Expired tanks

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Hammer

Hammer

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Apr 18, 2015
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NC, United States
What do you do with your old expired tanks?I have an old fiberglass 45 minute scba 4500psi tank that has been expired for a few years, still in great shape, just aged out. Where can you take them for disposal?

I will save the valve, and fill assembly. I currently use a small Benjamin tank, but also like the option if having a larger amount if air on hand. What are options for new carbon tanks besides the obvious ones? Anyone try the tanks from China on eBay?
 
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Originally, a SCBA tank would 'expire' 15 years after its production date..
Now [depending on the tank] they can be 'life-extended' for an additional 15 years.

The information can be found on the internet, Pyramid Air even sells them..

Digital Wave Corp are the ones that can / will do the testing and re-certification.

Their website: https://www.digitalwavecorp.com/scba-life-extension-1 

=)

Sam -
 
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I read up on the Digital Wave technology, and considered purchasing an extended life tank from Pyramid. The way I read it, the tanks need to be tested by Digital Wave every 5 years, rather than hydrotested, so would require shipping to them($), and maybe return shipping. Also the tanks from Pyramid are 2000 manufacture, so they are already almost 20 years old. 



I'm not sure if my tank could be extended, but it's not carbon fiber so I doubt it, but it has a real nice fill assembly I could use on another tank.
 
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Hammer, good call. 
If a regular / local hydro test can't be done every 5 years, and the tank has to be sent back to them, 
I am with you.. It makes it a bit more of a hassle to have to deal with. You also saw what I did regarding the PA tanks..
I almost got one of them myself - Until I took a peek at their born on date.. Nope, they were too old IMO too.
Those same tanks can be found on eBay in surplus - NOS [New Old Stock] every now and then from different sellers, 
and the last time I saw them, they were years newer than the ones at PA.

Anyways..

If your tank isn't cf, and you're to the point that you're not quite trusting it 100%, do what you suggested..
Remove the gauges, etc. replace the o-rings, and just reuse those on a new[er] tank. That's what I would do.

I just got a Very Nice 88 cubic foot carbon fiber tank brand new on eBay for $459.99 - shipping included.
It is a DOT approved version, and I was Very Impressed! [I'm a very critical / picky person - OCDish] =D 

I think I had another $80ish into the gauges, hose, adapters, etc.
In the end, it still came out cheaper than any of the other fully assembled ones that I could find online, 
and everything is brand new.

In your case, if you reused your gauges, you'd only be out a few bucks in o-rings, 
and would only have to cover the cost of a tank.. Saving almost 100 bucks, so that's cool!

I work with metal and weld, so, no matter what sort of Metal tanks I have/find, I usually just keep them laying around..
I've converted things like air compressor tanks and fire extinguishers into mail boxes, etc..

There is always another use for something.. 

Sam -
 
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Most everything, including tanks, is coming from China these days.

Joe (airtanksforsale) uses USA tanks.

But most of the other retailers use Chinese tanks with valves/gauges from other countries (England).

These tanks have the DOT certification which means they are safe for you to have in your car/truck on the highway.

On my tanks I have SS braided hoses from China along with female and male connectors.

Very good quality IMHO.

The Benjamin tank (I have two) is built by Ninja and wears one of Joe’s valves.. 
 
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I bought one of the extended life tanks from Pyramyd in early 2017. It's an 88cuft tank and has 13 years remaining before it has to be returned to DigitalWave Corp. for a recertification that costs around $45. There was a lot of misinformation and ambiguity on the Pyramyd and Digital Wave pages when these first came out about the costs of recerts. I paid around $365 for the tank, valve and hose, ready to go. I plan on getting more than 13 years out of it but even if I use it only for 13 years, $360 is a good price($28 a year) for a like new tank, valve, hose. When I was looking, last year, it was the best tank I could find for this price. 

Stoti
 
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I bought one of the extended life tanks from Pyramyd in early 2017. It's an 88cuft tank and has 13 years remaining before it has to be returned to DigitalWave Corp. for a recertification that costs around $45. There was a lot of misinformation and ambiguity on the Pyramyd and Digital Wave pages when these first came out about the costs of recerts. I paid around $365 for the tank, valve and hose, ready to go. I plan on getting more than 13 years out of it but even if I use it only for 13 years, $360 is a good price($28 a year) for a like new tank, valve, hose. When I was looking, last year, it was the best tank I could find for this price. 

Stoti
Click to expand...

"Of course, just like brand new carbon fiber SCBA cylinders, they must pass testing every 5 years from the Life Extension date to remain in service (Ex. A tank Life Extended in 2017, wouldn’t require a retest until 2022). This testing can only be done by Digital Wave Corporation for Life Extended tanks and will cost about the same as a standard hydro test plus shipping and handling."



