[Eyecare]

There's been some controversy as to when those tanks granted the DOT exemption for 5-year testing must be rehydroed. Here's the way I see it:
1. If your tank was manufactured after the 5-year exemption was granted then it should have a 5-year sticker on it.
2. If it was manufactured before the exemption was granted then it must be retested in three years before it qualifies for the 5-year rehydro. The following caveats apply:

• Carleton cylinders tested prior to July 1, 2001 are good for 3 years.
• Carleton cylinders manufactured or tested after July 1, 2001 are good for 5 years.
• Luxfer cylinders tested prior to May 11, 2001 are good for 3 years.
• Luxfer cylinders tested after May 11, 2001 are good for 5 years.
• This applies to Carleton Technologies DOT-E-11194 and Luxfer Cylinders DOT-E 10915 tanks only.
• Cylinders Dual Marked “TC-SU 5134/DOT-E 10915" must be retested every 3 years if you're in Canada.

Supporting documentation follows:

From Carleton Technologies:
Carleton Technologies Inc, has been granted an extension to the 3-year retest requirement for carbon fiber full composite cylinders!
The Department of Transportation has granted Carleton Technologies Inc, Pressure Technology Division (Carleton PTD) an extension to the 3-year hydrostatic retest procedure for all carbon fiber full composite cylinders manufactured to DOT CFFC Exemption DOT-E-11194.

The retest requirement, by law, is now every 5 years and is based upon the following conditions:

Cylinders tested prior to July 1, 2001 must be retested within 36 months of the retest date marked on the cylinder.

Cylinders manufactured or tested after July 1, 2001 must be re-inspected and hydrostatically retested at least once every 5 years.
The granting of the DOT extension is great news for users of Carleton PTD cylinders because it will reduce the number of retests required over the current 15-year life of the composite cylinder. This will result in lower operating cost for users of our composite cylinders.
This extension DOES NOT pertain to Carleton PTD fiberglass cylinders manufactured to DOT FRP-1 Exemption DOT-E-11005. These cylinders must still be retested every 3 years.

From Luxfer Cylinders:

LUXFER GAS CYLINDERS
Composite Cylinder Division
F A C S I M I L E

CGA Pamphlet C-6.2 is currently under revision to include considerations for the requalification of carbon composite cylinders. DOT/RSPA has recently issued revision 10 of Luxfer’s carbon exemption DOT-E 10915. This new revision includes an extended retest period from 3 years to 5 years. This extension is qualified in paragraph 7(b) as applying to any cylinder that has not been requalified prior to May 11, 2001. Any cylinder requalified prior to May 11, 2001 is required to be requalified within three years (a 36-month period). Once requalified within the
three-year period, the cylinder is then subject to the five-year cycle. It also includes the complete requirements necessary to properly requalify this type of exemption cylinder.

Luxfer Gas Cylinders has prepared the following guidelines to assist approved and qualified retest agencies in the requalification of our carbon composite product, marked “DOT-E 10915” and other fiber types. Please contact our Customer Service Department at 1-800-764-0366 if you have any further questions.

Please note that recommendation number twelve (12), shown below, is applicable to any Luxfer USA composite cylinder where the test criteria have a 5% maximum ratio requirement. This is applicable to any fiber type or specification with this requirement.

Respectfully,

Richard W. McKibben
Quality Manager – Composite Cylinder Division


Recommended Guidelines for the Requalification of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Compressed Gas Cylinders as Marked “DOT-E 10915”

Within the United States (and other countries where the national regulatory authorities conform to the U.S.A. DOT specifications), each cylinder must be requalified every five years in accordance with exemption DOT-E 10915, 49 CFR 173.34(e) and CGA pamphlet C-6.2. The requalification process requires that a visual inspection and hydrostatic test be performed on the container, including:

1. The cylinder is requalified in accordance with CGA pamphlet C-6.2, with exceptions as noted herein. In addition to CGA C-6.2, please follow the guidelines and recommendations of the Luxfer SCBA Cylinder Visual Inspection Guide, Volume 2, for Luxfer SCBA carbon composite cylinders. (To download our Guide, please visit www.luxfercylinders.com.)

