Best Oxygen Setup?

Jonathon May wrote on 10/3/2019 1:17 PM:
At 18:22 03 October 2019, Eric Greenwell wrote:
Jonathon May wrote on 10/3/2019 9:55 AM:

I have been using a Dive type cylinder because they are easier
to
get re filled.
Last Saturday I was flying with the bottle on but the regulator
off
above a ridge trying to connect to the wave system.
About 1 hour in and 2700ft asl there was a loud pop and bottle
pressure O2 started blowing into the cockpit .
I could not turn the bottle off so I opened the DV window put a
Pan call out and got it back on the glider field in about 3
minuets .
I have never been so scared ,and I have loads of field landings
and
thousands of hours in gliders.
I blame it on lack of maintenance and use, the cylinders has
been
sitting in the glider since March turned off while I flew thermals
in
the UK.
My bad just need the bottle re-filling and probably a new O ring.

What is a Dive type cylinder, and why is it easier to get it refilled
with
oxygen?

What failed and caused the pop?


I assume the O ring displaced,I took it off and it sealed OK on the
ground, but its going to be checked before I use it again I assure
you.

Dive cylinder has a square top with an outlet and 2 indexing pins.
The regulator does over the top with a yoke and a screw pushes an
inlet with O ring positioned with the index pins against the outlet.
They are common to compressed air dive bottles ,quick to change
bottles and no chance of a cross thread.Very robust compared with
our threaded connector mountain high cylinders.
In the Uk many dive shops will not charge a DOT cylinder, they want
a DIN number and date.

That sounds like what is called a "medical bottle" in the US. I used them for
several years because I could exchange them at almost any pharmacy, which are much
more plentiful than airports (with oxygen) or welding shops. Unfortunately, they
began to require a prescription from a doctor to get oxygen. A prescription for
something everyone is breathing? Did not see that one coming; anyhow, I now
transfill my bottles from welding bottles, which is easy and cheap. For traveling,
I carry a medium size welding bottle, good for 2 or 3 fills.


--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (change ".netto" to ".us" to email me)
- "A Guide to Self-Launching Sailplane Operation"
https://sites.google.com/site/motorg...ad-the-guide-1