Hydro test expired

Hi all,

I just picked up my first 5# tank of CO2 at my local homebrew store. The tank they gave me hasn't been hydro tested since 2005. I noticed at the store but they gave me some story about how it was fine and they weren't passing on the cost of the hydro test.

I should have put up some more resistance but I didn't because they were low on stock and I didn't want to come back. The tank doesn't have any big dents or anything but should I be ok with this? It's be kind of a pain to go back and try to get another one but I will if it's unsafe to have an expired tank

Thanks!

There is more danger in filling an expired tank than there is in using it, but there is still some question. However there is no way in hell I would go into a store that is knowingly filling out of date tanks. When a tank does blow you don't want to be anywhere around it. Personally after seeing the after affects of a blown scuba tank I would turn them in.

You won't be able to get it re-filled until an h-test has been done. If your tank is currently full, use it up, it will be fine. I get my tanks serviced at the local fire extinguisher company. They are the cheapest alternative in my area.

I want to know who they had fill the tank... are they filling them in house? Or sending them out?

No legitimate supplier will fill a tank that doesn't have a valid hydro test. I don't mess around with compressed gas safety, and I have no tolerance for "professionals" that ignore national safety standards/regulations. I wouldn't hesitate to report them, not sure to who though. OSHA maybe? CGA?

It is very unlikely that your tank will fail any time soon. Some people on the board have tanks dating back to pre-WWI. Failures happen, but the valve is more likely to be a problem. There is also a blow-out disk in the valve, which will go first. A few people have had this happen; it's exciting, so I hear.

I'd go ahead and use it. When it's time to refill, go to a welding shop that exchanges tanks and exchange it. The shop will test it, refill it and pass it onto someone else. The first time I took my old steel tank in, they asked me if aluminum was okay. I asked what the extra charge would be. "None, we just like to save the steel tanks for people who demand them. They pass the same hydro test"

zachattack said:

I want to know who they had fill the tank... are they filling them in house? Or sending them out?

No legitimate supplier will fill a tank that doesn't have a valid hydro test. I don't mess around with compressed gas safety, and I have no tolerance for "professionals" that ignore national safety standards/regulations. I wouldn't hesitate to report them, not sure to who though. OSHA maybe? CGA?

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I would start with DOT.

Why not just used it and then bring it back to your LHBS?

Gear101 said:

Why not just used it and then bring it back to your LHBS?

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I have no problem with doing this I'm just new to kegging and concerned about safety while I use it if it hasn't been certified in 6 years

I would go ahead and use it then bring it back to them and make sure you get a passed one when they swap it out for you. I would also make sure that if you go back to them that they do not charge you to do a hydro test on a tank that is 'new' to you from them. I would bring my receipt if i have it when you do the trade in and not accept an expired one. If they try it again, I would find elsewhere to get gas. Not worth the hassle/cost/potential for catastrophic gas dispursal.

Hydro dates are only for filling. Both for safety and legality standards you can use an expired tank - you just cant fill it. Find a 20 year old tank in your basement that's full - no problem, use it. Just don't refill it. Any failures are going to be on filling, not while it's being emptied.

You're safe - just make sure you note the problem when you swap it out and if they continue to try to give you expired tanks talk to the manager. That's not cool.

Yeah, I don't think you have any real safety concerns. But when it runs dry I would bring it back to the same LHBS and make sure I swapped it out for a tank with a valid hydro date. And don't accept any more stories and don't let 'em try to charge you for a test!

When you get a tank with a good date on it, see about going to Gorham Fire Appliance in Quincy to get it refilled. Or purchase a brand spanking new tank (like from Keg Connection while they're on sale) and go there for your fills. I used them when I was working in Quincy. Good people, really affordable filling too ($10 for a 5#, $17 for a 20#).

Golddiggie said:

When you get a tank with a good date on it, see about going to Gorham Fire Appliance in Quincy to get it refilled. Or purchase a brand spanking new tank (like from Keg Connection while they're on sale) and go there for your fills. I used them when I was working in Quincy. Good people, really affordable filling too ($10 for a 5#, $17 for a 20#).

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That's a good price. I get exchanges at my LHBS for $14.

Golddiggie said:

When you get a tank with a good date on it, see about going to Gorham Fire Appliance in Quincy to get it refilled. Or purchase a brand spanking new tank (like from Keg Connection while they're on sale) and go there for your fills. I used them when I was working in Quincy. Good people, really affordable filling too ($10 for a 5#, $17 for a 20#).

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I've been having a lot of trouble with this in the Boston area. Problem is I work in Boston and can't take the time to drive out to Quincy or any of the other nearby fill locations that are only open Monday-Friday. So I end up going to Homebrew Emporium in Cambridge (open Saturdays)..where I get charged $27 for 5# and get an expired tank to boot. If anyone has any alternatives I'd be glad to hear them

You work in Boston proper? Where do you live?

You can try Keane Fire Safety in Waltham. I paid $20 for a 10 lb fill in the spring. They open at 7AM I think so maybe you can sneak in there real quick before work, then pick it up a day or two later.

wlssox524 said:

I've been having a lot of trouble with this in the Boston area. Problem is I work in Boston and can't take the time to drive out to Quincy or any of the other nearby fill locations that are only open Monday-Friday. So I end up going to Homebrew Emporium in Cambridge (open Saturdays)..where I get charged $27 for 5# and get an expired tank to boot. If anyone has any alternatives I'd be glad to hear them

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They use any lube on you?? That's down right grapage IMO... Glad I don't need to get the wrong end of the deal like that. I would get a larger tank and get it filled. I've found that most places (where you work) are understanding if you need to run out at lunch, or even take off early as long as there's no fires needing to be put out right then.

zachattack said:

You work in Boston proper? Where do you live?

You can try Keane Fire Safety in Waltham. I paid $20 for a 10 lb fill in the spring. They open at 7AM I think so maybe you can sneak in there real quick before work, then pick it up a day or two later.

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You got the wrong end of that deal too. To fill my 10# tank was $12 I believe.

I'll be going to Granite Industrial soon to get my 2.5# tank filled. Kind of waiting for my 5# to be empty too. If other area members want to work with me on getting tanks filled, that don't want to get graped (I'm between jobs at the moment, so I can get these filled during the day), let me know.

http://www.bfd.org/CO2_fill.htm

No, I got the right end of that deal. It's all relative. It's not a bad price for right outside Boston (it's cheaper than Igos Welding, which is where a lot of people go), and their hours work out great for my schedule. Plus it's only a couple miles from me.

Since I live in Waltham, I'll pay the extra $8 to not have to drive the 35-40 minutes each way. Since I'd use more than 2 gallons of gas getting there and back, that's the price difference right there. Not to mention the tolls on the Pike.

A LHBS will generally charge more, but you're paying for the convenience. They're probably sending them out to the same welding/fire safety shops, then they have to mark it up a bit.

Really, my time is worth a lot to me, and I'm happy to pay a little more for convenience. It's like those morons that drive 5 miles away to pay 5 cents less for a gallon of gas without thinking that it costs them twice their savings in gas money driving there and back.