Getting Your Paintball Tank Hydro Tested
I bet half of you forgot that co2 or HPA tanks even had an expiration date. Well, let's get educated. Also, this is for those who aren't sure how to find your paintball tank's expiration date and if expired, how to get it hydro tested.
Most fiber wrap tanks (N2, nitrogen, HPA, compressed air) have a valid lifespan of about 3-5 years. Steel or aluminum tanks are usually 5 years. What I mean by this is that every paintball tank that holds a gas at high pressure (all of them do) need to be tested for safety purposes every x amount of years. If you're caught at the field with a paintball tank passed its expiration, you'll be asked to use a different tank or to not play at all. It's a safety issue. Tanks need to be tested for durability after holding so much pressure over time. Tanks have been known to explode.
To fine the expiration date of your CO2 tank, look at the engraved digits near the top of the tank. For fiber wrapped tanks, locate the sticker wrapped around the tank that has its information on it. Find the digits that match up in the MM / YY format (MM=month, YY=year). For example: 03 / 03. That would mean that the tank needs hydro testing in March of 2008. Usually there's a triangle symbol that separates the month from the year. See picture below.
Once you find the date, it's a matter of going to your own personal calendar to see what day it is. Determine whether or not the date on your tank is passed the current day or not. If it is, it's time to get hydro tested! You can usually get this done at local CO2 providers, fire department stations, or you can send it somewhere that services paintball tanks. One provider for this is Hydrotester.com.
Yea it's just another chore to remember to do; but it's necessary to keep your equipment all safe and... working.
Tags: 2008, hydro test, ion, mod, paintball, paintball tanks
Posted on Saturday, July 21st, 2007 at 10:54 pm under Tips. An RSS 2.0 feed is available. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.
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I dont understand what a hydro test does
It tests the tank above its labeled pressure, to make sure it is still safe to operate.
we refer a lot of people to hydrotester.com too.
I believe the author got it wrong in the example. If the Tank has a date of 03 / 08 (Which it shouldn’t since that date hasn’t occurred as yet)that would be the date it was hydro tested and the tank would have either 3 or 5 years from that date before it needed retesting…..follow the link to Hydrotester.com in the article for the correct explanation.
I fixed the post… you were correct Mike.
how much does it cost to get tank hydro tested
I’ve seen local shops that test them for $15 a bottle. Online I’ve seen it range between $20 to $40. And you probably pay for shipping as well.
wow, thanks for posting this article! it helps alot. i was confused on how to find the date. thanks again
hydro testing means that they place the tank in water to check for leaks as well as making sure its strong enough for the tank to hold high pressure
is it possible to buy tanks that arent hydro tested but still new? i’ve heard about it and was told they’re cheaper that way
listen to this artical. he’s not lying about being asked to leave a feild. it happened to me right before i went to basic.