Aluminum Tank "Too Old" to Hydro???

[chrpai]

It's old common news, plenty of similar reports are here to be read.

As for the $129. VIP it's not a shop I frequent and lacking recent verification I'll just say watch for the big poster on the wall.

I'm well aware of the backstory.... but if people won't shine the light of day on these rats then we'll never influence their bad behavior. Also, re $129 vip, if you can't or won't back something up then you shouldn't say it in the first place. Otherwise it's just snopes material.

 

[Scared Silly]

A few years ago I decided to rat out a shop. I did not publicly rat them out but I had a nice conversation with the distributor and suggested that they talk with owners as it made the scuba industry look dumb. Especially when at the time their sign said they did not fill cylinders made before 1990. Which I took to mean both 3AA and 3AL. I have no idea if the shop has such restrictions or not as I have been back in the area since. That said I do understand shops who decline to fill AL6351 cylinders especially after report from a dive shop that was doing everything right and still had on crack during a fill.

 

[chrpai]

After considerable debate, the CGA, DOT and PSI disagrees with that position. But hey, clearly, tank fillers know better.

Here's a really good read:

http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2006-08-29/pdf/E6-14255.pdf

 

[diver_dj]

We have a policy that any aluminum tank over 10 years old gets an eddy current test at the annual Visual Inspection. If they pass, they pass. Yesterday I did a tank that was over 30 years old - it passed and went on to hydro.

The PSI guidelines are worth following. To arbitrarily stop filling any 3AL over 10 years old is just a dirty way of trying to sell more new ones.

 

[Scared Silly]

After considerable debate, the CGA, DOT and PSI disagrees with that position. But hey, clearly, tank fillers know better.

Here's a really good read:

http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2006-08-29/pdf/E6-14255.pdf

Many here have read that.

I think there are two issues. Random rules like the 20 year rule for cylinders**. And the AL6351 rule. The former is arbitrary and capricious the later is risk management. I will not address the former but the later as I say I understand here is the story written by Phil Ellis and posted to the DecoStop a while ago. I met Phil years ago and have respect for him.

#77


BTW speaking of arbitrary and capricious I wonder how many shops have 20 year rules but then will fill a non O2 clean/marked cylinder with banked nitrox.


**The rule is not so random as some have a no cylinders before 1990 rule. Which unfortunately does not exclude all of the AL6351.

 

[redacted]

A friend once advise me, "Do not attribute to deceitfulness that which can easily be explained by ignorance." I tend to run from shops where I encounter deceitfulness, but I just walk out of shops that display their ignorance.

 

[akdeepdiver]

Folks, I was just told by my LDS that the tank I brought in to have hydro'd may be too old. He said they can't hydro aluminum tanks manufactured prior to 1990. Is this TRUE? I honestly don't have much faith in this shop, so I'm not sure he's not trying to sell me a new tank. I've NEVER heard that a tank is "Too Old" to hydro. It has always been my understanding that until a tank fails a hydro it's usable. I need to know if this guy is trying to pull a fast one, or if this is true. I've got 3 tanks that are older than 1990, and if I've got to buy new ones I'm going to be (you know) irritated. They've been hydro-tested every 5 years since I got them (used) 20 years ago, and always pass - so far anyway. Is it finally time to ditch this LDC or is he telling the truth??

Here is the simple answer to your orriginal question. The answer given by the shop is crap. There is no law sayign that a Aluminum tank has a wear out date. It can be continued in service as long as it passes it Hydro intervals. Ask them to show you in writing in the CFR where it says that the tank is to old to hydro.

 

[WB2GLP]

Move on to another LDS. Find a test facility near you from this list.

http://www.psicylinders.com/findinspector/112-united-states

Hopefully, the shop you visited isn't on the list.