Bad air?

[cappyjon431]

I guess I am just looking for feedback on how to handle a tricky situation.

A little while back we took our compressor out of service for routine maintenance. During that period we had one of our competitors fill our tanks. After we had used the tanks and gotten our compressor back on line a few of my crew members mentioned that the air in the tanks filled by my competitor tasted "oily." Because I did not get a chance to test the air myself, I am somewhat reluctant to approach the other business owner (he was doing me a favor by filling my tanks when our compressor was down and my crew reported the problem AFTER the fact). On the other hand, I do not want to let a potentially dangerous situation continue.

We have our air tested quarterly by Trace Analytics but to my knowledge the other shop does not test their air. I don't want to appear to be meddling in his business for my own gain, and I don't want to damage relations between diveshops (we are both in a very small town and all of the existing diveshops get along in relative harmony). I also don't want to see divers get sick as a result of breathing bad air. Do I approach him? I think I have to, but I would appreciate any feedback.

 

[Wookie]

We had a bad air incident on the Spree one year, as well as one on the Fling. In both cases, we immediately pulled the plug on diving, and in the case of the Fling, brought it home. The final separator had failed, and the final filter had saturated with oil and broken through. The customers missed their last day of the trip and were compensated for it. The fill system was saturated with oil and had to be flushed with simple green and hot water. In the case of the Spree we had installed the filter improperly and the air tasted oily there was no oil that settled out in the system or cylinders so we missed a dive, dumped all cylinders and banks, and filled directly off the compressor until the banks could be recharged. In both cases, we got good press and reviews for adherance to customer safety rather than making a buck.

Your situation is a little different. You aren't in charge of the maintenance of the other shop's compressor. As you know as a liveaboard captain, 100 miles offshore, everyone is going to assist the other, because it may be you that needs the help next week. Is the other shop in a training deficiency situation? I worked with another shop in St. Lucia when I was an instructor there that didn't realize that they had to change their combo filter. When I took the cap off the filter housing, the filter came out in pieces. Do they realize that they need air testing? Were they out of filters, and you guys could do a group buy so that you would know when they are low on stock? I think that it is critical that you bring the situation out into the open. Approach it in such a way not to offend, and don't be the haughty American in a third world country.

I'm afraid that this is going to cost you some money. Running a dive shop in Panama is a bit like running a liveaboard. You have to carry all your own spares, and need redundant systems for critical equipment. In this case, I'd find a little Mariner or 5404 Mako that you can get cheep, and use it as a spare when your big compressor goes Tango Uniform. That way you rely on yourself and your own maintenance. I know where there are a few around if you need help looking.

Frank

 

[clint@uniquescuba.com]

I don't know your competitor, but I would hope they would want to be notified ASAP.

Also, If those cylinders have oil residue in them and you have equalized those cylinders with your banks, your system may very well be contaminated as a result.

 

[ComputerJoe]

If you want to do them real harm, do not tell them. You know someone will mention the incident to a diver and then if word gets back to the operator it will look very much like you are bad mouthing him. LET HIM KNOW, and tell your staff to shut their traps.

It happened to my compressor as well. On a very hot, very busy day, after I had just worked on the compressor my single filter got soaked and was blowing out charcoal. I was filling directly from the compressor and working it to its limit because my banks were depleted. Afterwards I installed a second inline filter larger than the orginal and have slept much easier since.