From: Bruce Kalin (convoy@mtaofnj.us)
Date: Sun Nov 21 2004 - 17:54:05 PST
Compressed gas tanks require "hydro" testing every few years. The tanks
are actually filled with water to a greater pressure than they would
reach with gas. Depending upon their use, the tanks have to meet
different pressures, and different time frames for testing. The tanks
are measured for flexing in the sides, and if too much expansion is
detected the tanks are failed and they can never be filled again. If you
can get a hold of one of these bad tanks with a hole drilled in them,
you might get it for free. Hydro testing is not very expensive, at least
not in NJ. Testing is about 15 - 35 dollars, depending upon the size and
type of tank.
Without a current hydro date stamped on them, it is illegal in any state
to refill these. These are stampings in the metal, and every legal
tester has their own markings on their stamp. They also must keep a
record of the serial number of the tanks they hydro, or fail.
An interesting aside to this is that many of the tanks in circulation
today that are used for CO2 gas were brought back from Europe after WW2,
and have Nazi hydro stamps on them. I would imagine that they could be
valuable to some collectors. I had a couple in my former paintball store
that were found in the Atlantic Ocean! I had them all hydro'd and they
passed - pretty amazing. I cleaned them up with a sander and painted
them, and they looked better than new. I didn't know about the stampings
until my gas supplier explained it to me.
-- Bruce Kalin Convoy coordinator Coordinator@eastcoastconvoy.com http://www.EastCoastConvoy.com USMC MTA, MVPA, MTA NJ, NCMVPA
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