Tanks

[chrpai]

If it is that easy to get them filled where the OP is then the OP has no issue, no need to sell them, so the discussion is moot. Based on what you are saying in your local market, it would be a moot point.

But.

If the OP can't get them filled locally then the same issue would face any local buyer, n'est-ce pas?

His complaint wasn't that he can't get them filled anywhere but that he can't get them filled everywhere. (Altough his choice of words didn't represent this.)

He obviously can get them filled because he had it hydro'd and vip'd. Your taking one datapoint ( CSSP dive site ) that won't fill it and coming to the conclusion that he can't fill it anywhere locally.

That's simply illogical.

---------- Post Merged at 06:52 AM ---------- Previous Post was at 06:34 AM ----------

BTW, the FUD used to be far worse. 10 years ago I remember prevelant instances of:

1) Dive shops that wouldn't fill any tanks older the X (arbitrary number) years old
2) Dive shops requiring the use of Visual Plus / Eddy Current tests on non 6351 tanks
3) Dive shops condeming said tanks based on false positives

Whoever owns the compressor makes the rules wether they make sense or not. Just because one operator has decided he'd rather not deal with it ( his choice ) doesn't mean you can't get a fill anywhere in the DFW metroplex (population 6.5 million with countless dive shops ).

If the OP really feels like he's gotten his money out of these tanks and he wants to retire them, I'll come up to DFW and take them off his hands.

 

[logansar]

Been an interesting discussion! I have learned a lot.

I am sure I can continued to get The tanks filled at my shop where they were hydroed. I just won't travel with them. I am glad to see that that failure rate is so low. I'm more concerned about being electrocuted while cleaning my pool now.... Lol

I'll keep the tank here at the house and use hem for night diving... My grand kids come over and want to night dive in the pool!

I'll start shopping for new tanks to travel with.

Thanks or the info and lively discussion.

Sarge


Sarge
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[chrpai]

If a dive site has a compressor, I'd call ahead to ask if they fill 6351 tanks. If they don't, you can still travel with the tanks, just work it into your dive plan that you won't be able to get fills while there. That might mean bringing one other tank you can get filled or it might mean getting 2-4 dives out of 2 tanks that you'll bring back empty.

 

[Bob DBF]

If a dive site has a compressor, I'd call ahead to ask if they fill 6351 tanks. If they don't, you can still travel with the tanks, just work it into your dive plan that you won't be able to get fills while there. That might mean bringing one other tank you can get filled or it might mean getting 2-4 dives out of 2 tanks that you'll bring back empty.

Did we ever determine that the tanks were 6351? Mine were and the upkeep expense did not justify their continued use. MY LDS will fill pre 1990 AL tanks as long as they were not 6351, some LDS just cut off all AL tanks pre 1990, depends on the shop. I believe a lot of shops got on the no pre 1990 AL tanks as a revenue stream.



Bob
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I may be old, but I’m not dead yet.

 

[chrpai]

Regardless of the reason, the advice would still apply. Take into account in your dive plan where you can and can't get the tanks filled and how much gas you'll need.

 

[Rich Keller]

I have two Dacor tanks. Purchased them new in late 80s most likely. I had them hydroed and VIPed lasted month and they passed.

My 18 year old son is working on his master diver cert and was at Clear Springs SCUBA Park in Terrell TX when he was told they would not fill AL alloy tanks tanks and had a list of the tanks describe. The second to the last was tanks made prior to 1990.

What's the deal? I'm a little pissed that they hydroed the tanks if they are not going to be accepted anywhere to be filled? Guess I'm going to make lamps out of them......

Thanks

Sarge


Sarge
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I do not think "pissed" is the word you are looking for, IMO "fraud" would be more to the point. If the shop that did the hydro and VIP will not fill the tank I would demand your money back and never use that shop again. If they will not give the money back take it to small claims court. Even if you do not win you will cost them more then they cost you. You will hear a lot about a LDS right to refuse to fill a tank but if it passes all the tests there is no good reason for them not to fill these tanks. As far as getting the tanks filled just take them to the hydro station to get them filled if there are no other shops in your area. The site below is a list of DOT inspection stations, not all deal with scuba tanks but the ones that do can fill your tanks.

