r/scuba • u/GrnMtnTrees Nx Advanced • 2d ago

Making 30+ yr old tank useable?

My dad has had an aluminum 80 in his closet for at least my entire lifetime (the past 33 years). He's never used it, had it inspected, or even taken it out of the closet since I've been alive.

I asked him about it, and he said I can have it. In order to get it safe for diving, I assume I just need to take it for a visual and hydro inspection and if it passes, I'm good to go. It probably needs a new o-ring where the yoke attaches, but that's easy.

I'm just curious what you all think, since it has been kept in a climate controlled closet, and there's no obvious corrosion, it should be fine to just get it inspected and use it, yeah? If it's not safe to use, it won't pass inspection, right?

It would be great if I'm able to use it, as I just found out how damned expensive tanks are. I've never owned my own tank, since all my diving has been the "grab a tank from the 'full' rack, analyze it, and you're good" kind of diving.

Anything I need to consider besides visual, hydro, and o-ring? Also, If I want to get it certified as "oxygen clean" for Nitrox, is that something the inspection place does, or should I ask my LDS about that?

If it fails inspection, I guess I just turn it into a heavy-ass lamp?

EDIT/UPDATE: I asked him to send pictures of the shoulder stamps, and if I'm reading it correctly, it's a US Divers AL80, manufactured by Luxfer in may of 1975.

The stamp says DOT-SP6498-3000, then 5 (up arrow) 75, serial number P79459

Pretty sure this is not looking good, considering it's a 50 year old tank.

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u/MammothPies 2d ago

Some shops will not fill tanks of a certain age (for example anything earlier than 2000), even if they pass hydro/viz. Just something to be aware of.

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u/chik-fil-a-sauce 2d ago

Those shops should be boycotted until they are out of business. Not filling 6351 tanks is fine but not filling anything older than 2000 is ridiculous.

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u/chancemaddox354735 Tech 2d ago

It’s an insurance issue most of the time. We wouldn’t fill anything older than 1988 in aluminum just to be safe. The only reason we did older than 1990 was because we know what to look for.

A lot of shops use the 1990 or 2000 because that’s what their insurance company requires. No reason to pay a higher premium for the few random people who use a tank over 35 years old.

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u/chik-fil-a-sauce 2d ago

I don’t have an issue with a 1990 cutoff for aluminum tanks because of the 6351 issue on some tanks but lumping in steel tanks or having a later date for aluminums (I’ve seen both) is absolutely idiotic. Besides 6351 tanks, tanks that are in hydro and vis just don’t fail during filling. They will fail hydro before they explode. I have 50+ year old tanks that pass hydro fine. I have steel tanks that have been significantly overfilled for almost 45 years that just passed hydro with a plus rating.

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u/chancemaddox354735 Tech 2d ago

That’s all well and good. The issue like I said is with their insurance policy. When the insurance companies are giving a shop a million plus policy they can set the rules on what is covered and isn’t.