A informational post on the Luxfer site about a year ago stated that fully 50% of the 6061 alloy tanks returned for failure of VIP testing did not have any damage...
Pretty big margin of error but as a friend of mine pointed out what about the 50% that did.
I am not at all suprised shops would require Visual plus, annual VIP, nor O2 cleaning procedures be performed by thier techs to get a fill... But the issue is one of money not diver safety in my opinion.
DOT only requires hydro testing at five year intervals. I support VIP testing but would like to see it explained to folks as a recommendation not a regulation.
Jeff
p.s. most of the tanks I have identified cracks on were within hydro specifications, they also showed distinct and multiple cracking easily visible to the naked eye but re-confirmed through use of visual plus testing. It is my belief that visual plus can be an aid to a tech in that it may cause them to more closely inspect an area with a slight or forming crack. I have also seen many shops that have defective or non-functinal components and had the techs explain to me that you had to hold the probe just so due to a short in the wire... (really effective testing there, well worth $30 huh?)
Pretty big margin of error but as a friend of mine pointed out what about the 50% that did.
I am not at all suprised shops would require Visual plus, annual VIP, nor O2 cleaning procedures be performed by thier techs to get a fill... But the issue is one of money not diver safety in my opinion.
DOT only requires hydro testing at five year intervals. I support VIP testing but would like to see it explained to folks as a recommendation not a regulation.
Jeff
p.s. most of the tanks I have identified cracks on were within hydro specifications, they also showed distinct and multiple cracking easily visible to the naked eye but re-confirmed through use of visual plus testing. It is my belief that visual plus can be an aid to a tech in that it may cause them to more closely inspect an area with a slight or forming crack. I have also seen many shops that have defective or non-functinal components and had the techs explain to me that you had to hold the probe just so due to a short in the wire... (really effective testing there, well worth $30 huh?)