Is there a reason there aren't alot of carbon fiber tanks on sale in the classifieds?
Air tanks for sale question?
- Thread starter Chadster73
- Start date
When they do get listed with a still good manufacture date and a current hydro they sell super fast.
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per DOT regulations, a SCBA tank must be certified every 5 years by hydrostatically testing them. They fill them with water and pressurize to around 7500 PSI and hold them there to check for leaks, cracks, etc. if they pass, they get a stamp that certifies them "hydro" tested. They do a visual inspection as well, checking for defects, corrosion, etc.
A new tank is good for 15 year life with a Hydro every 5 years. New DOT regs are changing that to add another 20 years.
A Hydro certification is only needed if you take it somewhere (like a Scuba/dive shop) that requires it. if you buy a used one and fill it on your own, you do not.
It's a Risk vs. Reward sort of a think.
I bought a new tank and had it filled for a year or so at a local dive shop. Now that I have my own compressor, That Hydro requirement coming up in the next 3 years will not be needed as I'm good with it.
Dirty little secret, =The USA has the lowest life span (15 years) the rest of the world is 30 year life span. And the Navy did a DoD test that showed 15 years is too conservative.
Take care of it, keep it from getting bounced around, fill with clean dry air, a Tank will last you a lifetime.
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Thanks Harv. Who does these hydrotests? Surely it must take specialized equipment to pressurize to 7500.
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IF and when my little compressor go's . i will switch to tank and a Altros box . I only fill tube guns. no tank guns
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Usually you leave the tanks at a local dive shop and they take them to places with the specialized equipment. Here I think the test costs like 35-40 bucks.
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Places that sell Fire extinguishers are a source, Places that sell Fire fighting equipment do it as well
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If you peruse ebay regularly, occasionally you will find a decent price on 45 or 60 minute scbas that are still within 15 years of mfg date, but overall what you see there are expired tanks that are too expensive. Often you see some great deals here in AGNs classified on tanks, but they do go fast as I think was brought up earlier. Currently Airgun Depot has a decent deal on 2020 Mfg date Air Venturi tank and fill whip for $389.
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I got most of my expired tanks off eBay, been filling them for a decade now. I have use a Altaros booster for 2.5 years, a Shoebox before that.
Regards,
Roachcreek
Regards,
Roachcreek
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