Information about the Luxfer recall / exchange 6351 alloy

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b18onboost once bubbled...
After reading all these threads about tanks exploding I'm a little bit worried about my scuba tank i bought on ebay. The guy told me it has been hydroed and vis so I have nothing worry. The link below is the auction of the tank. Let me know what you guys think. Also i would like to know when this tank was made

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3621537175
To review. Brand new AL tanks are being sold for $109.00 including a new valve. I hope you did not pay too much.

Congratulations, you bought yourself a potential bomb. :wacko: Since it came off a dive boat, what are the odds it has:
1. Been filled as fast as possible its entire life
2. Been overfilled, and often
3. Had more than a little salt air/water in it.

We also know that it is made from the alloy in question and the subject of a DOT safety notice.

Note on the e-bay page the seller gives you the following information:
DOT-E6498-3000 - The E6498 is the AL Alloy that has the problem with exploding.
4⌂77 Built on or before 1977 - so we know it is old.

I also note all the pictures are carefully cropped so you don't see who the manufacturer is. Want to be it is LUXFER? But LUXFER is not the only mfg of tanks with potential problems.

To refresh your memory here is the List" of scuba tanks that the DOT says are most likely made from the 6351-T6 aluminum alloy:

All DOT-3AL tanks manufactured under one of the following exemptions or special permits: ]6498, 7042, 8107, 8364, 8422
All composite cylinders manufactured under one of the following exemptions: 7235, 8023, 8115
All Walter Kidde DOT-3AL scuba tanks.
All Cliff Impact DOT-3AL scuba tanks made before July 1990.
All Luxfer 80.8 cu. ft. scuba tanks (S80.8) made before May 1987.
All Luxfer 72 and 100 cu. ft. scuba tanks (S72, S100) made before August 1987.
All Luxfer 80 cu. ft. scuba tanks (S80) made before January 1988.
All Luxfer 50 and 92 cu. ft. scuba tanks (S50, S92) made before April 1988.
All Luxfer 30 and 63 cu. ft scuba tanks (S30, S63) made before May 1988.
All Luxfer 40 cu. ft. scuba tanks (S40) made before June 1988.
All other scuba tanks made in the US before February 1990 (except Catalina).
All scuba tanks not made in the US.
Unless proven otherwise, all scuba tanks in the above list should be assumed as being made using the 6351-T6 alloy.

I hope you did not pay too much. Scrap value for the AL I am told is over $20.00.
 
It's pretty squarely in the middle of the period where Luxfer used 6351-T3 Aluminum and it is subject to the Visual Plus inspection requirement. I would not worry about it however as the hydro is recent as long as it passes a visual plus inspection.

Horror stories abound and links to web sites are frequently posted, but I am not aware of any tanks that have catastophically exploded since the visual plus procedure has been mandated. The legal requirement for this is every 18 months, but in practice it is done at the industry standard 12 month VIP interval which further increases the potential for cracks to be detected early.

I am aware of several tanks where cracks have been detected at hydro or during a Visual Plus inspection, so I think the precautions in place are working. In some areas hydro testing is rather expensive and shipping costs can further increase the price. In those areas the Luxfer $50 rebate offer makes sense as you may have to invest over $50 in a hydro test and then get gouged for a redundant VIP by the LDS. In my neck of the woods the test facility is local and the cost is $12.50 per tank, so if I owned one of these tanks I would be inclined to keep it.

If I were in your shoes, I'd keep the tank and assess the cost of a hydro in 2008 when the hydro is due.
 
Hey, that's the chance you take when buying on ebay. I bought a steel 98 once and it was out of hydro so I had it hydro-ed and it passed fine, but after I tumbled it and did the visual it had a nasty deep scratch on the inside and it made me nervous so I took it to my LDS and asked him his opinion he gaged it and said it was marginal and seeing how I fill my own. I decided to scrap it so I put it in the band saw and cut it half, yes I could have been underhanded and sold it again on ebay but I couldn't do that I would never put anyone else in harms way if I wouldn't fill it I won't let anyone else do it, so I took the loss....... I have a new philosophy now " When in doubt throw it out"
My old tank now makes a really nice wind chime.
Rob
 
I bought a used AL80 on eBay for $55 from a guy who swore this tank would pass hydro AND a VIP. Turns out it had a bent K-valve from someone putting a huge wrench on the valve and deforming the valve from too much torque. The LDS had to send it out and they had to put the tank in some type of vise to get the valve off. There was corrosion in the burst disc, Teflon tape on the valve threads and when they started to do the eddy current the threads failed miserbly.

