Buying air tanks

[Austin]

Scuba Center has their used gear sale going on thru tomorrow.  See the Dive Shop Events forum.

[goaliemn]

I swung by there afew days ago and picked up a light.  I was debating one or 2 of the used tanks, but was trying to see if they offered any special deal if you bought new.  They don't really advertise if they do or not.

[goaliemn]

I decided to pick up acouple at scuba center.  $99 a pop.  can't go wrong

[Terry]

  Aluminum cylinders with an original Hydro date before 1980 will require an Eddy current test at Hydro time due to neck cracking issues, adding to the bill. I had a LDS "condemn" one of my Al 80s due to "pitting" so I bored 4" diameter holes in it and made a planter out of it, it was at that time I could easily see the "pitting" was nothing more then the standard flakey white dust of Aluminum oxide that you can see on a substantial number of Al cylinders with more then several hydros on them, with no measurable depth to the "pitting" at all. I own a total of 17 cylinders about half and half (Al vs steel) overall I'm happier with the steels, for a few reasons, I like that their more negitively bouyant, the galvanized coat on steel cylinders although not as pretty as paint is MUCH more durable, and I like the fact that steel scuba cylinders with a 3AA stamping (actually made of Chrome Molylidnieum steel) (3A cylinders are made of carbon steel in use as welding tanks (and other purposes)), are structurally so much stronger then Aluminum. By Luxfer's own admittion their brand new Al 80s if pumped to rupture, will start to blow at 6200psi (thats only 1200 psi above hydro pressure,) where PressedSteel states their cylinders will go 12K-15000psi before rupture. Not that any of this really matters,,, if I was 185' down and found myself out of air, steel vs AL,,,, if the tank has air in it, I wont be as choosey      :-\    Terry

[doug67]

I have 3 tanks that I bought on ebay and got good deals on, I didn't bid on anything more than 10yrs old and made sure the price was right because most of them need hydros and vip's. All 3 passed with flying colors. All 3 are great tanks.

[ballfrog]

Some shops I've been in are refusing to fill Aluminum tanks with a manufacture date prior to 1990 - regardless of manufacturer or the eddy current test.  Others are only a pain about the Luxfers.  I was just in a shop in Little Rock that worried about my Luxfers until I pointed out the 2006 manufacture date.   

[mcdiver]

I got burned a couple years ago when I bought a couple used tanks. I will not buy a used tank unless it has a recent VIP and Annual Inspection, nor will I sell a tank that has not had the same.

[goaliemn]

They both had VIPs from this year, so thats good.  They are both due for hydros this winter..

I've heard that fire safety places can do hydros on fire extinguisher tanks and some do on scuba tanks.  Are they usually cheaper/quicker than going through a scuba shop?

[Austin]

Have your shop arrange to have them done for you. (most shops don't do thier own, they send them to MSD in Brainerd).  You should have them back in a week or so.  In the event you need tanks during that time, I'd assume your shop would give you a rental deal (knowing yours are in for hydro).

[Mr.Pitbull]

or to All Safe on Washington Avenue in Minneapolis


They do a nice job and quick turn around