Pre-1989 AL tank exchange program

[cayman diver]

John you have to learn anything you post here can and will be taken the wrong way, why do some companies have complaints departments, but not well done departments?
You only get credit for mistakes not well intended offers.

I bet someone finds fault in this reply as well

Go on i dare someone.....

 

[roakey]

What is that in your Avatar??

My Bouvier des Flanders, Murphy:

http://www.underctek.com/open/Bouvier/murphy_profile.jpg

Roak

 

[deepstops]

John you have to learn anything you post here can and will be taken the wrong way, why do some companies have complaints departments, but not well done departments?
You only get credit for mistakes not well intended offers.

I bet someone finds fault in this reply as well

Go on i dare someone.....

You left out two commas and forgot to capitalize the "i" in your last sentence.

Getting back on track, and I hope John responds since I'm the one that put this on the list to begin with: Are Catalina tanks failing as well?? They never used the 6351 alloy that Luxfer/Kidde used??

 

[roakey]

While I've not yet had any dealings with John everything that I have heard is that he's a good guy.

I've had direct dealings with him for close to a decade (when he was known by a name other than "NESS" ) and he is a good guy. Great service, prompt shipping and was a source for many a thing I could not find anywhere else.

I just found the use of the term "nominal" out of line, and at the same time he ran afoul of one of my pet peeves, which is the FUD that's being spread about the 6351 alloy. If people applied the statistical safety threshold of 6351 to all other factors of their life, they'd never get out of bed -- which would be a mattress on the floor for fear of falling out of it.

Roak

 

[cayman diver]

I knew it, but John what ever you do never mention MOF of BP/W you will be here for ever.

 

[Scared Silly]

Raokey is spot on with his comments, it is not the tanks that are the problem it is the dive industry. Take a trip down to your local hydro facility and talk to the guy who does these inspections daily. It might give folks a different view on the cylinder failures. (BTW my local tester hates Al cylinders of all types).

I will not comment on the NESS offer and the pricing I can see it both ways. HOWEVER, to say the 6351 cylinders are dangerous I do not feel was correct and just propigates the problem. If the cylinders were dangerous there would have been a recall long ago. There is a level of care needed and DOT has put that in writting as has Luxfer.

As for the stops that will not fill 6351 cylinders. What that says to me is that they do not have people qualified to fill cylinders. If in doubt about a cylinder why do not they do it themselves and stick a frickin sticker on it themselves for free!! Rather than piss a customer off telling them they have a dangerous cylinder, refuse to fill it, then offer to sell them a new one. Sorry that stinks in my book.

Because PSI was previously referenced I will add one more:
http://www.psicylinders.com/library/Current/6351_review.htm

BTW, any shop can make up a stupid sticker and teach their employee to inspect a cylinder but that does not mean they know what they are doing. OTOH, just because they have take a inspection course and passed does not mean they what they are doing either.

Finally, for what it is worth, while at my hydro facility I saw a 3AL cylinder with not one but two SLCs. I also saw a bunch of failed steels.

 

[divinginn]

we divers sure are a skeptical bunch

 

[Cheekymonkey]

Yea I have to agree the nominal thing is the thing that caught me off gaurd, I associate nominal with small.

 

[Sherwood SCUBA rep.]

Catalina cylinders never had this problem

 

[roakey]

Catalina cylinders never had this problem

You're absolutely correct, Catalina has always used the 6061 (AKA the "newer" alloy) in their cylinders. Doesn't make any difference. The misinformation/disinformation about 6351 will catch those cylinders as well, to quote John/NESS:

"For the safety of our fill technicians and the diving community in general; North East Scuba Supply will no longer fill aluminum tanks that were manufactured prior to 1989. There will be no exceptions made to this policy."

Note the last sentence: "There will be no exceptions made to this policy." You see pre-1989 Catalinas called out? Nope. The dive industray as a whole is terribly ignorant when it comes to cylinders, and the whole 6351 debacle is a prime example of that ignorance.

Roak