dead horse - older tanks

[NOVIZWHIZ]

Damp it! New guy and his wife just took over our local (and only) dive shop. Says he's not filling the luxfers with the dot bulletin on them. I realize it's a personal choice and really don't blame him, nice guy. We talked for awhile and he did say if I would have them sent out and x-rayed by the company that usually does the hydro's (they're still in hydro for another 4 years) and they passed, he'd fill them. I left three tanks with him but when the rep from the company made his weekly run, he refused to take them...said they weren't handling (hydro-ing, x-raying, etc.) the old tanks anymore...the ds owner told me he'd let me have three at what I consider an excellent price. If I want, I can still get the older tanks filled at the fire/pd until the hydros run out.....oh well, guess I'll bite the bullet and upgrade.......sigggghhhhhh!

 

[DA Aquamaster]

I don't understand the objection of the company doing the hydro testing unless they do not want to mess with the eddy current portion of the VIP. Even then it makes no sense as they can charge for it and get paid for it.

I also do not agree with the objection of the new shop owner to filling 6351 AL 80's. With proper hydro and eddy current testing, cracks are being caught before they pose a risk of catastrophic failure. I am also unaware of any 6351 tank properly inspected under the new criteria that has exploded.

It just seems to me to be far more likely to be motivated by a desire to sell a lot of new tanks to desperate divers with no other air fill options and perhaps a way to boost the rental business a bit with those divers who cannot afford to shell out for new tanks.

 

[NOVIZWHIZ]

Sir, I agree with you 100%. But...these things have served me well since 1980.....after 24 years, I can't say I haven't gotten my money's worth. The wife has promised to replace my 3 "dinosaurs" (my fourth is fairly new!)for my birthday and an early Christmas, and seeing how she's investing that much money, I had to promise her I'd do more diving...can you beat that? It's a win, win situation. I'll keep my old ones for awhile, check with some more of the hydro'ing companies and get the real scoop. We have a PSD team and I'm sure the fire dept will fill them (I already checked!), I'll donate the dam things to the team -still got 3.5 more years on the current hydro.....

 

[crpntr133]

new tanks and being told to go dive more...does your wife have a single sister?

 

[bcoleman]

Fill station operators are the ones getting hurt or killed when older tanks fail...not usually the tank's owners. By the way, most fire department compressors put our grade "D" air, not the higher grade "E" required for scuba diving. Ask to see their certificate.

 

[gjmmotors]

If the tanks are from 1980, you have gotten your moneys worth plus some. Is your well being or the tank monkeys not worth the 150 bucks for a new tank?
Chances are they are all scratched up and ugly anyways, buy new ones.
Hell, I get rid of all my deco and stage bottles after the first hydro expires. Tanks are relatively cheap.
And the eddy test is only as good as the person performing the test. Ive seen a tank monkey try to eddy a steel tank, It doesent make me feel secure.
-g mount

 

[scubapro50]

If the tanks are from 1980, you have gotten your moneys worth plus some. Is your well being or the tank monkeys not worth the 150 bucks for a new tank?
Chances are they are all scratched up and ugly anyways, buy new ones.
Hell, I get rid of all my deco and stage bottles after the first hydro expires. Tanks are relatively cheap.
And the eddy test is only as good as the person performing the test. Ive seen a tank monkey try to eddy a steel tank, It doesent make me feel secure.
-g mount

I just sold my 1974 VW Beetle with 500,000 miles on it ... now that's getting your money worth. My 1980's tanks have a least a 100 dives on them. Hell I traded in a couple of 1/2 inch valve Voit steel tanks because the local shop said they were getting too old. I read all the information on the problem and there seems to be less than a 1% failure rate which is about normal for any tank. Some of the other problems are divers not taking care of them by over filling or the use of NITROX or OXYGEN when they were not designed for it .....

 

[Ber Rabbit]

I just lost a tank to a crack in the lower part of the threads that the eddy current didn't catch. The guy who did my hydro/eddy said the tank had passed both and it was my choice whether or not to use the tank but he wanted to show me what he had seen. I don't know squat about doing a VIP but he lit the inside up and even I could see the cracks in the lower threads. One bad crack and another crack just starting on the opposite side. He said their manager had quit and when he did they found out that their VIP certificate had expired and the manager never renewed it so I would have to take the tanks elsewhere for a VIP and that person would have to decide whether or not to pass the tank, he indicated that they just might pass it since the tank, crack and all had passed eddy current. I fill my own tanks and after seeing that crack I had no inclination to take the tank for a second opinion. We drilled a hole in it, stamped out the numbers on the shoulder and sent it with a local guy to recycle with his aluminum cans. My husband was surprised to find out which tank had failed, he has an older one that passed just fine. Always better safe than sorry besides, sounds like you're getting a great deal
Ber :lilbunny:

 

[gjmmotors]

I just sold my 1974 VW Bettle with 500,000 miles on it ... now that's getting your money worth. My 1980's tanks have a least a 100 dives on them. Hell I traded in a couple of 1/2 inch valve Voit steel tanks because the local shop said they were getting too old. I read all the information on the problem and there seems to be less than a 1% failure rate which is about normal for any tank. Some of the other problems are divers not taking care of them by over filling or the use of NITROX or OXYGEN when they were not designed for it .....

Tanks are not designed as an Oxygen or Nitrox tank. The tanks are cleaned for specific use as a nitrox or oxygen tank. As far as overfilling, thats the tank fillers problem. I have 1/2 inch vavle tanks from the 60's i believe. I use them for stage oxygen, when carrying them isnt a concern. Chances are they will last another 40 years ( if properly maintained).
An explosive failure should not be normal. This topic was discussed at great length in other sections. I feel that no one should have to risk there life or bodily harm to fill a 25 year old tank that has known problems, get rid of the damn things and buy a new one.
-g mount

 

[scubapro50]

go to www.luxfercylinders.com and read the "technical bullentins" and other information about the problem ...... it supports my previous post.