Gas Cylinder Test Dates

[AccessDbGuy]

Greetings,

I recently became aware of a local used machinery dealer that was offering a couple of used welding outfits, "one with tanks!" to quote them.

Its the first time I've seen them offer pressurized gas cylinders for sale in many, many years.

So I sent them an email suggesting they check the crown of the cylinder (curved area just below the valve) for the most recent hydrostatic test dates.

And then when I vistied them, that email led to a long discussion about potential liability for selling "expired, out of date" cylinders.

Generally, most refillable gas cylinders must be re-tested every five years. Some types/some gases are less (3 years), some more (up to 12 years.)

For details see: Cylinder Maintenance and Testing reuirements, for high and low pressure service cylinders. Code of Federal Regulations 49, Part 173.34. Department of Transportation. Cylinder and Valve requirements for maintenance.

If you have older cylinders around, grab yourself a piece of blackboard chalk and drag around the cylinder's crown. Then you may have to lightly wipe off any excess.

You should then be able to see previous testing dates stamped into the metal. If the "most current" date is more than five years old it means you should (1) for that type cylinder and gas, learn how long the valid testing period is and (2), if its "expired," either have it re-tested (and marked), or destroyed.

Keep yourself safe. Both from dangerous cylinders, and the other guy's lawyers.

Regards!
Stan Db

 

[gbent]

I don't think there is any liability for selling, using, or transporting out of date tanks. The date is for refilling. I have had many tanks in my posession go out of date. They just must be retested before filling.

I own my current gas bottles and have them filled by airgas. There is no cost for returning an out of date bottle.

 

[johnoder]

There is of course a cost for having a bottle hydrotested through Airgas. I am waiting to pick up my 125 Argon bottle I bought new in '91. Retest was $27. Refilling with Argon afterwards will be an adder.

This was my only option as Airgas had no full 125 Argon bottle to swap out.

John Oder

 

[Rick Rowlands]

There is a CO2 bottle at work that has its first stamped date of 1923, and has an unbroken line of test dates right up to about 5 years ago. Those tanks last forever, or until you run out of room on the neck for another test date!

 

[moonlight machine]

The oldest test date I've seen is 1909.......I heard they retire them at 100 years, any one know if this is true?

 

[abarnsley]

Yes 100 years is the limit for Cylinders that otherwise pass inspection/testing..

According to the CFR in the US...

So any Steel tested Cylinder from 1910 on is usable... (always exceptions...)
ICC was forerunner of DOT

However....

Don't drop an early Cylinder, the steels used have improved a LOT since then..

3AA are the modern Shatterproof Cylinders..

Section

 

[JoeE.]

There is a CO2 bottle at work that has its first stamped date of 1923, and has an unbroken line of test dates right up to about 5 years ago.

I've always been curious about this..... I'm just leary that all those numbers we're reading as dates are actually dates that the cylinders were tested. Seems too simple to me. I've looked at the tops of my share of cylinders and I just have trouble believing that all the sets of digits stamped there are all actual dates of inspection. Most of these cylinders don't look as old and banged up as they should (to an extent) if they are atually 70 years old, for instance. When I was looking I was just looking to find as old of cylinder as I could just for the sake of finding something ancient.

Were there actually co2 cylinders in use in 1923? What did they do with portable c02 cylinders back then. Mig welding ? Carbonating soda at fountains? What about other gases like argon. Was there a use for that in the industrial setting back 70 years ago? I've got a few argon cylinders~ next time I'm there I'll check them out and see what I've got. I've also got some oxygen cylinders that my local dealer won't take (for some reason) and I will go look at them to see their earliest dates.

I can believe acetylene and oxygen cylinders that old. I've seen my share of acetylene generators at auctions and it makes me wonder how common portable cylinders were in earlier times, especially in industrial settings. Get yourself a drum of calcium carbide, an acetylene generator, connect it to piping in the shop, add water and~ "poof"~ you're in the acetylene business!

In the industrial setting, not sure if there was any other way to get oxygen other than individual cylinders back in the day.

Enlighten me.

 

[abarnsley]

We have a local Cylinder filling plant here..

The hundreds of cylinders that don't pass testing (thus taking out many old or slightly damaged tanks) are used at local fairgrounds as pillars (sunk halfway in ground) for attaching cables for parking lanes and such...

Only the strong survive... so no ratty tanks...

The tests are done, tanks stamped, everythings recorded... Lives are at stake...

 

[Mud]

Were there actually co2 cylinders in use in 1923? What did they do with portable c02 cylinders back then. Mig welding ? Carbonating soda at fountains? What about other gases like argon.

I had a Hydrogen cylinder with a 1912 date. There were a LOT of dates on that cylinder. If it could talk... Most of the really old tanks I've seen were the less common uses, like hydrogen, the O2 and CO2 and acetylene cylinders get cycled a lot more and would logically receive more wear/damage and get scrapped sooner.

 

[Bill D]

I believe that the pass date is stamped on the cylinder before the test. If it fails it is then stamped out. Stamping a pass date after the test might weaken the cylinder and make it fail?
Bill D.