Hydrotesting Service:

At ABC Paintball, we offer hydrotesting for CO2 bottles and nitrogen/hpa tanks for our customers. We handle the removal and reinstallation of the regulator using the proper tools for the job. Bottles need to be dropped off at our store and will be completed for pick-up in approximately 2 weeks time. Cost of hydrotesting is $35.00 per bottle and is due at the time of pick-up.

Hydrotesting Information:

The U.S. Department of Transportation (D.O.T.) has regulations that requires all cylinders be retested according to the materials the tank is made of and the DOT-E regulation.

Aluminum Nitro or CO2 Cylinders: Aluminum cylinders with a "3AL" stamped in the crown of the tank must be hydrotested every 5 years. These cylinders have and unlimited life and never expire provided they pass the hydrotest certification. Cylinders 2 inches in diameter or less and less than 2 feet long are exempt and do not have to be rehydrotested.

Fiber Wrapped or Carbon Fiber Nitrogen TankS: Fiber wrapped/Carbon Fiber cylinders must be recertified every 3 or 5 years depending upon the specific D.O.T. Exception Regulation ("E" number) on the cylinder's label. (See Table Below). These cylinders have a maximum life span of 15 years after which they are retired.

How To Read Your Cylinder Labels:

In order to determine if your paintball tank needs to be recertified you would need to see what the last hydrotest date on the cylinder is. The hydrotest date is usually represented in the form of month and year and is located on the label for carbon fiber or fiber wrapped cylinders or stamped into the cylinder crown for aluminum or steel cylinders. The images below will give you an idea of what to look for. If you would like more information on reading label markings, Carleton Technologies has an excellent page with more specific information.