# Steel Tank Question



## countryjwh (Nov 20, 2007)

somebody teach me something,

is it common to have rust build up inside your tank and can i get it out? if so, how? does it hurt to be in the tank? 

also, my brother has a tank that its know that turns the air on/off stripped out on the little square piece that comes out of the valve. how easy is it to fix this? i took it to a dive shop in alabama and they said you need special tools for the springs and whatnot. it looked like to me i just back off the 1/2 inch nut and replace it. did they scheme more money off of me cause they would not sell me just the piece to fix it.


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## sealark (Sep 27, 2007)

Steel tanks will get rust in them, Yes it can be cleaned and a small amount wont hurt a thing. Yes the valves can be fixed. If you can bring the tank over here I will look at it and clean it If the valve is a US Divers i can fix it also or take it to Dive pros where they wont rip you off. If the tank is a newer one and has the straight threads. If that Dive shop told you they can't work on it because they didn't have tools to fix a valve turn around and run and never return.

Sorry I just went back and looked, You are in Mobile. Find a different shop and take the tank in there.


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## countryjwh (Nov 20, 2007)

sealark said:


> Steel tanks will get rust in them, Yes it can be cleaned and a small amount wont hurt a thing. Yes the valves can be fixed. If you can bring the tank over here I will look at it and clean it If the valve is a US Divers i can fix it also or take it to Dive pros where they wont rip you off. If the tank is a newer one and has the straight threads. If that Dive shop told you they can't work on it because they didn't have tools to fix a valve turn around and run and never return.
> 
> Sorry I just went back and looked, You are in Mobile. Find a different shop and take the tank in there.


i did not say something i should have. they told me they could not sell me the part because i did not have the tools to fix it. so i had to leave it with them. they said they had to fix it and charged my brother 77 bucks to tumble, viz, and fix valve.


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## sealark (Sep 27, 2007)

You got it fixed thats good and those shops are there to make a living. For what you got I would say a fair price.


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## countryjwh (Nov 20, 2007)

Sealark I understand they are here to make money. It's just everytime I go there, which isn't often it seems they try to get over on me. I guess my question should have been to the majority of steel tanks get rust in them. I have taken 6 tanks and all tanks seem to need tumbling over the past years. Also why couldn't they just sell me the part. I like to save money and tinker with things myself. They got me thinking so much on some prices Also that I mail my regs to mbt and they service them. Last time after service and shipping it was still 40 bucks cheaper than them. I understand everyone is out to make money it's just calling and talking to mbt Is totally different that talking to our shop. They think we are stupid which is why I try my darnest not to use them.


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## Berry (Mar 8, 2011)

I don't know about the mobile shops but I refuse to set foot in the orange beach (maybe we are in business, maybe we are closed) or the gulf shores (completely over priced and a horrible customer service the two times I attempted to deal with them). I live in orange beach and only use dive pros and mbt both are first class dive shops with excellent customer services.


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## Firefishvideo (Jul 1, 2010)

Just my thought on the subject...sometimes a shop will not sell parts for certain items because of safety issues.
I noticed .... You did not ask if the valve itself should be disassembled and checked for damage.....a stripped handle can be a sign of further problems. (Worn out valve seat, or corroded internal parts)
I'd suggest you get into the mindset that problems with dive gear usually are symptoms of other problems....which might require professional diagnosis.
Unfortunately there are some bad shops out there...find a good one and let them keep you safe.
On that topic....if you are getting rust in your steel tanks ....you are either running them completely empty while in the water - which can let water into the tank through the open valve.....or the dive shop you are using isn't drying their air properly.
You may get a little rust in the tank after hydro testing....since the tank has to be filled with water during testing.....but it is easily removed during the dive shops VIP service.


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## sealark (Sep 27, 2007)

Firefish. The main way small amounts of water turn into large amount is when you rinse a tank after the regulator is off and refill it without first blowing the couple of drops of water from the valve over time it can destroy a steel tank from rust. Ask me how I know...


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## Firefishvideo (Jul 1, 2010)

sealark said:


> Firefish. The main way small amounts of water turn into large amount is when you rinse a tank after the regulator is off and refill it without first blowing the couple of drops of water from the valve over time it can destroy a steel tank from rust. Ask me how I know...


I know it can happen in shops that use a water bath to cool the tanks while filling.
Most of the shops I've been in dont fill them quickly enough for there to be any water left on the tanks.
I have seen it happen with yoke style regs...diver breaths the tank dry on the surface....and water slips between the reg and valve.
It can also happen if the tanks are empty, and the valves are left open in a humid environment.....especially with temperature changes.
Most of my tanks are steel....and I have never had any rust - other than a little flash rust from the hydro testing.
Of course the worst damage I have seen was caused by not rinsing the tanks....causing severe pitting under the rubber boots....which of course makes the tanks worthless.
Good point about purging the valve a little before filling. Do you have your own compressor?


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## sealark (Sep 27, 2007)

You're missing my point, when you hose down a tank at the washdown rack without a regulator on it a couple drops of water will get into the outlet hole of the valve and it will stay there regardless of the pressure. Then when it gets filled the next time IF they don't blow a small amount of air out before hooking the charge hose up it blows that small one or two drops of water into the tank. Over 20 or 30 fills it adds up.:thumbup:


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## BananaTom (Feb 16, 2008)

sealark said:


> If you can bring the tank over here I will look at it


*A little derail, sorry OP, but Sealark, where is over here? 

By this statement it appears that you have some sort of repair shop/biz I am unaware of.

BT.
*


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## Firefishvideo (Jul 1, 2010)

sealark said:


> You're missing my point, when you hose down a tank at the washdown rack without a regulator on it a couple drops of water will get into the outlet hole of the valve and it will stay there regardless of the pressure. Then when it gets filled the next time IF they don't blow a small amount of air out before hooking the charge hose up it blows that small one or two drops of water into the tank. Over 20 or 30 fills it adds up.:thumbup:


I got that the first time.....but I just think that the water will evaporate if the tank sits more than 8 hours before filling. I'm sure that in a small shop that refills tanks right after they are rinsed it may happen a lot - like a private fill station.
I'm not arguing with you....just adding other ways that water gets into the tank....ones that I have seen happen a lot.
I DO purge my tanks before I refill them...if I have just rinsed them.....but if they have been sitting in the hot garage for a day or two before they get filled....I usually don't bother purging them....although its not like it would be much gas to waste for safety sake.


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## Captain Jack (May 15, 2013)

Remember water often is introduced into a cylinder through the fill process as well. I have two compressors and both have have multiple condensate dumps on them. Moisture also destroys filtration systems. If you ever open up a compressor filter very often you will find 90% desiccant and 10% activated charcoal. If a compressor isn't properly maintained and operated your tanks will rust.


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