Picked up an AL80 Luxfer Tank **Deal**

[buddhasummer]

Outward going mail has all but stopped, well actually it has stopped. Parcels the PO accepted before official stoppage are somewhere in a very long waiting line. Sorry to all those who are waiting.

 

[1967Goat]

No worries on the delay Simon, totally out of our control!

 

[tr3a]

If you take the tank directly to a Hydro tester you will save a lot compared to dive shop prices (most just farm out the work).
Call around. Where I am Hydros are $15-20 which include visual (first part of hydro process).
Another $1.00 for visual sticker (from hydro facility)

 

[grf88]

If you take the tank directly to a Hydro tester you will save a lot compared to dive shop prices (most just farm out the work).
Call around. Where I am Hydros are $15-20 which include visual (first part of hydro process).
Another $1.00 for visual sticker (from hydro facility)

This is what I do as I have multiple tanks, do my own VIP and have a compressor. For a single tank you may have a problem finding a tester who will do it and also has the appropriate stickers. There is also the issue of whether your LDS will fill a cylinder that has no pressure without wanting to conduct their own VIP which means you might need a way to trans-fill a few hundred PSI. For one tank it just might no be worth the hassle.

 

[tr3a]

some years I may only have one cylinder needing testing other years four or five cylinders.
Never had a dive shop blink an eye over no pressure

 

[greeniguana]

If you take the tank directly to a Hydro tester you will save a lot compared to dive shop prices (most just farm out the work).
Call around. Where I am Hydros are $15-20 which include visual (first part of hydro process).
Another $1.00 for visual sticker (from hydro facility)

I tried this once. Steel tanks had flash rust within hours of hydro because they weren't dried correctly. Money I saved on hydro went toward tumbling the flash rust. An Al tank may be safe though

 

[1967Goat]

If you take the tank directly to a Hydro tester you will save a lot compared to dive shop prices (most just farm out the work).
Call around. Where I am Hydros are $15-20 which include visual (first part of hydro process).
Another $1.00 for visual sticker (from hydro facility)

I was looking at forum posts yesterday and ran across a post about the DOT site that lists businesses who will test, here... Retester Locations
I live in a small mountain town outside of Denver and I found a few businesses in my area that are listed. I'm going to contact them about cost & availability.

 

[txgoose]

I was looking at forum posts yesterday and ran across a post about the DOT site that lists businesses who will test, here... Retester Locations
I live in a small mountain town outside of Denver and I found a few businesses in my area that are listed. I'm going to contact them about cost & availability.

If you can find a welding supplier, they will often put a fill in the tank before returning it to you. Then you avoid the empty tank issues that others have noted. And that part is real, many dive shops won't fill an empty tank without a new VIP.

Edit: A welding supplier that does hydros.

 

[greeniguana]

Invest in a whip..... Never have another empty tank again.

 

[kelemvor]

aluminum doesn't rust and you would have to really try to corrode an aluminum tank so bad it can't be brought back into service. the one pictured is new enough to not have the 6351 alloy issue. the only caveat with used al80s is they are frequently offered for sale at cheap prices by dive shops looking to refresh their rental fleet. although the paint doesn't look as nice at that point. too bad more shops don't go for brushed.

An LDS near me has an annual sale where they're sold for $100 (with valve and fill) brand new. One of my al80's came from that sale. The others I got for less than that. They also refresh their rentals.. maybe they found a way to get 'em cheap if they buy 200 at a time or something.