A Sad Day

[sglake]

:depressed: I had to put the first air tank I ever bought into retirement today, Because of it's age and type '84 Luxfer Alum 80 it couldn't sent in for it's hydro! It has been attatched to every bc I've ever worn!! I can't guess about how many cubic feet of air has been sucked out of it......

 

[Walter]

Sorry to hear you're losing an old friend.

 

[dkramer]

I got one too. It belonged to a friend of mine & I think , no I know, I spent more time with it than she has.

 

[herman]

Keep your old friend...and find a better dive shop. Unless if fails hydro it is still fine to fill and dive reguardless of the BS your dive shop gives you.

 

[dkramer]

My understanding is they won't hydro them anymore. My dive shop continued to fill it until its hydro was up.

 

[Sh@rkW@tcher]

Take it to the local fire extinguisher inspection place, they will send it in for hydro, if it passes then you only have to find a dive shop to viz it. You'd be cutting out the middle man anyway since most shops don't do their own hydro. Finding a shop to viz and fill it might be diffucult though.

 

[dkramer]

I could be wrong, but I think I was told that the hydro shops won't take them, no matter who sends them in. Mine is what's known as a Walter Kiddie---don't know if the spelling is correct--& I don't know if that makes a difference.

 

[Sh@rkW@tcher]

if it's a Walter Kiddie, you are correct, they are "banned" from hydro, Viz and most shops won't even fill them.

 

[fisheyeview]

There was a concern with aluminum tanks made of 6351 alloy. Luxfer used 6351 from 1972 - 1988. Tanks made from 6351 alloy are susceptible to Sustained-Load Cracking. This has led to some tanks that ruptured during filling. There was an incident here in south Florida where a dive shop employee lost part of his hand due to an SLC rupture.

Fore safety concerns all Luxfer tanks made of 6351 alloy were "retired" after a certain time period to reduce the risk of SLC ruptures. Although DOT issues a warning about tanks made from 6351 alloy, they did not order that they be removed from service. A visual "plus" which includes an eddy current exam will detect if SLC is present. Fill Express will fill your tank if they perform the Visual Plus, and you have a current Hydro date.

I feel for you. Make something out of the tank that you can enjoy. Maybe a lamp.

 

[fisheyeview]

I could be wrong, but I think I was told that the hydro shops won't take them, no matter who sends them in. Mine is what's known as a Walter Kiddie---don't know if the spelling is correct--& I don't know if that makes a difference.

Well, that answers that. Walter Kiddie tanks are a no go. Sorry.

Walter Kiddie used to make fire extinguisher cylinders, and SCBA used by fire fighters. They also had a scuba division. Most of the ruptures were Walter Kiddie tanks. Luxfer bought them out several years ago, but not the scuba division. It was closed down.