2. Repair or rework of rejected cylinders is authorized for Level 2 types of damage as described in CGA pamphlet C-6.2. The maximum allowable depth of any direct fiber damage (cuts, abrasions, etc.) is the thickness of the outer fiberglass layer at the damage site. The maximum allowable length of glass fiber damage is 20% of the straight sidewall length of the cylinder. Depths should not exceed:

A. Cylindrical and Dome Sections: .035” (.89 mm) for diameters up to 7.5” (190.5 mm)
.045” (1.14 mm) for diameters over 7.5” (190.5 mm)

3. Any damage that extends into the carbon layer is classified as Level 3 type damage and is no longer repairable. Please refer to the Luxfer SCBA Cylinder Visual Inspection Guide, Volume 2, for further details.

4. Any repair or rework of Level 2 damage must be made in accordance with CGA pamphlet C-6.2 prior to hydrostatic retest and evaluated per C-6.2 after hydrostatic retest. Contact the manufacturer in the event that assessed damage is questionable based on these criteria.

5. Cylinders must be tested in a water jacket suitable for the determination of the expansion of the cylinder for a minimum test time of one minute. The test pressure is 5/3 the marked service pressure. Care must be taken not to exceed 105% of the prescribed test pressure. Care must also be taken to allow sufficient time for the permanent expansion to settle following the release of the test pressure. This typically takes longer with a composite cylinder than with an all-metal cylinder.

6. A maximum permanent expansion to total expansion ratio does not apply. The cylinder must be condemned if the elastic expansion exceeds the rejected elastic expansion (REE) marked on the cylinder. The marked REE is 1.10 times the original expansion. Please contact the manufacturer if this marking has become obscured or unreadable.

7. When a hydrostatic retest is repeated, as provided for in 49 CFR 173.34(e)(4), only two such retests are permitted.

8. Retest markings must be marked on a label securely affixed to the cylinder and overcoated with a two component, ambient cure epoxy system (five-minute). The label should be applied near the original test date. Reheat treatment of rejected cylinders is not authorized.


Additional Guidelines for Cylinders Dual Marked “TC-SU 5134/DOT-E 10915”

Within Canada, each cylinder must be reinspected and hydrostatically retested every three years in accordance with CAN/CSA-B339-96, Section 24, for TC-3FCM type cylinders, including:

9. Paragraphs (1), (2), (3), (4) and (8), as noted for cylinders marked DOT-E 10915.

10. The minimum prescribed test pressure is 1.5 times the marked service pressure.

11. In Canada, the marked rejected elastic expansion (REE) is not recognized and does not apply. The Canadian requalification criterion is a maximum ratio of permanent to total expansion of 5%.

Additional Guidelines for 5% Ratio Requirements (REE not applicable)

12. For test requirements that include a 5% maximum ratio instead of a REE, the manufacturer recommends a pre-test pressurization to 85% of the required test pressure. This pre-test pressurization helps ensure that the composite structure is stable within the test apparatus and acts as an individual systems check. This process should include a verification of a “near zero” permanent expansion after the pressure has been released.

Hope this helps.

PS:
1. Here are a couple of good sites for more detailed hydrotesting information: Hydrolab
2. Good site for info on how to read your bottle markings Safety Notes: Understanding Cylinder Markings and Which standard applies to your bottle (by E number).
3. For those of you with questions on which type of "Loctite" to use on your fittings, here's some info on this as well: Loctite - the basics

UPDATE (4/08): I haven't played in a couple of years and haven't kept up with recent changes but i got a PM recently from a PBN member asking a rehydro question and had to look up some info for him. Keep in mind that standards can change with time so having current information is important. Safety first.

- How to read cylinder markings (from Carleton's site)

- HPA Tank Safety Quick Reference (from Kimber's Paintball Video.com)

- Authorized DOT Cylinder Retesters - U.S. and International (from US DOT PHMSA -Office of Hazardous Materials Safety)

[pfn]

Here is a followup that has more detail for Carleton cylinders (which I care about, because mine is DOT-E1194):

E-11194 Carbon filament "CFFC" cylinders:

Manufactured or tested after July 1, 2001 must be reinspected and hydrostatically retested at least once every 5 years. If the retest was done prior to July 1st, the next retest must be done within 36 months. All subsequent retests must then be done every 5 years.

