Help ID'ing shielding gas cylinder

admin

Hi all:I just purchased my first tank of welding gas on Friday from a LWS: 125 cu ft filled with argon. *No stamps on neck ring.I've found the Cylinder spec #s (DOT3AA2265) and two retest markings (latest one is 3#09+* so should be good til March 2019 by my math).I'm trying to determine the manufacture date and serial number for my records.The other set of markings are as follows (as best as I can tell):1R 975248SPUN M8004Any help with manufacture date and serial is appreciated!Also, as I understand it, there is no universally-accepted color coding practice for tanks in the US any longer, but I am painting mine up nice and shiny and would like to use the appropriate color scheme, if there is one. *According to this chart linked from the sticky, maroon is the color used by Airgas. *Can anyone confirm if that is common? *Is so, I'm wondering was color bottles are used by Airgas for C25, as that is not listed on their color chart...Thanks everyone!Lincoln Electric Square Wave 200Hobart 210 MVP Hobart Spoolrunner 100Hobart 250ci plasmaLincoln AC 225 buzzboxOxy/acetylene kit
Reply:DOT3AA2265 means it is DOT approved for transport with a rated pressure of 2265psi.3#09+* means that it was tested in March of 2009 for 10 years and can be overfilled by 10% (2491.5psi).  If this is the only test date stamp then it was likely manufactured March of 2009.I think that M8004 is the manufacturer's code to identify who the manufacturer is.  I have no idea what 1R 975248 is unless it is a serial number...As far as color goes, most I've seen around here are brown if 100% argon and green if 75/25 but I don't think there are any real rules around what color you could paint it.GravelThe difference between theory and practice is that in theory there is no difference.
Reply:Ah, yes, according to Google the M8004 is a manufacturer designation for Faber or Worthington (one in the same?)I'm thinking the 975248 is the serial number, and the 1R is maybe yet a separate designation...
Reply:Part of the number 975248 may be the manufacture yearYou might try going back from the first test stamp,but someone may have let a test lapse.
Reply:The only other test stamp date is 11(arrowhead-looking symbol)95+*Lincoln Electric Square Wave 200Hobart 210 MVP Hobart Spoolrunner 100Hobart 250ci plasmaLincoln AC 225 buzzboxOxy/acetylene kit
Reply:So it is at least 19 years old...GravelThe difference between theory and practice is that in theory there is no difference.
Reply:I have a 100% argon 150 that is all brown, two 125's of 75/25 , one is all blue and the other is orange and sliver.
Reply:I have a 125 of straight argon that is blue and a 125 of 75/25 that is green.  HAHAGravelThe difference between theory and practice is that in theory there is no difference.
Reply:Thanks guys. Do you mind telling me in your tanks are owned or rented (and if rented from a LWS or national chain)?Sent from my SCH-I545 using TapatalkLincoln Electric Square Wave 200Hobart 210 MVP Hobart Spoolrunner 100Hobart 250ci plasmaLincoln AC 225 buzzboxOxy/acetylene kit
Reply:Hello -dirt-, consider a few other things with regard to "your" tank. If you deal with LWS's like many that I have had dealings with, when it's empty they will simply switch it out with you. So giving it a custom paint job or any other sort of amenities will be a moot point as at the time that you go in to get it filled they might very well just trade you out for another bottle. In my area and many others that I have traveled to, tanks should have labels on them to identify the gas that they contain. If they don't have a tag, they don't get used, regardless of color or any other sort of markings. Of the high pressure tanks that exist in my area, they can be a myriad of colors, the color means very little and a high pressure tank differentiates very little whether it contains argon, various percentages of argon and co2, helium, tri-mixes or a host of other gas combinations or straight gas type compositions. What counts is the label that is on the tank. A filler might need some additional bottles of a particular gas or gas combination and to meet this need they will simply put the correct label on the bottle and fill it accordingly. Just consider this as you make your plans for customization. Good luck and best regards, Allanaevald
Reply:Mine are owned. I have one 125 of 75/25 with NO NAME on it at all. The other 75/25 has Rockford welding, another 100 % argon has Air gas. Those have been exchanged at local supplier. The ones I turned in for exchanged had different names on them. My current local supplier HAS NO NAME on tank neck in stock for a no name on tank exchange on some gases.
Reply:I have two 160 cu.ft. argon cylinders for my Syncrowave 200. When one runs out. I swap them and then get another one when I have time. They are both customer owned. One is brown and the other is orange. LOL .My 20# CO2 for the MIG is just bare aluminum. As mentioned, there's really no standardization for gas cylinders anymore. As to painting a cylinder, assuming you are setting your regulator or flow meter at something close to 15 SCFH when you use it, you have about 8 hours of gas. It's hardly worth it to paint one of the things.Miller Millermatic 252Miller Syncrowave 200Liincoln AC-DC 225Victor O-A Set
Reply:I'm thinking the 975248 is the serial number
Reply:Mine are owned. Bought the green one new and the blue one from CL.  Originally Posted by -dirt-Thanks guys. Do you mind telling me in your tanks are owned or rented (and if rented from a LWS or national chain)?Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk
Reply:Cylinder ID gets to be very tricky in some cases. There is no uniform color designation for CGA cylinders. Gravel is correct that the + designates a ten percent overfill and the * is for a ten year test. I don't recommend painting them as they generally are exchange based as previously stated. For the most part, an unmarked neck ring designates a customer owned cylinder but there are some labeled ones also. Most rental cylinders are labeled Vern Lewis, US Navy, Air Liquide and that list goes on and on. Welding supply companies will take an oxygen cylinder and revalve it for use for another gas if the need arises. If you have customer owned cylinders and use them frequently its not a big deal. The home hobbyists that don't use them before the recert date are subject to the recert fees. So, if you know that you will not use all the gas in X amount of years check the date that is stamped on it so you don't get stuck with the extra charges. I have seen cylinders that were at the LWS full that were out of date but they were current when filled.
Reply:Thanks everyone for the input.I discussed filling/swapping with the LWS when I purchased the tank, and they can either swap it for another customer-owned/blank neck ring tank OR I can drop it off and pick it up later after they fill it.  Does anyone else think the 6-digit number is the serial number?  Thanks again.Lincoln Electric Square Wave 200Hobart 210 MVP Hobart Spoolrunner 100Hobart 250ci plasmaLincoln AC 225 buzzboxOxy/acetylene kit
Reply:Why ask us? it isn't something we need to know, therefore, we don't.Ask your LWSMillerMatic 252Miller Xtreme 625Miller Digital Elite
Reply:Originally Posted by DaeyelWhy ask us?
Reply:I doubt if any ever even noticed. It's just not pertinent information. Whenever you want to find something out, ask those whom the info would be pertinent to. In this case, it is your LWS. MillerMatic 252Miller Xtreme 625Miller Digital Elite
Reply:Originally Posted by -dirt-I thought that the helpful folks on here could glance at their tanks and confirm or deny if theirs have 6 digit serial numbers.  Didn't think that was asking too much. But that's why I asked.Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk