Impossible to read tank markings - PST HP100

[crzyfish]

I just picked up two PST HP100 3500psi. Both are painted over the galvanized surface - there's paint over the past hydro's. One still has paint and is legible, the other one ...

If I take the paint off using a water based paint remover, which is supposedly safer for the finish and less toxic to me, is there any way to make the markings more legible for the shop? I've used a Sharpie in my other tanks.

My main concern is whether or not the markings are completely obliterated. I hope there's a way to bring the lettering back out.

I couldn't even tell it's a 3500psi tank if the previous owner didn't write "3500" on the paint.

 

[JahJahwarrior]

I'm not a tank monkey for my day job, but I was a decade ago.
I could identify most tanks from across the room, and the only hydro that is important is the latest one for steel. It's super easy to tell it's a 3500 psi tank because of the neck size difference.

I would tape off around the hydro, use the paint remover just on the hydro, maybe use a brush to get it out of the cracks. The last hydro should be pretty easy to make visible enough, and a good shop just needs to see it once, then they should roughly remember and not check in detail every single fill.

 

[crzyfish]

The neck, for sure, is the skinny 7/8". It's a true HP 3500 with the Thermo valves. Right now, I'm using Photoshop to try to make out the serial number - I don't think it's going to be legible. The FBI Forensic team would have to called out to decipher the numbers.

 

[tbone1004]

think back to elementary school. Try to do a crayon rubbing over the markings. You'll be surprised at what comes out

 

[crzyfish]

That's the first thing I tried, paper rubbing. First with the crayon, then lead pencil. The chipped paint makes the impressions and obscures the writing. Here's the one that's Legible and the other Illegible. Do hydrostatic testing sites need to see the serial number and the working pressure?

 

[AfterDark]

That's the first thing I tried, paper rubbing. First with the crayon, then lead pencil. The chipped paint makes the impressions and obscures the writing. Here's the one that's Legible and the other Illegible. Do hydrostatic testing sites need to see the serial number and the working pressure?

Power wire brush the loose paint away.

 

[bletso]

The wire wheel is good. We have to do that from time to time when customers paint their cylinders. If I can't read them, I can't test them.

 

[Scared Silly]

Do hydrostatic testing sites need to see the serial number and the working pressure?

Yes, they need to be able to record the mfg, serial number, working pressure.

 

[AfterDark]

The wire wheel is good. We have to do that from time to time when customers paint their cylinders. If I can't read them, I can't test them.

I have 3 painted steel tanks, when I painted them after power wire brushing, I used only clear coat over the original stamping. After the clear coat dried I used permanent black marker to trace the stamping. A few more coats of clear over that and they were good to go. The other 5 are galvanized and just get the marker over the stamping.

 

[crzyfish]

I just finished cleaning the old paint off the tank.

The coloration is all over the place - dark spots, shiny spots, grey spots. It's not a pretty tank but who cares. After it's been re-hydro'd, I plan to respray it with cold galvanizing paint so it's more uniform and protected.

I used Jasco Premium to remove most of the paint, Mineral Spirits to remove the residue, and a nylon wire disk to clean up most of the leftover bits of paint (there's still plenty). The markings are more visible but still hard to read. I still can't read the working pressure but it's there. I'm going to go over it with a marker so there's no mistake about the serial number and working pressure.

I wonder if the shop would re-strike the number or is that illegal and only the mfg could do that?