That is what Pyramid says^. I t is also my understanding that 30 years from manufacture is the end of life, and can not be tested after. The tanks they have listed now are 2000, or 2001 date. If you have some better info, I would like to see it. It would definitely make those tanks more attractive.
 
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Just was at my local hydro testing facility yesterday to pick up my scuba tank after hydro. Nice guy there, showed me around his shop. He explained to me some detailed expansion contraction formula they use that can allow a legal over charge. He said my tank was under 2% so he filled it to 10%+ over service factor, whatever that means. My tank was at 3410psi on his gauge, cold resting state. That should work well for my 3000psi fills.

We talked about carbon fiber scba tanks. He had a load of them there. He was familiar with the DOT exception certificate that Digital Wave Corp has received. If I understood him correctly he thought that was only for transportation of the tanks and did not give them a like new usage rating at all. He showed me an old tank cut in half with carbon fiber debris in between its liner and wrap coming apart . He said over the years the carbon fiber hardens and gets more brittle then flexible, creating a very little damage every flex from full to empty. Hence the 15 year true life expectancy. He also said he's been doing this for over 20 years and has condemned many and personally seen the failed tank of a bug exterminator that filled his own out of hydro tanks. The guy had critical injuries from a failed cf out of hydro old self filled tank...

He also showed me a steel and alum tank cut in half. The Alum was looking like 1/2 or even 3/4" thick, the steel was looking like about 3/16" thick. Big difference. Also learned o2 cleaning has nothing to do with using o2,,, lol.

Not saying that PA or Digital Wave don't know what they're doing or recommending, just might be worth some further investigating research to make a educated decision, since all I've said is just hearsay from someone in the field..

jmo
 
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I have a 45 minute Scott tank that needs hydro testing but it will expires on 1/2025.
I don't know what to do with it 😕
Any suggestions?

20240517_083134.jpg


20240517_083142.jpg
 
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I dont mess with a tank which is expired ,for price of hydro testing , and to know it is safe , is priceless , I personally seen hi pressure failures in tanks and hydraulics , not worth losing life or body parts over Money best to be safe , I have had things hydro here and I asked they over pressure things under water and look for leaks and expansion say a tank they pressurize here 150% so 300 bar is 450 bar test ect , better safe then injured
 
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That is exactly what i was think.
Problem is that 7 to 8 years ago i got in to PCP air guns. So i bought this existing tank (used) Recently i purchased FX Dynamic .25 700mm and i love it. So i found that tank i my garage with 4000psi pressure still in it 🫨 after 5 6 years.
So i decided to take it to my local scuba shop for a hydro testing in San Diego and told by that shop that its don't worth to do hydro since it will be expected in January.
Now im thinking of purchasing GREAT WHITE 550 CU to be on the safe side.

PS: still have my two old PCP ir guns and don't know what to do with one of them(Sam Yang Dragon Claw .50 caliber big bore)

20240515_160818.jpg


20240515_095347.jpg
 
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jwrabbit123 said:
I dont mess with a tank which is expired ,for price of hydro testing , and to know it is safe , is priceless , I personally seen hi pressure failures in tanks and hydraulics , not worth losing life or body parts over Money best to be safe , I have had things hydro here and I asked they over pressure things under water and look for leaks and expansion say a tank they pressurize here 150% so 300 bar is 450 bar test ect , better safe then injured
Click to expand...
Sorry i reapplied in the wrong field
jwrabbit123 said:
I dont mess with a tank which is expired ,for price of hydro testing , and to know it is safe , is priceless , I personally seen hi pressure failures in tanks and hydraulics , not worth losing life or body parts over Money best to be safe , I have had things hydro here and I asked they over pressure things under water and look for leaks and expansion say a tank they pressurize here 150% so 300 bar is 450 bar test ect , better safe then injured
Click to expand...
That is exactly what i was think.
Problem is that 7 to 8 years ago i got in to PCP air guns. So i bought this existing tank (used) Recently i purchased FX Dynamic .25 700mm and i love it. So i found that tank i my garage with 4000psi pressure still in it 🫨 after 5 6 years.
So i decided to take it to my local scuba shop for a hydro testing in San Diego and told by that shop that its don't worth to do hydro since it will be expected in January.
Now im thinking of purchasing GREAT WHITE 550 CU to be on the safe side.

PS: still have my two old PCP ir guns and don't know what to do with one of them(Sam Yang Dragon Claw .50 caliber big bore)

20240515_095347.jpg


20240520_151254.jpg


20240515_160818.jpg
 
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