"Star" 10 year hydrotests for welding tanks?

Tue, 31 Aug 2021 15:33:59 GMT

go to see Welding Machine for "Star" 10 year hydrotests for tanks?

I notice some cylinder vendors, ones on Ebay in particular, are selling 3AA cylinders that they boast have a 10 year hydro interval rather than the usual 5 .One assumes they are selling cylinders which have been marked with the star at hydro time.  If a cylinder is marked with a star, and used with only certain gases (which include O2, argon and helium among others) it can go 10 years between hydro - but only if it is hammer tested at each fill! Hammer test means hitting it with a hammer and rejecting if it doesn't give a clean, bell-like ring (a rusted, cracked or badly contaminated tank won't). The star has been around for a long time, but until now I have rarely seen it used.I am curious how gas suppliers will react to being expected to hammer test the tanks. I can see how some might refuse to accept them at all,  or insist on a standard 5 year rehydro before they will accept them. If they are willing to do it, then it would make sense for all of us with customer owned non-swapped tanks to get star hydros next time around.Anyone have any experience with this?
Reply:I doubt most suppliers would give you any grief over a "star" tested cylinder. Most either will likely ignore it and just fill it as normal, or simply hit the darn thing. The hydro shop I deal with start tests all the cylinders, and every one I get from my LWS is star rated.Plus rated cylinders on the other hand aren't all that common. I have a hard time finding places that are willing to plus test dive cylinders. They simply don't want to bother with the extra paperwork. Also with the possible exception of technical dive shops you don't find many places that actually will "overfill" the cylinders the extra 10% that the plus rated cylinders are good for. The "+" mark was added in WWII to help save steel. That allowed companies to have more gas on hand for production without the need for more cylinders simply by retesting existing cylinders to a slightly higher standard..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:Just call your LWS and see if they will fill a bottle that they don't own. I don't see an issue..Torchmate 2x2 CNC with Flashcut CNC controlsHypertherm Powermax45 Esab ET220i Razorweld 195 MigRazorweld 200ac/dc TigTormach 770, Tormach xstechRazorweld, Vipercut/Vipermig, SSC Foot Pedal Dealer
Replylus sign thing is pretty weird - it really isn't much extra work if the tank is stamped with the REE or you can find it in CGA 5, literally on 2 minute calculation. But dive shops around here tend to put the same in  LP tanks whether they ahave the "+" or not - 2500 to 2600 psi. I have a set of doubles where on is "+" rated and the other isn't, no one has ever commented on it or put less than 2500 psi in. Plus becomes more of an issue when you are paying for expensive gases like welding gas rather than air. If the tank's rated capacity is with the plus, and they don't fill it with the full allowable pressure you are losing money. I swapped an old CO2 tank the other day for a 60 cf argon, and was interested to see it was  a 2015 psi with a current "+" mark - and had only 1850 psi in it. I'm surprised, seeing on how certain suppliers regularly shortfill, that no one has ever bought a class action suit. Interestingly enough, DOT regs allow overfilling a tank to compensate for heat, so that excuse is not really valid. Originally Posted by DSWI doubt most suppliers would give you any grief over a "star" tested cylinder. Most either will likely ignore it and just fill it as normal, or simply hit the darn thing. The hydro shop I deal with start tests all the cylinders, and every one I get from my LWS is star rated.Plus rated cylinders on the other hand aren't all that common. I have a hard time finding places that are willing to plus test dive cylinders. They simply don't want to bother with the extra paperwork. Also with the possible exception of technical dive shops you don't find many places that actually will "overfill" the cylinders the extra 10% that the plus rated cylinders are good for. The "+" mark was added in WWII to help save steel. That allowed companies to have more gas on hand for production without the need for more cylinders simply by retesting existing cylinders to a slightly higher standard.
Reply:It's no problem swapping/filling a 10 year cylinder. Happens everyday.www.triarc.us