Oxygen Bottles

[Guest Bullet Remington]

Here's the scoop. Went through three different Plank MM's today, and I can't find squat on the procedures for Recharging oxygen bottles.

 

While there is a procedure for charging them using the aircraft fill port, built into the aircraft, there is no prescribed procedure listed for recharging them "off aircraft".

 

Has anybody seen or can refer me to a site/manual for recharging these suckers off aircraft??

 

I checked the Compressed gas site, the AMSE site, the TC site and got squat!

 

Any help appreciated.

 

Cheers

 

BR

[Skywrench]

I have never removed an airframe bottle to fill, but have charged numerous portables as well as airframe bottles removed from airliners in town overnight for guys on the field. The airframe bottles are filled no differently than the portables, and I do know that WJ has a procedure in place for servicing thier bottles away from base (purge the line, fill to xxxPSI, wait 10 mins., top up to xxxPSI...), the other airlines are just happy to have pressure in there to make thier dispatch. Most portables have instructions on the bottle though, airframe bottles do not with the exception of 1 type of aircraft I have come across where the AMM procedure is to remove the bottle from the airframe and fill on the bench, all nicely laid out in the manual. Memory escapes me though, I can't remember what type of a/c it was. So to answer your question, I have never seen any formal instructions other than the above listed AMM. Out of curiosity, if the aircraft has a recharge system built in why charge the bottle off of the aircraft, company procedure? I know a lot of companies south of the 49th are doing this now, but my employer has yet to bring this into our operation. Honestly I hope they never do.

[arctic_front]

there are a few reasons to charge a bottle off the aircraft. but the bottom line is, as was mentioned previously, its not much different than on-aircraft. we used to pull them out and take them down to the welding shop/compressed gas place. as long as they know its aviator's breathing oxygen, and the bottle says what the max pressure is...let them do it. After all....they do it all day....we don't. I've stood there and watched them fill the bottle many times....they know what they are doing. Not many aviation companies have the equipment to properly fill them anyway. The danger of grease, oil, ect on our tools far out-weighs the benefits. Also, I never trust the Mickey-Mouse pressure guages in the oxygen systems on the aircraft anyway.

 

The 'cascade' filling system requires you to have a bundle of bottles on-hand to get the job done, at a greater cost in inventory and expense over the simple cost of getting the bottle filled by the pro's

 

Why bother?

[Guest Bullet Remington]

SkyWrench:

 

I am intimately familiar with WJ's card for "away from base' top-up, etc. That's one of the task cards that initiated the question. Every card WJ has, is/has been based upon TC/FAA/ JAA approved procedures.

 

As for recharging off aircraft, WJ does not possess the equipment to do this, nor do we wish to. We have a vendor who does this. The vendor, however, has no "approved" documentation stating the procedure is correct. The main purpose in the question was to provide the vendor some substaniating procedures.

 

Hence the question. I too have topped up and recharged on aircraft. I have never recharged off aircraft.

 

Artic front:

 

Taking you Oxygen bottles to the local welding supplier is only good until TC finds out. if you check the TC site there is a list of "APPROVED"" oxygen providers listed. If the welding suppliy dealer is not listed, they are NOT approved to top them up. In essence, what Transport wants to see is that the vendor is approved to TC's standard. (as soon as They can define that, I'll let ya know!) Basically, the only purpose of the Engineer is to ascertain that the pressure is correct, and that the required paper work has been correctly completed.

 

In the meantime, thanks for the responses. i do appreciate them. And other care to contribute??

 

Thanks

 

BR

[Boestar]

I have serviced bottles in Westjets hangar in YHM using their equipment OFF AIRCRAFT. They do have the tools to do it and we had to do it all the time as you cannot charge 727 O2 bottles on aircraft.

 

Just charge the bottle at 200 psi/min and you will be fine.

 

B

[Guest Bullet Remington]

They do have the tools to do it and we had to do it all the time as you cannot charge 727 O2 bottles on aircraft.

 

 

Geez, Boestar, I sure a heck hope that's a typo! I don't want anything to do with a 727 ever again! Other than structural work.

 

You ever find a documented procedure for filling those 727 bottles??

 

WestJet doesn't own an hanger in YHM. That's news to me!

[twotter]

Hey ya old windbag.... I did a little looking and found a couple sites that might be of some assistance to ya.. This first one is mostly info...

 

http://www.mhoxygen.com/index.phtml?nav_id=25&article_id=18

 

This one will give you the contacts who can get you the straight stuff from the manufacturer..

 

http://www.scotthealthsafety.com/support.htm

 

I does however raise a good and valid point.. I've always just thought well, that's just the way it is when filling bottles.. But, I guess in our CYA times that we now have we should have an IAW... If I remember correctly, the A-330 manual did have some instructions but I can't remember how detailed it got on the actual filling of the bottle..

 

Let me know what you find..

 

Cheers..

[Boestar]

They do have the tools to do it and we had to do it all the time as you cannot charge 727 O2 bottles on aircraft.

Geez, Boestar, I sure a heck hope that's a typo! I don't want anything to do with a 727 ever again! Other than structural work.

 

You ever find a documented procedure for filling those 727 bottles??

 

WestJet doesn't own an hanger in YHM. That's news to me!

 

 

Geez where the heck you been. The hangar has been there for 3 years. Westjet does not use it anymore since they moved everything to YYZ but as far as I know they still own it and it was the base of operations for the maintenance guys that are still in YHM. Not entirely sure if that is still the case since I have been out of YHM for almost a year.

 

I had training years ago on serviceing O2 bottles off the aircraft. And just remember the procedure. The only documentation on the 727 is using the old onboeard system which has been deactivated because people don't know how to use it.

 

General rule is DO NOT fill the bottle faster than 200 psi / min.

 

B

[Guest Bullet Remington]

Boestar:

 

My apologies!! You said YHM and I (being a friggin idjit) thought you said YQM! Between you and Skywrench, I have no idea to whom I'm talking anymore!!

 

I stand corrected, WJA DOES own the hangar in YHM!

 

Twotter:

 

You cantankerous old Son of a &$#&^%* where the heck you been?? Haven't heard Jack Squat from ya in a dog's age! You still making truck loads of money working outa the country??

 

Any hoo, I found the info I was looking for. It can be BOUGHT at www.cganet.com

 

Publications; They list;

 

Document # TB-26:

"Filling Non-Liquefied Gases in TC/DOT Specification Cylinders, to a Specified Settled Pressure"

 

Document # ISO - 11622: Gas Cylinders - Conditions For Filling Gas Cylinders."

 

and;

 

Document # C6: "Standards for Visual Inspection of Steel Compressed gas Cylinders."

 

There's everything I been look fer.

 

Thanks all for your help!

 

Greatly Preshaded!!

 

 

B.R.