Buying Used Tanks - Reasonable Price / Considerations?

[DeprecatedMustang]

Someone on craigslist here was advertising 4 scuba tanks.. they professed they weren't quite sure what they had (story was some old roommate left them or whatever).

Some quick mental math.. Roughly $30 for hydro, another $60+ for a valve (parts/labour), $20-30 for cleaning (if something turns up), $15 for a VIP (These are approximately what it costs here).

So.. unlikely that all of those would turn up for every tank.. but assuming moderate worst-case scenario cut that in half.. So say nominally $60-70 to get each tank working? (At minimum I'd want a fresh visual/hydro - not trusting my life to some random/unknown vintage tanks).

So anyway I call them and.. they wanted $50 each. That's close to $100/tank (50 + ~45 for vip/hydro) + perhaps another $50-60 of risk - not to mention if they don't hydro at all!

Anyway bottom line is.. I told her politely that I wasn't interested (she claimed to have someone willing to pay that).

My logic is that paying close to $100/tank (effectively) + another $50-60 of likely risk if they needed valves (likely some did) + chance of failing tests - that it's just better to get new ones? I'm assuming she just didn't understand what's involved in getting an 'unknown' tank to work (And possibly the other person didn't either).

Thoughts? Am I too risk averse? Obviously if I could have seen them and they looked cherry I would have probably paid $50 but sight-unseen offer? Nahh...

P.S. If there are other common considerations in buying used tanks beyond what is above I welcome your input.

 

[Superlyte27]

If it's a post 1990 tank, i'd do 50 on each. VIP and Hydro here costs $35 Total. That puts me in an aluminum for $85. I've never needed to clean an aluminum tank/valve.

If it's a low pressure steel tank, I'd pay $50 and risk it.

A new Aluminum tank costs 165.00 here.
A new Steel tank costs 300 here.

I feel I should be able to get a used tank for half what a new tanks costs. If you can't do that, then don't do it.


***Edit, by the way, before you spend $60 on labor and parts for a valve, let me know, I'll ship you brand new valves for $50 (I'll even include shipping).

 

[Scared Silly]

You are probably a bit off on the valve cost. Cleaning and servicing a valve should be more like $20 max. Worst case $50 for hydro, VIP, and valve service.

And was said skip any aluminum cylinders before 1990 (read my sticky post in this forum about the pitfalls).

 

[akdeepdiver]

Wow, where are you taking the valve for service. We rebuild valves for $20 plus shipping. That includes, new parts, orings, burst disk, replacement of dip tube, and vbent valve stems, if needed, and O2 cleaning.

 

[halocline]

Your math is kind of off I'm afraid. And, getting a random hydro before it's due because you're afraid of the tank exploding on your back is pretty 'risk-averse' or downright silly. Immediate VIP is an added expense of a used tank, but even new tanks need to be VIP'ed annually, so you're paying for that regardless. Tank valves rarely go bad, and they're very easy to rebuild.

Used tanks are absolutely the way to go, given a few considerations. 1)You get the size/type tank you want. 2)The tank can be successfully visually inspected.

Hydro failure is pretty rare on a tank that passes VIP, and is probably about as likely on newer tanks as it is on older ones. I guess really abused, severely overfilled tanks could be an exception to that.

 

[RetMTFE]

Like everyone else, I'm a little confused about the valve re-build. You can buy a new one for fifty bucks.
Also, you didn't mention when the last hydro was and if they have had anymore since the original.
Superlyte27.....Divers Direct sells AL80s for $149 (that includes a VIP). Also, don't know if tanks are a part of it but the store in WPB is having a big sale this weekend.

 

[Wayward Son]

$60 will buy a new valve

 

[spectrum]

bigblue_hi

You don't say what the tanks are so it's hard to gauge the risks involved.

You are looking at the right things but you are applying a much too stringent measure to them. If the tank is in hydro that is some the value she is offering. If you insist on prematurely testing it that's your induced cost.

I have taken in a good number of used cylinders none of which needed valve attention beyond a fresh o-ring. Assuming the cylinders are being sold with some pressure you should have a good idea that they seal.

VIP is a toss-up as it's included with a locally purchased cylinder. On the other hand it will be an annual cost regardless.

If it's an aluminum cylinder you don't mention the age or alloy. Forget 6351 cylinders and think twice if 20 ears old. Technical reasons aside too many shops are becoming phobic / hostile of these cylinders.

Lastly what is your benchmark? If it cost you 100. to buy & recommission a HP100 that is $350 new you got a great deal. If it's an AL80 that you can buy for $150 new then $100 may not be worth the risk.

Pete

 

[cindycycle]

I recently bartered my one-child bicycle trailer for a used tank. My friend hadn't used the tank in several years and the hydro had expired. He took the tank in and paid for the hydro test, and when it passed, we did the trade. I figure my bicycle trailer was worth $80-$100 (market value) so that seemed like a good deal to me.

 

[Superlyte27]

Like everyone else, I'm a little confused about the valve re-build. You can buy a new one for fifty bucks.
Also, you didn't mention when the last hydro was and if they have had anymore since the original.
Superlyte27.....Divers Direct sells AL80s for $149 (that includes a VIP). Also, don't know if tanks are a part of it but the store in WPB is having a big sale this weekend.

I know they do, the closest diver direct to me is about 300 miles away. So, add shipping, and I might as well buy from an LDS. Glad I get gear at cost.