Hp tank & special permits

[Charged]

Ive been researching tanks because Im interested in purchasing an HP100. When I see the phrase special permit being used, I initially think, "Great, I have to purchase something else." So, my question...

What sort of govermental regulations or other stuff am I going to have to put up with or purchase if I buy an HP100 as opposed to an AL80? Keep in mind I would like to drag this tank with me overseas as well for vacation diving.

 

[Leadking]

It's no big deal but you cannot drag any tank overseas and use it . It must comply with each country's regulations. In the US it is the DOT, in Canada it is Transport Canada (TC). Some smaller countries will accept DOT and TC certification. Larger countries have their own regulatory agency and cylinders must be stamped with that country's agency stamp. This has NOTHING to do with special permit (SP) or exempt (E) cylinders but with each country's regulations.

 

[Charged]

...you cannot drag any tank overseas and use it...It must comply with each country's regulations...QUOTE]

I dont want to hijack this guys thread, so Ill try to make this short. As long as I purchase from a legit dealer and have the inspections done correct, Im not going to have to buy anything extra or be charged extra for inspections or anything else just because its an HP tank? Ill be just as well off in that regard as I would be with an AL?

 

[redacted]

I dont want to hijack this guys thread, so Ill try to make this short. As long as I purchase from a legit dealer and have the inspections done correct, Im not going to have to buy anything extra or be charged extra for inspections or anything else just because its an HP tank? Ill be just as well off in that regard as I would be with an AL?

Some shops might charge more for fills of any tank the is larger volume or higher pressure than an Al 80, but it should only be a couple buck at most.

 

[Leadking]

As long as the cylinder is approved by the DOT or TC there are no issues/additional costs as to using the cylinder in the U.S. or Canada.

For simplification and clarification you cannot bring a DOT/TC cylinder to Europe and use it, Just as you cannot bring a EN (European) approved cylinder into the U.S. and use it without DOT approval and without the proper stampings (DOT) on the neck of the cylinder from the manufacturer.

 

[oxyhacker]

How recently did you hear this? There was some motion towards rerating the tanks to eliminating the 10% overfill maybe 15 years ago, but, as I understand it, the DOT decided it would make more sense to come up with a completely new high performance, tank spec, and making it metric while they were at it, rather than wasting any more time on the hoary old 3AA specification. They were well into doing that when someone noticed that the ISO and the UN were doing the same thing, and so the DOTdecided it would make more sense for the US to join in with that initiative to come up with an international standard rather than having two dueling metic standards. The result is the new "UN Cylinder" specifications. However, they also found that the gas industry liked the old DOT 3AA specification just fine, so it was decided to keep the old specification in force, along with the new one. However, last thing I knew a major overhaul of the 3AA spec was considered unikely, although there has been some talk of rolling the exemption tanks into a new HP spec (which might be done under the UN specs) much as the aluminum exemption tanks were grandfathered into the #AL spec.

There is currently some regulatory discussion of making the 10% a given and just stamping tanks with a service pressure 10% higher to start with. In other words a former 2400 psi 3AA steel tank would just have a 2640 psi service pressure and do away with the plus rating. We'll see what happens.