Question on HPA Safety

[RangerX]

Ok so here's the deal...

I'm at my friends house leeching off his scuba tank because I havn't bought one yet. He was filling his tank bitching that he's had a slow leak coming from his fixed reg (old nitroduck preset) I took a look at his bottle and noticed about a once inch crack from the reg down.. (in the fiberglass)...

So I was like... "Holy fart"... and I dove across his car like Bow and Luke from Dukes of Hazard to take cover... I asked him if he had that inspected, and said it was due this June.

So the question is... aren't these supposed to be visually inspected each year? And a crack in the fiberglass... I'm assuming that could be potentially dangerous correct? Common sense would tell me thats a weak spot... and weak spots and HPA don't mix...

LMK

Thanks,

-RangerX

[Emmit]

if its a paintball tank it's supposed to be visually inspected each time he fills the tank...more than likely tho the field is just checking his hydro date.

that tank will likely not pass hydro

[firemedic30]

You are absolutely CORRECT!!!! With fiberglass cylinders they should be hydrotested every 3 years. Steel cylinders are every 5 years. With SCUBA, just like SCBA in the fire service, there should be repeated and frequent inspections.

TRUST ME, that thing is a time bomb(no pun). Tell your friend to open it slightly and leave the room. Allow it to bleed off and get that fixed.

Same inspections for the our little handheld cylinders are also advisable.

[RangerX]

Thanks for the info.

-RangerX