Tank Saver?!?! Is thing for real?

[luckydays]

I was randomly searching ebay for a scuba tank and I came across this "Tank Saver". I understand that the O Ring can fail but I don't see how this "Tank Saver" can fix the tank to save it from being tossed. Plus I can't imagine a tank being thrown away just because it leaks at the O Ring. Replace the O Ring and you are back in action. At least that is what I thought. This seller has sold a few of these with positive reviews. This one is up with an initial bid of $20.

I do not have AL tanks and the auction only discusses AL tanks so I guess I would not need it but I am curious is this would be useful at all and how would it be useful. Also, I am wondering if anyone here has this sort of device. I am not the seller trying to find another way to sell this device nor am I in any way affiliated with the seller. I am just curious if someone is a swindler and found a way to sell pet rocks to scuba tank owners or if this is a useful tool to have.

Don't scrap that leaking scuba tank, use the Tank Saver to recondition it.
Up for sale is a Tank Saver II hand tool. Extend the life of your SCUBA Tank in just 10 minutes with The Tank Saver II. It takes less than ten minutes to use The Tank Saver II. Just unscrew the primary valve, screw in The Tank Saver II and twist! It is that simple to save a leaking scuba tank. The Tank Saver II pays for itself with just two uses!

Aluminum air tanks used for SCUBA diving eventually leak! Air leaks eventually occur because the O-ring cannot maintain an air tight seal. The seal is weakened by a corrosion of the metal around the rubber O-ring, Once the seal weakens, leakage increases with time. Any tank will experience this problem, but it is most apparent in tropical conditions, with warm, salty water to fuel and speed up the corrosion.

Most tanks are simply thrown away! Simply scraping the corrosion away will create a space to large for the O-ring to fill, which only makes the problem worse. Since a leaking tank is a dangerous one, most tanks are simply thrown away... until The Tank Saver.

Shipping and handling is a flat rate of $3.50 to the 48, others to pay slightly more. I will ship within one business day after payment. Please check out my feed backs.

Scuba Tank Repair Tool - eBay (item 170373728829 end time Aug-26-09 05:46:17 PDT)

 

[oxyhacker]

The O-ring seating surface on an aluminum tank can corrode or get damaged so that the O-ring can no longer make a reliable seal. Tools similar to this, that reamed the seating surface to get a fresh surfuce used to be sold, but they were illegal under DOT regs because they removed metal from the tank neck, which could potentially weaken it. Also, by removing metal from the tapered seating area they made the O-ring fit sloppier, which could actually increase the chance of leakage. Recently several sources have revived the idea, but modified the design so the tool in theory burnishes the surface - that is to say, smoothes and polishes it - rather than scraping it, so it doesn't remove any metal, and should be legal to use. This appears to be one such tool though from the description it is hard to say for sure.

It's a specialized piece of equipment to deal with a fairly uncommon problem, so while it might be useful, assuming it works as promised, in a shop, it isn't really something the average diver needs in his or her dive bag.

 

[Chugwhump]

BAH!
Aluminum Scuba Tanks.

(I actually have 3, they rot in the garage, (2) 90's and an 80, lol)

Chug

 

[fppf]

Those are pointless
The sealing surface for the oring is between the bottom edge of the valve and the ID of the tank neck. Not the top of the tank neck, the surface those "polish".

 

[oxyhacker]

I take it back. I found a better picture, and there's a cutting tool insert on it, set up for shaving the top of the neck , not the seating taper (unless maybe it can be reset for that) as earlier tools did. The idea apparently being to tighten up the O-ring fit by reducing the depth of the recess where the O-ring goes.

Clever and reasonably priced, but since it removes metal it is of very questionable legality. I'd want to see a letter from the DOT or at least a couple tank manufacturers approving the tool before I used one.

This appears to be one such tool though from the description it is hard to say for sure.

 

[captain]

This one is sold by PSI and is approved. Ain't cheap.

O-Ringer Tool - $175.00 : PSI Cylinders, Professional Scuba Inspectors

 

[beanojones]

The bubbling paint under the valve is a frequent cause of leaks out here in the wilds.

We just use a file though.

 

[mksmith713]

chugwhump, why don't you let me take those 3 tanks off your hands.

 

[oxyhacker]

I contacted Luxfer and was told that using a tool like the Tank Saver would be grounds for condemning a tank, since it would constitute an unauthorized modification of the tank - according to DOT regulations only the original manufacturer can modify a tank. Oh, I also asked the person selling the Tank Saver on ebay if it had been run by the DOT or any tank manufacturers, and they replied just don't buy it!

Interestingly enough, the Luxfer rep said that they have not examined or approved the O-Ringer that PSI sells, either.

This one is sold by PSI and is approved. Ain't cheap.

O-Ringer Tool - $175.00 : PSI Cylinders, Professional Scuba Inspectors

 

[DCBC]

Good answer oxyhacker. The fact that some of the metal is removed is enough to void the hydro. If however a new hydro was undertaken and it passed, I wouldn't see a problem in using it.