Walter Kidde tanks and the DOT

[medical1]

Bill High from PSI has testified as an expert witness on many cases involving scuba tank ruptures. He is considered an expert by government agancies (DOT) regardless if you like PSI or not. Not trying to sell you on PSI but PSI Certified Inspectors are the only visual inspector recommended by the US DOT and cylinder manufacturers.

Walter Kidde tank made from the old alloy are suceptible to SLC. If a tank is properly inspected (Visual & Eddy) & removed from service if there is a problem then no worries but a LOT of shops will still refuse to fill ANY Walter Kidde tanks here in FL.

PSI is not a regulating agency - they are a group attempting to make PSI a required certification for scuba tank inspection - what PADI or NAUI are for training they wish PSI to be for tank inspection.

I would like an unbiased word from someone who knows the DOT regs, not someone who thinks they should be setting them.

 

[FreeFloat]

What DA Aquamaster said. I have a Walter Kidde and it is a good tank.

Me three. For my own peace of mind I get my WK inspected more frequently than required. $15 is not much to pay for peace of mind. None of the shops around here have given me any grief about filling it. However, I insist on "cold" fills (as slow as they're willing to fill it) and absolutely NO overfills.

 

[tham55]

:07:

Just the straight scoop from someone who KNOWS the real situation with the older "suspect" aluminum tanks - especially those manufactured by Walter Kidde, or at least stamped as coming from Walter Kidde.

I am not looking for speculation or advice....thanks but I get lots of that from my wife everyday.....

I know the older Luxors can be used if properly tested, but i have been told that the Walter Kidde tanks made of the same stuff cannot be hydroed at all - in fact it would be illegal to hydro them - due to permitting issues with the DOT. Another shop says no problem......

Someone on the board must work professionally in this area who really knows what the situation is = please enlighten me.

 

[John Miller]

Me three. For my own peace of mind I get my WK inspected more frequently than required. $15 is not much to pay for peace of mind. None of the shops around here have given me any grief about filling it. However, I insist on "cold" fills (as slow as they're willing to fill it) and absolutely NO overfills.

I see this is a rather old thread but some replies are mis-leading. First, Walter Kiddie E7042 tanks are required to be restamped "3AL" above the DOT exemption number. Also, since they were made from 6351 material the neck threads require Eddie Current testing. Younger Walter Kiddie tanks under 7042 came under the DOT SP7042 which expired June 30, 1980. These 7042 tanks can still be hydro-tested and Eddy Current tested for recertification if they pass both inspections. My shop is a PSI Premier Faciltiy and I am a DOT re-tester (RIN I477). No one should refuse to fill one with a current DOT hydro stamp as a "3AL" and it has a "VE" stamp as well (all 6351 tanks must have that VE stamp on it).