March 2000

Vol. 15, No. 3     What's this?

Suspect Aluminum Tanks

from the March, 2000 issue of Undercurrent  

The Department of Transportation, which regulates cylinder manufacturing and filling, has released the following list of scuba tanks that are most likely to be made from the 6351-T6 aluminum alloy to which a disproportionate number of tank explosions are attributable:

• All DOT3AL tanks manufactured under one of the following exemptions or special permits: 6498, 7042, 8107, 8364, 8422;
• All composite cylinders manufactured under one of the following exemptions: 7235, 8023, 8115;
• l All Walter Kidde DOT3AL scuba tanks;
• Cliff Impact DOT3AL scuba tanks made before July, 1990;
• Luxfer 80.8 cu. ft. scuba tanks (S80.8) made before May, 1987;
• Luxfer 72 and 100 cu. ft. scuba tanks (S72, S100) made before August, 1987;
• Luxfer 80 cu. ft. scuba tanks (S80) made before January, 1988;
• Luxfer 50 and 92 cu. ft. scuba tanks (S50, S92) made before April, 1988;
• Luxfer 30 and 63 cu. ft. scuba tanks (S30, S63) made before May, 1988;
• Luxfer 40 cu. ft. scuba tanks (S40) made before June, 1988;
• All other scuba tanks made in the U.S. before February; 1990 (except Catalina);
• All scuba tanks not made in the U.S.