1987 scuba tank

[wakeman]

I see you're in Florida??...If so, that state may do you in(if it's Al).....Here in Louisiana, I'm using 2 Al made in '85 & '86---both going very strong being hydro'ed last year & each just vis'ed.......I would check with your 'local' place of air fill & see what they say about the year & make of the tank, it may for you be just an expensive ash tray or door stop, just depends....

Yeah, it sounds like I should just go talk to my lds about it. The only reason I would consider buying a tank when i just started diving last summer is if it is a super good deal. Otherwise my next purchase would be a reg setup.

 

[Cave Bum]

Catalina never used 6351T-6 alloy so it is amoot point whether or not they were made after 1990.

1990 is also a very arbitary date in terms of alloy, but it is a date many shops use - if so it is a good indicator you need a more intelligent and progressive shop. Luxfer switched production of various sizes of tanks to 6061 alloy over about a 2 year period of time. AL 80's were (I think) switched to 6061 alloy in May of 1988. If you do a seach you will find several posts where a specifc listing of tanks and dates are given.

Actually, the last tanks Luxfer manufactured out of the 6351-T6 Alloy were manufactured in May of 1986. As stated above, Catalina NEVER used this alloy. These tanks would be a good buy, just check with your LDS to be sure they don't have a problem filling them after they're hydroed and visualed.

 

[Scared Silly]

A follow up:

I used the date of 1990 because that seems to be the arbitrary and capricious date that dive shops use even though that date has no basis in fact. But yes, Catalina cylinders have always been made from AL6031 but if a Catalina cylinder was made in 1988 try arguing that with a tank monkey who says 1) cylinder is over 20 years old and 2) made before 1990 should be filled.

The other reason I used 1990 is because of posts like Cave Bum's and DA's regarding the date Luxfer quit making cylinders from Al 6351 is wrong! This is not to disparage Cave Bum who is an instructor and especially DA who I have gain alot of knowledge from and has lots good info. But if they do not have the dates correct I hold little hope that the guy in the back filling cylinder will have it right.

Here are all of the correct dates:

SCUBA

Do.............. 30 and 63 cu. ft...................................... S30, S63 5-88

Do.............. 40 cu. ft............................................. S40 6-88
Do.............. 50 and 92 cu. ft................................... S50, S92 4-88
Do.............. 72 and 100 cu. ft................................. S72, S100 8-87
Do.............. 80 cu. ft............................................. S80 1-88
Do.............. 80.8 cu. ft........................................... S80.8 5-87

Notice No. 94-7; Safety Advisory; High Pressure Aluminum Seamless and Aluminum Composite Hoop-Wrapped Cylinders

So as one can read, there is a real spread in the dates. The very last cylinder made from AL 6351 was in June of 1988.

 

[FredT]

WAIT A MINUTE!!!!
You aren't seriously expecting a tank monkey to actually have a clue here are you.

By law it is the LDS owner's responsibility to both know the law and hazardous materials handling rules (ANY gas over 40.6 psia is hazmat, by definition as published in the Federal Register) and to TRAIN ALL tank handling employees in the same rules. Given that most LDS owners have no clue beyond (generally fictitious) urban legends the average tank monkey has no chance at all.

The NEW Basic rules that seem to be ignored by the SCUBA industry for 6351 retesting of the cylinders referenced above are here:
http://bulk.resource.org/gpo.gov/register/2006/2006_51122.pdf
http://bulk.resource.org/gpo.gov/register/2006/2006_51123.pdf
http://bulk.resource.org/gpo.gov/register/2006/2006_51124.pdf
http://bulk.resource.org/gpo.gov/register/2006/2006_51125.pdf
http://bulk.resource.org/gpo.gov/register/2006/2006_51126.pdf
http://bulk.resource.org/gpo.gov/register/2006/2006_51127.pdf
http://bulk.resource.org/gpo.gov/register/2006/2006_51128.pdf
http://bulk.resource.org/gpo.gov/register/2006/2006_51129.pdf


Enjoy the reading.

 

[Cave Bum]

A follow up:

The other reason I used 1990 is because of posts like Cave Bum's and DA's regarding the date Luxfer quit making cylinders from Al 6351 is wrong! This is not to disparage Cave Bum who is an instructor and especially DA who I have gain alot of knowledge from and has lots good info. But if they do not have the dates correct I hold little hope that the guy in the back filling cylinder will have it right.

So as one can read, there is a real spread in the dates. The very last cylinder made from AL 6351 was in June of 1988.

Yes, I agree. I was trying to remember back 5 years ago to my cylinder inspection course and you're correct, it was June 1988 not 1986. Thanks for correcting that...

 

[DA Aquamaster]

So as one can read, there is a real spread in the dates. The very last cylinder made from AL 6351 was in June of 1988.

That is only in reference to Luxfer Cylinders, but it is a singel date to remember and the majority of 6351 T-6 tanks you run into will be Luxfer. May of 1988 works for everything except one month of AL 40 production - a very small number of tanks, so May of 1988 is not a bad single date to remember either in regard to Luxfer tanks.

Luxfer acquired Walter Kidde but Walter kidde continued to make AL tanks from 6351 T-6 alloy until they stopped production in January 1990. In other words all Walter Kidde tanks are made from 6351 t-6 alloy, even during the brief period of time they were owned by Luxfer but continued to operate under the Walter Kidde name.

And Cliff Impact did not switch production to 6351T-6 alloy until July 1990 (but I have never actually seen a Cliff Impact scuba tank, so i woudl not worry about it.)

The above 2 examples however are the reason why the "1990" date gets thrown around, even though in terms of AL 80's it really only applies to Walter kidde tanks if the tank is made after January of 1988 - leaving 2 years of Luxfer 6061 T-6 AL 80 tanks that get unfairly discriminated against.

 

[Scared Silly]

DA, you are correct. I was speaking of Luxfer cylinders I always forget to include WK cylinders. Thanks for adding them as I have never actually seen a WK scuba cylinder.

Funny today I took my WK CO2 cylinder down for a fill. Though not subject to SLC and filled to 1800 psi I still had a eddy current test done on it in 2007.

 

[NorthWoodsDiver]

IMHO the only time its worth bothering with the 6351 tank is if you visual and fill your own tanks with your own compressor and you know your hydro tester isn't just some robot without a brain.

I own one and it came from ebay for like $40 a long time ago before I knew better. The dive shop defaced it with a "bomb can" and refused to fill it. so I just fill it off a friends compressor or at the fire hall.

 

[diver 85]

IMHO the only time its worth bothering with the 6351 tank is if you visual and fill your own tanks with your own compressor and you know your hydro tester isn't just some robot without a brain.

I own one and it came from ebay for like $40 a long time ago before I knew better. The dive shop defaced it with a "bomb can" and refused to fill it. so I just fill it off a friends compressor or at the fire hall.

The 'fire hall' goes by inspection stickers......

EDIT: The 'fire hall' I use goes by inspection stickers...

 

[damanjodan]

I found an aluminum tank listed as a Faber 80cf/ 3000 psi the original hydro is 3/85, the latest 9/02. Is this tank made of the 6351 ?