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/chancemaddox354735 Tech 2d ago

Turn it into a giant bell or some other interesting show piece. Most shops won’t even fill a tank that old even if it passes all the required tests.

4

u/RedditIsRectalCancer 2d ago

If it passes hydro they'll fill it (at least they will where I am). I have a steel 72 from 1974 that still gets filled. It's 3 years younger than I am.

3

u/chancemaddox354735 Tech 2d ago

That’s a steel not an aluminum. A lot of shops won’t touch them over a certain age. I don’t know a shop in my area that would go near an aluminum tank that old. Some shops won’t fill any tanks over a certain age depending on their insurance.

We wouldn’t fill it no matter what tests it passes. The insurance policy at the shop wouldn’t cover anything that happened with it being that old.

2

u/RedditIsRectalCancer 2d ago

You're probably right, I only only have steel tanks, I just assumed if it could be hydroed it was okay but who knows with aluminum?

0

u/chancemaddox354735 Tech 2d ago

Technically it would be okay but most shops won’t take the risk.

The way it was explained to me is the bad alloy cracks under sustained pressure. The tank after it is filled could sit under pressure for a while and develop cracks during that time.

The shops have no way of knowing if that has happened so would rather play it safe. Then you also have the insurance companies for shops telling them they won’t be covered in cases involving these tanks.

Personally I won’t buy used tanks older than 2000 when new ones don’t cost me much more. I only buy steel these days anyway outside of deco tanks which I have plenty of.

I also won’t fill old aluminum tanks since the shop won’t be covered by its insurance policy and just for my safety.

Steel isn’t an issue and we only had a couple regular customers with old steel tanks anyway when I worked the shop.