Powder coating a bottle

[PcolaNurse67]

Hello! I just joined last night..... nice site! I'm looking for information about nitrous bottles and couldn't find it on the site anywhere. I PM'd Nate this question rather than post it first because it's a business related question and I was unsure of the forum rules about that and not being a vendor. He suggested asking here.

I have a customer that is considering having his bottle powder coated. I've contacted Holley and the tech guy said that other than removing the valve and of course the regular prep I shouldn't have any problems. But after reading here about what the bottle pressures are, and can be, I'm more curious. I know that NOS bottles are powder coated (according to the Holley tech guy) but am unsure about other manufacturers. Have you known anyone to have their bottle powder coated? If so, any problems with the tank taking the heat?

My main concern isn't in the prep. Taking the valve out...removing the old coating...etc. My questions are regarding the tank structural integrity. I'm not interested in powder coating a tank if the heat from my oven will weaken the wall strength. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!
Kevin

[Nate]

A majority of the nitrous companies powder coat the bottles. Most bottles are rated for up to 3000psi, and they're heat treated previously. Most nitrous, when it's filled, is put in at about 1000 psi. So it's well below the limit. Powdercoating will have very little effect on the integrity of the bottle.

I asked around, and to remove the first powdercoat (color), you just need to sand it off and you are ready to coat it with another color.

[quicktruck]

totally safe. we are actually changing our shop over to do powder coating. one of the first things I am going to do is coat mine to match the truck.

[mrr23]

there was a discussion about this on another forum. there ar etwo ways to powercoat a bottle. high temp and low temp. the high temp version heats the bottle to just over 400*. for aluminum, this can be a problem and weaken it. so, if the customer wants it powercoating done, make sure he finds a place that does the low temp. or, do like i did and have them painted.

[srsnow]

there was a discussion about this on another forum. there ar etwo ways to powercoat a bottle. high temp and low temp. the high temp version heats the bottle to just over 400*. for aluminum, this can be a problem and weaken it. so, if the customer wants it powercoating done, make sure he finds a place that does the low temp. or, do like i did and have them painted.

Here is the information regarding over heating of a bottle;

Aluminum cylinders known to have been exposed to overheating or showing evidence of having been overheated, with overheating being a cylinder metal temperature in excess of 350oF, must be condemned per 49 CFR 180.205 (i) (viii). No testing for acceptance or re-heat treatment is authorized.

In CGA pamphlet C-6.1; Standards For Visual Inspection of High Pressure Aluminum Gas Cylinders, it states that cylinders heated to cylinder metal temperatures in excess of 350oF (176oC) must be condemned.

[quicktruck]

there are powders out that cure at low temperatures, low enough to use on wood and plastics.

[kadett-c-coupe]

why not have them industrially painted.

the kind of paint thats used on farm machines etc. This paint can also stand quite a bit of abuse.

They can do all kinds of RAL colours, without heating etc.?

[mrr23]

mine are painted with dupont paint. friend of mine did it. powder coating is more resistant to scratches and other stuff.

[NickT'sGTP]

Mine was rattle can painted from the previous owner. It actually looks like crap, and I've contemplated having mine repainted or powdercoated. I don't know if the Zex bottles are aluminum or not, but I might just have my friend who works at a bodyshop repaint mine. Might even get some customized painting for my website...hehe