Bad tank alloy

[Stu S.]

Some 1980's cylinders had a little extra lead in the alloy that caused sustained load cracking. The failure rate has been about 1 in a million. My 1973 aluminum cylinder (probably too old to be bad) always passed perfectly, but the dive shops started saying "no". Florida is the worst for that.

I put it on eBay. Sold for $75. Before shipping, I asked the buyer to check his location to regarding fills. No fills, no pay. He said no problem, as he had one just like it and wanted a pair. Anyway, there is always somebody that wants these, paintballers perhaps.

Two months ago, I had a lady offer me five 1989 Catalina 80's for free. Neded hydro and viz. I said no thanks. Just too much monkey biz in Florida.

 

[scubafanatic]

DA, we're on the same side here, but I like to pick my battles, and this battle isn't worth fighting, IMHO. Brand spankin' new AL 80's run $ 150 these days, used recent AL tanks run substantially less....arguing with a LDS about 20+ yr old AL tank isn't a worthy expenditure of my time...just sayin'.....

 

[Superlyte27]

Honestly, it's just not worth the effort. Sometimes we have 50+ tanks to fill at once. I'm not going to cross reference all 50 to see if they are on the list. Pre-90, it's a no go. It's the owners policy. It's not out of ignorance but convenience. And I gotta agree with it. It makes it easier on me. I'm sorry you gotta buy a new tank to use our shop after 20 years. Go with Steel next time.

 

[JohnB47]

By the way, just because the tanks may be just scrap aluminum, that does not mean that the valves don't have some value. They should be serviced by a competent SCUBA technician before use, but you can either save them for your own use or sell them. Just let all the air out of the tank, and then carefully remove the valve using an open-end wrench on the hexagonal lands next to the neck of the tank.

You could also advertise the tanks for sale on e-Bay, as long as you advise the bidders that they are the bad alloy. Some people use old SCUBA tanks for other uses, such as large wind chimes.

 

[LeadTurn_SD]

.... Some people use old SCUBA tanks for other uses, such as large wind chimes.

And some of us take them diving every weekend

Not picking on you, and I do understand why some shops refuse to fill 6351 T-6 alloy tanks, but my old US Divers 6351 T-6 alloy AL80 continues to pass hydo and inspection, still has a J-valve, and I took it on a terrific dive yesterday....

But if I lived in Florida, and had trouble getting fills, I'd retire it.... which is a shame, because it will probably outlive me, my kids, their kids....

Best wishes.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

Honestly, it's just not worth the effort. Sometimes we have 50+ tanks to fill at once. I'm not going to cross reference all 50 to see if they are on the list. Pre-90, it's a no go. It's the owners policy. It's not out of ignorance but convenience. And I gotta agree with it. It makes it easier on me. I'm sorry you gotta buy a new tank to use our shop after 20 years. Go with Steel next time.

Think about it for a minute. If you have 50 tanks at once, you fill a lot of tanks. How many will be pre-1990? Not many - and for those pre 6-88 works almost as well as pre 1990 but excludes fewer 6061 T6 tanks. The rest only adds one step to the process of checking the hydro and VIP dates.

The only difference in the screening process will be that you automatically "go" Catalina tanks and automatically "no go" Cliff Impact and Walter Kidde tanks, then screen for a 1-88 date on AL 80s and a 6-88 date on everything else.

Catalina is clearly marked on the shoulder and is easy to see - easier than looking for an original hydro date on any Luxfer, so they are actually quicker to screen than a luxfer tank. Cliff Impact tanks are almost never encountered and Walter Kidde tanks have a distinctive neck profile so you don't even need to look for the "WK" or "Kidde" markings, let alone a date, so again they are quicker to screen than a luxfer tank.

And, aside from Catalina and Walter Kidde tanks, you still have to check for the original hydro date to apply the pre-1990 rule, so it basically takes no additional time on 95% of the tanks you fill, less time on some and only a few seconds more on the rest.

"Convenience" is a BS argument. Your method is actually more work on Catalina tanks, and if it is too much work to ID Walter Kidde tanks and check for an original hydro date on pre-1990 tanks, the fill monkeys are probably not checking dates anyway.

 

[JKPAO]

You are counting on the "monkey" being able to read and understand!
As far as a tank being older than 20 years is a no fill, just shows ignorance no matter how you or your shop decided this rule. Isn't Fla. the state that you can get a "cave fill"?
Still diving a 1964; a 1968; and a 1970 Lp 72's great tanks

 

[Mike Boswell]

If it were me, I would unscrew the tank valves and keep or sell them.

Next, I would sell the tanks for scrap, but first I would disable them so they can't be re-sold for scuba.

Lastly, I would save my money and buy steel tanks.

 

[Superlyte27]

Think about it for a minute. If you have 50 tanks at once, you fill a lot of tanks. How many will be pre-1990? Not many - and for those pre 6-88 works almost as well as pre 1990 but excludes fewer 6061 T6 tanks. The rest only adds one step to the process of checking the hydro and VIP dates.

The only difference in the screening process will be that you automatically "go" Catalina tanks and automatically "no go" Cliff Impact and Walter Kidde tanks, then screen for a 1-88 date on AL 80s and a 6-88 date on everything else.

Catalina is clearly marked on the shoulder and is easy to see - easier than looking for an original hydro date on any Luxfer, so they are actually quicker to screen than a luxfer tank. Cliff Impact tanks are almost never encountered and Walter Kidde tanks have a distinctive neck profile so you don't even need to look for the "WK" or "Kidde" markings, let alone a date, so again they are quicker to screen than a luxfer tank.

And, aside from Catalina and Walter Kidde tanks, you still have to check for the original hydro date to apply the pre-1990 rule, so it basically takes no additional time on 95% of the tanks you fill, less time on some and only a few seconds more on the rest.

"Convenience" is a BS argument. Your method is actually more work on Catalina tanks, and if it is too much work to ID Walter Kidde tanks and check for an original hydro date on pre-1990 tanks, the fill monkeys are probably not checking dates anyway.

That sounds great, but I work in the real world. Not every tank is clearly marked. They been marred up, rusted up, covered up, whatever. Paint chipped, pitting, whatever phucking reason you want. It's a pain in the arse and I'm not going to friggin do it. If you don't like it, go to the only other compressor in 40 miles and he can put 3k in your tank. Oh wait, he won't fill them either.

IT IS NOT WORTH THE EFFORT. WE WON'T DO IT. IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT, BUY YOUR OWN COMPRESSOR OR DRIVE 50+ MILES TRYING TO FIND SOMEONE WITH A DIFFERENT POLICY.

 

[JKPAO]

May I ask what part of Fla. Only one compressor within 40 miles?
See you topside! John