Vigo 18 Hydro

[SurfLung]

- I bought a nearly mint condition Vigo 18 tank... Chrome is beautiful, decal is near perfect, and the vinyl harness is in good flexible working order. The tank hasn't been hydro tested since 1959. I think this tank was perhaps used very little and forgot about in storage for many years.

- I'd like to get it hydrotested but I don't want it to get wrecked getting the valve off. Or, condemned and de-threaded (as I have heard some testers have done).
- This is one of the surplus tanks with the bushing adaptor for the 1/2" valve. I thought to just remove the bushing and leave the valve sealed in the busing. But, I tried my usually successful method of gripping the tank in rubber vise jaws and wrenching the valve off. The bushing wouldn't budge.
- Any suggestions? Or, does anybody know a hydro tester I can trust not to wreck this classic vintage piece?

[mistral]

In my 43yrs, working in this business[ 12 yrs doing hydrotests ] I have removed more than a few 1 inch bushings. I usually found that they were put into the cylinders, using pipe dope. Secure the cylinder in a vise, make sure the valve is opened, and the cylinder completely empty, heat the cylinder neck with a propane torch...20-30 seconds...let cool, briefly...use a snug fit wrench on the bushing... you stand a good chance of getting the bushing out without damage to the cylinder.

[SurfLung]

Thank you, Mistral. I was wondering about the use of heat but didn't want to try it for fear of messing up the temper of the metal or whatever. The advice of someone with your years of experience is a big help.

[antique diver]

To help prevent distorting the bushing it's best to leave the valve snugly installed in it while wrestling the bushing from the tank neck.

[SurfLung]

Okay, thanks. Good advice.

[captain]

Some of those steel bushings in steel tanks that have been in for 30 years can be a bear to remove. On occasion I have had to use a 3/4" drive 6 point socket with a 4 foot cheater bar and all of my 160 pounds to get them out. Better have a really big vice. If they are carbon steel I recommend replacing them with stainless bushings.

[SurfLung]

- Cripes! Maybe I should ask a couple more questions:
1. Do I need to get the bushing out to get the hydro test?
2. Do I NEED to hydro test?

- The tank, valve, and vinyl harness are in like-new condition. I already accidently filled it to 1,000 psi with a tank balancing hose... Which is what I plan to fill it with after I get it hydro'd. (It arrived empty and I wanted to put some air in it to keep it from having condensation... It's so small it filled faster than I expected). The valve worked smoothly and definitely... Felt like new as it sealed. No leaks. I wish I didn't have to take it apart.
- The only reason I ask is because an old dive shop manager told me to just leave it sealed up and use it without a new hydro... Since I'd be filling it myself with the tank balancing hose.
- But, it was made in 1946 and hasn't had a hydrotest since it left the US Divers plant in 1959... Same date on the tank and the valve. I doubt it was used for diving very much... if at all.

[captain]

Your decision to make. I have a compressor and have used tanks that have not been hydrord for over 30 years. I know their history so I have no concerns doing that. I also would inspect them internally every year to assure they remained dry.
If I got a used tank that was in anything other than as new condition I would hydro it and not worry about it after that. I have bought 40 year old tanks that had only the original hydro date and were in absolutely new condition inside and out. In those cases I would not get them hydroed.
I will say I would only do that with steel tanks. Steel tanks have over a 100 year history of safe use, not so with aluminum, we found out after 20 years that first generation aluminum tanks had issues with the alloy used. We don't yet have much more than 20 years history on the 2nd generation of aluminum tanks.
From a liability point of view I believe the risk is very small and would come not from the tank itself but from an external event such as any accident, fire, etc that might result in the tank rupturing and the resulting investigation.

Yes the bushing need to come out for the hydro.

[1969ivan1]

Listen to Captain, Eben......

[SurfLung]

- Thanks Captain... The wisdom of experience. I will get this little number hydro'ed and inspected and then I'll have a sure starting point for my own use.

[Drado]

Hey, but before you do, take a few photos

[sitkadiver]

I would also concur with the Captain.

We don't have a dive shop here in Sitka, so getting tanks shipped to Juneau or Ketchikan is cost prohibitive for me. As I use my tanks randomly throughout the year, I'll drain them after a dive and take a look inside. If I don't see any corrosion, I refill the tank and keep on using it. I cannot put a VIP sticker on my tanks, since they are out of hydro, so I write a date on the side with marker.

I used to keep a very up to date equipment log, but in the past few years as I have done less and less diving prefessionally, I've pretty much given up.

Congratulations on your Vigo. Mine is missing the top ring, so I need to make something to hold the harness on it.

[SurfLung]

- All good advice from you guys... Thank you. Your answers are good common sense which is refreshing...
- Not knowing the history, I need to at least look inside to see if there is corrosion... So I have to at least get the valve off to do that. And if I go that far, I might as well complete the job and get it hydro'd and VIP'd. Then I'll know its condition and from then on will be able to maintain it with confidence.
- BTW, The top ring looks like those first style of plastic hose clamps. I don't know if a mouthpiece hose clamp is the same size but if it is, there's a solution.
- P.S. I'm sorry I haven't posted some pictures.

[SurfLung]

SUCCESS!

- The application of heat and the encouragement of a hammer on the wrench handle... Broke loose the original sealant/pipe dope... And the bushing finally started to turn. I (thankfully) didn't chew up the tank, valve, or bushing. There is only a shiny spot on the flats where the wrench contacted the bushing.
- In the picture you can see some of the residue of the pipe dope that Mistral was talking about. Looking up into the underside of the bushing, I can see that the valve was sealed into the bushing the same way. I'm thinking to leave this as is... It wasn't leaking. The valve works like new. Shining a penlight into the tank, I see a Pristine interior... That's good news!
- Sitka Diver... The plastic band that holds the vinyl strap to the tank neck is in fact a mouthpiece hose clamp. I checked the fit of VDH's new hose clamps and they fit perfectly.
- Here's a picture before I took the valve off...

[antique diver]

That's a cool little tank. I remember as a kid really wanting one of the combo sets of this tank and the Aquamatic regulator. I think the whole rig was under $50 in around 1958.