Tank experts only!

[Ontario Diver]

The hydro test side of the shop where I work will fail 2-3 AL tanks per week (nearly all medical O2 tanks as they out number scuba cylinders about 100 to 1) but rarely does a steel tank fail a hydro portion of the test. Most of the steel tanks that are condemned fail the visual portion of the hydro, usually due to rust and pitting in the bottom of the tank.

I get similar ratios for failures but we do SCBA rather than Medical.

 

[DennisW]

DA and OD, thanks for the information. I was under the impression that not many AL tanks failed hydro. In any case, I have seen a few AL tanks that were destroyed by not opening the tank valve before putting the fill whip on the tank. When you do that, any water in the opening of the tank valve will be blasted to the bottom of the tank. If it's salt water, the salt gets imbedded in the bottom and very soon the tank is toast due to the corrosion.