Air cylinders
- Thread starter TheHuth
- Start date
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OP
TheHuth
Contributor
Well, my LDS is the one who took it in for the hydro and inspections. If they wont fill it if it passes, I'd be pretty irritated.
CuzzA
Wetwork for Hire
This article should explain why the need for extra testing. If it passes you should be fine. Note only 15 tanks cracked, but 15 is too many and thus the extra testing on 6351 alloy tanks.
PSI-PCI - A short Review of 6351 Alloy Aluminum Cylinders
PSI-PCI - A short Review of 6351 Alloy Aluminum Cylinders
Yes, the AL63 is older than 1990 and made out of the 6351 Alloy. This means it could suffer from SLC. The cracks in the neck might be hard to see during visual inspection. So they perform an eddy current test on the cylinder. If there is a small crack in the neck of the cylinder, the eddy current test should find it. The manufacturer of the tank says the tanks are fine is long as they pass hydrostatic testing, a visual inspect and an eddy current test. Many people will use this claim to say the tanks are fine and not a danger.
However, if you asked the manufacturer if this is 100% as reliable as a newer tank without an eddy current test they will say nothing is 100%. If the manufacturer is wrong or the people inspecting the cylinder made a mistake, the tank is most likely going to explode when it is getting filled. If you drop it off at a shop, go away then come back when it is filled there is almost no chance you are going to see the tank explode. The person filling the cylinder is the person who is taking any sort of risk.
If the shop does eddy current testing then they fill these tanks. My current shop does not fill these tanks, ever. They also don't do eddy current testing . So if it is current, someone else did the testing on the tank. Some people will claim my shop just wants to sell you a new tank. I worked with someone who worked at a shop that claimed to do proper testing but in reality they peeled off the old sticker, slapped on a new sticker, waited a week and charged you for the inspection.
If I had to fill these tanks, I'd wonder if the person who eddy current tested the cylinder ACTUALLY eddy current tested the cylinder or did they just look inside and slap a visual inspect sticker on the tank.
However, if you asked the manufacturer if this is 100% as reliable as a newer tank without an eddy current test they will say nothing is 100%. If the manufacturer is wrong or the people inspecting the cylinder made a mistake, the tank is most likely going to explode when it is getting filled. If you drop it off at a shop, go away then come back when it is filled there is almost no chance you are going to see the tank explode. The person filling the cylinder is the person who is taking any sort of risk.
If the shop does eddy current testing then they fill these tanks. My current shop does not fill these tanks, ever. They also don't do eddy current testing . So if it is current, someone else did the testing on the tank. Some people will claim my shop just wants to sell you a new tank. I worked with someone who worked at a shop that claimed to do proper testing but in reality they peeled off the old sticker, slapped on a new sticker, waited a week and charged you for the inspection.
If I had to fill these tanks, I'd wonder if the person who eddy current tested the cylinder ACTUALLY eddy current tested the cylinder or did they just look inside and slap a visual inspect sticker on the tank.
Bob DBF
Contributor
They teach you to lay the tank down, even if you have a flat bottomed boot, because if it falls over and breaks the valve it would be a bad day.
Industrial cylinders are chained or bolted in place otherwise you should lay them down for the same reason.
How tanks are made is decided by the engineers dependant on their use, what characteristics they want in the vessel, ease of manufacturing and lord knows what else. There are both "flat bottomed" and round bottom industrial cylinders.
Bob
archer1960
Contributor
I bought my first three AL80 tanks from a friend for $25 with the contingency that if they didn't pass hydro or VIP, I didn't pay. Two passed (one of them was still in its hydro time period so didn't need a new one), and one was the alloy that needed the eddy current inspection, so we agreed to just get rid of that one (gave it to the shop).
OP
TheHuth
Contributor
I would bet money both tanks come back good. But knowing what I know now, I'm not excited about this older 63 tank. Since I've now put the money on it, I'll probably just use it for the year. Then at next inspection time, I'll scrap it.
Plus I'm not sure I'm keen on having two different kinds of tanks. I'd like to have consistency, so I'll probably look to getting another Al-80. Maybe I'll even toss a Craigs List add to see if someone wants to swap.
Plus I'm not sure I'm keen on having two different kinds of tanks. I'd like to have consistency, so I'll probably look to getting another Al-80. Maybe I'll even toss a Craigs List add to see if someone wants to swap.
undrwater
Contributor
I'm trying to unload 4 steel 72's. I'll let them go for $20 each after they pass inspection.
OP
TheHuth
Contributor
Well today's the day. I'll find out if one or both of those tanks passed Hydro. I'll post back what the results are.
OP
TheHuth
Contributor
So the final verdict is; Both tanks passed inspection. But the older Alum 63 has a bum valve. I'm having the store put in some air just to keep it clean. I'll have to replace the valve at some point soon.
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