DOT certification of non-US tank

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vjongene

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Messages
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Location
Willemstad, Curaçao
# of dives
1000 - 2499
I moved to the US from Europe a while back and took a 15l steel tank with me. When I brought it with me to an LDS to have it inspected and tested, I was told that they were not allowed to certify tanks that do not already have a DOT stamp on them. Mine was regularly inspected in Switzerland and then in Cyprus, but of course not in the US. Is there any way to use the tank here, or should I just keep it until I move back to Europe?

Thanks already for any info.
 
This seems to come up once or twice a year. I'm no expert, but from what others have posted here on SB, the short answer is that you can't have it commercially filled on this side of the ocean. Certification starts at the design and manufacturing stage, so you can't add it after the fact. Testing and the stamp that goes with it just says it still meets the original certification.

A specialist hydro testing shop in a major seaport used to dealing with foreign vessels may be able to test it for you, but most local hydro shops probably won't know how to deal with this, and it still won't let you get them filled by someone else, although some people with their own compressors apparently find it acceptable to fill their own non-DOT/CTC certified tanks as long as they've been recently tested, for which it doesn't sound like there is any legal restriction as long as they are purely for your own use.

Now if you're just looking to get it inspected (VIP), anyone knowledgeable should be able to do it. But you still won't be able to get it filled.

But the simple answer is to wait until you can ship it back and use it over there.
 
Actually, any good hydro facility that wants to work with you can hydro it. Getting it filled may be another story. I have a pair of Beauchat 300 bar cylinders without a DOT stamp that I have no problems getting hydro'd. Since I own my own fill station, I have no problem getting fills (I wouldn't fill anyone else's non-DOT cylinder, however). Now, I just need knees strong enough to lift them, as they are doubles.
 
My local Hydro place will do foreign tanks......they just use a generic H in a circle between the month and year and not the facility numbers..
I'm sure you can get somebody to inspect and sticker a steel tank for VIP.

Most fill monkeys are only going to look for a current VIP and Hydro.......you're good to go.
 
Thanks guys, this is good info. I will have to think hard about whether it is worth getting a hydro and finding a fill station that will take my tank, as my opportunities for local diving are rather limited at present. Maybe easiest to just leave the tank in the garage...
 

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