S.C.B.A Tank setup
- Thread starter anonymous_.457
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so the leak is actually coming out of the gauge..
I got new o ring from the dive shop and fixed the valve to tank leak..
I have no idea how you can fix a leaky gauge with Teflon tape.. it's built into the valve.. I assume that it will either have to be replaced or rebuilt with new seals or diaphragm, whatever they put in the gauge..
hopefully I can call the dive shop this afternoon.. only open between 3-5.. I don't know how in this economy they are able to survive with 2 open hours per day.. course I might find out how they can stay in business when I get a price
Mark
I got new o ring from the dive shop and fixed the valve to tank leak..
I have no idea how you can fix a leaky gauge with Teflon tape.. it's built into the valve.. I assume that it will either have to be replaced or rebuilt with new seals or diaphragm, whatever they put in the gauge..
hopefully I can call the dive shop this afternoon.. only open between 3-5.. I don't know how in this economy they are able to survive with 2 open hours per day.. course I might find out how they can stay in business when I get a price
Mark
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Call me at 601-641-1504 we can get this fixedso the leak is actually coming out of the gauge..
I got new o ring from the dive shop and fixed the valve to tank leak..
I have no idea how you can fix a leaky gauge with Teflon tape.. it's built into the valve.. I assume that it will either have to be replaced or rebuilt with new seals or diaphragm, whatever they put in the gauge..
hopefully I can call the dive shop this afternoon.. only open between 3-5.. I don't know how in this economy they are able to survive with 2 open hours per day.. course I might find out how they can stay in business when I get a price
Mark
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Go on ebay & look for a new valve. They're not that pricey & will save the headache of trying to fix yours, which probably cannot be done. I think SCOTT valves are same size as SURVIVAIR, can't remember, but the Scott valves are robust. Saw one the other day for $15.
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I've never bought from eBay but I have Amazon before.. all the ones I saw on eBay were used.. so I don't know if they are good or like mine.. mine is used.. and how long would a used one last is a good question too..
yes ideally I would like to get a new one if possible..
Mark
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Mark, USUALLY scba valves have a history of longevity, firefighters lives depend on it. I've been in the firefighting equipment business for over 30 years & RARELY have them give up the ghost but it happens. They usually leak at the bourdon tube that goes to the gauge reading. Not "fixable" so we replace them. Search eBay for NEW one or ask dealer if they'll replace if it's not right. Shouldn't be a problem.
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I got the tank from a friend, so no complaints there.. I appreciate it even if it has a problem..
I just got in the house to call the local dive shop and see if they have a replacement valve..in a way I wish it was just a valve like my oxygen and nitrogen and mix tanks and the pressure gauge separate, because gauges go bad.. but I totally understand why they are not that way for firefighters tanks.. they need to be able to quickly visualize how much air is available whether it's on or off..
I searched several places, eBay, Amazon and the only place I found a new valve online was a firefighter supply store and they had a price listed for $300.. there's got to be a better price I'd hope.
Mark
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I got my used and expired 45 minute Scott tank off ebay with a valve that doesn't leak for about $100. They might be a bit more now but I wouldn't spend much more to get a valve. At least not without checking the used market. I don't love ebay but it is really just a way to connect buyers and sellers. I bought my tank from a retired firefighter selling off what had been retired from the fire station. I had a leak problem and he called me to help. Good guy. Offered a replacement tank but said he was sure it was the fill set - a cheap one off Amazon. He was right. I bought a much more expensive fill set from Joe Brancato that works great. I buy lots of stuff off Amazon and some from Aliexpress but sometimes it's best to spend more to get something that works well and is dependable. But if my expired tank developed a leak tomorrow I would be searching ebay for a replacement. It's just my opinion without data to support it but I think Scott tanks and probably other tanks used by firemen are more solidly made than most and the fact that they are over 15 years old doesn't make them a safety hazard. If the carbon fiber looks good and it doesn't leak, I will use it.
The guys that are selling off older tanks often have valves for sale too. I've heard they are not so easy to change but I've never tried it.
The guys that are selling off older tanks often have valves for sale too. I've heard they are not so easy to change but I've never tried it.
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Is it important to you to stay with the same style valve? You if your servicer can handle Foster, you could always get a brand new Saber Tactical for $200: https://sabertacticalinc.com/products/tank-valve-st0031
Or JB's TJ3 valve for $229.00 : https://www.topgun-airguns.com/product/tj3-dual-gauge-valve/
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Just buy a used one off eBay ask the seller if it leaks before you buy 99.9% of the time they don't leak and you can get one used off there for like 30$ shipped....
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Just buy one of joe brancoto's tj3 valves, you will know you are getting a high quality valve for the pressures involved, get two good pressure guages, and they are slow flow on filling. I used the standard valve on fireman's scba tank for a month when I first started before buying Joe's, best purchase I made air wise. Breathing air valves are a bitch to control, and blasting your gun with a large volume of high pressure air is not good. You have to know which standard thread your bottle has, probably the 7/8 but you need to be sure.
www.topgun-airguns.com
TJ3 Dual Gauge Valve
The absolute best Dual gauge valve system for your airtank. With the TJ3 Dual Gauge system, you have the main glycerin filled gauge (2.5
www.topgun-airguns.com Upvote 0
Joe brandcato does make very good stuff never really heard anything about them.Just buy one of joe brancoto's tj3 valves, you will know you are getting a high quality valve for the pressures involved, get two good pressure guages, and they are slow flow on filling. I used the standard valve on fireman's scba tank for a month when I first started before buying Joe's, best purchase I made air wise. Breathing air valves are a bitch to control, and blasting your gun with a large volume of high pressure air is not good. You have to know which standard thread your bottle has, probably the 7/8 but you need to be sure.
