Is it a bad idea to buy a used gas bottle?

[donbrizzo]

Hey there,

I keep seeing used big gas bottles (9 ltrs +) come up on Facebook marketplace and eBay.
A lot of them state that they are rent-free, but is there any way to check?
Seems like it could end you up in some problems if you're unlucky.

What do you think?

 

[brightspark]

whats the suppliers name on them and what gas , if they are free

 

[donbrizzo]

I mean just generally. I've seen some that say 'Pub Gas' and I think they have CO2 in them.
Here's an example:

Pardon our interruption...

I'm thinking i'll go down the hobbyweld route, but I just wonder how easy it is to get used old bottles and get them filled up.
Or if i'll end up with more old unsuable nonsense in my garage

 

[Turbo]

Second hand bottles are a gamble when it comes to getting them refilled. Technically you don't own the bottle so it is illegal to sell it on.

Boc or air products bottles - no chance.
Rent free like sgs or hobbyweld - maybe but they may ask for the deposit paperwork from the original purchase so you need to get that when you buy the bottle.
Pub gas bottles - forget about it. Co2 is horrible to weld with and chances are you'll not get them refilled.

 

[donbrizzo]

Yeah I had a feeling that could be the case.
I'll grab a hobbyweld one then. Thanks pal

Thought it was worth checking as when you watch American YouTube videos, it seems like the complete opposite.

 

[hotponyshoes]

If it's a genuine rent-free bottle like hobby-weld then you will be fine.
No difference to sending my mate with my bottle to swap it out when he does his.
You'll be unlikely to find one dirt cheap though as they still hold the value of the deposit..

Pub gas.. although the pub (or first owner) probably doesn't get charged any 'rent' they will have still entered a similar contract.
If you can find a local agent for that particular brand of bottle you'll probably be able to get it swapped for mininimal charge and form filling. But they are not expensive to take out from new anyway.
If you can't collect from somewhere local you'll have a heavy delivery charge and a load of paperwork unless you are buying 10 kegs of beer at the same time.

 

[donbrizzo]

Yeah you're right, I've not seen any cheap Hobbyweld bottles.
I'll avoid pub gas and random ones then.

 

[BrokenBiker]

Good luck getting it refilled...

2 scenarios pop to mind, you get a bottle that can be refilled by a local rent free place, which means you don't actually keep the bottle anyway

Or, you buy a bottle that isn't of the correct brand/supplier and no one will touch it because it's not theirs...

Just go to a rent free supplier, pay the 50 or so quid deposit on the first bottle then it's done

 

[Gareth J]

CO2 is ok to weld with. Not as nice as a proper mix but better than fluxed. If on a tight budget, out of date, (but full) fire extinguishers are a cheap entry into gas mig welding. C02 regulators fit.

 

[Smallfry]

Pub gas cylinders are good upside down and set in concrete as bollards.

For use other than their intended purpose, no. If you can get them for nothing, and use what CO2 remains, then dispose of it or make something from them, then fine. But I certainly wouldn't pay for them.

 

[Erie Fred]

"Pub gas is horrible to weld with."
?????

 

[Morris]

"Pub gas is horrible to weld with."
?????

I thought that having done quite a bit of MAG welding in my younger days.

 

[BrokenBiker]

CO2 is ok to weld with. Not as nice as a proper mix but better than fluxed. If on a tight budget, out of date, (but full) fire extinguishers are a cheap entry into gas mig welding. C02 regulators fit.

I found good flux core gasless to be the same if not slightly better than solid wire with straight co2, I used co2 when I first started proper mig and wasn't a huge fan, seemed to burn through body panels a lot easier than 0.8mm gasless wire did and I could never get a nice arc with 0.6mm solid wire

 

[jimbo84]

I found good flux core gasless to be the same if not slightly better than solid wire with straight co2, I used co2 when I first started proper mig and wasn't a huge fan, seemed to burn through body panels a lot easier than 0.8mm gasless wire did and I could never get a nice arc with 0.6mm solid wire

I think C02 gives you greater penetration than other gasses so that might be why it was burning through.

 

[indy4x]

Just reiterating what @hotponyshoes said, never asked for proof of deposit when swapping out my rent free bottles at the local motor factors. In fact, last time I got a new bottle I went up in size as that's all they had and again, no questions about proof of deposit

To get your deposit back, you do need your original receipt

 

[Bobupndown]

I've a hobbyweld bottle that I paid a deposit for and get refills when needed.
I've also got a BOC one that I was given years ago, can't get refilled, can't off load it at the local tip and pretty much can't give away.
If anyone near Ballymena in Co.Antrim has a BOC account they are welcome to it!

 

[hotponyshoes]

I've a hobbyweld bottle that I paid a deposit for and get refills when needed.
I've also got a BOC one that I was given years ago, can't get refilled, can't off load it at the local tip and pretty much can't give away.
If anyone near Ballymena in Co.Antrim has a BOC account they are welcome to it!

Doesn't even help if you have a boc account now unless you happen to have an identical bottle and want an extra as a spare

 

[brightspark]

Doesn't even help if you have a boc account now unless you happen to have an identical bottle and want an extra as a spare

hardly likely with a barcode collar and it get scanned and they know who rented it

 

[Dozzer]

Doesn't even help if you have a boc account now unless you happen to have an identical bottle and want an extra as a spare

They have barcodes on them now that ties the bottle to the distributor that supplied it, date and whole load of BS, friend only found this out as his normal distributor was closed for few weeks, went to another supplier to be told that bottle was registered to another company! turns out that normal distributor had been playing silly buggers with who owns what to get mates rates for some and charging other peoples accounts.

 

[hotponyshoes]

hardly likely with a barcode collar and it get scanned and they know who rented it

They have barcodes on them now that ties the bottle to the distributor that supplied it, date and whole load of BS, friend only found this out as his normal distributor was closed for few weeks, went to another supplier to be told that bottle was registered to another company! turns out that normal distributor had been playing silly buggers with who owns what to get mates rates for some and charging other peoples accounts.

The barcodes are not on the bottles.
They are on the handle/collar.
Look at the collar and you'll see a socket cap bolt...