Am I Being Conned???

[Gamehunter]

It sound to me that the tanks have 300bar valves in them and are switching them to 200 bar with inserts as he says they are not using din tanks. Are your regs set up for din or yoke?

 

[Colliam7]

It sound to me that the tanks have 300bar valves in them and are switching them to 200 bar with inserts as he says they are not using din tanks. Are your regs set up for din or yoke?

Ah-h-h! I wonder if you may be on to something here. Now, if Camerons' tanks are truly recently purchased SCUBA tanks, with '300 bar' DIN valves, the threaded opening is too long/deep to safely allow use of the yoke insert. OK. If he wants to use a yoke reg, then the valve should be changed to the shallower '200 bar' DIN valve. But, that should have been fully explained at the time, and the original 300 bar valves returned to him. But, that explanation raises questions in itself. If they are recently purchased (and, presumably new) tanks, why would they have had a 200 bar yoke insert in a 300 bar valve? It would be helpful to know more about the tanks, and if they were purchased new, etc. Fascinating OP.

 

[Hallmac]

By chance are these tanks with tapered threads requiring pressure and tape for sealing?

 

[BarryNL]

My local dive shop has changed 3 tank valves of mine over the last year saying they did not pass some test. I have 4 tanks from different manufactures bought in england. They are only 2.5 years old and have only done about 20 dives!!!! Apparently they failed on some 3/8th test with the threads. Am i getting conned? How long should a tank valve last? Thanks, rally appreciate some help on this.

There isn't really enough info here. Were the tanks and valves all brand new? If yes then I can't believe there was a fault with three out of four valves in this time scale unless there was a manufacturing fault with a whole batch, in which case we should have heard about a recall and the valves should have been replaced free.

Personally, I've never heard of a valve needing to be replaced - some of the internal components maybe but not within 2.5 years. Ask the shop exactly what was wrong and post their response here - it may not be a con exactly, just an incompetent shop monkey who is doing the tests wrong.

There is one known (and very dangerous) problem - that an imperial valve (can't remember the spec) can be fitted into an M25x2 tank and appears to fit but the thread is not deep enough - the valve can blow out under pressure - I know someone who's whole arm was shattered by a valve doing this. The 3/8th thing makes me wonder if the wrong valves had been fitted...

Edit: I don't think the 300/200 bar thing will be the issue - the yoke inserts are not deep enough to work in a 300 bar valve and the 300 bar valves also do not have the dimple on the back to take the yoke regulator. You would never have been able to use a yoke on a 300 bar fitting I don't think.

Edit: I also notice that you mention the problem is with the thread where the insert/regulator screws in - is it possible someone has drastically over tightened inserts? The valves are soft brass and the insert are normally stainless steel - they can damage/strip the valve thread if too aggressively tightened. The only way I can see these valves genuinely being faulty within so short a time is if some sort of systematic abuse has been inflicted.

 

[camerons]

No they didnt give the valves back i just asked for them 3 days too late as they say they are gone now.

 

[camerons]

yes they were purchased new buy two different eading manufacturese in england and had the inserts already inplace when bought.

 

[Colliam7]

No they didnt give the valves back i just asked for them 3 days too late as they say they are gone now.

yes they were purchased new buy two different eading manufacturese in england and had the inserts already inplace when bought.

Then, to answer your original question -'Yes, you are being conned.' A reputable manufacturer would use valves that would last more than 2 year. A reputable shop would return the old parts. A reputable shop would provide a more lucid explanantion of why the valves needed to be changed, than you have apparently been provided. Something is rotten somewhere.

 

[japan-diver]

I have to agree you are being conned. Tank valves should last for years- I have some rental valves that are quite old 10+ years, you change the seats and burst disc when needed and the valves are fine. It is also common practice if you are working on gear that all old parts are returned or showed to the customer and any gear that is deemed unrepairable is returned to the customer. From your explanation of where the problem was it should have been readily apparent to anyone- did the valves leak from the reg connection?

 

[JahJahwarrior]

When I get stuff worked on, they always return the old parts in a baggie. If they told me that something was bad and they replaced it, and they couldn't show me the old, failed part, I would be upset. No way to know if they were lying or not if they threw away the "failed" parts.

 

[=C=]

When I get stuff worked on, they always return the old parts in a baggie. If they told me that something was bad and they replaced it, and they couldn't show me the old, failed part, I would be upset. No way to know if they were lying or not if they threw away the "failed" parts.

same here... always get a baggie back