Used SCUBA Gear

Buying used Scuba Equipment; smart move or false economy?

If you are on a tight budget, you may consider buying used Scuba Equipment via one of the auction or trading sites on the web and there are bargains to be had, but do you know the history of the dive gear? Remember your life will depend on it, so used Scuba equipment should be serviced before you use it, so add this to the price! The average regulator service could be upto $150 or more.

Some brands of Scuba equipment can no longer be serviced. Dacor and Tekna are examples, parts are no longer available so service centers won't service these makes as they cannot get parts of provide warranty.

So are you actually getting a bargain? When you consider the cost of the second hand dive equipment plus the service cost, (remember you don't know the history of the equipment) you may find it cheaper to buy new. It could be a Zeagel regulator or a budget Well Marine regulator. Either way you get full warranty and support and you can guarantee parts are available for many years to come!

Used Scuba Tanks
In Australia Scuba Tanks have to be tested every year, so faults and problems should be picked up and unsafe tanks condemned. All tanks will have a date and test station stamp showing when the Tank was last tested. This marking is current for 1 year only.

Up until 1990, many Scuba Tanks were manufactured from the Aluminium Alloy 6351-T6 and these tanks can develop 'Sustained Load Cracking' around the neck, which has caused tank explosions predominantly during filling. Past explosions have caused considerable damage and some horrific injuries. These cracks are not visable to the naked eye.

Scuba tanks you should never purchase:

• All DOT-3AL tanks manufactured under one of the following exemptions or special permits: E6498, E7042, E8107, E8364, E8422
• All composite cylinders manufactured under one of the following exemptions: E7235, E8023, E8115
• All Walter Kidde DOT-3AL scuba tanks.
• All Cliff Impact DOT-3AL scuba tanks made before July 1990.
• Luxfer aluminium alloy cylinder specification DOT SP6498
• All Luxfer aluminium alloy cylinders manufactured between 1972 and 1988, irrespective of Size. (check oldest hydrostatic test date stamped into cylinder)
• All other scuba tanks made in the US before February 1990 (except Catalina).
• All scuba tanks not made in the US.
• All CIG (Australia) aluminium alloy manufactured on or before 1990 (check oldest hydrostatic test date stamped into cylinder)

Note: Catalina cylinders did not use the 6351-T6 alloy. They were made using alloy 6061-T6, which has not been known to fail. All of the manufacturers in the above list, except Walter Kidde, switched to the 6061-T6 alloy on the dates shown.

Dive shops will check the dates and most will not fill tanks pre 1991!

Information from DOT Safety Bulletin Alert and Workplace Health & Safety Qld

Luxfer Technical Bulletin