Why you don’t transport flammable gas in your passenger vehicle
If you want to see a really lucky guy and some excellent photo
documentation about what can happen if you transport acetylene (or
other fuel gas for that matter) in a enclosed space of a vehicle.
http://www.ganoksin.com/gnkurl/1jr
James Binnion
James Binnion Metal Arts
With a G-TEC Torch Booster there wouldn’t be a reason to carry a
cylinder of acetylene or any other gas in your vehicle :-).
Ed Howard
gas-tec.com
Why you don't transport flammable gas in your passenger vehicle
More like, why you don’t leave compressed flammable gas cylinders in
your vehicle overnight and why, when you know there’s flammable
gas in the space you don’t create any electrical arcs. From the
webpage:
i had an acetylene bottle in my truck, the valve was bumped so
slightly and over night the truck filled with the gas. i noticed
the smell, and opened the doors to air out the truck. i drove
the truck out of the garage to get some more air movement. i went
to roll the pass side window down and as soon as i touched the
power windows. BAM.
If you want to see a really lucky guy and some excellent photo documentation about what can happen if you transport acetylene (or other fuel gas for that matter) in a enclosed space of a vehicle.
Unfortunately, not everyone has an open-bed truck and we have no
choice but to transport our tanks in the trunk. Don’t leave them
overnight, and remember that as long as an acetylene tank has been
laying on its side is how long it must remain upright before
attempting use.
The G Tech Torch Booster would no doubt be a good solution IF you
had access to natural gas. I don’t. Not in my area.
Plus I would prefer not to have to transport my acetylene in my car,
BUT…not a dealer in town will deliver acetylene to your house.
So, when necessary, I have to go have my tank filled and drive it
home. That being said, I always open all the car windows, it goes
upright on the floor in front of the back seat and is wedged into
place, AND I drive very slowly and where possible in the right hand
lane. I try to go purchase the gas when there is the least amount of
traffic and I surely don’t get too close to anyone else.
That being said, I DON’T LIKE DOING IT. But…I’ve been doing it
for some 25 years with no misfortunes. I continue to call and try to
get someone to deliver it, but so far no luck. Any thoughts?
You can’t get propane delivered either. So if you have a Bar-b-que
grill, you have to transport the propane in your car as well.
Is it any safer to drive with propane in your car? I doubt it, but
everyone does it.
I’m open to suggestions because I don’t like driving with that stuff
in my car! Anyone have any?
Kay
Unfortunately, not everyone has an open-bed truck and we have no choice but to transport our tanks in the trunk.
While this gentleman was foolish to leave the bottle in the vehicle
overnight there are unfortunately many examples of people just
transporting acetylene who have had similar or worse experiences.
Acetylene bottles get a lot of rough treatment and often leak at the
valve and valve stem. I have received several tanks over the years
that were leaking from the supplier. Putting such a tank into the
trunk or passenger compartment could lead to a similar experience to
the one that was shown in the link. It is illegal to transport
acetylene or other compressed gas in a passenger vehicle for a good
reason. Virtually every gas supplier will deliver, take advantage of
this service.
James Binnion
James Binnion Metal Arts
OK I have been make jewelry and transporting my own gas for 40 years.
I have always been told the same thing from the gas suppliers, and
those picture are always around the shop.4
Sucre your tank and crack the window. And no matter what, never ever
leave the tanks in the vehicle for more than a hour and never over
night!
Just be smart!
I often have to run to get my acetylene tank and oxygen tanks filled
at the local gas supplier, and these images really scared me. I would
ever leave the tanks unattended in my car for any period of time, and
always go straight to the supplier and bring them straight home. I am
certain to triple check the valves and make sure they are all very
tight and the tanks cannot roll in transport.
I wish to get my home studio an 02 mixer, get the natural gas
hook-up run to my glass bench & to purchase a booster such as this
eventually. But for some of us there is no choice but to go with what
we can afford when we first start out. In my case this was to
purchase a basic acetylene tank for my metalwork and a propane/oxygen
system for my glass torch.
I have bookmarked the booster, and after seeing the destruction of
carrying acetylene can do to a vehicle, I am most certainly going to
get converted over as soon as I possibly can. For now I will pay even
closer attention to safety when transporting the tanks I have to
carry (probably 2-4 times a year). I have always been very mindful of
my driving when I go the 5 miles to the gas provider, but if I were
to be struck by incoming traffic I would most likely go POOF, and it
now scares the hell out of me even more.
Scary stuff for sure!
It is illegal to transport acetylene or other compressed gas in a passenger vehicle for a good reason. Virtually every gas supplier will deliver, take advantage of this service.
It’s not illegal here, and like someone else said, they won’t deliver
to a home…and frankly I don’t want my neighbors seeing a welding
truck pull up in my driveway.
I’ve just spent the better part of an hour trying – unsuccessfully
– to find any reference to a US or Washington State law that forbids
carrying acetylene, compressed gas, or any hazardous material, in a
passenger vehicle. The closest I could come was a specific reference
to the Washington State Ferry system, you can’t take your acetylene
tank on the ferry, and it seems odd to me that they’d specify that if
you can’t legally have it in your car at all. The US DOT regs
discuss hazmat policies, but hazmat is specifically defined by the
DOT as “A substance or material capable of posing an unreasonable
risk to health, safety, or property when transported in commerce.”
http://www.ganoksin.com/gnkurl/1k7
and I don’t think taking one’s tank home from the local welding
supply house is considered “transported in commerce”, as the regs
discuss passenger aircraft vs. cargo aircraft. But I could be
wrong, stranger laws have been written… could you provide a cite
for the illegality of said transport in a passenger vehicle?
