Are Old Tanks Worth Hydroing?

Blah wrote:

> Greg Mossman wrote:
>
>> On Sep 12, 3:47 am, "Lee Bell" <pleeb...@bellsouth.net> wrote:
>>
>>> - Steel tanks tend to last longer, but are vulnerable to rust. Take the
>>> valve off and shine a small flashlight into the tank. If you see
>>> scales of
>>> rust, pits or any similar indications that the inside of the tank is
>>> damaged, drill a hole in the tank and start over. There's no point in
>>> paying
>>> good money to test a tank you already know won't pass. If it's smooth
>>> inside, have it hydro tested.
>>
>>
>> What's wrong with getting it tumbled to remove the rust?
>>
> Everytime you do it reduces the wall thickness and reduces strength?

Not relevant.
There is a minimum wall thickness which can be measured with
an ultrasound thickness meter.
Matthias

This is a no-brainer. Just go get them tested. I'm dropping off a tank
to be hydrotested tomorrow. It's going to cost a whopping (USD) $16.50.
It will cost more to get it O2 cleaned afterward.

A new AL80 costs between $150-180 depending on where you get it. A new
steel tank (Faber HP100) costs around $300-350. Even for an AL80, why
wouldn't you just drop off the tank and see what happens? If there's a
safety problem with the tank, the tester should let you know by
condemning the tank.

The odds are in your favor unless the tanks was stored with water in
them or with the valves open. My 6351-alloy AL72, which I purchased new
in 1972, passed hydro 3 years ago without incident. (It gets an eddy
current test *every* year without fail but is OK so far. I might retire
it soon nonetheless.) The LDS sends out a few every week and gets back
a condemned tank or two a year. And some people are diving steel 72's
that were made before I could walk...

--
John Eells

This is a no-brainer. Just go get them tested. I'm dropping off a tank
to be hydrotested tomorrow. It's going to cost a whopping (USD) $16.50.
It will cost more to get it O2 cleaned afterward.

A new AL80 costs between $150-180 depending on where you get it. A new
steel tank (Faber HP100) costs around $300-350. Even for an AL80, why
wouldn't you just drop off the tank and see what happens? If there's a
safety problem with the tank, the tester should let you know by
condemning the tank.

The odds are in your favor unless the tanks was stored with water in
them or with the valves open. My 6351-alloy AL72, which I purchased new
in 1972, passed hydro 3 years ago without incident. (It gets an eddy
current test *every* year without fail but is OK so far. I might retire
it soon nonetheless.) The LDS sends out a few every week and gets back
a condemned tank or two a year. And some people are diving steel 72's
that were made before I could walk...

--
John Eells

This is a no-brainer. Just go get them tested. I'm dropping off a tank
to be hydrotested tomorrow. It's going to cost a whopping (USD) $16.50.
It will cost more to get it O2 cleaned afterward.

A new AL80 costs between $150-180 depending on where you get it. A new
steel tank (Faber HP100) costs around $300-350. Even for an AL80, why
wouldn't you just drop off the tank and see what happens? If there's a
safety problem with the tank, the tester should let you know by
condemning the tank.

The odds are in your favor unless the tanks was stored with water in
them or with the valves open. My 6351-alloy AL72, which I purchased new
in 1972, passed hydro 3 years ago without incident. (It gets an eddy
current test *every* year without fail but is OK so far. I might retire
it soon nonetheless.) The LDS sends out a few every week and gets back
a condemned tank or two a year. And some people are diving steel 72's
that were made before I could walk...

--
John Eells

This is a no-brainer. Just go get them tested. I'm dropping off a tank
to be hydrotested tomorrow. It's going to cost a whopping (USD) $16.50.
It will cost more to get it O2 cleaned afterward.

A new AL80 costs between $150-180 depending on where you get it. A new
steel tank (Faber HP100) costs around $300-350. Even for an AL80, why
wouldn't you just drop off the tank and see what happens? If there's a
safety problem with the tank, the tester should let you know by
condemning the tank.

The odds are in your favor unless the tanks was stored with water in
them or with the valves open. My 6351-alloy AL72, which I purchased new
in 1972, passed hydro 3 years ago without incident. (It gets an eddy
current test *every* year without fail but is OK so far. I might retire
it soon nonetheless.) The LDS sends out a few every week and gets back
a condemned tank or two a year. And some people are diving steel 72's
that were made before I could walk...

