bigger question, is does your landlord approve?  This can be an issue say if the tanks are visible, and their insurance agent takes a walkthrough and gives them grief.  I would say that enclosing the space under the stairs with say picket fencing (or something that looks like it belongs), not airtight, but enough to conceal what's in there, may be more important than simply locking the bottles up.  It's not hard to cut a lock, but if there's nothing to see, to attract idiots, you're less likely to have problems.BTW, where are you located?  Some areas treat this type of thing differently.
Reply:Originally Posted by rlitmanWell, for one thing, don't even think about the disposable oxygen.  It'll cost you a fortune.  Those $8 bottles last only a couple of minutes.Even so, and MC and 20cf oxygen are pretty small.  They'll do plenty of jewelry work, but otherwise, I'd think about a B tank, and 60cf of oxygen at a minimum.I would say that if you caged and locked in the space where you stored them that would cover your security base liabilities.  Of course, do not store them with the regulators on (those should be kept inside anyway).Tank farms do keep these outdoors, even in the desert sun, BUT, sometimes they do vent, and sometimes that can ignite.  It's quite rare, and not something to be seriously concerned with, BUT you should have NO concerns keeping them in the shade.  That's 100% safe, at any outdoor temperature.The bigger question, is does your landlord approve?  This can be an issue say if the tanks are visible, and their insurance agent takes a walkthrough and gives them grief.  I would say that enclosing the space under the stairs with say picket fencing (or something that looks like it belongs), not airtight, but enough to conceal what's in there, may be more important than simply locking the bottles up.  It's not hard to cut a lock, but if there's nothing to see, to attract idiots, you're less likely to have problems.BTW, where are you located?  Some areas treat this type of thing differently.
Reply:when the wires are hollow call them hoses
Reply:Originally Posted by weldbeadwhen the wires are hollow call them hoses
Reply:Originally Posted by outlawskinnydi dont want to use smith's little torch because i dont like the idea of having the wires crimped into the torch handle
Reply:Since oxy and propane are heavy compared to air I would opt for oxy and acetylene ... One goes up and the other goes down ... Not much chance of the two mixing if there is some leakage ... Especially if stored indoors or in a confined space ...I have been there, done that ... I have taken the scars and left the smiles to prove it ...  U.S. Marine extraordinaire ...Wars fought, tigers tamed, revolutions started, bars emptied, alligators castrated ...
Reply:Oxygen cylinders are stored in homes all the time by medical patients. "E" cylinders are around 32CF, and are the largest standard portable medical cylinder.
Reply:Originally Posted by magusjinxSince oxy and propane are heavy compared to air I would opt for oxy and acetylene ... One goes up and the other goes down ... Not much chance of the two mixing if there is some leakage ... Especially if stored indoors or in a confined space ...
Reply:Originally Posted by rlitmanI've got one, never use it.  When they say little, they really mean it.  The #5 tip is comparable to a Victor 00 in flame size, BUT with so much less mass in the tip, it overheats pretty fast.  The #1 and #2 have such needle small flames, they're almost impossible to light.All of my hoses have crimped ends.  Ok, so they're crimped onto a flare fitting that I can remove from the torch, but just being crimped isn't such a bad thing.  It's probably the best connection type for a hose.Have you ever seen how small an MC and 20CF oxygen bottle are?An MC is maybe 20% bigger than a 14oz disposable propane cylinder, BUT it's got only a tiny fraction of the gas, and costs more to get filled.  Not a good deal IMHO.  The B size holds four times as much gas as an MC and only costs a little more to get filled.  If you can get away with propane or propylene (because MAPP is no longer available), then consider the disposable cylinders by all means over an MC.The disposable oxygen cylinders however are a total ripoff.  They give you about 1CF of oxygen, for $8+, when you can get 20CF for $15 or so in a real cylinder (and prices only get better with larger cylinders).  Even worse, they run out so fast, you waste lots just heating what you were working on back up, after you change the cylinder in the middle of a braze and it cools down.As for storage:Oxygen cylinders are stored in homes all the time by medical patients.  "E" cylinders are around 32CF, and are the largest standard portable medical cylinder.You have little to worry about, storing an MC (or even a B) acetylene cylinder indoors.  A propane cylinder (even a disposable one) is FAR more dangerous, because they contain more fuel, propane has a lower LEL (lower explosive limit), and propane can pool into basements and drains by being heavier than air (acetylene is lighter than air).  Want to re-think keeping them outdoors?
Reply:Back when I did private care, one of my clients had 3 - 82lb LOX containers ... Now that was one house you didn't want to see catch fire ... Talk about an enhanced flame ...I have been there, done that ... I have taken the scars and left the smiles to prove it ...  U.S. Marine extraordinaire ...Wars fought, tigers tamed, revolutions started, bars emptied, alligators castrated ...