LDS - pulls the valve off my 02 tank??

[navyhmc]

I know Adventure sports here in Wichita does the eddy current and has the tools to properly inspect my tank. So far, no problems. As I understand it, ever the 6051 tanks are to be eddy current tested eash year as well.

[in_cavediver]

Originally Posted by navyhmc

I know Adventure sports here in Wichita does the eddy current and has the tools to properly inspect my tank. So far, no problems. As I understand it, ever the 6051 tanks are to be eddy current tested eash year as well.

I'd be curious to know where this info came from. Is it a shop policy or something out of the DOT.

Personally - if I had a 6351 tank - I'd scrap it. Tanks are cheap.

[navyhmc]

Originally Posted by in_cavediver

I'd be curious to know where this info came from. Is it a shop policy or something out of the DOT.

Personally - if I had a 6351 tank - I'd scrap it. Tanks are cheap.

I only have one 6351, Oronogo and Local will fill it, so it's still in use. Trip or tank? Trip or tank???? IT still sorks so the trip wins right now. I will propbably scrap it in a year or tow though.

As far as the eddy current, I am under the impression it's a DOT-to be honest, I don't know for sure.

[skdvr]

I just finished up the PSI VIP couse a few weeks ago and I was told that Only the 6351 tanks required Eddy. No other tanks have ever had SLC and do not require Eddy.

Phil

[navyhmc]

Originally Posted by skdvr

I just finished up the PSI VIP couse a few weeks ago and I was told that Only the 6351 tanks required Eddy. No other tanks have ever had SLC and do not require Eddy.

Phil

Sounds good, thanks for the info.

[plot]

navyhmc, is that the 80 you let everyone else borrow?

OP, get a new tank, if it's from ebay, craigslist, ST, or an LDS, doesnt matter... but get a new tank already. that one doesnt sound safe, especially if you're filling it with O2.

[navyhmc]

Originally Posted by plot

navyhmc, is that the 80 you let everyone else borrow?

Well...... Yes. Hey, John will fill it for me.

[cummings66]

One thing not addressed and I think the OP should be aware of it. A trained fill station operator should be trained in the visual inspection process and they're also supposed to inspect your cylinder each time it's brought in for a fill.

Your visual inspection is good for at most 1 year, but quite often less. PSI even has guidelines that tell you how often a cylinder should be inspected, and you'd be surprised to learn it's suggested to inspect in as little as a few months if you're cylinder is in heavy usage, ie you dive every day of the week.

So, one year does not mean one year until the next. It really means at most 1 year or until it needs it. If a fill station op noticed a bulge they're supposed to not fill it because something happened between the inspection and when they got it to fill. Suppose you dropped it and dented or scraped it and brought it in for a fill, well, it's not going to get it if you have a trained fill station op. That's as it should be.

Now, IMO if you didn't sign a paper giving them the right to condemn it, then all they can do is lower the pressure and tell you sorry they won't fill it and explain why. They can not destroy the cylinder without your written permission and if they do, well, they owe you a replacement.

So, to the best of their ability they will test it and see if it's safe to fill before they do so. Things like bell testing on steel cylinders, checking for obvious bulges or dents. If there's corrosion, etc. All those are tests every fill operator should be doing, and to the average diver they may not even know you did it, unless you see them do a bell test on a steel cylinder in which case you might ask why?

[skdvr]

They cannot destroy a cylinder without the owner permission BUT they can condemn it by stamping the word comdemned on the cylinder neck. Below is a quote from Inspecting Cylinders SCUBA and SCBA Fourth Edition

In May 1996, DOT clarified its rules to be more specific and direct how condemned cylinders will be identified.

The rule requires hydrostatic retesters to stamp the word condemned on a failed cylinder or to stamp out the DOT code marks. In the past, many retesters simply wrote the word condemned on the cylinder or an attached tag. Both could easily be removed.

IMPORTANT NOTE Only with the owners permission may the tester physically render the cylinder incapable of holding pressure (damage threads, drill hole). How-ever, marking out the codes with a chisel or stamping the word condemned is sufficient to alert fill station personnel that the cylinder must not be filled.

It goes on to say that most Visual and Hydro testers get permission in advance to destroy a cylinder if it is not up to standards. So if you did not sign something giving someone permission to destroy your property they owe you a new one.

Me personally if I did a vis on a tank and it should probably be condemned then I would not pass the vis and talk to the owner and give them a chace to take it to another inspector for a second opinion. A good portion of the vis is the inspectors opinion. Now there are certain things that are an auto fail that really are not up for discussion, but if it is questionable at all I am going to offer that they get a second opinion. Maybe they have owned the tank for 15 years and figured they got their moneys worth out of it and gives them a good excuse to go and buy a new tank or 2 or 3.

By the way, the above quoted book is a great read if you are interested in knowing what goes into a vis, but are not interested in becoming an inspector....

Phil

[in_cavediver]

THIS IS ONLY TRUE FOR DOT LICENSED FACILITIES.

Sorry for shouting but this point cannot be made clearer. Joe Bloe Dive shop does NOT have the authority to condemn a tank without the owner permission unless they are licensed by the DOT.

Originally Posted by skdvr

They cannot destroy a cylinder without the owner permission BUT they can condemn it by stamping the word comdemned on the cylinder neck. Below is a quote from Inspecting Cylinders SCUBA and SCBA Fourth Edition

It goes on to say that most Visual and Hydro testers get permission in advance to destroy a cylinder if it is not up to standards. So if you did not sign something giving someone permission to destroy your property they owe you a new one.

Me personally if I did a vis on a tank and it should probably be condemned then I would not pass the vis and talk to the owner and give them a chace to take it to another inspector for a second opinion. A good portion of the vis is the inspectors opinion. Now there are certain things that are an auto fail that really are not up for discussion, but if it is questionable at all I am going to offer that they get a second opinion. Maybe they have owned the tank for 15 years and figured they got their moneys worth out of it and gives them a good excuse to go and buy a new tank or 2 or 3.

By the way, the above quoted book is a great read if you are interested in knowing what goes into a vis, but are not interested in becoming an inspector....

Phil