Running Oxy tank completely empty

[Matt P]

Is it dangerous or potentially damaging to run an oxygen tank completely empty? I feel like I've heard that before, but I also feel like I've seen someone do it before. Thanks!

[Slow]

I hope not; I do it all the time. Of course, if you run out of oxygen while your torch is running (and you leave it running), you can end up with a flame that can overheat (and eventually damage) the face of the torch. But I really don't think you can damage the tank that way.

[Matt P]

yeah, the guy i learned my basics from did that, I've just had this feeling lately that I read somewhere it wasn't the best idea. Not sure though, must be that damn short term memory loss haha

[menty666]

I don't know about liquid, but I run my K tanks down until I see 0 on the supply side or the flame goes yellow, whichever comes first.

If I notice it's zero on the supply side but I still have some pressure on the torch gauge, I might pull stringers or something, but starting a bigger project's a bad idea just because you've got to deal with it at a bad time.

[Mecha]

You are probably going to die.

[Matt P]

You are probably going to die.

thanks buddy :shifty:

i just bought a tank, rather than having a deposit on one, and want to take as good of care of it as possible. these are things that I didn't think of until I finally bought this one.

[aREa541]

Your owner tank will just get swapped out every time you fill it anyway so no need to worry about hurting it. Also, a k tank is bulletproof so I wouldn't stress even if you were to reuse it.

[hashmasta-kut]

its as dangerous as emptying a bottle of water completely.

[BrassMonkey]

Maybe your thinking of scuba tank. Your not supposed to empty completely to prevent moisture and rust inside the tank.

[glassaxis]

I've never heard that. When in doubt, consult the people you get oxygen from.

[kage]

if you run out of air while scuba diving then you will surely die, so i wouldn't worry about rust

[J Howard]

i'd worry more about driving around with a full tank in your car! seriously, it's a very large bomb. i'd be terrified if i had one in my car and somebody rear ended me. if it doesn't detonate, it could fly forward and kill you. when you first start out, you do what you gotta do, but i sure love just getting deliveries now, and only drive with one in my car in an "i need a back up stat" emergency

[Slow]

There was about a 2-year period during which lox was not an option, and the welding supply place was close enough that a delivery charge seemed like a waste of money. So I would often find myself with 3-4 full K tanks in the back of my station wagon. Never before or since have I been as paranoid about being tailgated. If I needed propane that day as well, forget it. Literally a bomb on wheels.

[BrassMonkey]

Na kage you can make an emergency accend easy,,,,, might be fucked after that tho.

[Icarus]

I asked my welding guys about this once. They said it's okay to run to it down to where your regulator reads nothing and you are not really getting enough oxy for a useful flame, but there should still be a minute amount of pressure in the tanks and you should turn your tanks valve back to the closed position before you remove the reg to prevent plain atmosperic air from entering and contaminating the tank.

[Slow]

to prevent plain atmosperic air from entering and contaminating the tank

Don't they purge the tanks before filling them? I always close my tanks before disconnecting the reg, and I don't really have use for less than 10 or 20 psi of oxygen, but isn't that a precaution the supply company would take regardless?

[Bruce Dille]

I hope not; I do it all the time. Of course, if you run out of oxygen while your torch is running (and you leave it running), you can end up with a flame that can overheat (and eventually damage) the face of the torch. But I really don't think you can damage the tank that way.

I run a GTT Lynx and as soon as I loose pressure its over,Torch off.I would not reccomend turning your valves all the way open for what another minute of torch time.

[Slow]

Maybe I was a bit vague, I don't ever let my flame get orange. I try to plan ahead, but if I notice I'm losing pressure I get the piece in the kiln asap. I sometimes switch to the centerfire and do small, clean-up prep-type work until I lose pressure there as well, but that's just 'cause I'm a cheap bastard. I guess I don't really let the tank run all the way down, just down to a pressure that is useless to me. Also, I hear that GTTs are touchier when it comes to heating up the face, but that may be a rumor - I don't know because I can't afford one.

[Shatner]

Your owner tank will just get swapped out every time you fill it anyway so no need to worry about hurting it. Also, a k tank is bulletproof so I wouldn't stress even if you were to reuse it.

This! I 'own' a tank, too.

And no, it won't hurt it to run it empty.

[J Howard]

Also, I hear that GTTs are touchier when it comes to heating up the face, but that may be a rumor - I don't know because I can't afford one.



that's an understatement! there's a whole range of awesome flames you cant run for more than a minute or two before they start to self destruct

[n3rd]

truth! i don't miss wondering if the flame i'm running is bad for my torch.

[Jestr]

At my shop, we run the tanks until there just isn't any working pressure anymore. If the supply side hits 0 but there's still working pressure, we run it down till there ain't no oxy left. But it's kinda spotty sometimes. There was one day recently where we thought the tank was empty but there was enough to work on so I thought "prep time." I pulled a large jar full of stringers and still had enough left in the tank for a flower marble before the tank ACTUALLY died. Marble turned out alright, too. But yeah, we were all amazed there was so much freaking gas (and consistent working pressure) left after it appeared to be empty. Welding company said "Don't worry about it, empty 'em."

[sleepingpeople]

i run my tanks empty, but i have noticed while workin a ball of black once it began to reduce. So i choose what i do carefully once it hits the 0.

[funksizzle]

high pressure oxy hits. Open oxy on torch, and hope lungs dont freeze. Invigorating.

[Greymatter Glass]

high pressure oxy hits. Open oxy on torch, and hope lungs dont freeze. Invigorating.

This is stupid and potentially very dangerous advice. I could infract you again, but let's just hope you see the error of your ways without getting banned first, ok?

[funksizzle]

yeah baby just a joke.

ALthough Ironically I just saw this five min later

http://www.talkglass.com/forum/showthread.php?11681-The-pressure-relief-valve-is-stuck-open-on-my-liquid-tank&highlight=pressure+relief+stuck

"as for the venting gas ;welders use that shit as a hangover cure only the liquid is a major issue.. "

where were you?

[Greymatter Glass]

aside from the fact that they're not suggesting you inhale high pressure oxygen off the end of a torch, I didn't see it, and it's in a different context.

[nodice]

I asked my welding guys about this once. They said it's okay to run to it down to where your regulator reads nothing and you are not really getting enough oxy for a useful flame, but there should still be a minute amount of pressure in the tanks and you should turn your tanks valve back to the closed position before you remove the reg to prevent plain atmosperic air from entering and contaminating the tank.

+1

[ROGUE]

Matheson puts stickers on their tank that says return with 25 PSIG, but I don't think it has to do with being dangerous, it probably is hard on their filling machines.

[Greymatter Glass]

Don't leave "empty" tanks open to breathe for long periods of time, but otherwise it doesn't do much harm to use everything they can spit out. You just don't want them pulling air in and out with atmospheric changes in pressure as that can allow water to build up. Also, it slightly dilutes the oxygen the next couple times it's filled. General practice should be to keep the tank valve closed when there's not a regulator attached. Dropping a tank to 0 working pressure doesn't mean the tank's empty, it's just not full enough to push open the diaphragm in the reg.