Tanks No One Will Hydro

[tac747]

I could be wrong but I thought I heard or read somewhere that there are certain brand Aluminum tanks that no one will hydro if it was manufacture before 1990. Is this true and what brand is it. any help would be greatly appreciated.


Tac

 

[DA Aquamaster]

6351-T6 aluminum tanks are subject to potential sustained load cracking and require an additional visual plus/eddy current inspection and when requalified must be stamped with a "VE" to denote they passed the additional test.

I am not aware of hydro test facilities that will not re-qualify an aluminum tank, but some shops may refuse to fill them.

Now, some composite hoop wrapped aluminum tanks (normally SCBA rather than SCUBA) are life limited to 15 years and once that life is reached they cannot be requalified.

 

[stairman]

Yea I think the older Luxfers had the problem and can be used for these items.Uses for scuba tank, please add .. [Archive] - ScubaBoard

 

[eelnoraa]

I just had 2 hydro'ed by a dive shop, passed and in commission. So if your dive shop wont do it, find another.

 

[JahJahwarrior]

Tac,

Right above your post currently (since it has a recent reply and hasn't been pushed down the forum any yet) there is a sticky that answers this question in some detail. You could read for hours and still find that no one agrees about this problem...

Tanks, Valves and Bands

 

[tac747]

Thanks

tac

 

[akdeepdiver]

There are a few Aluminum tanks that were manufactured under a Special Permit/Exemtption that can not be Hydroed. These tanks had thier SP/E expire and not renuewed before the DOT developed the 3AL specification. When I get home tonight, I will find the numbers for them and post them. Additionally, a few military surplus round bottom aluminum tanks made it into the civilian market. Because they lack DOT markings, most hydro shops will not touch them either.

 

[captain]

There are a few Aluminum tanks that were manufactured under a Special Permit/Exemtption that can not be Hydroed. These tanks had thier SP/E expire and not renuewed before the DOT developed the 3AL specification. When I get home tonight, I will find the numbers for them and post them. Additionally, a few military surplus round bottom aluminum tanks made it into the civilian market. Because they lack DOT markings, most hydro shops will not touch them either.

I had two of the round bottom aluminum cylinders hydroed and eddy current tested last year, The tester had no issues about testing them he just couldn't stamp his DOT RIN on the tanks since they aren't DOT spec tanks.