no hydro for 10+ years?

[all4scuba05]

look at the tanks on ebay and you'll see some that haven't been hydro'd in over a decade...meaning it hasn't been used for years, right?
does it mean that most likely it won't pass the inspection and test after so many years of sitting there with old air?

 

[Rick Murchison]

look at the tanks on ebay and you'll see some that haven't been hydro'd in over a decade...meaning it hasn't been used for years, right?
does it mean that most likely it won't pass the inspection and test after so many years of sitting there with old air?

Nope.
Unless the tank's been abused or left open to moisture it should be fine. But the fact that it's "way out of Hydro" is a $bargaining chip$...
Rick

 

[Wayward Son]

I have a steel tank that I didn't use for 20 years, but I did keep a few hundred lbs of air in it. I wanted to put it back in service, it VIP's & hydroed just fine and is sitting in my locker with a full charge of air right now, waiting for the next dive.

The real problem with ebay tanks is you can't look over the tank & see its overall condition. It may show up & be so beat up & rusted as to be unusable. With a local used buy you can at least look it over, and maybe even make the deal where it must pass VIP & hydro to be a final sale.

If you can buy one cheap enough that you won't mind losing the money if it goes bad, buy it. If it costs enough that you're gonna be mad if it's junk, don't buy it.

 

[MrConclusion]

I recently purchased 3 "out of hydro" high pressure steel tanks very cheaply. They all passed VIP/hydro.

If you can get tanks cheap enough, it's worth the slight risk that they will fail VIP/hydro. Any tank can fail, even if it's been used perfectly. I talked to a guy who was trying to pick up his 1-year-old aluminum 100 from my LDS, but it had failed VIP for cracked threads! Fortunately that's rare - I just mean to point out that there are never any guarantees.

 

[kidspot]

I've got 5 tanks all in for hydro at the moment - the most recent was last vip'd in 1991, 1 of the steel tanks was last hydro'd in 1985 (originally made in 1965) and the inspector looked inside each of them and told me they should all pass hydro without a problem... we shall see - its been 5 weeks so far, hopefully they get them finished this week ... btw - the one steel tank also had no pressure in it, yet was still rust free inside - amazing considering we have a very high humidity rate here.

Aloha, Tim

 

[garyfotodiver]

I bought a steel 72 on eBay. Made in 11/67, last hydro'd in 75. It passed this year without a problem, didn't need to be tumbled.

I like steel 72's and will buy more. The risk is worth it.

 

[Creed]

I've got two steel 72s that were well out of hydro. Both passed with flying colors.
The first one was purchased for $5 + shipping. Hard to beat.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

I purchased four long out of hydro steel tanks with valves and air in them from a long since retired diver a few years ago (and they presented no problem with the hydro or VIP.)

He also asked if I was interested in more and then showed me 6 more steel tanks that had been stored for years in a moist cellar, on their sides, with no valves (all three being very bad ideas individually, let alone in combination.) That sight was enough for me to decline on the spot rather than even bother to look inside to confirm the impressive amount of rust and pitting that I have no doubt was present.

Now if he had added valves and posted pics of the tanks on e-bay, they would have looked fine on the outside, but would have none the less been suitable only for wind chime duty. So my advice on an e-bay tank is to ask a lot of detailed questions unless it has a current hydro and VIP.

 

[DennisW]

I had a friend give me two tanks recently. One was a steel 72 with an exterior coating, but no coating inside. The other tank was a Walter Kidde Al 80, manufactured with the non-optimal alloy. Both had not been hydro'd since 1985. Both had some air. Both passed hydro and VIP (the Walter Kidde looked like a new tank inside and passed the eddy current test with no problem). The steel tank had a light flash of rust inside, but was in very good shape. Both tanks have J-Valves and they are both in very good shape as well. They are a bit corroded on the outside, but work perfecty and look very good inside. I have used both tanks and my wife loves the steel 72. I intend to get a few more steel tanks and maybe put together a doubles set up.

 

[Walter]

the one steel tank also had no pressure in it, yet was still rust free inside - amazing considering we have a very high humidity rate here.

Not all that amazing if the valve was closed. The valve holds in high pressure air, keeping out low pressure water vapor isn't an issue.

If you can get tanks cheap enough, it's worth the slight risk that they will fail VIP/hydro.

You can often get tanks cheap enough that you don't lose even if they do fail. Valves aren't free.