Why do I see HVAC vehicles w/ Freon cylinders angled on their side??>>

[grant69]

I thought that was a big no-no. No? In my studies, it indicates they should always be transported upright. What gives? Maybe they are empties?

-GH

[Diceman]

They ain't empty, whats the deal?

[condenseddave]

That's the way the racks were made.

Acetylene bottles should be stored upright, but freon doesn't have to be.

What's your deal?

[midhvac]

Originally posted by condenseddave
That's the way the racks were made.

Acetylene bottles should be stored upright, but freon doesn't have to be.

What's your deal?



The acetylene bottles I get from the supplier are always empty anyway. Last time they messed up and gave me a full one, but the valve in the top was stuck shut and wouldn't open.

[oil lp man]

Originally posted by midhvac

Originally posted by condenseddave
That's the way the racks were made.

Acetylene bottles should be stored upright, but freon doesn't have to be.

What's your deal?



The acetylene bottles I get from the supplier are always empty anyway. Last time they messed up and gave me a full one, but the valve in the top was stuck shut and wouldn't open.


I check mine before i leave the supply house. I had one that would'nt budge last time. Someone with a nickname "Gorilla" must be filling them.

[Green Mountain]

Originally posted by Diceman
They ain't empty, whats the deal?

High pressure cyclinders should be transported, chained in an upright position. Nitrogen or oxygen have a round 3000 psi in them. If the valve got knocked off of one of those cyclinders it would take off like a rocket. So if it is upright it would be forced down.

The common refrigerant cyclinders used in the trade do not contain a tenth of that kind of pressure. You might get a buzz if a valve broke off in your truck but it wouldn't knock your head off.

[Edited by benncool on 09-16-2004 at 07:32 AM]

[dschwab9]

Originally posted by midhvac

The acetylene bottles I get from the supplier are always empty anyway. Last time they messed up and gave me a full one, but the valve in the top was stuck shut and wouldn't open.


What good do empty acetylene bottles do you?

I had one a few weeks ago, the small tanks for the portable torch that have the square valve stem. It was shut so tight I ended up breaking off the valve stem trying to open it and never did get it opened.

[Stamas]

Saw a cyclinder fall, well didn't see it fall, just bouncing off everything at floor level as I joined others in trying to get above and away. Was backstage before a concert and they were going to use it for fog I believe. I was @17 and was told it was nitro. Should have seen what it did to a steel door that in it's way.

[grant69]

Straight from EscoInstitute EPA Section 608 Prep Manual:
"Cylinders should be transported in an upright position."

I have seen several HVAC vans....and now that I'm very interested in this line of work, I look inside to see how their van is arranged....I have seen these little shelfs in almost all of the vans I've seen holding these cylinders in a on-their-side-fashion.

No big deal, but I wanted to clear up an obivious contradiction in what I was stuyding versus what actually is common practice. Makes sense, though, when you consider the pressures involved...

Thanks!

-Grant

[Diceman]

Be careful going around looking in guys work trucks......we ain't big on that ya know. Go visit the 9mm thread:D

[midhvac]

Originally posted by dschwab9

Originally posted by midhvac

The acetylene bottles I get from the supplier are always empty anyway. Last time they messed up and gave me a full one, but the valve in the top was stuck shut and wouldn't open.


What good do empty acetylene bottles do you?

I had one a few weeks ago, the small tanks for the portable torch that have the square valve stem. It was shut so tight I ended up breaking off the valve stem trying to open it and never did get it opened.

Well, I guess empty bottles are easier to carry :)

I've had the same problem with snapping off the square valve stem many times when trying to open a stuck one.

I always carry an extra tank. When I empty one, I get it refilled asap so that I always have a backup tank. A few weeks ago I recover a charge and go to weld a leak.

I've got 2 *unused* tanks on the truck.
The valve opened just fine on the first one and it was empty. The valve was stuck on the 2nd one and I was pis*ed.

[coolwhip]

Are you guys sure your turning the valve the right way? Remember lefty loosy righty tighty.

[Green Mountain]

Does every one know this? On your Ridgit cutters you have a tuck away reaming tool. On this pull out blade is a little square hole. You are suppose to use this as a wrench to open and close you acethylene valves.

[condenseddave]

They just sorta roll around the back of my truck.

[Diceman]

I keep a small service wrench leashed on the b-tank and I always check the tanks when I buy em.

[Stamas]

Originally posted by benncool
Does every one know this? On your Ridgit cutters you have a tuck away reaming tool. On this pull out blade is a little square hole. You are suppose to use this as a wrench to open and close you acethylene valves.


Pearl of wisdom for the day.

[Diceman]

And yes, I did know the beenie trick too.

[dschwab9]

I have a combination wrench that has the square hole for the valve stem, and the sizes for the hoses and regulators all on one wrench.

[bb]

Originally posted by midhvac

Originally posted by condenseddave
That's the way the racks were made.

Acetylene bottles should be stored upright, but freon doesn't have to be.

What's your deal?



The acetylene bottles I get from the supplier are always empty anyway. Last time they messed up and gave me a full one, but the valve in the top was stuck shut and wouldn't open.


Until lately ours were either stuck so bad that you would break off the stem (even after loosening the packing nut)
or overfilled till they would spit out liquid acetylene.

[HVAC Pro]

Originally posted by grant69
I thought that was a big no-no. No? In my studies, it indicates they should always be transported upright. What gives? Maybe they are empties?

-GH

It's called a tank tower. The tanks store horizontally because they are easier to load and unload that way. When you start hustling those 30# or 50# cylinders off the truck a dozen times a day it will all make sense to you. :D

[Spidy]

Nothing worse then getting an empty tank! :/ I still have the little wrench that came with my torches(now I will loose it) never got one closed so tight it broke.


Your standard Refrig Wrench fits an Acte tank valve, doesnt it?

[midhvac]

Originally posted by bb

Until lately ours were either stuck so bad that you would break off the stem (even after loosening the packing nut)
or overfilled till they would spit out liquid acetylene.

I was so desperate and pis*ed off last time, I was about ready to remove the valve from the empty tank, then, as fast as I could, unthread the stuck one while the acetylene was coming out and screw the other one in it.

*After* I put my cigarette out of course :D

Just didn't want to end up looking like Phantom of the Opera.

[condenseddave]

Originally posted by Spidy

Your standard Refrig Wrench fits an Acte tank valve, doesnt it?

Yes, it does.

[Diceman]

The best refrig wrench is the bigger one with the usual small ftgs on one end and the largeer 1/2" and whatever on the other. Those sizes fit so many nuts and bolts on motor mounts and such.

[Stamas]

Why do nitrogen tanks have so much difference in weights? Some seem to be made from back breaking cast iron and other feel like aluminum.

[smsi]

An old timer in Richmond named Shorty Davidson once told me a story about working in downtown Richmond once and a cylinder fell, hit the curb, and knocked the top off. He said it ran back into the curb and huggged it and went a couple of blocks like a torpedo on land and came to rest right by the state capital with him chasing the damn thing the whole way. The Capital police came out with guns drawn and did'nt know what to think. Would have been something to witness.

[HVAC Pro]

Originally posted by smsi
An old timer in Richmond named Shorty Davidson once told me a story about working in downtown Richmond once and a cylinder fell, hit the curb, and knocked the top off. He said it ran back into the curb and huggged it and went a couple of blocks like a torpedo on land and came to rest right by the state capital with him chasing the damn thing the whole way. The Capital police came out with guns drawn and did'nt know what to think. Would have been something to witness.

smsi, you in Richmond? Or have I asked you this before already?