Tests for TK’s new Minni Compressor? How to "break"
In case you have not been following a paintballer has introduced a new mini compressor for 390$. You can get all the details here:
Look under info and what not. There are also several threads on it on:
automags.org
Anyway I have one on the way (as I think one or two other forum members do) in the next week or two and I wondered what you all would like to see done to the thing? What tests beyond the obvious “how long to fill my tank?” can you blow it up etc. would you like me to try? I am thinking it will be worth attempting some upgrading, filling scubas etc.
Anyway if anyone is in the Tacoma WA area and would like to get together some weekend I am dieing to get out and shoot and testing the compressor would be a good excuse.
Thoughts?
All Replies
There’s a link in the text…. http://hazmat.dot.gov/sp_app/approvals/hydro/hydro_retesters.htm
Technical Support Document
Requalification (retesting) of Aluminum Cylinders
June 9, 2010
The requalification of cylinders was formally known as the retesting of cylinders. Requalification is done to ensure that a cylinder is still acceptable to continue to be used as a pressure vessel to transport hazardous material. DOT requalifying of a cylinder and the marking thereof are to be performed by an approved DOT requalification facility that has been issued a DOT Requalifiaction Identification Number (RIN). The requirements for the requalifying of DOT cylinders in the US are identified in Title 49 of the Code Of Federal Regulations (CFR) in part 180, “Continuing Qualification and Maintenance Of Packaging” and any applicable DOT exemption.
The requalifying requirements of any cylinder are specific to the DOT specification and/or exemption to which the cylinder was manufactured. The DOT specification and/or exemption number are stamped on the crown of the cylinder. Cylinders manufactured by Catalina Cylinders are marked with “M4002” on the crown of the cylinders. Cylinders manufactured by Catalina Cylinders Cliff Impact Division are marked with “CLIFFDIV” on the crown of the cylinder.
The most basic of the retesting requirements for cylinders manufactured by Catalina Cylinders and Catalina Cylinders Cliff Impact Division are identified below.
DOT-3AL Cylinders (Catalina Cylinders and Catalina Cylinders Cliff Impact Division)
Requalifying required every five (5) years. Requalifying of a cylinder is to be performed five (5) years, as per Table 1 “Requalification of Cylinders” in 49CFR 180.209, after the original manufacturing hydrostatic test date stamped on the crown of the cylinder. Please note the 12 year requalification cycle notated in Table 1 is only for “dry” fire extinguishers as noted in 49CFR 180.209(j). In section 180.205 (c) it states that a cylinder that is filled before the retest date may remain in service until it is emptied of its charge. In other words, a cylinder that currently has a charge when the 5 year retest date occurs does not have to be drained of its charge and retested. The charge can be used and the cylinder retested after the charge has been used.
The requalifying specified in part 180 consists of an internal inspection and hydrostatic retesting of the cylinder at a pressure equivalent to 5/3 the service pressure of the cylinder.
Catalina Cylinders and Catalina Cylinders Cliff Impact Division are not requalifiers of cylinders to the general public. If you go to this website, http://hazmat.dot.gov/sp_app/approvals/hydro/hydro_retesters.htm, you will find a complete list of DOT approved retesters throughout the country.
There are a few companies that have DOT exemptions to requalify cylinders by Ultrasonic Examination (UE) of the cylinders instead of visually inspecting and hydrostatically retesting the cylinders. In some cases there are benefits to this type of requalifying.
DOT-3AL Cylinders “2 by 2 rule” (Catalina Cylinders Cliff Impact Division only)
Requalification not required per the note under table 1 in 49CFR part 180.205. The note reads, “Any cylinder not exceeding two (2) inches in outside diameter and less than two (2) feet in length is exempt from volumetric expansion testing.”
DOT-39 Cylinders (Catalina Cylinders Cliff Impact Division only)
These are non-refillable cylinders and do not require requalifying..
E-7737 (Aluminum DOT-3E) Cylinders (Catalina Cylinders Cliff Impact Division only)
Requalifying is not required.