PHMSA - Cylinders - Authorized DOT Cylinder Retesters: Domestic

 

[chrpai]

I do not think "pissed" is the word you are looking for, IMO "fraud" would be more to the point. If the shop that did the hydro and VIP will not fill the tank I would demand your money back and never use that shop again.

That's not what was said at all. LDS A sent the tanks out for hydro and vip and they filled it. Dive Site B wouldn't fill them. LDS A will still fill them.

 

[scubadiver888]

Turn em around on Craigslist. 2 AL80's with fresh hydro and inspection. Someone will take them off your hands. It's hardly unethical because they are still fully street legal.

In my area there aren't a lot of shops who will fill these tanks; actually I'm not sure if anyone around here will fill them. So if I had a set of old tanks and I had a hard time getting them filled because they were 6351, it would be unethical for me to sell them to someone on Craigslist (assuming I only post and ship locally). When I saw you post the above message it sounded like you were recommending the OP sell the tanks on Craigslist and make them someone else's problem.

If you believe someone could use those tanks and you weren't sticking them with a lemon then there is nothing unethical about it. It becomes a grey area however if the person who decides to purchase them is unaware of the controversy surrounding 6351 alloy tanks and might live in an area where getting the tanks filled is a problem. Would you tell the person buying the tanks they were 6351 alloy tanks and what that means? Some people believe it is unethical not to. Others believe in "buyer beware". If you don't ask I'm not obligated to tell. In these situations it boils down to whether you believe a lie by omission is a lie. If you don't believe you are deceiving anyone then no ethical problem. If you feel in your heart you are deceiving someone and sell them anyways then you are unethical. Only you would know for sure.

I know what I would do. I know decision I can sleep at night with. Are you unethical? Don't know. After this post you post things which implies you are not unethical and believe selling them on Craigslist is not passing the problem on to someone else.

I think you have said things in a way which cannot be taken more than one way. I'll believe you didn't mean to imply the original OP should stick someone else with a problem. You also posted:

Yes, really. I picked up a rental AL80 from the LDS the other day. Want to guess what it was? I dove that tank because frankly odds are if it's going to blow it's going to be when it's getting filled.

This could be interpreted as, "I'm okay with 6351 alloy tanks being in use because the person who is going to die is the guy filling my tank and not me." But I prefer to think you are saying, "a LDS is okay with keeping 6351 alloy tanks in their rental fleet and I'm okay with using them because the odds it will blow up is even lower for me, the person using the tank." Not that you don't care about the guy filling the tanks but that if they filled okay they are probably safe to use.

 

[chrpai]

The latter is the correct interpretation of what I was writing. Prose is not my forte so I apologize if I am sometimes not clear. To me, these tanks are commonly accepted and used where I live so I'd have no problems using them or selling them on Craigslist locally. Heck, most of what gets sold on Craigslist where I live is very old not even hydro'd of vis'd tanks. Buyer totally beware! My last 2 tanks were 1991 and 2004 Catalina's that were way out of hydro, covered in corrosion and horrible valves. But that's OK because I spent $20 for both. I stripped the paint off, scrubbed them clean and got them hydro'd and VIP'd and finally brand new therm pro valves (DIN/Yoke). Perfectly usable again and cost was $100 per tank total.

What I was really trying to tell the OP is that they weren't the table weights that he thought they were and that they still had value in them. He seems to have gotten that message and has said he will now dive these tanks and just not take them to the site that won't fill them. My mission was accomplished in my eyes.

 

[logansar]

Guys y'all have been a great source of info. These tanks were checked with the enhanced VIP - eddy current.... The passed.

So based on all the posts I'll keep them and use them locally.

Sarge


Sarge
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