Average lifespan of aluminum cylinder

[akchan]

There are 2 cylinders for sale that are brand new, never been in water, filled, 18 years from purchase.

I've been reading the average lifespan of an aluminum cylinder is 20 years. How true is this? What about hydro testing and failing? What about passing but shops not filling anything over xx years?

Whats some word of wisdom for this brand new tank but 18 years old?

 

[johndiver999]

Ask the dive shop if they have issues filling a 25 yr old tank. Chances of it passing hydro are probably better than 99% . so that is really not a concern.

 

[Manatee Diver]

The life is dependent on fill cycles. The XX year number came from the one of the largest scuba tank markers stopped using a bad alloy to make their tanks in 1989. So shops had a policy of not filling aluminum, and in same cases any tanks over XX years old. Despite the fact that steel tanks never had the issues, nor tanks made my another major tank manufacturer (Catalina).

 

[akchan]

Thanks, I will call the local shop as well as coastal shops and ask about their policy.

 

[Nemrod]

There are 2 cylinders for sale that are brand new, never been in water, filled, 18 years from purchase.

I've been reading the average lifespan of an aluminum cylinder is 20 years. How true is this? What about hydro testing and failing? What about passing but shops not filling anything over xx years?

Whats some word of wisdom for this brand new tank but 18 years old?

Some stores will not fill aluminum cylinders much beyond 10 years old and a bunch more limit to 20 years. What is this based upon, their store, their rules. I have run into shops that will not fill any cylinder, steel or aluminum, beyond 20 years. Aluminum cylinders are so inexpensive there is no reason to give more than the their value in scrap metal, because, likely, that is what they are. N

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

There are 2 cylinders for sale that are brand new, never been in water, filled, 18 years from purchase.

I've been reading the average lifespan of an aluminum cylinder is 20 years. How true is this? What about hydro testing and failing? What about passing but shops not filling anything over xx years?

Whats some word of wisdom for this brand new tank but 18 years old?

Get them hydro’d and if they pass they will be good to go. Once a tank passes hydro they are proven to be good as new so there is no reason to fear them. Some shops are idiots and have some pretty draconian policies. Just avoid those shops.
I’m sure those two tanks are cherry.

 

[kammel78]

Get them hydro’d and if they pass they will be good to go. Once a tank passes hydro they are proven to be good as new so there is no reason to fear them. Some shops are idiots and have some pretty draconian policies. Just avoid those shops.
I’m sure those two tanks are cherry.

What he said.

And if it makes you feel any better, our phmsa trainer said in all reality, a cylinder will fail a visual before it fails a hydro.

 

[rjack321]

Just avoid those shops.

They are a pain in the butt when you travel or if you only have one shop within easy driving distance

 

[Sawdust82]

Ive got a dozen luxfer al80s that came from a commercial diver. They were made in the early 90s, and theyre still going strong. He told me theyve had catalinas that failed their first hydro, but luxfers seem to last forever. They dove daily on fish pens in scuba gear, so their tanks got tons of fills over the years...

 

[Sawdust82]

So yeah, i would be confident they would pass vis and hydro. I actually have a habit of buying any decent looking luxfers that i come across for $100 or less, hydro’d or not. Im up to 15 now lol. I do check for any major dings in the metal, and to see if it has some air left in it