Gash in steel galvanized tank

[GoIllini]

Hi folks.

Was recently diving in Key Largo and made the mistake of shipping my 100 HP Steel Worthington SCUBA tanks back to myself via Fedex Ground. Mistake because the tanks showed up with a nice gash in it. If you look at the attached photo, it seems like the gash goes through to the steel, although the steel looks undamaged.

I'm filing a claim with Fedex, but I wanted to get a sense of whether this is something that's easy to repair with a can of Rustoleum, if the tank is a total loss, or if there's something else I should be doing.

I've had these tanks for five years and they've been really good to me. Now they don't make them anymore. Would be a shame to lose one.

-Mark

 

[tbone1004]

take it in for a VIP and hydro and see what happens, but it looks shallower than the stamps so should be fine. I wouldn't use rustoleum, but a painted zinc galvanizing agent might help protect them from rust, especially in salt water.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

If they don't replace the tank, then just paint it with a few coats of nail polish and then in week, wax the area with good car polish. A wipe with wax every once in a while will keep it nice, unless you leave it on a boat or something.

 

[NAM001]

The tank is ok, as I see it. It is in the neck where it is designed to have deep markings. As rusting goes, get some auto touch up paint or a paint pen. just so the gouge does not obscure any official markings on the tank (current or expired). I would have to look at my psi book for one aspect of the gouge. The book I think says no gouges on the tank deper than .xxx but it may be gouges to the sides/ non rounded portion of the tank. your local psi inspector can tell you for sure. I would still go for fed x to replace, for fear of some shop rejecting on asinine shop policy , not justified by criteria.

 

[Doc Harry]

There are strick criteria for analyzing the size, depth and location of gouges. Some gouges can condemn a cylinder. Steel cylinders are much thinner than aluminum tanks, so the steel tolerances are less forgiving.

You would need to have the gouge an analyzed in person by a certified cylinder inspector.

In fact, industry guidelines mandate that, because of the damage, your cylinder should have another formal visual inspection before it is filled again.

 

[geoff w]

When my Worthington HP80 was hydroed and a new date stamped, I talked to XS Scuba and they said ZRC Galvanizing Spray was the right stuff to spray on the galvanized tanks if I was worried about the new date stamp going through the galvanized layer. It has a much higher zinc content than just about anything else you could paint it with, seems to hold up well in salt water and nearly matches the zinc finish on the tank