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Just go buy some nice new XS HP100's. I'm sure that the shop can help you out with that...
Steel tanks being EOL at 25 years??
- Thread starter guruboy
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I don't think it's a conspiracy, I think it's ignorance. Someone told someone else that an aluminum cylinder made of T-6351 is a bomb waiting to happen but cannot remember when they were made so don't test anything older than 25 years.
The LDS that I use won't VIP or fill any aluminum cylinder older than 25 years old. One person, not the owner, made that decision after the death of a tank filler in Belize last year. My LDS doesn't really sell cylinders. They can get them if you want but they wait until they have 500 lbs. or more of tanks and other gear before they order because shipping is free. There is small profit in selling tanks. Not like selling mask, fins, snorkels, boots and BCDs where the profit margin is high.
The LDS that I use won't VIP or fill any aluminum cylinder older than 25 years old. One person, not the owner, made that decision after the death of a tank filler in Belize last year. My LDS doesn't really sell cylinders. They can get them if you want but they wait until they have 500 lbs. or more of tanks and other gear before they order because shipping is free. There is small profit in selling tanks. Not like selling mask, fins, snorkels, boots and BCDs where the profit margin is high.
I have a steel 72 from the 60s... no trouble getting it hydroed
OP
To give an update, I took the tank to another hydro and they said they'd test it. Had no idea about any 25 year rule.
Finally got in touch with someone at the first place. Got a name and number for the tech running the tests. I will try giving him a call tomorrow to see what he says.
Finally got in touch with someone at the first place. Got a name and number for the tech running the tests. I will try giving him a call tomorrow to see what he says.
OP
Finally got in touch with who I assume is the hydro tester at the facility in question. Was not able to get a clear (understandable) answer from him though. English was not his first language.
Two things I think I managed to get from him:
1) the 25 year thing is not a DOT rule across all steel tanks
2) certain steel tanks are failing due to permits expiring, not age per se
He also said something about tanks needing good records. Not sure where that plays in.
Overall, I still don't completely understand the issue but since the other place hydro passed my tank, I'm just going to be lazy and use the other shop.
Two things I think I managed to get from him:
1) the 25 year thing is not a DOT rule across all steel tanks
2) certain steel tanks are failing due to permits expiring, not age per se
He also said something about tanks needing good records. Not sure where that plays in.
Overall, I still don't completely understand the issue but since the other place hydro passed my tank, I'm just going to be lazy and use the other shop.
OP
Yea. I just stopped by today to pick up my AL80. Told them what I knew, up to them to follow up.
Dr. Lecter
Contributor
Including the original hydro tester, that makes two of you. Language barrier or not, he clearly doesn't know WTF he's talking about and prefers to fail tanks without a basis rather than do his job by figuring out the details. If the LDS keeps using him, they're as much to blame as the mouthbreather at the hydro facility. I'd call using the other shop being smart and punishing idiocy, not being lazy.
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Captain said:
Pedro Burrito said:
These were the Luxfer recall tanks, usually sold as U.S. Divers. I had set of twin 50's
had them hydroed vis. and a year later they had delayed stress cracks in the threads.
LDS in my area no longer fill tanks older that 25 yrs. Reason Insurance Rules.
Dumped the junk tanks and kept my AL 80 Catalinas. I have four of them, and they should last me the rest of my life.
You see a lot of old Luxfers going dirt cheap on Craigslist and ebay for a reason, they are a bomb waiting to happen.
That batch of tanks is easy to look up on the net.
The thing divers should consider is the type of use a used tank has had, hotfills, overfills, rental, ect.
Amen to that.
Pedro Burrito said:
These were the Luxfer recall tanks, usually sold as U.S. Divers. I had set of twin 50's
had them hydroed vis. and a year later they had delayed stress cracks in the threads.
LDS in my area no longer fill tanks older that 25 yrs. Reason Insurance Rules.
Dumped the junk tanks and kept my AL 80 Catalinas. I have four of them, and they should last me the rest of my life.
You see a lot of old Luxfers going dirt cheap on Craigslist and ebay for a reason, they are a bomb waiting to happen.
That batch of tanks is easy to look up on the net.
The thing divers should consider is the type of use a used tank has had, hotfills, overfills, rental, ect.
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