I contacted the buyer and he refused to believe me and claimed the tank was fine. I should note that the tank had all its paint chipped off as well.

I wound up giving it to the dive shop and having them cut it in 1/2 for a display of what NOT to buy.

Hence, I'd never purchase a used tank again, UNLESS it was my dive buddy's and I saw how it was used/abused.

I never did get a refund from that transaction and would up posting (-) feedback on that sale.

Live and learn...
 
Well i guess i learned a valuable lesson that i should never buy used tank and do some more research before sending money. Do you guys think it's reasonable to sell this tank on ebay again or should i trash it?
 
DA Aquamaster once bubbled...
...Horror stories abound and links to web sites are frequently posted, but I am not aware of any tanks that have catastophically exploded since the visual plus procedure has been mandated. ...

The last victim report I can find is from 2000 so it appears that the new eddy test requirement along with increased awarness and VIS inspeciton is helping.
 
I buy used gear but I'm of the persuasion you should not buy used tanks, switch to steel when you can, and I always bring my own tanks zeN
 
I've been thinking about buying some used AL80 tanks from my favourite LDS. They told me that they've been hydroed, but after reading this, I'm not sure. I have no reason to distrust them, and in fact, I've been quite happy with the advice and the service they've given. Now I'm not sure what to do. Spend the extra $$ and get new?
 
The tank in question was an 80 cuft. The floaters were the 72 cuft al at a rated pressure of 2475. I have 2 of them. I no longer use them but did until 3 years ago.

Nothing wrong with buying used tanks provided the price is right and you buy the right thing. That means being informed about what is out there, what price is reasonable and how to evaluate a tank's condition. Bill High's book will help in that regard.

Tips:

Buy AL tanks made after 1990, then no chance of getting one made of 6351.

Don't pay too much. If you can get a new tank for $110 do you want to pay $100 or even $90 for a used one? $80, 70?

Dave D
 
Scuba diving is not cheap, by any means.

Can my regulator go more than a year without its anual service? well sure, bet your butt I won't cut that corner, its LIFE SUPPORT EQUIPMENT.

The only used tank I would buy would be one for 10 bucks that I could profit from the scrap, or one from a close friend.

Considering the cost of diving and its equipment costs, I dont' understand why anyone would buy a used bomb to save 70 bucks or so, in the face of all the costs, 70 dollars to be sure, is very, very cheap, just like the anual service to make sure my reg is in order, is very cheap.

I used to build potato guns, its unbeleiveable what you can do with 100 psi, scary even. I can put vegtibles through 3/4 inch ply with 100 psi, just 100. now 3000, that scares the living pee outa me, 3000, no way would I want an ebay tank near me with even 1000 psi in it. Sometimes I look at my tank in the corner of my living room sitting at 800 psi and think man, that thing would blow my apartment into the street if it went. Yup, only buying new. The fact that these tanks rarely ever blow makes people take for granted the energy they contain, -- in my opinion --

3000 psi... there are a lot of "per square inches" on an 80... add it up, its insane what the walls of that tank is holding back.

I have an al tank, in 10 years, its a flower pot, I dont' care what tests it passes.

Same in climbing, I follow the drop it its trash rule, a lot of people say its overkill, and a waste. My life isn't worth the 10 bucks it costs "to be sure" that there are no cracks in the beaner, it only takes one bad beaner to kill you, or one bad tank, its not worth it man.

If your that hard up for cash that you gotta go on ebay for a tank, save up and "be sure"

beaners DO break, tanks CAN/HAVE exploded, people do win the lottery.

just my opinions, no preaching.
 

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