Luxfer frustrations.....

[Gombessa]

There is nothing to indicate that Luxfer wasn't out of the 6351 business by the end of '89.

Thanks Richard, good info here. I think this strongly justify LDS policies against filling pre-1990 tanks - it seems like certain series of tanks were changed at different dates, and in any regard the details from the manufacturers themselves is somewhat ambiguous, and in any regards not the easiest to find. 1990 (assuming non-Luxfer 6351 tanks were eliminated by then as well) is a pretty reasonable blanket cutoff, especially when its the shops' properties and employees' wellbeings at stake.

 

[spectrum]

There is no need to put a fine point on this since the dive shops who happen to own the compressors are not.

I have seen shop policies that prohibit filling ANY Aluminum cylinder more that 20 years old, regardless of brand, alloy or testing status. I have also seen the VIP price set at $125 of any pre 1990 aluminum cylinder.

The bottom lime is that traveling with old aluminum will be unpredictable at best.

Pete

 

[Scared Silly]

Read this notice (Luxfer was not the only mfg that used 6351)

Notice No. 94-7; Safety Advisory; High Pressure Aluminum Seamless and Aluminum Composite Hoop-Wrapped Cylinders

Now here is what you need to do with such a cylinder:

Hazardous Materials: Aluminum Cylinders Manufactured of Aluminum Alloy 6351-T6 Used in SCUBA, SCBA, and Oxygen Services--Revised Requalification and Use Criteria | Federal Register Environmental Documents | USEPA

Of course none of this information makes any difference to many shops they make their own rules.

 

[rstofer]

Thanks Richard, good info here. I think this strongly justify LDS policies against filling pre-1990 tanks - it seems like certain series of tanks were changed at different dates, and in any regard the details from the manufacturers themselves is somewhat ambiguous, and in any regards not the easiest to find. 1990 (assuming non-Luxfer 6351 tanks were eliminated by then as well) is a pretty reasonable blanket cutoff, especially when its the shops' properties and employees' wellbeings at stake.

The shop has the right to make whatever policy they wish. I have the right to buy my stuff wherever I wish. That's kind of the way it works.

My LDS has not YET had an issue with the tank. As soon as it becomes an issue, I'll just scrap it. Al 80s are better used in warm water and I haven't dove in those conditions in a long time.

Richard