How Old is Too Old?

[Mlody11]

I just bought a tank off ebay that was manufactured in 1978 using alloy 6489 so it is not the alloy that is no longer being used. The tank has lots of VIPS and hydros and does have a current VIP and hydroed in june 2004. The tank looks sounds but it needs a paint job from all the chipping paint .

My question is... if the tanks continues to pass the VIPs and Hydros do you guys think its safe to use?

On its next VIP I think I will request an current test on the neck just to be extra careful. What do you think about having the tank tested a bit more just becuse of the age?

 

[Doppler]

I just bought a tank off ebay that was manufactured in 1978 using alloy 6489 so it is not the alloy that is no longer being used. The tank has lots of VIPS and hydros and does have a current VIP and hydroed in june 2004. The tank looks sounds but it needs a paint job from all the chipping paint .

My question is... if the tanks continues to pass the VIPs and Hydros do you guys think its safe to use?

On its next VIP I think I will request an current test on the neck just to be extra careful. What do you think about having the tank tested a bit more just becuse of the age?

One point you may wish to consider... if your cylinder "has lots of VIPS and hydros," there may be an issue. When a scuba cylinder is VIP correctly, ALL decals, previous VIP stickers, Nitrox bands and decorations MUST be removed. If your tank is covered in old VIP stickers, it has not been VIPed correctly... there is no telling what's under those stickers... get them off now and get it to a tech who knows how to do a VIP.

I'd have to look at the specs to see what the scoop is on this alloy... since it's not 6351 or 6061 unsure of possible issues.

And in answer to your first question... five years!

 

[SDAnderson]

I just bought a tank off ebay that was manufactured in 1978 using alloy 6489 so it is not the alloy that is no longer being used. The tank has lots of VIPS and hydros and does have a current VIP and hydroed in june 2004. The tank looks sounds but it needs a paint job from all the chipping paint .

My question is... if the tanks continues to pass the VIPs and Hydros do you guys think its safe to use?

On its next VIP I think I will request an current test on the neck just to be extra careful. What do you think about having the tank tested a bit more just becuse of the age?

Personally, I'm not much for using tanks past their twentieth birthday, especially ones that I don't know the history of. Wind chimes and door stops come to mind...

I checked the DOT Hazmat Safety Exemptions and I can't find 6489 on the list. If the exemption hasn't been withdrawn and DOT is cool with your tank and it can pass both a hydro and a serious visual inspection, it should be good to go.

Don't repaint it though: the process is a hassle, the results are usually short-lived and, if you aren't careful, you can damage the tank. A cautious shop won't fill a repainted tank until it passes a new hydro and visual, so the whole process starts to be kinda expensive...

As to ordering an eddy test on the tank, I'd be sure that the testing machine can handle the alloy and that the operator knows what he's doing, otherwise you'll be wasting your money and may end up with a false positive result.

 

[kidspot]

I think my newest tank is from 1989 (all of mine are used) and some go back to 74' I have checked them all out myself inside and out, as well as taken them to the LDS for their VIPs and Hydros... no problems with any of them at this point, though the one steel has some minor pitting inside that I'm going to keep my eye on. Total of 7 tanks, 4 AL80's and 3 Steel 72's...

Aloha, Tim

 

[DA Aquamaster]

I can't find 6489 on the list. If the exemption hasn't been withdrawn and DOT is cool with your tank and it can pass both a hydro and a serious visual inspection, it should be good to go.

I have not heard of exemption number 6489, but exemption 6498 was one of the exemptions that were ultimately approved for use as 3AL aluminum tanks in the early 80's and were to be restamped "3AL" at the next hydro test. I suspect the digits may be transposed in the post.

We still see them come through the shop without the 3AL stamp nearly 20 years after they should have all been restamped.

 

[Doppler]

OK the tank issue seems settled... now what's this about talk like a pirate day????

 

[SDAnderson]

I have not heard of exemption number 6489, but exemption 6498 was one of the exemptions that were ultimately approved for use as 3AL aluminum tanks in the early 80's and were to be restamped "3AL" at the next hydro test. I suspect the digits may be transposed in the post.

Yeah, probably. That's an old Luxfer number, which begs the question: how did the hydro facility do the test without looking up the specs for that tank? Hey, Mlody11, if they didn't change the stamp, post their RIN number here and watch the scrambling begin...

...now what's this about talk like a pirate day????

Arrrrr...the point is there's no point, swabbie. It's extreme foolishness involving rum, stupid accents, bad jokes, rum...and it happens in mid-September, more or less marking the beginning of the second half of the dive season in Chicago.

 

[BigJetDriver]

Aaaaarrggh, Matey, there be the Treasure!!!

 

[DA Aquamaster]

Yeah, probably. That's an old Luxfer number, which begs the question: how did the hydro facility do the test without looking up the specs for that tank?

If it looks like an AL 80, I suspect it tends to get treated like an AL 80 and I suspect a lot of hydro test facilities don't look for anything other than the serial number during the hydro.

Locally we get a lot of military personnel who transfer to the area and some bring older 80's with them. These tanks are always fun to look at closely as they are inevtiably the ones more likely to have been hydro'd 2 or 3 times since the mid 80's and still have a 6498 exemption number on them.

As hydro test sins go, failing to add the 3AL stamp is probably one of the more minor and harmless ones as the exemptions involved were not pulled but rather upgraded to the non exempt 3AL standard. But with sloppy habits like that it still makes you wonder how often these same test facilties recertify other types of tanks with expired exemptions that are potentially unsafe.

 

[SDAnderson]

If it looks like an AL 80, I suspect it tends to get treated like an AL 80 and I suspect a lot of hydro test facilities don't look for anything other than the serial number during the hydro.

Locally we get a lot of military personnel who transfer to the area and some bring older 80's with them. These tanks are always fun to look at closely as they are inevtiably the ones more likely to have been hydro'd 2 or 3 times since the mid 80's and still have a 6498 exemption number on them.

As hydro test sins go, failing to add the 3AL stamp is probably one of the more minor and harmless ones as the exemptions involved were not pulled but rather upgraded to the non exempt 3AL standard. But with sloppy habits like that it still makes you wonder how often these same test facilties recertify other types of tanks with expired exemptions that are potentially unsafe.

Bingo. Besides, not all of the aluminum tanks they see have the same test procedures - which really makes you wonder about the status of that tank...