Reborn Carbon Fiber Tanks

[kball]

Does anyone know what the current requirements are at the 5 year interval after a CF tank has gone through digital wave corps MAE test and been re-certified? I have a neighbor that bought a used cylinder that was re-certified in 2017 which means he will have to do something next year to continue getting it filled at the dive shop. I read a previous post that said the cylinder would have to go back to digital wave for another MAE test, is this true? If so what is the cost (not including shipping)? If the MAE test is required, is there anyone on the east coast side that does it now? I'm thinking someone out there has encountered this already. Thanks for any info.

 

[davecole]

Your best bet will be to talk to the facility where the tank will be filled to learn what they’re filling policy is. Our local dive shop won’t fill a tank beyond its’ fifteen year life regardless of any certification.
Yours on the other hand, may. Best to ask.

 

[Peashooter]

Here the dive tanks go to a certified test place, of which i think there are a couple in this little country i live in.

But the dive shop are pretty relaxed, my old steel 12 L tank should have been tested years ago as its about 9 years old now, but the guy know how few times it have been refilled and the extremely little use it have seen, so my steel tank have not been tested since it was made.

My steel tank haven't even been filled once a year in the time i have owned it, so i would say thats pretty light use.

My Maverick which i think i can finally ( +6 months ) pick up on Monday as the shop have been tracking it out of Sweden since Thursday afternoon / evening, well i intend to shoot that gun a lot more for sure.

Even if in my old hobby a new very interesting 1000 USD item have just popped up,,,,, Must resist,,,,,, focus on pea shooting ( which is my term for shooting .177 airguns )

 

[ddonovan]

Agree with Dave. Each facility will have its own requirements.

Of course, you can get your own compressor and make your own req.

 

[Mtnviper]

Contact Digital Wave Corp. directly. They can give you all the information you need and in my own experience, pretty good at getting back to me in a timely fashion. They put the tanks through a rigorous pressure and harmonics testing process and do not actually do anything other than be sure the tank will not burst upon refilling for another life cycle of the internal cylinder and surrounding carbon fiber wrap. The issue may present itself with a dive shop or other fill facility regarding the initial born fill date. The DWC will reissue a new DOT cert. for any tank that gets recertified. Unless things have changed, you would have to send your tank back to DWC for each 5 year recert as other testing facilities at this point, can not and will not recheck them. That shipping back and forth can certainly add up in cost, in addition to any time lines by DWC. They are a government/military contractor for their tanks, small and large and often get backed up (at least they used to ) so keep that in mind when factoring your cost benefit and time. DWC is also dependent upon its own DOT recertification approval status. With all that written, getting a reborn tank and having your own means to fill afterwards makes them a good value, IMO. Just check with your local fill provider to be sure they will fill the tanks. Good luck and straight shooting.

 

[kball]

We have checked with the local dive shop and they are OK with filling a recertified tank. However, they are keying on the date on the DWC sticker and have stated that they will not fill after this date has been reached. My neighbor does not shoot enough to justify the expense of a compressor so he is going to have to go through the return process with DWC if he wants to continue using his tank.

This is something anyone considering purchasing a recertified needs to look at. When you purchase you see how many years of life the tank has left, read the fine print and you see that you must send it back to DWC in Colorado every 5 years to maintain this certification. In this case the sticker date on the tank purchased earlier this year is 03 - 17 which means that if not recertified come next April the tank will no longer be fillable at our local dive shop. I'll keep up with this and post a FYI about the shipping and cost when it is done.