I have 2 new 100 cu Faber Steel cylinders, inspected and filled 3 months ago. How long can I wait before using the cylinders

[Jlpskydive]

I have been breathing air that has been on this planet for millions of years. I'm going to continue....

 

[Robert H. Diver]

Unless it was filled with bad gas, you’re good to go….

 

[Mr. Ed]

You are right, but OP also mentions his instructor "mentioned a concern about air quality". OP has mentioned instructor issues in the past. Why would an instructor be concerned about air quality in tanks that were inspected 2 months ago.? @Mr. Ed - is there something unusual about how these tanks were filled? (by a friend rather than a dive shop, with a compressor used for paintball tanks, etc.?)

No evidently my new instructor wanted me to bring in my cylinders that were inspected and filled at the dive shop that abruptly stopped working with me. I’ve learned since being referred else where, the former shop disregarded dry suit training yet we were required to wear dry suits at every pool session. Perhaps they were waiting for me to OWC, if so why was mandatory to wear dry suits?

My new dive shop trainer not only taught me about dry suit diving but also Nitrox computer as of yesterday. He also inspected how my former dive shop cylinder labels. My cylinders were bought new and serviced by former dive shop that did not check the box for hydro cleaning. New steel cylinders do not have any impurities but if the box is unchecked the will need to be hydro-cleaned should I add a Nitrox blend.

As far as the air quality I think he used that as an excuse to bring my cylinders in.

 

[Marie13]

Hydro is done every dive years. Not needed for new tanks.

A visual inspection is done on new tanks as they could have stuff inside from the manufacturing process.

O2 cleaning is needed for tanks that will have nitrox “mixed in the tank.” Some shops seem to require it even if they premix the nitrox before filling your tank (which means no pure O2 will be in your tank).

This should have been included in your nitrox course.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

No evidently my new instructor wanted me to bring in my cylinders that were inspected and filled at the dive shop that abruptly stopped working with me. I’ve learned since being referred else where, the former shop disregarded dry suit training yet we were required to wear dry suits at every pool session. Perhaps they were waiting for me to OWC, if so why was mandatory to wear dry suits?

My new dive shop trainer not only taught me about dry suit diving but also Nitrox computer as of yesterday. He also inspected how my former dive shop cylinder labels. My cylinders were bought new and serviced by former dive shop that did not check the box for hydro cleaning. New steel cylinders do not have any impurities but if the box is unchecked the will need to be hydro-cleaned should I add a Nitrox blend.

As far as the air quality I think he used that as an excuse to bring my cylinders in.

There is no such thing as hydro cleaning. Oxygen cleaning yes, hydro cleaning-no.
You can't say that new steel cylinders don't have any impurities unless you know that they came in from the factory clean, plugged, and pressurized. Which they don't as to the latter.
They should as to the 1st two but the shop doesn't know how they were stored between manufacturing and receipt of them.
They could have had a bug crawl in them.
They only need O2 cleaned IF THEY ARE GOING TO BE FILLED USING PARTIAL PRESSURE BLENDING.
If from a banked source or continuous blending, then no, if below a 40% mix. They don't need O2 cleaned for that. Some would argue that even 50% banked doesn't need O2 clean cylinders but that's not industry standard. 50% gets into deco cylinder territory and all deco cylinders should be O2 clean as most shops, unless they cater to large tech community, won't bank 50%.
Even then, if they are O2 cleaned, unless you get them filled at the same shop every time, they may not be O2 clean after the next fill if the filling shop has a compressor issue.
It would be a simple matter to call the old shop and ask if they O2 clean new tanks as standard practice. If they fill nitrox using partial pressure they should. If they don't, why not?
It's not hard and doesn't take that much more time. And it's good business practice.
It sounds like the new shop has some issues as well.

 

[Gone for diving]

Sounds like someone has been taken for a ride, and seems to be still on the ride...

 

[Rob9876]

My new dive shop trainer not only taught me about dry suit diving but also Nitrox computer as of yesterday. He also inspected how my former dive shop cylinder labels.

Has the new shop told you how much longer it will be before you are certified?

 

[TMHeimer]

I routinely have a tank or 2 filled in the Fall and use them next May. No problems yet breathing that aire. I feal juszt find.

 

[Doc Harry]

What is the air quality self-life for new 100 cu Faber Steel air cylinders?

Depends.

If the steel tank is structurally sound and dry, and air fill was dry, then the shelf life of the gas is indefinite.

If there is water in the steel cylinder, then steel + oxygen = rust, and the oxygen level of the gas can decrease as the tank corrodes. At least one death in the USA was attributed to this problem of hypoxic gas, but that was many decades ago.

Modern scuba standards, including the policy of annual cylinder inspections, has reduced the chance of this happening to just about zero. Given that your cylinder was inspected a few months ago and confirmed to be structurally sound, and given that the air fill was done by a reputable fill station (dry fill), the chances are about 100% that the shelf life the air in that cylinder is "indefinite."

Furthermore, assuming that the cylinder was filled to the rated pressure, then the life of the pressurized cylinder is also indefinite while full. The rated pressure is well within the elastic limits of the steel, so you can leave the cylinder filled to the rated pressure forever. (Again, assuming it's structurally sound and dry.)

It's never a bad idea to analyze the oxygen level in a steel cylinder that's been sitting for a year or more before you take it diving. But that cylinder would be due for an annual inspection anyway.

Over-pressurizing a cylinder, or leaving a lot of water in a cylinder, changes the dynamic significantly.

 

[Zef]

Hydro is done every dive years. Not needed for new tanks.

A visual inspection is done on new tanks as they could have stuff inside from the manufacturing process.

O2 cleaning is needed for tanks that will have nitrox “mixed in the tank.” Some shops seem to require it even if they premix the nitrox before filling your tank (which means no pure O2 will be in your tank).

This should have been included in your nitrox course.

There is no such thing as hydro cleaning. Oxygen cleaning yes, hydro cleaning-no.

Hydro cleaning = Hydrocarbon cleaning = removing any hydrocarbon residue = also known as O2 cleaning.

-Z