This is a recreation of the post originally created by Mstrtal
As it comes up every so often and was stickied on MCB I figured I would re-post the info over here.
HPA tanks
There are blanket rules, and exceptions for the the blanket rules. First, the blanket rules.
1 - All fiber-wrapped tanks are to be hydro tested every 3 years, unless the manufacturer specifically indicates ON THE BOTTLE that hydro testing is due at 5 years. All fiber-wrapped tanks have a maximum lifespan of 15 years, no exceptions.
2 - All steel and aluminum HPA tanks are to be tested every 5 years, with an unlimited lifespan. The only exception to this rule is for steel tanks stamped 3HT, which must be tested every 3 years and have a 24 year lifespan.
CO2 tanks
Again, first the blanket rule.
1 - All CO2 tanks (including those manufactured from chrome-moly alloy) must be hydro tested every 5 years, with unlimited lifespan. The only exception is for tanks under 2 inches in diameter and less than 2 feet in length, these are exempt from testing. NOTE - Chrome-Moly tanks are NOT exempt from testing!! There is a wide belief in the paintball industry that they are exempt, they are not, unless they fall under the 2 inch diameter rule. The 2 inch/2 foot rule will apply mostly to 9-ounce tanks.
Exceptions
There are some "E" codes stamped on some fiber-wrapped HPA bottles. Many people believe that if their bottle is stamped with an "E" code it means they are exempt from testing, this is not true. It means that bottle falls under an exemption from the blanket rule in some specification, but that exemption may or may not address the hydro test date. Here are the only listed "E" codes for fiber-wrapped tanks on the DOT site, and how they will affect your bottle.
E-07277 - manufacturer SCI, to be tested every 3 years, 15 year service life. This exemption deals with the manufacturing process, not the hydro test schedule.
E-09634 - manufacturer Luxfer, to be tested every 3 years, 15 year service life. This exemption deals with the manufacturing process, not the hydro test schedule.
E-10915 - manufacturer Luxfer, may be changed to 5-year schedule, this will be explained below.
E-10945, manufacturer SCI, may be changed to 5-year schedule, as explained below
E-11005, manufacturer Careton Tech, to be tested every 3 years, 15 year service life. This exemption deals with the manufacturing process, not the hydro test schedule.
E-11194, manufacturer Careton Tech, may be changed to 5 year schedule, as explained below
E-12479, manufacturer Luxfer, to be tested every 3 years, 15 year service life. This exemption deals with the manufacturing process, not the hydro test schedule.
On some Scott CO2 bottles E-8096: exempts these bottles from ever needing to be tested, for their service life of 15 years. These are for 16 ounce chrome-moly tanks, the exemption will expire on October 31, 2005. After that date, if the exemption is not renewed by the manufacturer, they will have to be hydroed.
5-year test schedule exemption explained - All these bottles still have a maximum service life of 15 years from original manufacture. These bottles were originally manufactured under a 3-year retest schedule, but the manufacturer was allowed by the DOT to move them to a 5-year retest schedule, provided they have been tested/manufactured after a certain date, as applied below.
For exemption code E-10915, if the last test date was before May 11, 2001 then your bottle is still on the 3-year cycle and must be tested every 3 years. If it shows a test date after May 11, 2001 then your bottle is now on a 5-year test schedule.
For exemption codes E-10945 and E-11194, your bottle is on a 3-year test schedule if the last test occurred before July 1, 2001. If your bottle has been tested after that date, you are now on a 5-year test schedule.
[/end Thread theft mode]
Also at the bottom of the same thread there was a addendum about a set of faulty tanks so I snagged that too.
It reads......
http://hazmat.dot.gov/regs/notices/sa/70fr-47273.htm
High pressure DOT exemption cylinders made and/or distributed
by Global Composites International, Inc. (GCI), Ontario, CA
PHMSA and the OIG have evidence that suggests GCI manufactured, marked, certified, and sold an undetermined number of high-pressure DOT exemption carbon fiber filament cylinders when the cylinders had not been manufactured in accordance with the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR), DOT-E 12695
DOT recommends that any person possessing a cylinder manufactured by Global Composites International, Inc. (GCI) and marked with exemption number DOT-E 12695 take the cylinder to a qualified refilling station and have the pressure relieved from the cylinder. The cylinder is no longer authorized for use. Refilling stations and cylinder re-qualification facilities are advised that DOT-E 12695 has been suspended and these cylinders may not be refilled or re-qualified for service.
_________________
This part was a follow up post to my post (above) on the MCB thread.
NOTE:
For the 2x2 rule to take effect, the tank ALSO NEEDS a special DOT exemption.
These exemptions did not start until around 1990, so usually, 7oz tanks before 1990 are NOT exempt, but tanks AFTER 1990 are.
The code for Catalina is DOT-E7737
Not sure about other brands.
