I've wanted to discuss this for a while, regarding the 15 year life of most HPA tanks. Basic knowledge being that a tank has a useful life of 15 years, with hydrotesting required every 5 years. This dictates safe DOT limits for these carbon fiber wrapped tanks that nearly everyone uses now. However, what is to stop people from continued use if they have their own compressor, such as a shoebox? I fill my own air, so as long as I can test my tanks I see no reason to abide by this life limit if playing on private land or just gassing up to have air for testing. Is there a law in place to prevent continued use or is it simply a risk factor, therefore if you decide to continue using a tank after it's life then it's all on you?

I merely ask, because I have a couple tanks that have worked fine, but I would have them hydrotested at a local fire support place before I'd even put a regulator back on. Would the hydrotester even test it if it's past the life date or is it still a liability, even if they are not the owner? Just looking for opinions, as I would consider tanking the risk of using an outdated tank, so long as I can have it tested before I use it again.

I know aluminum HPA tanks have an unlimited life so long as they are hydro'd every 5 years, why is it different for fiber wrapped?