Sunbathing our tanks?

[islandwheels]

We have a small trailerable Panga 22. I've fab'd a 5 tank holder that sits aft of and onto the forward bulkhead. Anyway, I just leave my full tanks on the boat in the sun, and everyone asks me if that's ok, granted theft is always a concern, but aside from that, is suntanning these AL 80's a problem? they have caps on them so sun can't soak orings. I figure commercial dive boats seem to do it so why not?

 

[The Kraken]

Depends.

I've never had the experience of seeing a burst disc rupture on a dive boat, but I have seen one or two burst when the tanks had been left lying out in the hot, southern sun for a long period.

the K

 

[mike_s]

an AL80 is hydro tested up to 5000psi....

Leaving your tanks in the sun won't cause the temperature to raise that much... so you'll be fine.
If tanks failed due to leaving them in the sun, you'd be hearing stories about that everywhere in the news!

Leaving them in your car all day would get them "hoter" than leaving them in the summer sun. Folks do that all the time also.

 

[captain]

Depends.

I've never had the experience of seeing a burst disc rupture on a dive boat, but I have seen one or two burst when the tanks had been left lying out in the hot, southern sun for a long period.

the K

Probably the burst disc was old and corroded. If a tank is filled to rated pressure no sun on this earth will get it hot enough to blow a good disc. Sometimes my tanks get too hot to hold my hand on them and the only burst disc I ever had blow blew from corrosion while in a cool garage.

 

[The Kraken]

Very well could have been the underlying culprit . . .
. . . thanks!!!

(PS; they weren't mine!)

the K

 

[Upstate Scuba OWI]

the metal tank part itself will be fine but your caps, o rings, and rubber tank valve knob will dry rot faster if u leave them out in the sun all the time. epecially your visual stickers may not last a whole year and may make getting a fill at another shop hard to do with out paying for an extra visual.

 

[Tom Winters]

I forgot that I left a bunch of jacked-up steel tanks in my boat next to the house. They've been there for about 6 weeks now or so in the hot southern Florida sun. It's been too rough to dive for quite a while.
When I get around to it, I'll have my wife get up there and offload them. Don't worry - I'll tell her to be extra careful.

 

[captain]

Just put some SPF 40 on them if you are worried.

 

[james croft]

Everyone owes it to themselves to have a burst disc blow on them while driving down the highway in their car at least once in their lives. It is good for the soul.

 

[The Kraken]

Everyone owes it to themselves to have a burst disc blow on them while driving down the highway in their car at least once in their lives. It is good for the soul.

. . . and car detailing businesses!!!

the K