Internal rust & flash rust in steel tanks

[Campana]

In cleaning steel tanks, I tumble them, and some, I clean with simple green with rinses of water as hot as I can get it, several rinses until all the simple green is out. When drying them, it is annoying to me that a light sheen of rust forms instantly. I usually dry them with clean scuba air, from a clean tank. My question is, how can this flash rust be eliminated? I heard that Global sells a rinse product that prevents it, has anyone used it? Is it OK for O2 cleaning? I have been told that the flash rust is normal and harmless, but it annoys me to get a tank so clean and then have the rust form. Any ideas?

 

[OKDIR]

The Global stuff works ok and yes they have it for O2 safe also. The key is to make sure and dry your tanks ASAP after the warm/hot water flush. You another scuba tank and put your 40" or whatever you have laying around extra, up in the tank and dry it out. Should be dry in under a min or so and without flash rust.


Make sure to never use a hose that you dive with though. You could get small particle on the o-ring that goes to the reg. If you keep that finger screwed on and used that hose to clean your tanks, then you could have a blown o-ring on a dive.

Just use an old hose and not one that you dive with.

 

[Campana]

What is the global stuff called, dya know?

 

[Deco]

That actually happened to me a couple of weeks ago. My dive buddies and I are in the water ready to descend and as I go to put the reg in my mouth......poof........I blow the 2nd stage O-ring that your talking about. After getting out of the water to change it I realize the O-ring is dirty and then the light went on in my head. I used this hose to dry tanks a couple of times!!!

I won't do that again.

Joey (Deco)

 

[OKDIR]

Rust Inhibitor 02 compatible or safe or somthin like that. It comes in a 1 or 1.5 gal jug. Got to one of your local tech or shops that put together doubles for nitrox and I would guess they will let you have some at a very low price. That stuff goes a long ways!

Joe

 

[SeaGypsy]

It is Oxy-Safe Rust Inhibitor (Compound 0), Global part number 42220. But I've heard it's not really recommended.

 

[gadget]

One facility we were getting Hydro's done at dries all the steel tanks with nitrogen .

No Oxygen....no Oxidization.

Seemed to work on the ones we sent them. You could rent a bottle from a gas supply company and just use it for drying, they might not even charge you for the tank lease ( only the gas) if you get it back quickly.

Other gases may also work but I suspect Nitrogen is the cheapest.

 

[DNAXdiver]

I use a hairdryer with a bit of tubing to get the air up into the tank. Do it immediately upon draining, with the tank still hot from the rinse, never any trouble with rust.

It's essential to have a rinsing draining rack that holds the tank in and inverted position so the tank is draining while it dries.

 

[padiscubapro]

I use Blue Gold to O2 clean all my tanks, it has a rust inhibitor and is a recommended product for oxygen cleaning.. I have never had flash rusting while using this product even when just letting the tanks Air drip dry while inverted.

 

[OKDIR]

Where do you pick that up?? What ratio do you use mixed with hot water??

Joe