Free tanks worth it?

[Jim Lapenta]

ANd if they are not ok PM me and I'll pay for shipping to get one. I have an idea for an outrageous set of wind chines! I work in a metal shop and have some 4" diameter 1/8 inch thick brass discs and some stainless and titanium wire. I'll have to hang it from some heavy support and it may take gale force winds to get em to "sing" but they will be unique!

 

[SandyRobinson]

Note: I would be careful of any aluminum tank with an original hydro date before about 1990.

Great advice here. In some areas of Florida, especially the Keys, dive shops will not filll a pre-1990 AL tank. Not sure where you will be diving or getting fills but this may be something to consider before you spend $$ on VIP and hydro tests.

You may want to check prices on inspections as they can vary. In my area, I can get a hydro and VIP (including the eddy) as low as $40 but I seen a lot higher.

 

[rstofer]

And don't forget, you can sell the J valves on eBay. There are a lot of people buying these old valves. I have bought at least 8 over the last 6 months. Why? I want to use them with my double hose regulators and some of these valves have a port for an SPG. Of all the things I want on a dive rig, the SPG is right at the top of the list just after that big round breathing thing.

As noted above, post all of the head markings. If you see 3AA, the tank is steel and very useful. If you see 3AL, the tank is aluminum and if the first hydro date is prior to 1990, you may have difficulties getting them filled.

The eddy current test looks for cracks in the neck of the tank. It is used on aluminum tanks since there have been a couple of cases where the tanks exploded from cracking.

Around here a hydro costs $25 and a visual inspection costs $7. I suspect the eddy current test adds a little.

Richard

 

[tlt]

This has all been great advice. We've all got opinions on the old AL80's but at least we all agree for her to take them, and bring them in to a reputable shop, at that point, their opinion will be the only one that matters.

This Old Tank discussion has been debated painfully and endlessly to no definitive result elsewhere, let's not do it yet again. Personally, I would opt for the maximum amount of safety for the fill station and myself if there is a choice. One LDS here will not fill them, so the decision is easy. One important fact, that you probably did learn in class is not to store a full tank for prolonged periods. I've thought about this long and hard, and have decided not to store ALL my tanks full, when i'm not planning on diving for several months, I think that sort of thing could potentially contribute to "sustained load cracking" however, I am just expressing my opinion, not restarting the tank debate.

Jim, great idea for the chimes, what are you going to hang them from a skyscraper...

 

[Elonna]

Thanks again everyone. I will get the tanks from her and have them looked at. You all are awesome!

 

[Cave Diver]

Thanks again everyone. I will get the tanks from her and have them looked at. You all are awesome!

I would also suggest you have more than one shop look at them before spending money on Viz or Hydro. There are some unscrupulous shops that will either tell you they need further inspection in order to make $$ or will tell you they are worthless and offer to dispose of them.

Make an educated decision.

 

[rstofer]

I am just expressing my opinion, not restarting the tank debate.

Sure you are! You just don't want anyone to post the other side of the debate. And that is that 6351 tanks, tested as required, are safe. Period. If they weren't, they would have been recalled by the government. After all, what's it cost them to just condemn a bunch of cylinders? They didn't make them...

Richard

 

[Web Monkey]

Hi everyone...please forgive me if this is a stupid question.

I work with a lady who says she has two diving tanks that a friend gave her like 5 years ago. She doesn't dive and was going to sell them. I have no idea about any particulars of the tanks...size, composition, etc. But she said she'd give them to me if I wanted them.

Take the tanks and say "thank you!"

As was mentioned, a SCUBA shop can give you an an idea of whether they're worth testing or not (really old aluminum, or badly damaged anything), however even if they're not usable, they're still good for scrap.

Scrap Aluminim is around 70 cents/lb, so a tank should be good for about $20 if that's worth your time. Worst case, you can leave it in front of your house on trash-pickup day and someone else will grab it and sell it.

On the other hand, you might get a couple of tanks for the cost of an inspection.

Terry

 

[Web Monkey]

Sure you are! You just don't want anyone to post the other side of the debate. And that is that 6351 tanks, tested as required, are safe. Period. If they weren't, they would have been recalled by the government. After all, what's it cost them to just condemn a bunch of cylinders? They didn't make them...
Richard

"Safe" and "Can get filled" are two different things.

If your tank is "Safe" but you can't find anybody to fill it, it's not much good.

Terry

 

[ianr33]

Rather than deciphering the marking on the tank neck you could just put a magnet on them. Will stick to a steel tank not to an aluminum tank. Fridge magnet works fine.
If the bottom of the tank is round rather than flat it is most likely steel.