Tank Neck Damage... condemn?

[alphakry]

I'm cleaning up some of my tanks and noticed one with a considerable chunk out of the neck area. To my knowledge, this wouldn't warrant condemning unless it's causing an active leak.

Could use some trained eyes and opinions...

2018-02-21. Tank Neck Thread 04

• alphakry
• Feb 21, 2018

2018-02-21. Tank Neck Thread 03

• alphakry
• Feb 21, 2018

2018-02-21. Tank Neck Thread 02

• alphakry
• Feb 21, 2018

2018-02-21. Tank Neck Thread 01

• alphakry
• Feb 21, 2018

 

[snowdog61]

links don't work. shoulder & neck are the thickest areas on the tank so you are likely ok. You could take it to the hydro shop and get their opinion. At worst, get it hydro'ed then you'd know.

 

[alphakry]

hmm... i used the media gallery right here on SB. odd. here's one of the 4 that shows it clearly.

 

[tbone1004]

bring it to the hydro shop and let them condemn it. They are technically the only ones allowed to do so anyway. If they hydro it, it's fine, if not, then let them condemn it

 

[JamesBon92007]

To me it looks like corrosion pitting so I'd take a very close look at the rest of it.

The pictures seem to be working now.

 

[Wookie]

From Luxfer's inspection criteria:

Check external surface for corrosion. Determine type of corrosion and the depth of
what seems to be the deepest pit, or deepest part of the broadspread corrosion (see
NOTES 5 and 6).
Record the location and whether the corrosion is isolated pit corrosion, line, or
broadspread corrosion on THE FORM. (For visual examples, see FIGURE 9 and
PHOTOS 11 and 12.)
CONDEMN all cylinders with one or more external corrosion pits over 0.060
inch (1.53 mm) deep in the sidewall, crown, and/or base.
CONDEMN all cylinders with external line or broadspread corrosion when one
or more pit, or the broadspread corrosion, is over 0.030 inch (0.76 mm) deep in
the sidewall or crown.
CONDEMN all cylinders with external line corrosion over 6 inches (152 mm)
long.
CONDEMN all cylinders with external broadspread corrosion covering more than
25% (one fourth) of the cylinder.
If other pits are present, check a few more to be sure the cylinder is fit to return to
service.

Your pit does not appear to meet this criteria. I think I'd pass it.

BUT: I'd clean up the rest of the O-ring surface too. That's pretty gross.

 

[Stoo]

To be clear, tanks don't really "leak". If they're faulty, they explode and people die. Looking at that tank, it will hold air at lower pressures. That nick has reduced the neck there by maybe 50%. On the other hand, it's on the other side of the o-ring.

I agree with the comment above... let the hydro guys look at it. If they don't think it's a concern, then get it hydro'd. I wouldn't use it until it's been hydo'd.

I'm no longer a VIP guy, but I have a feeling that it would flunk a visual.

Even if it passes all of the above, I suspect some shops will have a look at that and take a pass.

 

[Wookie]

To be clear, tanks don't really "leak". If they're faulty, they explode and people die. Looking at that tank, it will hold air at lower pressures. That nick has reduced the neck there by maybe 50%. On the other hand, it's on the other side of the o-ring.

I disagree. There are plenty of tanks out there with neck cracks that leak. But you'll poop yourself when you find one.

I'd also look at the overall 25% widespread corrosion criteria. That tank has a lot of problems.

Questions I always ask myself:
Are you desperate to continue using it?
Would you fill it in your home station while standing next to it?
Would you send it to the LDS knowing it could hurt some poorly trained tank filler?

 

[abnfrog]

sorry stoo it is fine to fill id pass it , when I teach vip tech I always say new vip techs tend to condemn way too much it will pass hydro and vip , there maybe other things that condemn it 6352 , not passing eddy etc but the chip doesn't

 

[fmerkel]

Agree with the hydro suggestions. Doubt that nick would compromise the integrity of the tank. OTOH, the fact that there is a nick that size, and the overall appearance of the tank we can see makes me very suspicious of the integrity of the tank in general. A picture like that shows nothing about the conditions of the threads, the inside, and not much of the exterior. There are potentially bigger problems.