Haha! The trifecta!! I know this is my 3rd post about bottles and such but, I didn't know which one it would have fit into best so, I decided to make it its own.
Anyway, the reason the bottles are only good for 15 years is an easy one... Deterioration. The glue used to keep the fiberglass together weakens over time.
The metal core is there to provide an air tight container. The fiberglass wrap is there to add strength to that metal core. But, it wouldn't be much good without the glue that holds it together and also adds a protective outer layer to the whole system. All 3 combined make a strong and durable container that can withstand the high pressure we use them for, extreme changes in temperature, and the general bumps, scratches, and scrapes they they'll be put through during their lifespan. With all this build up and redundancy, you'd think they'd be good for life! But alas, they are not. Why?
Primarily, It's the glue which naturally breaks down over time. No, wait... I take that back. Primarily it's the lawyers who can pin liability on the manufacturers if a certain level of safety redundancy is not met and someone gets hurt. That's the real reason but, the physical reason is the glue! Have you ever pulled a piece of duct tape off something that's been there for years on end? When you get it off, it leaves a dried up white crusty mess behind that generally needs to be scraped off in order to remove it. How about some electrical tape that comes off in much the same fashion? These are both examples of glues that have been pushed past their life spans. The crustiness is due to the glue drying out over time and being put through environmental changes such as heat, cold, and humidity. It wasn't designed to last a lifetime and neither is the glue that holds our bottles together.
That glossy epoxy(?) that gets smeared all over our supply bottles is actually pliable, to a degree, even though it feels as hard as a rock. Through hydro testing, they can gauge just how pliable it has remained and determine if it still meets that safety margin. Of course, there are other factors that play into the pliability as well. But, it's the glue that's going to break down first when compared to the fiberglass and metal.
What about the 30 year life extension bottles, you ask? Well, I've heard rumor that they will no longer be allowed. Perhaps my source was misinformed but, he seemed very certain that statute DOT-SP 16320 would not be renewed. The link I just provided is for the technical junkies out there that like to read into this stuff but, it expired as of March 2019. I took a quick look on Pyramid air and I didn't see any life extension bottles being offered anymore. I don't see them at Dalmation fire either. They have a great Q&A page on the topic but, if you follow the link at the bottom to see what they have to offer, it's been deleted. Hmm... a clue? It think we are either at the end of that option or, we are about to see a change in the way it is done. I have a friend who just came across about a dozen 98cf (1hour) bottles. These are the big ones! Got them, and much more, for a song but, they're all out of lifespan. They're all new old stock as well! What a find, IF he can get them re-certified. He's made some calls and has been told that "yes, we can but we're waiting on our recertification to continue providing this service." He hasn't heard back and my source, again, is pretty confident that if he does hear back, it won't be the answer he's looking for. Side note: I was told that the charge for this service is $300 per bottle. $300! Jeez! Personally, I'd rather add a few more hundred and get into a freshly built bottle. I can get a 66cf Scott bottle from Dalmation for $550 with 14 years left. Contradictory to all that I have just said, It looks as though you can buy a NEW 45min composite bottle that IS good for 30 years for $915 + tax & shipping... call it $1000. It's too late in the evening, as I write this to give them a call to see if this is truly an option or not. But, I can put it in my shopping cart without any issues or flags.
Perhaps we are right now at the transition into 30 year bottles and away from 15's? Only TIME will tell... get it?!? LOL!
Happy Shooting!
Tom
Anyway, the reason the bottles are only good for 15 years is an easy one... Deterioration. The glue used to keep the fiberglass together weakens over time.
The metal core is there to provide an air tight container. The fiberglass wrap is there to add strength to that metal core. But, it wouldn't be much good without the glue that holds it together and also adds a protective outer layer to the whole system. All 3 combined make a strong and durable container that can withstand the high pressure we use them for, extreme changes in temperature, and the general bumps, scratches, and scrapes they they'll be put through during their lifespan. With all this build up and redundancy, you'd think they'd be good for life! But alas, they are not. Why?
Primarily, It's the glue which naturally breaks down over time. No, wait... I take that back. Primarily it's the lawyers who can pin liability on the manufacturers if a certain level of safety redundancy is not met and someone gets hurt. That's the real reason but, the physical reason is the glue! Have you ever pulled a piece of duct tape off something that's been there for years on end? When you get it off, it leaves a dried up white crusty mess behind that generally needs to be scraped off in order to remove it. How about some electrical tape that comes off in much the same fashion? These are both examples of glues that have been pushed past their life spans. The crustiness is due to the glue drying out over time and being put through environmental changes such as heat, cold, and humidity. It wasn't designed to last a lifetime and neither is the glue that holds our bottles together.
That glossy epoxy(?) that gets smeared all over our supply bottles is actually pliable, to a degree, even though it feels as hard as a rock. Through hydro testing, they can gauge just how pliable it has remained and determine if it still meets that safety margin. Of course, there are other factors that play into the pliability as well. But, it's the glue that's going to break down first when compared to the fiberglass and metal.
What about the 30 year life extension bottles, you ask? Well, I've heard rumor that they will no longer be allowed. Perhaps my source was misinformed but, he seemed very certain that statute DOT-SP 16320 would not be renewed. The link I just provided is for the technical junkies out there that like to read into this stuff but, it expired as of March 2019. I took a quick look on Pyramid air and I didn't see any life extension bottles being offered anymore. I don't see them at Dalmation fire either. They have a great Q&A page on the topic but, if you follow the link at the bottom to see what they have to offer, it's been deleted. Hmm... a clue? It think we are either at the end of that option or, we are about to see a change in the way it is done. I have a friend who just came across about a dozen 98cf (1hour) bottles. These are the big ones! Got them, and much more, for a song but, they're all out of lifespan. They're all new old stock as well! What a find, IF he can get them re-certified. He's made some calls and has been told that "yes, we can but we're waiting on our recertification to continue providing this service." He hasn't heard back and my source, again, is pretty confident that if he does hear back, it won't be the answer he's looking for. Side note: I was told that the charge for this service is $300 per bottle. $300! Jeez! Personally, I'd rather add a few more hundred and get into a freshly built bottle. I can get a 66cf Scott bottle from Dalmation for $550 with 14 years left. Contradictory to all that I have just said, It looks as though you can buy a NEW 45min composite bottle that IS good for 30 years for $915 + tax & shipping... call it $1000. It's too late in the evening, as I write this to give them a call to see if this is truly an option or not. But, I can put it in my shopping cart without any issues or flags.
Perhaps we are right now at the transition into 30 year bottles and away from 15's? Only TIME will tell... get it?!? LOL!
Happy Shooting!
Tom
