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MNLakeDiver · 06-14-2004, 06:55 PM,

I did recieve an email from the salesmen I purchased the tank from and he said he will see what he can do to help Smile

the other good news is my 2 new al 80's passed their vips so I have some usable tanks for the weekend

scubadog76 · 06-14-2004, 08:46 PM,

A few things...
First, bummer about the tank Sad

It's good that your dealing with them at a store level first before MNSCUBA level. Hell hath no fiery like a diver scorn!! You'll get farther keeping it civilized like your doing.
Next, when I was filling my tanks today, I asked a reliable source about what kind of regulation there is on a "passable" tank. The stickers he said, come from a printer, no state agency or anything like that. There is nothing like the Weights and measures group for gasoline. It's an industry standard not a national code to VIP tanks. I would truly hope that no shops in town would push a tank through to keep from losing a buck. I have a steel dive knife that was left in a damp tub by accident for about 3 months. It did rust but nothing that steel wool couldn't take care of.
Also, how does moisture get in a tank. Empty a tank with the valve all the way open, take the valve off in a damp area, compressors with bad filters are all that come to mind. The fair resolution I feel would be both sides chipping in a little. Buyer-be-ware comes to mind as mentioned by others but it is also life support equipt. that should be in tip top shape or retired.

Freedive WI · 06-15-2004, 07:23 AM,

You could ask to have the tank tumbled and then hydroed to see if it passes. I've tumbled plenty of tanks before and they come out looking pretty clean afterwards. Any shop that does 02 cleaning should have a tumbler on premisis.

Moisture could get in through a leaky neck 0-ring or a faulty moisture collector on the compressor. I would put my money on a bad neck 0-ring first.

Jon

tpscuba · 06-15-2004, 02:08 PM,

Sorry to hear about the problem I hope they will go good for it. I know when we sell tanks on consignment we automatically do a complete visual to make sure the tank is in good condition this includes Current Eddy testing of the thread.
We visual our rental tanks once a year and if they come back with no air in them we break them down to make sure no water got inside of them
Yes the stickers are made by a printer so that we can put our store info on it Also other information ie eddy current tested month and year. Now for it only being an industry standard now if you go to the Code of Federal Regulations DOT page 428 to 432 it will discuss visual inspection and hydrostatic retest. Documentation is required between inspection for viewing by DOT.

john j · (This post was last modified: 06-15-2004, 04:42 PM by john j.)

I have a suggestion for you that may allow you to salvage that tank.

Assuming that when the dive shop "condemed" your tank, they did not stamp "X's" across the serial number on the top of the tank, you can do what I describe below. If they did stamp "X's" or otherwise destroy your tank, then you can request that they reimburse you. It is technically illegal for them to deface or destroy your tank without your permission because it is your property and they do not have the right to damage or destroy it. They can refuse to fill it, or they can claim it is "condemed" but they cannot destroy or deface it.

Standard steel and aluminum tanks have a small amount of "extra" thickness, especially at the base of the tank where the wall thickness is high relative to the sides. If the pitting is at the bottom of the tank, it may be "repairable". You should take the tank to a place called All Safe in Minneapolis. Don't go through a dive shop-take it there yourself.

Tell them the situation and request for them to do the following things, in this order:

1) Internal shot blast
2) Hydrostatic test
3) Visual inspection

If the internal corrosion or pitting is not too deep, the internal shot blast will remove the corrosion and make the inside look like new. The shot blasting actually makes the cylinder walls very slightly thinner (very very slightly). It's kind of like sand blasting the inside of the tank. Tank tumbling (like dive shops do) is nowhere near as agressive as shot blasting, so I wouldn't waste my money on that. After this is done, the tank should have a hydro test. If it passes the hydro, have them do the visual test. If it passes that, you have your tank again, fully legal and the whole works.

The shot blast and hydro will probably cost a total of $25 or so (a rough guess), so if the tank doesn't pass, you'd be out $25. Well worth the gamble in my opinion.

I've had some very nasty looking steel tanks and had this done in the past and they passed hydro and visual.

If you go this route, let us know how it turns out.

scubadog76 · (This post was last modified: 06-15-2004, 10:02 PM by scubadog76.)

I couldn't get to the standards you listed for DOT. All I could really find was osha stuff. Man, can you imagine if OSHA was the only certification agency for divers? They seem to skip right past scuba tanks.(Darn lucky too!!!) They seem to brush a little bit on DOT.

The link has medical in it but the site lists other uses like alarm canisters and gas fuses. They do say any compressed gas. Scuba tanks must have been a charitable donation to the DOT for regulation.

MNLakeDiver · 06-15-2004, 09:38 PM,

The dive person from the dive shop that sold me the tank left me a message tonight that there was news but I was not home to find out what yet

MNLakeDiver · 06-17-2004, 09:58 PM,

I finaly went to the shop today. their first offer was better then I had hoped to get.
I paid the $30 for the work done on the old tank and they gave me a rental steel 95. I could have paid the differance and purchased a new 112 but my other steel tank I have is a 95.
we also VIPed this tank today so there can be no ? that it is in great shape.
now if I just had the $ for a dry suit ;D

DiveCaptDean · 06-17-2004, 10:06 PM,

I think now would be a good time to give that shop a free plug. It sounds like the handled it well. Give it up...what shop took care of you....

happy to hear that it all worked out
Deano

MNLakeDiver · 06-18-2004, 06:59 AM,

some my have already guessed the dive shop.
but because they took exelent care of me and went above and beyond what I would have expected. we believe the tank got flooded while out on rental and I just happen to want the odd ball out of the tanks so we didnot vip at sale :-[. I had hoped to split the cost of the tank with them.
because of GREAT customer service and standing behind a tank they had no "leagle" need to....

GOING UNDER DIVE CENTER has earnd a very loyle customer Big Grin

thanks Chuck for taking point and having a resalution before I could even get to the shop 8)