landlockeddivingdoc
Registered
So I was visiting an uncle I hadn't seen in a while, and he found out I was a diver, and wanted to "give me a tank that he doesn't have any need for," and he came back with this:
So, the story is, he's not a diver, but was friends with a public safety diver that died about a year ago. Said DPS diver had retired 20 years ago, and his son said he just "put everything in the basement." When he died, that son gave this tank to my uncle to "maybe use for charging an air rifle" (which my uncle never did.
I called the DPS diver's former employer, and they confirmed he worked there, and that back then their divers were volunteers; they got a stipend, but any equipment purchased was theirs. So after they gave me the green light I took the tank, which is an aluminum luxfer 80.
Aside from the interesting paint job that has an appointment with Zip Strip, it's in excellent condition--there was a valve cover in place, and the o-ring was still good enough to hook up a pressure gauge, which read just shy of 3000psi!
But, the last hydro was in 97, and the last VIP sticker is from 2002, consistent with the last reported use. The stamping at time of manufacturing shows 1992. This should mean I shouldn't have to worry about any 6351 issues, but... Is there anything else I should worry about with the age of the cylinder? I believe the reported provenance of being stored under pressure for 20 years, rather than subjected to an unknown number of pressure cycles, and assuming it passes a hydro and VIP (at which point I'd also have the valve replaced) I would be comfortable using it... Assuming there's not something I'm forgetting to be worried about.
Anyway, I don't want to pass up an extra tank that I can get back on track for $75 at the shop and some elbow grease on the stenciling, but don't want to be unsafe, either... Any help is appreciated.
So, the story is, he's not a diver, but was friends with a public safety diver that died about a year ago. Said DPS diver had retired 20 years ago, and his son said he just "put everything in the basement." When he died, that son gave this tank to my uncle to "maybe use for charging an air rifle" (which my uncle never did.
I called the DPS diver's former employer, and they confirmed he worked there, and that back then their divers were volunteers; they got a stipend, but any equipment purchased was theirs. So after they gave me the green light I took the tank, which is an aluminum luxfer 80.
Aside from the interesting paint job that has an appointment with Zip Strip, it's in excellent condition--there was a valve cover in place, and the o-ring was still good enough to hook up a pressure gauge, which read just shy of 3000psi!
But, the last hydro was in 97, and the last VIP sticker is from 2002, consistent with the last reported use. The stamping at time of manufacturing shows 1992. This should mean I shouldn't have to worry about any 6351 issues, but... Is there anything else I should worry about with the age of the cylinder? I believe the reported provenance of being stored under pressure for 20 years, rather than subjected to an unknown number of pressure cycles, and assuming it passes a hydro and VIP (at which point I'd also have the valve replaced) I would be comfortable using it... Assuming there's not something I'm forgetting to be worried about.
Anyway, I don't want to pass up an extra tank that I can get back on track for $75 at the shop and some elbow grease on the stenciling, but don't want to be unsafe, either... Any help is appreciated.