Question about hydro for HP steel tanks with REE stamp on them

[elgoog]

Hi -

Before the question, some background -
Through some combination of patience, persistence and dumb luck, I got a pretty good deal on 4 HP100 tanks for my wife and I. FWIW, I think they're 2 sets of 2 tanks and by "set" I mean the manufacturing hydro date is identical and their serial numbers are within a couple hundred of each other. They are the galvanized finish XS Scuba/Worthington X7-100 and out of hydro as of last month. My LDS checked them out and they look like they're in really good shape - tanks are being sent out for hydro testing at the end of this week.
From previous posts on SB and the XS Scuba site, looks like these tanks have a different hydro procedure involving pre-hydro expansion to 90% TP and then using the REE value instead of the permanent over expansion for hydro pass/fail. The REE values are stamped on all tanks.
I spoke to my LDS about this and if they were familiar with the documents on the XS Scuba website. They said that they don't send specific instructions to the hydro facility and the latter does the tests based on the markings on the tank. Having said that, they've seen these particular tanks pretty often and have not had any problems with hydro or anything else. I have personally seen many Worthington HP100s at this LDS and am pretty confident that they have experience dealing with them.

Here's the question - If an HP steel tank has REE values stamped on it, does that imply that the hydro procedure will use that as the decision criteria in lieu of the "normal" procedure? I'm going to assume the pre-expansion is specific to this tank model and, if the hydro shop is doing the right thing, will be apparent based on the other markings on the tank (manufacturer, model number, etc)

I guess I just have pre-hydro jitters for my tanks even though the LDS I go to is very reliable - for the SF Bay area SBer reading this, it is Anywater.

Thanks in advance,
elgoog

 

[runsongas]

I wouldn't worry about the hydro, most facilities nearby are familiar with the roundoff procedure. I had a bunch of pst tanks hydroed last year and they all came back fine.

 

[tbone1004]

and the above PST tanks usually don't have the REE number on them. If the hydro facility does a lot of scuba tanks, they should be fine with it. That said, that is also why I take my bottles to they hydro facility directly and don't go thru the dive shop

 

[Scared Silly]

My suggestion is to take the cylinders to the hydro shop along with a copy of the specific requalification information. That will save you some money and piece of mind. Also you can often get a quick tour of the facility and what they do.

 

[g2]

I just bought two used XS/Worthington HP-100s, vintage 2007, that had never been hydro'd and I had the same angst as you. I'm not familiar with the REE value, but I did know that there was some kind of service advisory about hydroing these particular tanks. I dropped them off at a dive shop that does their own hydros and reminded (?) them of the problem.

Both tanks hydro'd successfully and had a clean vis. "No problems at all" they said. *whew!*

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

tbone already beat me to it, but why are you going through a dive shop for hydros when you can just go directly to the facility yourself? All the dive shop's going to do is mark up what you can easily do yourself. Then you can also speak directly with the hydro facility and make sure they can do it and not have to rely on second hand info.
Hydro facilities are generally pretty sharp and get current training and regular bulletins on all most (or all) tanks throughout the industry.
I don't worry myself over REE's and all the details, that's what hydro shops are for. I just take them in and pick them up when they're done.
I've had the same E7 100 as you have and an E7 120 both hydroed recently and they didn't even blink an eye.

 

[spoolin01]

Do your hydro facilities slap on the visual sticker, and fill the tank? I used to take my tanks directly to a hydro facility, but by the time I paid them separately for the visual - they got PSI certified and started offering the sticker as well - it was more expensive, albeit more certain regarding + re-certification. If I recall, they didn't do fills either.

 

[elgoog]

To be honest, I didn't do a lot of research into taking tanks directly to a hydro shop myself. The scant little I did showed very little financial benefit in doing that over taking it to my LDS, who include a cleaning, viz and gas fill (EAN32, since I asked for it).

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Yeah I guess if you don't do your own visuals w/stickers then it probably would be a toss.
I do my own visuals and cleaning, which BTW it shouldn't need after a hydro, unless you plan to do PP fills for your 32%. I just use air.
I like to know what's going on inside my tanks. I check them periodically through the year to make sure the LDS isn't giving me crappy wet air.
When I found I could do a better job myself than the monkey they had working at the LDS, It was kind of a no brainer for me.
YMMV

 

[spectrum]

There's no question that the people operating a hydro station should know what to do. I would say especially so if a dive shop is doing it onsite.

When you go to a general use hydro-static tester you need to realize that in many markets scuba cylinders, let alone hot dipped galvanized ones are a minority part of the bullishness. There is always the chance that the new guy who is an ace on fire extinguishers tackles your order. That being said, you can't be too careful. Some will print the procedure and rubber band it to each cylinder as a not so subtle reminder.

This is a bell you don't want to have to "un-ring", so don't hesitate to over communicate.

This has absolutely, positively been botched up before so it's not merely a theoretical possibility.

Pete