Have a maximum service life of 15 years from the month of manufacture. DOT may, in the future, extend the service life of these cylinders.

Are tested at 5/3 times the marked service pressure and held at test pressure for a minimum of 60 seconds.

Are rejected if the rejection elastic expansion "REE" that is marked on the label is exceeded.

May only be retested two times (EQUIPMENT FAILURE CAUSE ONLY) at a maximum of 200 psi over the original test pressure, to avoid damage.

Must have the test date marked by the label and epoxy covered.

[Eric the Great]

5-year

[vikingshadow]

Why not? This stuff confuses me, too. Could you tell me if mine is a 3 or 5 year hydro? And I assume it's from March of 2004...

Thank you!

Pure Energy 3000

68 cu
TC-3FCM-207
DOT-E 9634-3000
DK 92274 Luxfer 3 ^04

[Eric the Great]

Originally Posted by vikingshadow

Why not? This stuff confuses me, too. Could you tell me if mine is a 3 or 5 year hydro? And I assume it's from March of 2004...

Thank you!

Pure Energy 3000

68 cu
TC-3FCM-207
DOT-E 9634-3000
DK 92274 Luxfer 3 ^04

3-year tank. yes the original date was march 2004, so its good till the end of feb '07.

heres an explanation of the label.
68CU= size of tank
TC#= canadian transport stamp
DOT#= Department of Transportation(US) stamp
Luxfer= MFG of tank

[Eric the Great]

DOT exemptions can be found here:
http://hazmat.dot.gov/exempapp/exemp...ions_index.htm

[vikingshadow]

Ah, crap! Ok, thanks for clearing that up for me. So the 207 on the first line is the date that it needed inspected by?

Well, shucks....and I suppose once I get it rehydroed, it'll still be for three years after that?

The DOT Exemption thing is pretty cool! Thanks for giving it to me.

[ubermich]

So if you have a tank that's out of hydro no one will fill it and no one will rehydro it??? That doesn't make sense... what if it was never used, but it's a 6 year old tank?

[Rspec]

^ You can get it rehydroed you just need to take it to a shop that will do it.

Can anyone tell me if this tank needs to be rehydroed later this yr or if it was a 5 yr tank.

DOT-E 10915-4500
FW 22009 LUXFER
11/02 REE : 8.5

Its a pure energy 45/45

Also does anyone know if they make this tank in hp and lp...the guy said he didnt know which it was.

[Eric the Great]

vikingshadow- yes it will still be a three year tank. idk about the canadian #, that may be the case or it could be a coincidence.

Rspec-that is a five year tank. PE makes both, most are hp. my guess is that it is a hp tank.

[Badmax18]

what is the rehydro for this tank:


Dye throlle 70/45

Can anyone help me out?

[Eric the Great]

6/04 is the hydro on the bottle, its good for 5 years. so it will expire at the end of may 2009.

[Badmax18]

Eric - thanks for the quick response!!

[Rspec]

Originally Posted by Eric the Great

vikingshadow- yes it will still be a three year tank. idk about the canadian #, that may be the case or it could be a coincidence.

Rspec-that is a five year tank. PE makes both, most are hp. my guess is that it is a hp tank.

Cool so it needs to be rehydroed in 11/07

Is there anyway I can tell if the tank is an hp tank? He uses it on his mini e orracle cocker so Im guessin its hp.

[Presto333]

can someone tell me if this is a 5 yr or 3 yr tank?



Thanks

[Eric the Great]

five years

[in2b8u]

Eric you are Great!!!

[-=PYRO=-]

FOR THE LOVE OF GOD didn't anyone read the sticky!!!???? Read the sticky and find out for yourself when your bottle is due. MAN!

[paintballer420]

crossfire with dot-e 10954-4500

[Eric the Great]

i dont think thats the right dot#, that # covers 2200lb disposable bags.........

[Badmax18]

erik - 3 or 5?



thanks man!