Tank comparison Steel V Aluminum

[Nick_W]

Oddly enough, I encountered a dive shop in the Keys this summer that said they wouldn't fill *any* tank older than 15 years, steel or aluminum. I asked the clerk about the sign thinking it was a mis-print and she confirmed it.

The way I understand it, the "dangerous" aluminum tanks isn't really an age thing, it was a problem with a specific batch of tanks that production stopped by Luxfer about 15 years ago. As you said, the 6351 alloy isn't used anymore so there shouldn't be a problem with buying a tank nowadays and being able to keep it for 15+ years. That all depends on where you get it filled though.

That's just dumb. Its dumb to not fill a properly inspected aluminum tank that is more than 15 years old. It is even dumber to not fill a properly inspected steel tank that is more than 15 years old.

There was an issue with 15 AL tanks failing. That's where Visual Plus came in with their eddy current inspection device.

And you're correct. The alloy that was used in the older tanks that had a very small failure rate isn't used any more, so that really isn't an issue with newer tanks.