Old steels denied fills due to store "policy"

[txgoose]

$600, the cheapest piece of scuba gear anyone can own. Seems legit. Also seems legit that they were able to find someone willing to fill them.

 

[Wookie]

When you emailed the shop with your issues they asked for more details? That sounds reasonable as I would want all the facts before I rendered any decision or took a position.

Let's face it . A tank is the single cheapest pice of scuba gear any one can own.

What is a reasonable life expectancy for a scuba tank?

How would you feel If your tank failed well being filled and killed the "tank monkey "?

Did the shop offer you rental or loaner tanks so you could atleast salvage your weekend?

I dont think the shop operator is out of line by refusing to fill a 48 year old tank.
Yes it may have passed vis and hydro but when you fill somany tanks a year eventually the law of averages will catch up to you.

This will not be the last time a shop will refuse to fill those tanks .
I reccomend you spend $600 and get some new tanks.

Is the advice your giving based on sound and reasonable scientific metallurgical evidence, or your "feels"?

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Forget about steel 72’s for a minute.
I have a pristine steel 120 (3442) that I bought brand new in 2002.
So according to these “rules” does that mean it will be obsolete in three years?

 

[fullytek]

Is the advice your giving based on sound and reasonable scientific metallurgical evidence, or your "feels"?

I'm not giving any advise.

I'm simply asking how many years or pressure cycles is a reasonable life expectancy for a scuba tank?

How about this . If you are so confident that your 48 year old tanks are safe then you must be willing to bare hug the tank well the " untrained tank monkey " fills it?

 

[Boiler_81]

As the rule was explained to me, yes.

Forget about steel 72’s for a minute.
I have a pristine steel 120 (3442) that I bought brand new in 2002.
So according to these “rules” does that mean it will be obsolete in three years?

 

[txgoose]

Forget about steel 72’s for a minute.
I have a pristine steel 120 (3442) that I bought brand new in 2002.
So according to these “rules” does that mean it will be obsolete in three years?

No E-Force for you.
Think of all the money you’ll save on hydros for that tank? Now you’ll only need to pay for three!!

 

[txgoose]

I'm simply asking how many years or pressure cycles is a reasonable life expectancy for a scuba tank?

At least as many as are reasonable for all of the welding tanks getting beat up on construction sites all over the country/world? I suspect that we could find a slew of OSHA reports if this were an issue of any magnitude. Workers Comp claims would be the very first thing to drive a change. If the insurance companies haven’t wet themselves yet, I am going to need some convincing that this an issue of any scale.

 

[fullytek]

At least as many as are reasonable for all of the welding tanks getting beat up on construction sites all over the country/world? I suspect that we could find a slew of OSHA reports if this were an issue of any magnitude. Workers Comp claims would be the very first thing to drive a change. If the insurance companies haven’t wet themselves yet, I am going to need some convincing that this an issue of any scale.

Perhaps you should take your tanks to airgas for a 2200 psi fill.
I have never received a pressure vessel from a major welding supply company that is any older then 20 years.

 

[seeker242]

I'd love to see that policy.
I have receipts of filling these 7 tanks at that particular Force E, since Fill Express closed. Suddenly they said no this past Sunday.

I don't know where they keep their "official policy" but here is some news stories mentioning the policy, back in 1998, 2000.

Aging Aluminum Tanks: Undercurrent 03/2000

EXPLOSION A RISK IN SCUBA TANKS

I was going to suggest Fill Express-I didn't know they closed. Have they moved or totally closed down?.

Totally closed. One of the former owners now works at Pompano Dive Center.

 

[BRT]

When you emailed the shop with your issues they asked for more details? That sounds reasonable as I would want all the facts before I rendered any decision or took a position.

Let's face it . A tank is the single cheapest pice of scuba gear any one can own.

What is a reasonable life expectancy for a scuba tank?

How would you feel If your tank failed well being filled and killed the "tank monkey "?

Did the shop offer you rental or loaner tanks so you could atleast salvage your weekend?

I dont think the shop operator is out of line by refusing to fill a 48 year old tank.
Yes it may have passed vis and hydro but when you fill somany tanks a year eventually the law of averages will catch up to you.

This will not be the last time a shop will refuse to fill those tanks .
I reccomend you spend $600 and get some new tanks.

Will you please tell us when the last in hydro, in vis, steel tank failed?