--
John Eells

pjbphd wrote:
> I have a couple old tanks from the 1980s. One is an aluminum 80 and the
> other a steel 72. I've just returned to diving from a long absence and
> stopped in at a couple shops to look at gear. While there I asked about
> hydroing the tanks. One told me $25 each and the other told me $35 for any
> tank manufactured after 1991 and $5 for pre-91 tanks. They said this was
> because DOT has changed the standards on pre-91 tanks and is likely to
> prohibit their use in the near future.
>
> Does this make sense or are they just trying to sell me new tanks?
>
> Thanks.
>
>


Steel tanks rarely go bad unless they are seriously abused. Assuming
you didn't store water in it, get it cleaned (tumbled), get a valve
overhaul (including a new burst disc) and a hydro. Steel tanks are
expensive and really are worth saving.

As far as the aluminum, hydro stations are now required to do an extra
test on the tanks that have been giving our little industry fits. So
you may have to pay a little extra for the hydro service since most
shops just pack them off to the local fire extinguisher or welding
supply and are going to have to pay the extra themselves.

There is one shop in Florida I know of that is doing it's own buyback on
the "exemption" tanks basically for their cost. They are doing this
because of a tank that cracked while being filled ... even though it had
been hydro-ed and inspected a couple of weeks before. I think their
deal is something like trade in your tank plus something like $90 and
get a new tank. Of course, you still keep your old valve. Then they
haul them to the scrap yard.

See if you can find someone that will do something similar with yours.
If you can't, I think the going rate is about $15 at the scrap yard.

Just my $.02

--
Ray Contreras
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Webmonkey for:
http://www.ossystems.com
http://www.bobs-garage.com
http://www.coltri-usa.com
http://www.rayzplace.com

pjbphd wrote:
> I have a couple old tanks from the 1980s. One is an aluminum 80 and the
> other a steel 72. I've just returned to diving from a long absence and
> stopped in at a couple shops to look at gear. While there I asked about
> hydroing the tanks. One told me $25 each and the other told me $35 for any
> tank manufactured after 1991 and $5 for pre-91 tanks. They said this was
> because DOT has changed the standards on pre-91 tanks and is likely to
> prohibit their use in the near future.
>
> Does this make sense or are they just trying to sell me new tanks?
>
> Thanks.
>
>


Steel tanks rarely go bad unless they are seriously abused. Assuming
you didn't store water in it, get it cleaned (tumbled), get a valve
overhaul (including a new burst disc) and a hydro. Steel tanks are
expensive and really are worth saving.

As far as the aluminum, hydro stations are now required to do an extra
test on the tanks that have been giving our little industry fits. So
you may have to pay a little extra for the hydro service since most
shops just pack them off to the local fire extinguisher or welding
supply and are going to have to pay the extra themselves.

There is one shop in Florida I know of that is doing it's own buyback on
the "exemption" tanks basically for their cost. They are doing this
because of a tank that cracked while being filled ... even though it had
been hydro-ed and inspected a couple of weeks before. I think their
deal is something like trade in your tank plus something like $90 and
get a new tank. Of course, you still keep your old valve. Then they
haul them to the scrap yard.

See if you can find someone that will do something similar with yours.
If you can't, I think the going rate is about $15 at the scrap yard.

Just my $.02

--
Ray Contreras
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Webmonkey for:
http://www.ossystems.com
http://www.bobs-garage.com
http://www.coltri-usa.com
http://www.rayzplace.com

pjbphd wrote:
> I have a couple old tanks from the 1980s. One is an aluminum 80 and the
> other a steel 72. I've just returned to diving from a long absence and
> stopped in at a couple shops to look at gear. While there I asked about
> hydroing the tanks. One told me $25 each and the other told me $35 for any
> tank manufactured after 1991 and $5 for pre-91 tanks. They said this was
> because DOT has changed the standards on pre-91 tanks and is likely to
> prohibit their use in the near future.
>
> Does this make sense or are they just trying to sell me new tanks?
>
> Thanks.
>
>


Steel tanks rarely go bad unless they are seriously abused. Assuming
you didn't store water in it, get it cleaned (tumbled), get a valve
overhaul (including a new burst disc) and a hydro. Steel tanks are
expensive and really are worth saving.

As far as the aluminum, hydro stations are now required to do an extra
test on the tanks that have been giving our little industry fits. So
you may have to pay a little extra for the hydro service since most
shops just pack them off to the local fire extinguisher or welding
supply and are going to have to pay the extra themselves.

