im currently only a alum cylinder diver but was wondering about steels. i know that aluminums require a yearly vis or vis + and a hydro every 5 , but is the same required for steels ?
just wondering
just wondering
steel tank maintence question
- Thread starter Scubatooth
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Bob3
Contributor
5 year hydro, annual viz.
NO viz+, as the cracking neck problem is confined to aluminum tanks.
If your shop tries to tell you you need the viz plus, RUN.
NO viz+, as the cracking neck problem is confined to aluminum tanks.
If your shop tries to tell you you need the viz plus, RUN.
pescador775
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Tooth, the requirements are similar. Aluminum tanks dated after about 1990 are made of 6061 (T6) alloy which is not so subject to the localized metal fatigue leading to what engineers have dubbed 'sustained load cracking'. Personally, I cannot see any justification for using the expensive eddy current test (+ test) any more than for steel tanks. Perhaps, if there were evidence of abuse, like salt water inside, the test would make more sense. The differences in inspection criteria would have to do with the inherent softness and possible corrosion of the aluminum neck threads or the tendency of steel to rust and these would be some of the things the inspector might be looking for. Practically, the characteristics of the different metals would not impact your wallet much one way or another unless the steel tank needed tumbling. This is sometimes done to steel tanks which have more than superficial rust but evidence of scaling or pitting. Cost for this can run to $25 or thereabouts. This used to be a common problem but I would think that today's shop compressors are pumping rather dry air, especially since the same ones may be also used to top off Nitrox bottles. Nitrox itself may cause slightly accellerated corrosion due to high oxygen content. In summation, the differences are minor and all tanks should be handled and stored in a responsible manner, no excess heat, no banging around, keeping a positive pressure inside the cylinder or, at least, preventing water intrusion.
OP
thanks for the info, it really helps out for when i will be looking to get some steels at a later time(a year out or so)
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