I also can’t believe my local welding supply house wouldn’t have
mentioned that detail, when they told me to be sure I had it stowed
securely. Like the bartender who lets a drunk patron drive off,
wouldn’t they be legally partially liable for any damages, if they
knowingly allowed me to drive off with it, unlawfully?
I’m not suggesting that one should take unnecessary risks with the
stuff, but there’s a difference between “illegal” and “risky”.
At least in my area, they only deliver to commercial addresses. They
will not deliver to a residential area if you work out of your home.
I wish they would. I wouldn’t have to borrow a truck when I need
more gas if they did.
I haven’t ever seen anything about compressed gas being illegal to
transport in a passenger vehicle. It isn’t recommended of course. I
know lots of A/C guys and plumbers that carry a small acetelyne tank
in their repair vans, but they are probably licensed as a commercial
vehicle.
Jason
Kay - I do the same thing - I pad the tank with moving blankets,
strap it in with a seatbelt85 and I used to have to drive an hour
each way!!! Ouch!!! Thank goodness there is now a supplier in town,
so it is only 15 minutes each way. MUCH better!
And yes, around here almost everyone BBQ’s, and they think nothing
of loading the propane tank in their vehicle. All the convenience
stores sell them.
Beth Wicker
Three Cats and a Dog Design Studio
http://www.bethwicker.com
I'm not suggesting that one should take unnecessary risks with the stuff, but there's a difference between "illegal" and "risky".
Once again we have folks going over the top. I would also like to
know about any such laws. When you stop to think about it our numbers
a very small compared to all of the people who transport flammable
gas. 20lb propane tanks are transported by the millions in personal
vehicles each year by folks getting fuel for their barbecue grills
and other outdoor items. How often do you hear about an explosion
from this? If it were illegal then how could the thousands of places
that sell or exchange the gas be able to sell it to you in the first
place.
Sure there are cautions about making sure they are upright and
secure and having a window cracked for ventilation. Smithing has
inherent risks just by it’s nature. We have always taught and been
taught to respect those risks and use care and caution when working
around them. If you don’t want to accept the risks then maybe you
should be in another trade or hobby.
MJ
It's not illegal here, and like someone else said, they won't deliver to a home....and frankly I don't want my neighbors seeing a welding truck pull up in my driveway.
You will find in the US that you are legally required to follow DOT
regulations for transportation of pressurized gas cylinders and
other hazardous materials. Passenger vehicles other than open bed
pickup trucks cannot be used to provide the correct ventilation and
secure mounting of the cylinder for transportation under those
regulations. Will you get cited if you were to be pulled over?
Maybe, but most likely not however, I can pretty much guarantee you
will be cited if there is an accident and you survive it. You also
may find your insurance will not cover you if you are in violation
of the DOT regulations.
James Binnion
James Binnion Metal Arts
Virtually every gas supplier will deliver, take advantage of this service.
Not around here 
Found one that would sort of deliver - but they
had a huge truck and couldn’t get in my drive. so I still had to go
pick it up in my car. At least it was a short drive, instead of an
hour each way. We met in the parking lot of a sports bar lol!
Beth Wicker
Three Cats and a Dog Design Studio
http://www.bethwicker.com
Actually, in my neighborhood I have no choice. The supplier will not
deliver to a residence. I suppose there are some kind of liability
concerns involved. So (in the rare instances when I need a refill) I
do put the tank in the back of my station wagon to bring it home. It
isn’t there for more than ten minutes and I put it where it belongs
as soon as I get it home.I think it’s pretty safe, considering the
brief time the tank is in the car, but I’d certainly rather have it
delivered if that were possible.
John
I've just spent the better part of an hour trying -- unsuccessfully -- to find any reference to a US or Washington State law that forbids carrying acetylene, compressed gas, or any hazardous material, in a passenger vehicle.
You need to look at DOT regs for transportation of hazardous
materials.
James Binnion
James Binnion Metal Arts
Hello Everyone,
The gas suppliers in my area do not deliver filled tanks to private
residences. I attempted once to place a tank inside my car (while
securing it so that it wouldn’t tip over) and the salesman from the
supplier followed me to my vehicle to see how I was going to
transport it. When he saw that I was going to place it in my car, he
took the tank back from me and told me that I could pick it up when
I hada truck.
So I went to the local Home Depot store and rented one of their
trucks (it’s about $25 for 1/2 hr.), and then I went back to the
supplier to get my tank of propane.Now, I always go to my gas
supplier drivinga Home Depot truck.
The salesman did me a favor, it simply isn’t worth the risk.
Vicki
...these images really scared me.
As to the interior of that blown out car, I have never seen so much
plastic in one place outside of a toy store.
In regard to the things that person did - let’s be honest - he did
some really stupid things. Not just one stupid thing, a sequence of
increasingly dumb things leading to an inevitable conclusion.
I remember a sign in a small restaurant in a marina “Stupidity
should hurt”. That’s a good sign for a marina, and a for lot of other
places.
Neil A.
(who has done his share)
You will find in the US that you are legally required to follow DOT regulations for transportation of pressurized gas cylinders and other hazardous materials.
The USDOT regulations applis only to commercial transportation
across state lines. Individual states have their own regulations.
http://www.ganoksin.com/gnkurl/1kd
Al Balmer
Pine City, NY