Steel scubapro 95 question

[Jondjames]

i have the opportunity to buy two steel scubapro tanks made by faber. My concerns are mainly due to my lack of knowledge. They are low pressure 95's. sold by scubapro and manufactured by Faber. The tanks were made in 1987 and last hydroed in 2002. No plus rating stamped anywhere. I think I remember being told steel tanks last longer than aluminum if cared for properly. I just didn't know if I'd have problems filling these due to there age. At $60 a piece should I buy them or pass?

 

[billbb]

I wouldnt buy a steel tank without looking inside.
If it looks good (no rust/pitting) I would snatch them up

Bill

 

[Jondjames]

How do I open it up??

 

[Jondjames]

Also, not sure it matters any but he said they been stored with between 500-600 psi

 

[billbb]

drain the tank
unscrew the valve and use a small light to look inside
if your not comfortable doing that or dont have a small enough light
you could take it to a dive shop
better yet is work a deal with the owner to have it hydroed before you buy it

 

[kelemvor]

$60 is really really cheap for steel LP95's so I'd be wary. It's an amazing deal if they're usable tanks though. If you haven't already looked, they are usually $300 or more.

If you can get him to do the hydro, and pass the cost on to you when you buy then that would be a good way to handle it. They're going to have to be hydro'd anyway.

 

[WB2GLP]

Assuming they're in good shape, the price is great. If tanks are unfamiliar territory for you, ask the seller to drain them and bring them to a local shop for a meet-up to have them inspected. If they look good inside, pay the man for the tanks and have the shop perform the hydro/vis. This is the time to request the + rating if applicable.

 

[Jondjames]

So is the born on date not a worry that I should be concerned about?

As long as they look good inside is it safe to assume that they will pass hydro?

I'd hate to bother him by asking to have them hydroed before I buy them simply because he said that he has a couple other people who have shown interest as well and I don't want to miss out on them.

He is selling all of his scuba stuff locally so the tanks are the only thing he's selling, assuming he was an avid diver at sometime and knew how to care for his equipment.

How hard is it to unscrew the valve? How small is the hole?

 

[tbone1004]

buy them on the condition that if they don't pass hydro you get a refund. that's the way most tanks are bought. At $60 I'd buy them regardless though. VERY rare that something won't pass hydro/vip unless it has been abused. If you have a good relationship with the local dive shop they may look at them for free for you

 

[Jondjames]

Is there a universal way to determine if a tank has ever failed a hydro test? Like do they stamp it with something after it's failed?