Identifying a Luxfer Tank

[jacked_72]

I just picked up a bunch of tanks, one of which is an AMF tank with it's original hydro done in 1974. It is marked DOT-6576-2700, E2552, KAE, 7^74, AMF. I can't find any info with these numbers on the internet. I presume the 2700 means it will hold 2700 psi, but beyond that I'm lost. It does not say "AL" anywhere on it, but a magnet won't stick to it. I had presumed it was aluminum, but as I write this, I'm not so sure.

The same lot also had a pair of matching tanks with a hydro from 1983. These look like 80s. The markings are not on new lines under each other, but are in a continuous line. The markings on one of these tanks are: DOT 3AL-3000J 06592 W(or M)K 3^83. This one is surely aluminum, but as for the manufacturer and whether it is a bad alloy is unclear to me.


If you know what I have, please let me know.

 

[Scared Silly]

Neither cylinder was made by Luxfer.

The first cylinder was made by Kaiser under SP6576 with a working pressure of 2700psi. The special permit is expired (1979) and the cylinder is garbage and can not be requalified (hydro'ed) - cut it in half and sell it for scrap.

The second cylinder is a Walter-Kidde: WK 3^83 read the link below for it as it is "bad alloy"

Is my cylinder made from the "bad" alloy aka AL6351?

 

[Teller]

Just for future reference there is no flat bottom steel cylinders and no round bottom AL cylinders. Thats one easy way to tell the two apart.

 

[jacked_72]

Thank you for the information. I may use the Kaiser for a display piece.

Are there any automatically bad steel tanks? This lot I picked up had 6 steel tanks, including a set of doubles and a 1963 Healthways tanks. I hope they are (potentially) good.

Thanks.

 

[Scared Silly]

Just for future reference there is no flat bottom steel cylinders and no round bottom AL cylinders. Thats one easy way to tell the two apart.

Actually that is not true. The old Navy AL cylinders had a round bottom. The Kaiser cylinder had a tappered bottom. Also some steel cylinders have a web foot design which allows to stand without a boot.

 

[Scared Silly]

Are there any automatically bad steel tanks? This lot I picked up had 6 steel tanks, including a set of doubles and a 1963 Healthways tanks. I hope they are (potentially) good.

You should not have any problems with them if they are rust free. That said some have a vinyl coating that can be problematic. 1/2" tapered thread can be problem for some.

 

[Teller]

The round bottom AL cylinders that were used by the military are no longer in service. I am not aware of any steel cylinders with flat bottoms. Do you know where I could see a pic of one of these cylinders?

 

[sealark]

Some of those Navy AL. cylinders I used with round bottoms also actually had plugs in some of them in the middle of the bottom. That tells you how old I am...

 

[Scared Silly]

Right, the old navy cylinders were formed from a tube of aluminum that was tapered down with a plug in the bottom. They are not DOT approved. As for steel cylinders that are able to stand on their own,. The bottom is tapered with a web foot design (not flat). Do a search on ebay and you will see lots of them standing upright - no one shows the bottom though. Steel T cylinders that a welding shops use are the best example. That said in terms of steel scuba cylinder with such a bottom. They are out there as I have seen a couple but can not remember who made them. IIRC they were LP72 from BITD.

 

[Teller]

So as I said, there are no round bottom AL cylinders and no flat bottom steel cylinders in service anymore. That being said it is an easy way to tell the diff between the two if you dont know how to read the stamp on the cylinder.