THE LIST

Several people have said that there is no list of tanks made from the 6351-T6 alloy. This is not exactly correct. While it is true that there doesn't seem to be a nice cross referenced list of serial numbers available to the public, there is a "list" sufficient for most people to figure out if their tanks are made from the bad alloy. The following comes directly from the DOT Safety Alert Bulletin:

Here is "The List" of scuba tanks that the DOT says are most likely made from the 6351-T6 aluminum alloy:

• All DOT-3AL tanks manufactured under one of the following exemptions or special permits: 6498, 7042, 8107, 8364, 8422
• All composite cylinders manufactured under one of the following exemptions: 7235, 8023, 8115
• All Walter Kidde DOT-3AL scuba tanks.
• All Cliff Impact DOT-3AL scuba tanks made before July 1990.
• All Luxfer 80.8 cu. ft. scuba tanks (S80.8) made before May 1987.
• All Luxfer 72 and 100 cu. ft. scuba tanks (S72, S100) made before August 1987.
• All Luxfer 80 cu. ft. scuba tanks (S80) made before January 1988.
• All Luxfer 50 and 92 cu. ft. scuba tanks (S50, S92) made before April 1988.
• All Luxfer 30 and 63 cu. ft scuba tanks (S30, S63) made before May 1988.
• All Luxfer 40 cu. ft. scuba tanks (S40) made before June 1988.
• All other scuba tanks made in the US before February 1990 (except Catalina).
• All scuba tanks not made in the US.

Unless proven otherwise, all scuba tanks in the above list should be assumed as being made using the 6351-T6 alloy.

Note that many other types of cylinders (SCBA, Medical, Industrial, CO2, etc.) were also made from the 6351-T6 alloy. However, for brevity, only SCUBA type cylinders are listed above. See the DOT Safety Alert Bulletin for information on those.

Also, it should be noted that Catalina cylinders were NEVER made from the 6351-T6 alloy. They were made using alloy 6061-T6, which as of yet, has not been known to fail explosively. All of the manufacturers in the above list, except Walter Kidde, switched to the 6061-T6 alloy on the dates shown.

The DOT has not as of yet issued a recall of these tanks - only a safety alert. Essentially, if you own or use a scuba tank in the above list , you should consider it as being a time bomb waiting to explode. You should consider the tank unsafe until you learn for certain that it is made from the new alloy.

Dive World (512)219-1220 © 2009 Dive World