Hope this helps everyone!
As it comes up every so often and was stickied on MCB I figured I would re-post the info over here.
HPA tanks
There are blanket rules, and exceptions for the the blanket rules. First, the blanket rules.
1 - All fiber-wrapped tanks are to be hydro tested every 3 years, unless the manufacturer specifically indicates ON THE BOTTLE that hydro testing is due at 5 years. All fiber-wrapped tanks have a maximum lifespan of 15 years, no exceptions.
2 - All steel and aluminum HPA tanks are to be tested every 5 years, with an unlimited lifespan. The only exception to this rule is for steel tanks stamped 3HT, which must be tested every 3 years and have a 24 year lifespan.
CO2 tanks
Again, first the blanket rule.
1 - All CO2 tanks (including those manufactured from chrome-moly alloy) must be hydro tested every 5 years, with unlimited lifespan. The only exception is for tanks under 2 inches in diameter and less than 2 feet in length, these are exempt from testing. NOTE - Chrome-Moly tanks are NOT exempt from testing!! There is a wide belief in the paintball industry that they are exempt, they are not, unless they fall under the 2 inch diameter rule. The 2 inch/2 foot rule will apply mostly to 9-ounce tanks.
Exceptions
There are some "E" codes stamped on some fiber-wrapped HPA bottles. Many people believe that if their bottle is stamped with an "E" code it means they are exempt from testing, this is not true. It means that bottle falls under an exemption from the blanket rule in some specification, but that exemption may or may not address the hydro test date. Here are the only listed "E" codes for fiber-wrapped tanks on the DOT site, and how they will affect your bottle.
E-07277 - manufacturer SCI, to be tested every 3 years, 15 year service life. This exemption deals with the manufacturing process, not the hydro test schedule.
E-09634 - manufacturer Luxfer, to be tested every 3 years, 15 year service life. This exemption deals with the manufacturing process, not the hydro test schedule.
E-10915 - manufacturer Luxfer, may be changed to 5-year schedule, this will be explained below.
E-10945, manufacturer SCI, may be changed to 5-year schedule, as explained below
E-11005, manufacturer Careton Tech, to be tested every 3 years, 15 year service life. This exemption deals with the manufacturing process, not the hydro test schedule.
E-11194, manufacturer Careton Tech, may be changed to 5 year schedule, as explained below
E-12479, manufacturer Luxfer, to be tested every 3 years, 15 year service life. This exemption deals with the manufacturing process, not the hydro test schedule.
On some Scott CO2 bottles E-8096: exempts these bottles from ever needing to be tested, for their service life of 15 years. These are for 16 ounce chrome-moly tanks, the exemption will expire on October 31, 2005. After that date, if the exemption is not renewed by the manufacturer, they will have to be hydroed.
5-year test schedule exemption explained - All these bottles still have a maximum service life of 15 years from original manufacture. These bottles were originally manufactured under a 3-year retest schedule, but the manufacturer was allowed by the DOT to move them to a 5-year retest schedule, provided they have been tested/manufactured after a certain date, as applied below.
For exemption code E-10915, if the last test date was before May 11, 2001 then your bottle is still on the 3-year cycle and must be tested every 3 years. If it shows a test date after May 11, 2001 then your bottle is now on a 5-year test schedule.
For exemption codes E-10945 and E-11194, your bottle is on a 3-year test schedule if the last test occurred before July 1, 2001. If your bottle has been tested after that date, you are now on a 5-year test schedule.
[/end Thread theft mode]
Also at the bottom of the same thread there was a addendum about a set of faulty tanks so I snagged that too.
It reads......
http://hazmat.dot.gov/regs/notices/sa/70fr-47273.htm
High pressure DOT exemption cylinders made and/or distributed
by Global Composites International, Inc. (GCI), Ontario, CA
PHMSA and the OIG have evidence that suggests GCI manufactured, marked, certified, and sold an undetermined number of high-pressure DOT exemption carbon fiber filament cylinders when the cylinders had not been manufactured in accordance with the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR), DOT-E 12695
DOT recommends that any person possessing a cylinder manufactured by Global Composites International, Inc. (GCI) and marked with exemption number DOT-E 12695 take the cylinder to a qualified refilling station and have the pressure relieved from the cylinder. The cylinder is no longer authorized for use. Refilling stations and cylinder re-qualification facilities are advised that DOT-E 12695 has been suspended and these cylinders may not be refilled or re-qualified for service.
_________________
This part was a follow up post to my post (above) on the MCB thread.
NOTE:
For the 2x2 rule to take effect, the tank ALSO NEEDS a special DOT exemption.
These exemptions did not start until around 1990, so usually, 7oz tanks before 1990 are NOT exempt, but tanks AFTER 1990 are.
The code for Catalina is DOT-E7737
Not sure about other brands.
Hope this helps everyone!
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