Eddy current inspection of the threads in 6061 aluminum cylinders is not required by the DOT and is not mandated as necessary by Catalina Cylinders. Cylinders manufactured by Catalina Cylinders and Catalina Cylinders Cliff Impact Division have only been manufactured from aluminum alloy 6061, not aluminum alloy 6351, and do not require any special testing or inspection of the neck, threads or shoulder of the cylinders.
All cylinders that have been successfully requalified will have the date of the retest (month and year) stamped in the crown of the cylinder with the RIN of the DOT approved requalification facility stamped between the month and year of the retest date.
If you have any questions with regards to the requalifying of cylinders manufactured by Catalina Cylinders or Cliff Impact please do not hesitate in contacting us directly.
Who will test ‘Airforce’ tanks?
http://ww4.paintball.com/content.php?aid=2747
No I haven’t used them, I found them while looking for a hydro facility closer to me. Here is some more info on them.
HydroLab
5000 Burwell st.
Bremerton, WA. 98312
HydroLab is Operated by Yodaworks, Inc. HydroLab is a D.B.A (Doing Business As.). HydroLab is a DOT Hydrotesting facility in the Seattle/Washington State area. HydroLab specializes in testing small bottles. It is owned and operated by Geoff and Betsy Pentz. Our DOT re-qualification number is D420. Some of our customers include the Seattle fire dept, the US Navy, the US Coast Guard and 1000’s of Individual paintball and SCUBA Tank owners. We also provide wholesale services to many paintball fields, shops and airsmiths across the nation.
I checked and they are still in business. They also have a dive shop.
http://www.sounddivecenter.com/index.html
and a business called Firehydro
http://www.firehydro.com/
Grap your tape measure and read this: http://www.catalinacylinders.com/retest.html
Technical Support Document
Requalification (retesting) of Aluminum Cylinders
June 9, 2010
The requalification of cylinders was formally known as the retesting of cylinders. Requalification is done to ensure that a cylinder is still acceptable to continue to be used as a pressure vessel to transport hazardous material. DOT requalifying of a cylinder and the marking thereof are to be performed by an approved DOT requalification facility that has been issued a DOT Requalifiaction Identification Number (RIN). The requirements for the requalifying of DOT cylinders in the US are identified in Title 49 of the Code Of Federal Regulations (CFR) in part 180, “Continuing Qualification and Maintenance Of Packaging” and any applicable DOT exemption.
The requalifying requirements of any cylinder are specific to the DOT specification and/or exemption to which the cylinder was manufactured. The DOT specification and/or exemption number are stamped on the crown of the cylinder. Cylinders manufactured by Catalina Cylinders are marked with “M4002” on the crown of the cylinders. Cylinders manufactured by Catalina Cylinders Cliff Impact Division are marked with “CLIFFDIV” on the crown of the cylinder.
The most basic of the retesting requirements for cylinders manufactured by Catalina Cylinders and Catalina Cylinders Cliff Impact Division are identified below.
DOT-3AL Cylinders (Catalina Cylinders and Catalina Cylinders Cliff Impact Division)
Requalifying required every five (5) years. Requalifying of a cylinder is to be performed five (5) years, as per Table 1 “Requalification of Cylinders” in 49CFR 180.209, after the original manufacturing hydrostatic test date stamped on the crown of the cylinder. Please note the 12 year requalification cycle notated in Table 1 is only for “dry” fire extinguishers as noted in 49CFR 180.209(j). In section 180.205 (c) it states that a cylinder that is filled before the retest date may remain in service until it is emptied of its charge. In other words, a cylinder that currently has a charge when the 5 year retest date occurs does not have to be drained of its charge and retested. The charge can be used and the cylinder retested after the charge has been used.
The requalifying specified in part 180 consists of an internal inspection and hydrostatic retesting of the cylinder at a pressure equivalent to 5/3 the service pressure of the cylinder.
Catalina Cylinders and Catalina Cylinders Cliff Impact Division are not requalifiers of cylinders to the general public. If you go to this website, http://hazmat.dot.gov/sp_app/approvals/hydro/hydro_retesters.htm, you will find a complete list of DOT approved retesters throughout the country.
There are a few companies that have DOT exemptions to requalify cylinders by Ultrasonic Examination (UE) of the cylinders instead of visually inspecting and hydrostatically retesting the cylinders. In some cases there are benefits to this type of requalifying.
