Worthington HP 100s failed first hydro

[halocline]

I have personally dealt with a hydro shop for over 20 years and have learned over time that steel tanks are always hydroed twice since they will always "fail" the first hydro due to expansion from the test. This is even the required procedure to hydro steel tanks, not the same as aluminum, so they obviously don't know what they were doing. This hydro place needs to look up the proper procedures on how to hydro specific tanks and learn how to do each one properly.

Never heard this one before, and I bet most hydro shops haven't either.

 

[spectrum]

Never heard this one before, and I bet most hydro shops haven't either.

The "rounding procedure" prepares a hot dipped galvanized cylinder to respond to the actual test. It's not exactly doing it twice but it's a reasonable analogy. Failing to include the rounding step has resulted in unjustified condemnations.

Pete

 

[jac_3232]

A pair of Worthington HP 100s are $1000 retail + 14% tax in Canada. Used 3.5 cfm compressors change hands fairly regularly for less than that. YMMV

VI

Not trying to start an argument, but HP100's with valve and boot are going for $363 CAN around here. The OP doesn't require a valve or boot, so an HP100 tank by itself should be well under $300 CAN + tax each. Not that this matters to the OP, who's from the US.

http://http://dansdiveshop.ca/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=8_36&products_id=232

 

[knowone]

Kind of a shock today--my two Worthington HP 100s, purchased new in the fall of 2005, failed their first hydro. Both of them. This is inconceivable to me.

The tanks do not have a lot of dives on them--maybe 70 each. Well cared for, never overfilled. The LDS where I purchased them is no longer in business but my new very good LDS is trying to work with the manufacturer--who will hopefully do the right thing and stand behind its product.

Has anyone heard of this happening with these tanks? Were possibly some lemons cranked out in 2005?

That sucks. Don't worry, be happy. Da da da da da da da, da da da da da da.
This has probably been resolved by now.
Look up worthington hp faber pst hydrostatic testing cylinders tanks scuba etc, on your computer machine, arm your self, leave home with your tanks and come home with them passed.

 

[deepstops]

It's interesting the OP hasn't returned to tell us the status of the tanks - were they xxxx'd out and condemned or were they returned as failed (and thereby allowed to be retested)??

 

[joeabroad]

OP here--thanks everyone for your responses. Quite an education for me. The situation has not been resolved yet, but here's where we are: the tanks have been condemned, and are still at the testing facility. My LDS, which is not the testing facility, works often with the testers and knows a lot more about it than I do, and is satisfied that the test was done properly. They are currently in discussions with the manufacturer which is reviewing the data and may want to see the tanks. My LDS is advocating on my behalf with the manufacturer and has told me that they will stand behind the tanks no matter what.

I may report that one day in one of the endless threads about buying from your LDS vs. online.

 

[deepstops]

Thank you for the update. There was a similar situation involving four PST E8-130s on The Deco Stop and since PST is essentially out of the scuba business, there was no recourse for that owner. It's good to hear Worthington is looking into it.

 

[carrielsal]

OP here--thanks everyone for your responses. Quite an education for me. The situation has not been resolved yet, but here's where we are: the tanks have been condemned, and are still at the testing facility. My LDS, which is not the testing facility, works often with the testers and knows a lot more about it than I do, and is satisfied that the test was done properly. They are currently in discussions with the manufacturer which is reviewing the data and may want to see the tanks. My LDS is advocating on my behalf with the manufacturer and has told me that they will stand behind the tanks no matter what.

I may report that one day in one of the endless threads about buying from your LDS vs. online.

Thanks for the update. It's great to hear that your LDS is helping you out. It would be great to know how many tanks that were manufactured in the same lot have failed hydro. I work for a large computer manufacturer. If we start seeing a high number of failures that were manufactured at the same time, we look to see if we had a qualify issue. It happens.

 

[carrielsal]

OP here--thanks everyone for your responses. Quite an education for me. The situation has not been resolved yet, but here's where we are: the tanks have been condemned, and are still at the testing facility. My LDS, which is not the testing facility, works often with the testers and knows a lot more about it than I do, and is satisfied that the test was done properly. They are currently in discussions with the manufacturer which is reviewing the data and may want to see the tanks. My LDS is advocating on my behalf with the manufacturer and has told me that they will stand behind the tanks no matter what.

I may report that one day in one of the endless threads about buying from your LDS vs. online.

Thanks for the update. It's great to hear that your LDS is helping you out. It would be good to know how many tanks that were manufactured in the same lot have failed hydro. Is there any reporting from a hydro facility on tanks that fail hyro that the manufacturer would have access to? I work for a large computer manufacturer. If we start seeing a high number of failures on systems that were manufactured at the same time, we look to see if we had a qualify issue. It happens.

 

[knotsofast]

Thanks for the clarification, the "rounding procedure" is what my guy at the shop was referring to, but he basically explained it as doing the hydro test twice which is kind of what it amounts to.
I am sure most shops who do Hydrostatic Testing never really go and check the DOT procedures of exactly how to test each type of tank, and they also issue updates to these periodically as well.
Most dive shops also don't know the proper filling procedures of tanks as well, fast fills are very common down here, and very bad for your tanks!!!