Should I avoid this set of doubles or manifold?
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I have my own fill station but I don't know of a single shop in the greater Seattle area (there are maybe 15 total between Olympia and Everett) willing to fill a 6351 AL tank. Nope, nada, zip. Nobody wants to trust one of the "other guys" to properly inspect the tanks so they just refuse to fill them (or even inspect them).
The consequence is that locally every tank that's been in use at all during the past 5-8 yrs has been upgraded to 6061 already. By and large the only 6351s you see out there are "special cases" where the owner was good friend's with the shop or have been sitting in someone's garage since before 2000 or so.
Even if you live in a region still filling 6351s... One issue with purchasing used 6351 tanks is that you never know when it will need to be pulled from service for SLC. With used 6061s and steel tanks you can have a much higher confidence that there's many years of service left.
The consequence is that locally every tank that's been in use at all during the past 5-8 yrs has been upgraded to 6061 already. By and large the only 6351s you see out there are "special cases" where the owner was good friend's with the shop or have been sitting in someone's garage since before 2000 or so.
Even if you live in a region still filling 6351s... One issue with purchasing used 6351 tanks is that you never know when it will need to be pulled from service for SLC. With used 6061s and steel tanks you can have a much higher confidence that there's many years of service left.
I also like the Sherwood old style dual post manifold and it is not aluminum.
You WILL encounter the "problem" in places other than Florida but in Florida you will run into shops that will just about throw you out if you walk in with one.
Double 50s with Sherwood dual post, these are 6061 tanks.
N
You WILL encounter the "problem" in places other than Florida but in Florida you will run into shops that will just about throw you out if you walk in with one.
Double 50s with Sherwood dual post, these are 6061 tanks.
N
OP
I am a strong advocate of supporting our local dive shops. However it would be difficult for me to continue to support a LDS that has the throw you out attitude with 6351 alloy cylinders. I believe this attitude is derived from ignorance or mass hysteria concerning 6351 alloy cylinders. Or they just feel more secure filling new cylinders that they have sold to their customers.
Cylinders manufactured of aluminum alloy 6351-T6 may be used indefinitely so long as they conform to the requalification test and inspection criteria established in the HMR. The requalification process is an effective method of condemning deteriorated or damaged cylinders. The rupture rate of 6351 is about 5 Ten Millionths of 1%. The rate of cylinder failure in the U.S. is down about 60% due to the increase of trained cylinder inspections.
Cracks developing in the shoulder of the cylinder take many years of progression to reach the point of catastrophic failure. These cracks are easily identified during a visual inspection by trained inspectors.
Many more failures are occurring in the oxygen service industry. Oxygen service accidents reported 20+ in 2006 2 more in 2007.
Cylinders manufactured of aluminum alloy 6351-T6 may be used indefinitely so long as they conform to the requalification test and inspection criteria established in the HMR. The requalification process is an effective method of condemning deteriorated or damaged cylinders. The rupture rate of 6351 is about 5 Ten Millionths of 1%. The rate of cylinder failure in the U.S. is down about 60% due to the increase of trained cylinder inspections.
Cracks developing in the shoulder of the cylinder take many years of progression to reach the point of catastrophic failure. These cracks are easily identified during a visual inspection by trained inspectors.
Many more failures are occurring in the oxygen service industry. Oxygen service accidents reported 20+ in 2006 2 more in 2007.
OP
I also like the Sherwood old style dual post manifold and it is not aluminum.
You WILL encounter the "problem" in places other than Florida but in Florida you will run into shops that will just about throw you out if you walk in with one.
Double 50s with Sherwood dual post, these are 6061 tanks.
N
Nemrod, those double 50s look so good Id pay money just to have my picture taken with them, lol
paulwall
Contributor
I also like the Sherwood old style dual post manifold and it is not aluminum.
You WILL encounter the "problem" in places other than Florida but in Florida you will run into shops that will just about throw you out if you walk in with one.
Double 50s with Sherwood dual post, these are 6061 tanks.
N
Are those USD stickers still made/available?
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