Question Downsides of hydro testing more often than 5 years?

[sunny_diver]

I have one tank due for hydro now, and another due in 3 years. It simplifies things if both tanks have the same hydro date since they're in doubles.

What are the downsides of doing a hydro test more often than every 5 years?

 

[tursiops]

I have one tank due for hydro now, and another due in 3 years. It simplifies things if both tanks have the same hydro date since they're in doubles.

What are the downsides of doing a hydro test more often than every 5 years?

Cost.

 

[Seaweed Doc]

I suppose you could argue stress on the tank (they do over-pressurize) but that seems pretty trivial given what you're planning. It's not like you're doing it once a year, every year. And even then, I'm not sure it's a big deal. Getting a hot fill such that the tank is at rated pressure when it cools and doing that twice a week is probably worse, but I'm still doing it....

Didn't Australia (or maybe somewhere else?) go to requiring annual hydros for a bit, then backed off? I assume they backed off because the industry and divers complained more about cost and hassle than stress on the tank.

 

[Lorenzoid]

I have one tank due for hydro now, and another due in 3 years. It simplifies things if both tanks have the same hydro date since they're in doubles.

What are the downsides of doing a hydro test more often than every 5 years?

I had tanks whose hydro dates were out of sync by just a year or so, and I did exactly what you propose. Now they're in sync, and I'll take them all in for hydro at the same time. If they had been out of sync by 3 years, I might have decided the cost outweighed the benefit.

 

[lexvil]

I had to fight with the hydro guy to do one 6 months early but they needed a vis so it was cheaper to do the hydro early. Other than that cost is the only downside.

 

[runsongas]

other than cost, if you have HDG steel tanks and aren't hundo p confident the hydro tester will do the prestretch to the letter, you run the risk of them failing because the test is not run optimally

 

[rhwestfall]

yep, potential exposure to idiots is increased....

 

[elmo]

Didn't Australia (or maybe somewhere else?) go to requiring annual hydros for a bit, then backed off? I assume they backed off because the industry and divers complained more about cost and hassle than stress on the tank.

In Australia we need annual hydro testing, and have for more than ten years (probably much more). The tanks are fine. From a diver’s perspective it isn’t really more hassle than an annual vis (done at the same time), just more costly. And adds up quite quickly when you own multiple tanks.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

I actually prefer my tanks not all be up for hydro at once. I don't really want all 6 of my steels to be in for hydro all at the same time. I like to space them out so that I have tanks available to dive at all times.

 

[rhwestfall]

I don't really want all 30 6 of my steels tanks to be in for hydro all at the same time.

My situation.... avoiding the financially painful...

I try to keep the sets of doubles in different hydro cycles, and at least 3 sets of "matching tanks" (2 each for me, wife, and daughter) current at all times. I do my own visuals.