Hydro stamping question "VE"

[mksmith713]

I have 4- AL 80 tanks thatwere hydro's in different states.
The dates stamped are followed by the letters VE on one tank from each state so it's not specific to any particular place.
I'm just wondering what the VE stands for.
Possibly something to do with Eddy testing?

 

[SparticleBrane]

Yes -- I believe this means the cylinders were eddy-checked with a Visual Eddy system.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

The DOT now requires 6351-T6 alloy tanks have a visual eddy inspection as part of the requalification process every 5 years.

 

[Scared Silly]

Ditto - the VE stand for Visual Eddy and the VE stamp is proof that the requal test included it.

As noted the VE is only required on AL cylinders made with 6351 alloy.

Your cylinders should be on this list:

http://www.ctcseminars.com/Files/Technical/3al_advisory.pdf

 

[Web Monkey]

The DOT now requires 6351-T6 alloy tanks have a visual eddy inspection as part of the requalification process every 5 years.

We do it for all AL cylinders at each VIP. It's not hard and the tank guy is allergic to explosions.

Terry

 

[DA Aquamaster]

Many shops do.

It is a logical outgrowth of the original "every 18 months" service bulletin regarding luxfer 6351-T6 tanks from Luxfer, which for all practical purpsoes meant "annually" for the average scuba tank given the industry standard annual VIP.

Extending it to 6061 tanks is not a bad idea, but it was however not possible with earlier eddy current machines.

The recent DOT requirement that it is needed only every 5 years at hydro and only for 6351 alloy tanks some interesting situations. If the tank passes the VE phase of requalification and the following year a dive shop fails the tank due to their VE inspection, they better have really good documentation of that fact, and/or they may want to consider just not "passing" the tank rather than "condemning" it by either x'ing out the numbers or by rendering it incapable of holding pressure.

As a visual inpsector I have a right and an obligation not to pass a tank that I do not feel is safe, and I sure as hell do not have to fill it, but that is different than saying I have the legal authority to condemn the tank.

 

[oxyhacker]

Another interesting technicality. DOT regs are very specific. They authorize eddy testing and marking the "VE" only for 6351 T6 tanks. While one might claim it would be a good idea to do the same for 6061 tanks, it is not authorized by the CFR, and so it could be argued that for a requalifier to mark a 6061 tank with the "VE" stamp would be an unauthorized marking, and grounds to condemn the tank!

I have heard some reports of visual inspectors, that is to say, PSI-style inspectors not requalifiers stamping tanks with "VE". This is, of course, totally illegal.

Extending it to 6061 tanks is not a bad idea, but it was however not possible with earlier eddy current machines.

The recent DOT requirement that it is needed only every 5 years at hydro and only for 6351 alloy tanks some interesting situations. If the tank passes the VE phase of requalification and the following year a dive shop fails the tank due to their VE inspection, they better have really good documentation of that fact, and/or they may want to consider just not "passing" the tank rather than "condemning" it by either x'ing out the numbers or by rendering it incapable of holding pressure.

As a visual inpsector I have a right and an obligation not to pass a tank that I do not feel is safe, and I sure as hell do not have to fill it, but that is different than saying I have the legal authority to condemn the tank.

 

[oxyhacker]

Wrong. I checked with the DOT, and it is legal to eddy currrent test any tank when it is being requalified and mark VE, whether it is required or not.

it could be argued that for a requalifier to mark a 6061 tank with the "VE" stamp would be an unauthorized marking, and grounds to condemn the tank!

 

[redacted]

Wrong. I checked with the DOT, and it is legal to eddy currrent test any tank when it is being requalified and mark VE, whether it is required or not.

I guess that would mean the inspectors can (or must) condemn any tank because of VE test failure even when that inspection is not required. Therefor a test error could result in a condemned tank even when then VE test is not required.

 

[05sportsman]

I guess that would mean the inspectors can (or must) condemn any tank because of VE test failure even when that inspection is not required. Therefor a test error could result in a condemned tank even when then VE test is not required.

If a tank is marked with a hydro date followed by a "VE" it means the tank has passed a hydro test and was Eddy current tested wither by the original "Visual Eddy" machine or the newer "Visual Plus" and passed both (EC and hydro) tests. You can stamp a 6061 tank with a "VE" as long as the hydro testing facility has the equipment capable of testing a 6061 alloy tank. We have recently upgraded to the Visual Plus 3 this summer.