DG-400 Oxygen Bottle Problems

The only test and recertification station to serve Utah refuses to test
and fill the german factory bottles for the DG-400 since they do not
have a USA DOT stamp on them. The official regulations (which he
showed me) state that foreign bottles without the DOT stamp can only be
tested for "EXPORT" use. ie, airliner, ship, etc....leaving the USA
for its use. Oxygen suppliers theoretically should not even be filling
the bottles without the DOT stamp on them. I got two bottles out of
date and the last one nearing out of date ( so far I have local
airports filling them if the date stamp is ok, they don't know about
the DOT stamp requirement regarding refills.) On the DG-400 as most of
you know the bottle which has a smaller diameter than USA bottles and
fits in a fiberglass sleeve that threads its way from the cockpit past
the fuel tank without much room to spare. 90% of my flight time is on
Oxygen in the Rockies so it is getting critical to solve this stalmate
with oxygen bottle testing. DG-400 owners, what are you doing to solve
this problem???

this is why we started again offering STEEL bottles......these are slightly
smaller diameter than the later Aluminum and Kevlar bottles
please see my page : http://www.wingsandwheels.com/page35.htm
tim
Wings & Wheels
www.wingsandwheels.com





wrote in message
oups.com...
The only test and recertification station to serve Utah refuses to test
and fill the german factory bottles for the DG-400 since they do not
have a USA DOT stamp on them. The official regulations (which he
showed me) state that foreign bottles without the DOT stamp can only be
tested for "EXPORT" use. ie, airliner, ship, etc....leaving the USA
for its use. Oxygen suppliers theoretically should not even be filling
the bottles without the DOT stamp on them. I got two bottles out of
date and the last one nearing out of date ( so far I have local
airports filling them if the date stamp is ok, they don't know about
the DOT stamp requirement regarding refills.) On the DG-400 as most of
you know the bottle which has a smaller diameter than USA bottles and
fits in a fiberglass sleeve that threads its way from the cockpit past
the fuel tank without much room to spare. 90% of my flight time is on
Oxygen in the Rockies so it is getting critical to solve this stalmate
with oxygen bottle testing. DG-400 owners, what are you doing to solve
this problem???

Tim: I'm glad I posted this item so I could see all these comments.
You are right of course that just finding someone to test it isn't the
answer because without the DOT stamp an alert O2 station shouldn't fill
it. I can't understand why the USA and Germany couldn't have agreed
that for EXPERIMENTAL gliders the German bottle was exempt. Mine are
certified to 2900psi and we only fill generally to 1800psi. What is
the circumference of your "small" diameter bottles? and how long are
they? Capacity ? Cost ?

you can see these bottles (and a lot more) on my page
http://www.wingsandwheels.com/page35.htm
the bottles measure 4 3/16" O.D.
essentially, when the major manufacturers of these cylinders went to
Aluminum bottles they kept the same inside volume, but since steel is
stronger they made the wall thickness on the aluminum bottles thicker and
gained a few mm in the process...
And for what it's worth, I spoke directly with the principles at DG and the
former LS a few years ago and told them of the problem....asked why they
couldn't just simply make the openings a few silly millimeters larger to
accommodate the US owners .they in both cases simply shrugged it off and
said to anyone in the USA it's "your problem" in Germany we have no
problems.. real satisfaction I'd say...
tim
Wings & Wheels
www.wingsandwheels.com

wrote in message
oups.com...
Tim: I'm glad I posted this item so I could see all these comments.
You are right of course that just finding someone to test it isn't the
answer because without the DOT stamp an alert O2 station shouldn't fill
it. I can't understand why the USA and Germany couldn't have agreed
that for EXPERIMENTAL gliders the German bottle was exempt. Mine are
certified to 2900psi and we only fill generally to 1800psi. What is
the circumference of your "small" diameter bottles? and how long are
they? Capacity ? Cost ?

German 02 bottles can be hydro tested at the following
facility. Just had mine done and the cost was $47.50
plus shipping.