There is one shop in Florida I know of that is doing it's own buyback on
the "exemption" tanks basically for their cost. They are doing this
because of a tank that cracked while being filled ... even though it had
been hydro-ed and inspected a couple of weeks before. I think their
deal is something like trade in your tank plus something like $90 and
get a new tank. Of course, you still keep your old valve. Then they
haul them to the scrap yard.

See if you can find someone that will do something similar with yours.
If you can't, I think the going rate is about $15 at the scrap yard.

Just my $.02

--
Ray Contreras
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Webmonkey for:
http://www.ossystems.com
http://www.bobs-garage.com
http://www.coltri-usa.com
http://www.rayzplace.com

pjbphd wrote:
> I have a couple old tanks from the 1980s. One is an aluminum 80 and the
> other a steel 72. I've just returned to diving from a long absence and
> stopped in at a couple shops to look at gear. While there I asked about
> hydroing the tanks. One told me $25 each and the other told me $35 for any
> tank manufactured after 1991 and $5 for pre-91 tanks. They said this was
> because DOT has changed the standards on pre-91 tanks and is likely to
> prohibit their use in the near future.
>
> Does this make sense or are they just trying to sell me new tanks?
>
> Thanks.
>
>


Steel tanks rarely go bad unless they are seriously abused. Assuming
you didn't store water in it, get it cleaned (tumbled), get a valve
overhaul (including a new burst disc) and a hydro. Steel tanks are
expensive and really are worth saving.

As far as the aluminum, hydro stations are now required to do an extra
test on the tanks that have been giving our little industry fits. So
you may have to pay a little extra for the hydro service since most
shops just pack them off to the local fire extinguisher or welding
supply and are going to have to pay the extra themselves.

There is one shop in Florida I know of that is doing it's own buyback on
the "exemption" tanks basically for their cost. They are doing this
because of a tank that cracked while being filled ... even though it had
been hydro-ed and inspected a couple of weeks before. I think their
deal is something like trade in your tank plus something like $90 and
get a new tank. Of course, you still keep your old valve. Then they
haul them to the scrap yard.

See if you can find someone that will do something similar with yours.
If you can't, I think the going rate is about $15 at the scrap yard.

Just my $.02

--
Ray Contreras
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Webmonkey for:
http://www.ossystems.com
http://www.bobs-garage.com
http://www.coltri-usa.com
http://www.rayzplace.com

Many shops now won't fill an AL past 15 to 20 years old.

I have a couple 79's in my garage that I use an "equalizer" to put 1/2
the left over air from my dives in.... then I use it to fill tires and
pool toys. (any tank can handle 500 PSI or so... ) BTW... yes I do
inspect it on occaision.



RayC wrote:
> pjbphd wrote:
>
>> I have a couple old tanks from the 1980s. One is an aluminum 80 and
>> the other a steel 72. I've just returned to diving from a long
>> absence and stopped in at a couple shops to look at gear. While there
>> I asked about hydroing the tanks. One told me $25 each and the other
>> told me $35 for any tank manufactured after 1991 and $5 for pre-91
>> tanks. They said this was because DOT has changed the standards on
>> pre-91 tanks and is likely to prohibit their use in the near future.
>>
>> Does this make sense or are they just trying to sell me new tanks?
>>
>> Thanks.
>>
>>
>
>
> Steel tanks rarely go bad unless they are seriously abused. Assuming
> you didn't store water in it, get it cleaned (tumbled), get a valve
> overhaul (including a new burst disc) and a hydro. Steel tanks are
> expensive and really are worth saving.
>
> As far as the aluminum, hydro stations are now required to do an extra
> test on the tanks that have been giving our little industry fits. So
> you may have to pay a little extra for the hydro service since most
> shops just pack them off to the local fire extinguisher or welding
> supply and are going to have to pay the extra themselves.
>
> There is one shop in Florida I know of that is doing it's own buyback on
> the "exemption" tanks basically for their cost. They are doing this
> because of a tank that cracked while being filled ... even though it had
> been hydro-ed and inspected a couple of weeks before. I think their
> deal is something like trade in your tank plus something like $90 and
> get a new tank. Of course, you still keep your old valve. Then they
> haul them to the scrap yard.
>
> See if you can find someone that will do something similar with yours.
> If you can't, I think the going rate is about $15 at the scrap yard.
>
> Just my $.02
>