Scuba Tanks hope?

[Scared Silly]

You could try getting the alloy information, maybe on the Luxfer site, that shows that your tanks are in fact made out of the newer alloy. Print that out and bring it to the shop. Unfortunately, some shops just have an ignorant approach to filling tanks, but it's their compressor and you can't argue with it.

Better off taking the DOT advisory:

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

as it has a bit more authority.


Also when I have gone into shops that have decided not to fill cylinders with what I consider arbitrary and capricious rules* I call the mfg of the cylinders they have in the store and have a chat regarding their ignorance.

*the only rule I am willing to accept is not filling cylinders made from 6351. But the rule of not fills for cylinders over 20 years of any type is BS.

 

[parzdiver]

As much as I would like to do this in the event the scuba places I contacted to try to ignore filling my tank, I just can't afford it. I live in Pennsylvania where between home and college there are all of 2-3 scuba shops. So to turn down one knocks out almost half of my options. I have emailed the two scuba shops I use in hope they will get back to me this week and let me know their policies, places to get the hydro done, and cost they ask for their visual and fill.

If you are in Eastern PA, I can recommend a few shops that will have no problem filling a steel tank that has passed its hydros and visual inspections. One place had a couple steel 72's with k-valves they were filling last time I was in there.

 

[Scubaru_Steve]

Stripping and/or painting tanks is a waste of time and energy. Leave them alone. Nobody cares what your tanks look like. Make them look pretty and everyone will know you are a new diver. After a few days diving with them they will be all banged up again anyway.

Yeah I gave up on the idea of painting them. I posted this when I was 4 hours away at my girlfriends house and thought they looked worst than they are, the paint looks really good on em.

Better off taking the DOT advisory:

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

as it has a bit more authority.


Also when I have gone into shops that have decided not to fill cylinders with what I consider arbitrary and capricious rules* I call the mfg of the cylinders they have in the store and have a chat regarding their ignorance.

*the only rule I am willing to accept is not filling cylinders made from 6351. But the rule of not fills for cylinders over 20 years of any type is BS.

Sweet, well the dive shop up near my college gave me this as his pricing per tank:

Hydro - $35
Viz with Viz+ - $11
Fill - $6

I sent him all the pictures posted here, the number on the canister..so he has agreed to do all the work and fill the tanks, I've met him before, he is a very knowledgeable guy!

If you are in Eastern PA, I can recommend a few shops that will have no problem filling a steel tank that has passed its hydros and visual inspections. One place had a couple steel 72's with k-valves they were filling last time I was in there.

Sweet, yeah I am in Lebanon over the summers and Williamsport for the school year. I am hoping to get a dive in at Dutch Springs in Allentown before fall hits.

 

[parzdiver]

Sweet, yeah I am in Lebanon over the summers and Williamsport for the school year. I am hoping to get a dive in at Dutch Springs in Allentown before fall hits.

Ah, southeastern PA just north of Philly has some good shops, and there is the Lehigh Valley Dive Center right near Dutch. My preferred LDS does the Hydro for $40 including the Viz and fill. LV does the same for $45.

Williamsport during the school year? Lycoming?

 

[Scubaru_Steve]

Ah, southeastern PA just north of Philly has some good shops, and there is the Lehigh Valley Dive Center right near Dutch. My preferred LDS does the Hydro for $40 including the Viz and fill. LV does the same for $45.

Williamsport during the school year? Lycoming?

Hmm, I'll have to look for them, thanks!

Yeah I go to Pennsylvania College of Technology in Williamsport which is in Lycoming county. It's actually where I got certified, it was the PE course I took, haha.

 

[Scared Silly]

Sweet, well the dive shop up near my college gave me this as his pricing per tank:

Hydro - $35
Viz with Viz+ - $11
Fill - $6

Overall not bad pricing. I can get a hydro at my local CO2 shop for just under $25. BTW ask the shop what their Viz+ is. Seems to me that is including an eddy current test which is only required on 6351 cylinders and only at the time of hydro (the hydro tester does the test not the dive shop). However, many shops do it on all AL cylinders regardless of the alloy. That said $11 for both is reasonable.

 

[Scubaru_Steve]

.......

 

[Scubaru_Steve]

**UPDATE**

I called Luxfer directly, was directed to customer service and told the service rep the date of manufacture on both bottles (2A89 and 10A88) She informed me both were made of the new 6061-T6 AL Alloy since the change occurred in January 1988. Thank you so much everyone for all your help, its great to hear I didn't end up with 2 massive paper weights . Now to get these babies hydro/visually inspected and take em for a dive or two before winter!