TYM's
414 West Arbor Vitae Street
Inglewood, Ca 90301
310-673-3330
Fax 310-673-0580



At 18:18 30 August 2005, wrote:
The only test and recertification station to serve
Utah refuses to test
and fill the german factory bottles for the DG-400
since they do not
have a USA DOT stamp on them. The official regulations
(which he
showed me) state that foreign bottles without the DOT
stamp can only be
tested for 'EXPORT' use. ie, airliner, ship, etc....leaving
the USA
for its use. Oxygen suppliers theoretically should
not even be filling
the bottles without the DOT stamp on them. I got two
bottles out of
date and the last one nearing out of date ( so far
I have local
airports filling them if the date stamp is ok, they
don't know about
the DOT stamp requirement regarding refills.) On the
DG-400 as most of
you know the bottle which has a smaller diameter than
USA bottles and
fits in a fiberglass sleeve that threads its way from
the cockpit past
the fuel tank without much room to spare. 90% of my
flight time is on
Oxygen in the Rockies so it is getting critical to
solve this stalmate
with oxygen bottle testing. DG-400 owners, what are
you doing to solve
this problem???

you can Hydro test anything.......even a Pepsi can.......but you cannot
legally fill oxygen bottles in the USA without the DOT approval and stamp.
tim

"Gary Evans" wrote in message
...
German 02 bottles can be hydro tested at the following
facility. Just had mine done and the cost was $47.50
plus shipping.

TYM's
414 West Arbor Vitae Street
Inglewood, Ca 90301
310-673-3330
Fax 310-673-0580



At 18:18 30 August 2005, wrote:
The only test and recertification station to serve
Utah refuses to test
and fill the german factory bottles for the DG-400
since they do not
have a USA DOT stamp on them. The official regulations
(which he
showed me) state that foreign bottles without the DOT
stamp can only be
tested for 'EXPORT' use. ie, airliner, ship, etc....leaving
the USA
for its use. Oxygen suppliers theoretically should
not even be filling
the bottles without the DOT stamp on them. I got two
bottles out of
date and the last one nearing out of date ( so far
I have local
airports filling them if the date stamp is ok, they
don't know about
the DOT stamp requirement regarding refills.) On the
DG-400 as most of
you know the bottle which has a smaller diameter than
USA bottles and
fits in a fiberglass sleeve that threads its way from
the cockpit past
the fuel tank without much room to spare. 90% of my
flight time is on
Oxygen in the Rockies so it is getting critical to
solve this stalmate
with oxygen bottle testing. DG-400 owners, what are
you doing to solve
this problem???

I'd be interested in seeing a link to that rule. My inderstanding was
that it was illegal to transport uncertified cylinders not that it was
illegal to fill them. What is the jurisdiction of DOT? One advantage
of a self-serve club oxygen system I suppose.

Andy

until your inspection date runs out.. and then how do you pass the annual
condition inspection for the glider?

B

"Andy" wrote in message
oups.com...
I'd be interested in seeing a link to that rule. My inderstanding was
that it was illegal to transport uncertified cylinders not that it was
illegal to fill them. What is the jurisdiction of DOT? One advantage
of a self-serve club oxygen system I suppose.

Andy

Take to bottle out at annual inspection!!

duh

Al




BTIZ wrote:
until your inspection date runs out.. and then how do you pass the annual
condition inspection for the glider?

B

"Andy" wrote in message
oups.com...
I'd be interested in seeing a link to that rule. My inderstanding was
that it was illegal to transport uncertified cylinders not that it was
illegal to fill them. What is the jurisdiction of DOT? One advantage
of a self-serve club oxygen system I suppose.

Andy

how do you fill them if you can't transport them? isn't flying a glider, or
trailering a glider also transporting????
tim

"Andy" wrote in message
oups.com...
I'd be interested in seeing a link to that rule. My inderstanding was
that it was illegal to transport uncertified cylinders not that it was
illegal to fill them. What is the jurisdiction of DOT? One advantage
of a self-serve club oxygen system I suppose.

Andy