TJ3 Dual Gauge Valve
The absolute best Dual gauge valve system for your airtank. With the TJ3 Dual Gauge system, you have the main glycerin filled gauge (2.5
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I'm not sure what to do now.. waiting until Felix gets back to ask him since he is way more into compressor and tanks and guns than I am..
my tank is a survivair carbon fiber 30 minutes..I sort of like the valve outlet fitting for 2 reasons,1 I have the fill station that fits it from Wes at airgun archery fun in Canada..2 I have a medical oxygen regulator fitting and a spare welding oxygen regulator that I was hoping to put a quick disconnect shop fitting so if I need to use the air nailer for just a few times I don't have to move the shop air compressor..
I have my own compressor to fill the bottle..
the dive shop said that my bottle is carbon fiber and it was made in 98.. and it is supposed to be taken out of use in 5 years from manufacture.. they said that it was distortion from the neck putting pressure on the valve.. and they said that if I wanted to keep it I need to take it to airgas or industrial supply for inspection and hydro test.. but neither place knew anything about it and said to bring it by..
so I am not really liking carbon fiber tank since it's apparently only good for 5 years and then trash??
I sure don't want to be in the same acre of it was to fail..
so hopefully my friend Felix will know what to do..or maybe some of you guys know..
Mark
my tank is a survivair carbon fiber 30 minutes..I sort of like the valve outlet fitting for 2 reasons,1 I have the fill station that fits it from Wes at airgun archery fun in Canada..2 I have a medical oxygen regulator fitting and a spare welding oxygen regulator that I was hoping to put a quick disconnect shop fitting so if I need to use the air nailer for just a few times I don't have to move the shop air compressor..
I have my own compressor to fill the bottle..
the dive shop said that my bottle is carbon fiber and it was made in 98.. and it is supposed to be taken out of use in 5 years from manufacture.. they said that it was distortion from the neck putting pressure on the valve.. and they said that if I wanted to keep it I need to take it to airgas or industrial supply for inspection and hydro test.. but neither place knew anything about it and said to bring it by..
so I am not really liking carbon fiber tank since it's apparently only good for 5 years and then trash??
I sure don't want to be in the same acre of it was to fail..
so hopefully my friend Felix will know what to do..or maybe some of you guys know..
Mark
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It's amazing how little some of these air shop guys know. 5 years is WRONG. I also find it very hard to believe that neck distortion, IF there is any, is so bad it won't allow air in. Guy is full of BS. By the same reasoning it wouldn't allow air out! Just get a new (to you) valve. You seem concerned about a "used" one but the ones for sale & that all of us buy at some point are USED! They've come off other tanks. You're making this way harder than it needs to be Mark!
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SCBA tanks when made have a useful life of 15 years, with hydrostatic testing required at 5 & 10 years of age.
At 15 years of age, they can have a life-extension test done to them (Modal Acoustic Emission, or MAE) by a company called Hexagon Digital Wave, but it's pricey. $375 plus shipping both ways the 5th year, then $110 the next two 5-year cycles plus shipping both ways on your dime. That's $595 plus 6 shipments; assuming each is $40 (probably on the light side), that's a grand total of $835 to get an extra 15 years of LEGAL use out of the tank. (By legal, I mean having the ability to have it filled at a commercial shop)
Ultrasonic Examination
Using ultrasonic sound waves to identify structural flaws in metallic cylinders Our Ultrasonic Examination (UE) test equipment makes it easy for operators to detect even the smallest defects in metallic cylinders without removing the valve or product ! Our system is not only faster to operate, but…
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so maybe I wasn't clear.. I filled it first time to 1000 and it leaked overnight to around 100 PSI.. was the o ring where the valve goes on.. so I got another o ring from the dive shop and it sealed and I went to 1500 but it leaked again down to 500 and I found the leak with my spray bottle of soap water and it was the gauge..
so I am not worried about being dot legal since I probably won't ever transport it filled and I don't plan on having it filled.. just use my own compressor..
that said all I care about is holding air and being safe using it.. it's a 98 year made.. so if it is safe to use.. looks good to me as I see no damage to the carbon fiber.. other than what appears to be a light rust stain from possibly being next to a diamond plate I can't see anything wrong with it..
if eBay is the only place to buy a reasonable price valve then I will have to ask my daughter in MN if she can order it for me..
I can't figure out how to use eBay, for that matter I don't know how to use Amazon but I can get help here with Amazon but they don't know how to order eBay..
I have no problem changing the valve I just thought I'd better ask a few people about the tank..I don't know anything about carbon fiber.. but it looks fine.. dive shop is the one that said it was out of date.. but really I have welding tanks that have been out of date multiple times and recertify and some have new valves..
guess I didn't get used to using computer much and that's a problem.. I fortunately barely get around this site.. lots of good people who actually know things and that's how we learn..
thank you
Mark
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Visually, that tank looks just fine. A lot better shape than a couple I have & I have no concerns about them. Sent you another PM. Check it out & respond accordingly. BTW, I think most of us have "out of date" tanks. That's nothing new here.
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