Sky Ox SK 10 oxygen tank - what do I need to know?

[RussR]

One of my clients had this lying around his hangar, didn't need it, and gave it to me. I do have occasional use for an oxygen tank, so I am happy to have it.

This appears to be an older tank. It is steel. Sky Ox does not list it on their current website. It does still show 1300 psi, although he said it hasn't been used in at least 10 years.

So, what do I need to know to get it up and usable again? Does it require inspections? Since it hasn't been used in so long, are there corrosion issues or anything like that? Should I look at replacing parts, like the regulator? Is any of this economical to do?

 

[GaryM]

One of my clients had this lying around his hangar, didn't need it, and gave it to me. I do have occasional use for an oxygen tank, so I am happy to have it.

This appears to be an older tank. It is steel. Sky Ox does not list it on their current website. It does still show 1300 psi, although he said it hasn't been used in at least 10 years.

So, what do I need to know to get it up and usable again? Does it require inspections? Since it hasn't been used in so long, are there corrosion issues or anything like that? Should I look at replacing parts, like the regulator? Is any of this economical to do?

View attachment 92182

It'll need a hydrostatic pressure test; gas supply shops, larger fire extinguisher fill shops, or SCUBA shops can point you to a place that will do it. That might cost $40 or $50. The yellow paint block shows it was hydroed in 2002, I can't make out what is in the silver paint block, but hydro dates get stamped into the tank, separate from all of the data stamped in when the tank is made. The hydro shop will do a visual inspection before they pressure test, so if there is corrosion, they should spot it.

I can't comment on the regulator; my experience is with SCUBA tanks and regulators, not aviation hardware.

 

[luvflyin]

One of my clients had this lying around his hangar, didn't need it, and gave it to me. I do have occasional use for an oxygen tank, so I am happy to have it.

This appears to be an older tank. It is steel. Sky Ox does not list it on their current website. It does still show 1300 psi, although he said it hasn't been used in at least 10 years.

So, what do I need to know to get it up and usable again? Does it require inspections? Since it hasn't been used in so long, are there corrosion issues or anything like that? Should I look at replacing parts, like the regulator? Is any of this economical to do?

View attachment 92182

https://www.pilotsofamerica.com/com...refilling-an-oxygen-tank.128342/#post-2979645

 

[flyingron]

I can't comment on the regulator; my experience is with SCUBA tanks and regulators, not aviation hardware.

What Gary says about the tank is correct. You shouldn't get it filled without a current hydro and just about any welding/gas supply place can handle it.
The thing that the regulator is connecting to the tank appears to an industry-standard (CGA540) oxygen fitting. That's handy, it will make filling easy and makes it easy to find a different regulator if you like.

The regulator is an older skyox type and will require masks compatible with their connectors (you can order them from SkyOx or Aerox). It's a pretty dumb regulator., I like the ones that are demand-driven like the Nelson/Precise or Mountain High ones. Oxygen is cheap until you run out.

 

[Matthew Rogers]

It may be cheaper to just get a used Craigslist medical oxygen setup than try to get this one working again. And you can get an aluminum tank for lighter weight. There are pulse demand regulators on EBay, lots of used stuff as those on oxygen don’t really have the longest lives, so they rarely use the equipment until failure.
All O2 is the same, all regulators will work, unless you are flying at 18,000+’, don’t worry. At that point, you have the money to buy a brand new aviation setup anyway.

 

[flyingron]

Many medical tanks have an inconvenient fitting for aviation use. If you can get one with a threaded (CGA) fitting you'll make things easier on yourself. I'm not seeing either of the two pulse-demand regulators on ebay right now, but keep trying.

 

[Matthew Rogers]

Search for Chad Drive Bonsai regulator. There are more than 6 different listings from $40-100.

It is a pulse demand regulator that senses your breathing and pulses the oxygen based on breathing requirements. 6 settings as well as a constant 2 L/min.

 

[PaulMillner]

This appears to be an older tank. It is steel. It does still show 1300 psi, although he said it hasn't been used in at least 10 years.

So, what do I need to know to get it up and usable again? Does it require inspections? Since it hasn't been used in so long, are there corrosion issues or anything like that? Should I look at replacing parts, like the regulator? Is any of this economical to do?
View attachment 92182

You can use that 1300 psig of oxygen, it doesn't go bad. When you need you a refill, you'll have to get a hydro first (every five years). The best deal is usually a fire extinguisher place, but it won't be one-stop, as they typically don't have oxygen to refill your cylinder. My local place charges $20 for a hydro... then I carry the cylinder to the welding supply or the technical dive shop for an oxygen refill.

The regulators need to be gone over every ten years or so. The diaphragms and o-rings deteriorate. You can send it back to SkyOx for that. Check their overhaul price against prices for new regulators, just in case. I don't have SkyOx experience, so I can't say.

The pulsers really extend range, and more importantly above 15,000' or so, they remind you to breathe, in case you start Cheynes-Stokesing... breathing only intermittently, because the partial pressure of CO2 is so low, that you blow it all off and defeat the usual "breathe you fool!" system in your brain.

 

[PaulMillner]

The regulator is an older skyox type and will require masks compatible with their connectors

Not really... you need compatible connectors, but they can be attached to the hose that runs to any cannula or mask that you like, or to an oxygen pulser as mentioned above. I like my Mountain High pulser, but the Medicare surplus units are 1/10 the price and work almost as well.

Paul

 

[PaulMillner]

It may be cheaper to just get a used Craigslist medical oxygen setup than try to get this one working again.

It shouldn't be heavy lifting to get this one working...

All O2 is the same, all regulators will work, unless you are flying at 18,000+’, don’t worry. At that point, you have the money to buy a brand new aviation setup anyway.

Keep in mind that the pulsers have max input pressures; there's not a standard downstream pressure for regulators. Use too high a pressure, and the pulser will just blow through, and can even be damaged. There are secondary letdown regulators, but probably cheaper and easier to just get a compatible regulator in the first place.

The oxygen is the same, but the cylinder filling protocol is different. Industrial O2 is just refilled... they don't worry if there are contaminants in the bottle. So it's best to use your OWN bottle where you know you haven't backflowed some other gas, etc. into it.

Medical oxygen is filled and purged twice to control impurities. ABO (aviators' breathing oxygen) is filled and purged four times to control impurities. Not sure why that makes sense anymore in this day and age, but them's the standards, and why the cost is higher. If you're Part 91, there's no requirement to use ABO; just be prudent.