DOT-3AL Cylinders “2 by 2 rule” (Catalina Cylinders Cliff Impact Division only)
Requalification not required per the note under table 1 in 49CFR part 180.205. The note reads, “Any cylinder not exceeding two (2) inches in outside diameter and less than two (2) feet in length is exempt from volumetric expansion testing.”
DOT-39 Cylinders (Catalina Cylinders Cliff Impact Division only)
These are non-refillable cylinders and do not require requalifying..
E-7737 (Aluminum DOT-3E) Cylinders (Catalina Cylinders Cliff Impact Division only)
Requalifying is not required.
Eddy current inspection of the threads in 6061 aluminum cylinders is not required by the DOT and is not mandated as necessary by Catalina Cylinders. Cylinders manufactured by Catalina Cylinders and Catalina Cylinders Cliff Impact Division have only been manufactured from aluminum alloy 6061, not aluminum alloy 6351, and do not require any special testing or inspection of the neck, threads or shoulder of the cylinders.
All cylinders that have been successfully requalified will have the date of the retest (month and year) stamped in the crown of the cylinder with the RIN of the DOT approved requalification facility stamped between the month and year of the retest date.
If you have any questions with regards to the requalifying of cylinders manufactured by Catalina Cylinders or Cliff Impact please do not hesitate in contacting us directly.
Here’s one outfit that does it for $17.95:
http://www.hydrotester.com/index.htm
A paint ball tank and an AF tank have completely different threads.. Are you
positive that they will hydro test an AF tank…. Have you had one done by
them?
Here’s one outfit that does it for $17.95:
http://www.hydrotester.com/index.htm
This is an article about their service:
NEWS RELEASE
Hydro testing, why do it? What is it? and Why bother?
http://ww4.paintball.com/content.php?aid=2747
You’re suggesting our AF tanks do not require the normal inspection and pressure tests? except the Catalina Cliff Impact Division clearly states it is.
Call ’em up and prove me wrong. I’d be happy to have an official statement that saves me some cash.
you got me there.
who will test Airforce tanks?
If you measure your AF tank, the OD is 2.5″ so it’s not exempt… if it were then why is there a DOT and CT stamp on the side?
You’re suggesting our AF tanks do not require the normal inspection and pressure tests? except the Catalina Cliff Impact Division clearly states it is.
Call ’em up and prove me wrong. I’d be happy to have an official statement that saves me some cash.
AL oxidizes too.
Okay Gim, show me the chapter and verse.
The inspection is for stress cracking and suitability for service.
BTW Airforce tanks are exempt. Under 2″ in diameter.
SCUBA air is for breathing and with the severe pressure drop inside the regulator freezing is of utmost concern.
Oh OOOOOOH! I smell a storm a brewin….
If moisture is no concern then why do our tanks need to be VI/12mo and HST/60mo by DOT and CT standards? And why does our SCUBA shop need to spend a fortune on moisture filters for their compressed air?
AL oxidizes too.
My only concern is the moisture aspect. I know you can install a filter but I’m worried about the long term effects of people using the compressor chain without any moisture removal… The AF tanks are manufactured by Catalina’s Cliff Impact Division… and the aluminum spec is most likely the same as SCUBA, i.e. tested and designed for breathing quality air. What happens when you repeatedly compress moist air between you’re 5 year hydro’s?
I don’t follow the concern about moisture. The tanks are aluminum and moisture should be of little concern.
I’ll check the dewpoint once I fill a bigger tank.
Can’t wait to see it go into mass production. I’d imagine Crosman would be a good candidate to take it on. Consumer air compressors at Home Depot / Lowes have gotten pretty cheap also.
My only concern is the moisture aspect. I know you can install a filter but I’m worried about the long term effects of people using the compressor chain without any moisture removal… The AF tanks are manufactured by Catalina’s Cliff Impact Division… and the aluminum spec is most likely the same as SCUBA, i.e. tested and designed for breathing quality air. What happens when you repeatedly compress moist air between you’re 5 year hydro’s?
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Which brings me back to… best get a moisture filter for your pump to reduce the likelihood of it failing due to corrosion. Or budget a replacement tank from AF every 5 years.