Questions and Answers

1. Do I have to remove my Regulator? Answer: No, in fact it is best that you allow Hydrolab to do the removing. 9 out of 10 Bottle that fail "Hydro," fail due to damaged threads. We see many expensive bottles/regulators arrive that have been damaged by using "vice grips" and "strap wrenches." We at HydroLab have special tools to remove these regulators. Besides, it's only $4.00 to have it removed.
   
   
2. How often do bottles fail hydro? Answer: Very few fail. 99.9% of the bottles we receive, pass hydrotesting and the visual inspection? Why, because the average paintball player who spends $200-$300 or more on a HP/Nytro Tank, takes really good care of them! The SCUBA Divers and the Fire Guys take terrible care of the bottles.
   
   
3. My bottle is 2 years "Over Due," can I get it tested, or should I toss the bottle? Answere: Don't toss the bottle. If the bottle is "out of hydro." Get it tested and start using it. Remember, fiberwrapped bottles have a life of 15 years, Steel bottles (3ht) have a 24 year life, and aluminum (3AL) are usable for as long as they pass hydro and visual!
   
   
4. My Bottle once blew up, can I fix it? Answere: If your bottle blew up, half the building wouldn't be standing, nor would you or the people around you be alive. What most people consider "blowing up," is actually the HP burst disk failing. Those little nuts on the side of the regulator, have a small copper disk that will "fail" before the bottle fails. If you have a full bottle in your house, and the house catches on fire, the air in the bottle will expand, and the disk will fail and the bottle will not truly blow up.
   
   
5. What do you do to the bottles that fail? Answere: We are required by the DOT to notify the owner of the problem and to "disable" the bottle so that it will not be used every again. Usually a hole is drilled in the bottle and the threads are cut!
   
   
6. How long does it take to Test? Answere: We will test and return the bottle to you within 24 hours of receiving it, bottles received on Friday will usually go out on Friday. You can usually plan on getting a one week turn around "door to door" or faster. Anywhere in the USA. If you want it quick, check the "second day air" and get it quick. We see most bottle take a week "door to door."
   
   
7. How do you Hydrotest a PB Bottle? Answered: Go to our sister site: http://www.sounddive.com/hydrotest2l.htm this is an example of how we test a scuba bottle in our Old Facility. We will have new pictures of our New Lab soon.
   
   
8. Couldn't I just go to a Fire Station to get it tested. Answere: Fire stations don't test bottles any more. A few did many years ago. They now let the private sector do the testing.
   
   
9. Someone said to go to a SCUBA place and they could test it? Answere: The 99% of SCUBA Shops send the bottles out to large commercial Hydro testers. The same ones that test the big Oxygen bottles used for welding. These "Big GUYs" DO NOT like little PB bottles, the regulators or their owners. The bottles (mostly scuba) usually get picked up once a week. They are transported in large trucks, were they bang around for most of the day in the back on the flat bed. Most bottles come back dented or scratched and the regulator dinged up. A two to three week turn around is the norm.(Did I say they don't like removing valves either).
   
   
10. Shipping, how do I ship a PB Bottle? It's really quite simple. Just pad the regulator and wrap the bottle with bubble wrap or similar padding. Be sure to protect the top of the regulator. That is the weakest point. MAKE SURE ALL THE AIR IS OUT.
    
    
11. Making Payment, what is the best way? Answered: Checks, money orders, credit card or even Cash will work fine. Just follow the directions on the "info sheet." No financial information is required over the internet. No need for paypal or sending anything on the internet. Just enclose the funds with the bottle to be tested!
    
    
    
    Who We are:
    
    HydroLab
    5000 Burwell st.
    Bremerton, WA. 98312

    HydroLab is Operated by Yodaworks, Inc. HydroLab is a D.B.A (Doing Business As.). HydroLab is a DOT Hydrotesting facility in the Seattle/Washington State area. HydroLab specializes in testing small bottles. It is owned and operated by Geoff and Betsy Pentz. Our DOT re-qualification number is D420. Some of our customers include the Seattle fire dept, the US Navy, the US Coast Guard and 1000's of Individual paintball and SCUBA Tank owners. We also provide wholesale services to many paintball fields, shops and airsmiths across the nation.