Psa xs scuba 108's hydro failure

Hey so I am not sure where I should post this so ill leave it here. For what its worth I just had a customer have two 108 XS Scuba cylinders fail hydro. I normally would not think much of it but the SN's were very close together 4110031, 4110018 both born in 2009. Tanks show absolutely no signs of abuse or corrosion. They failed in the middle of 20 tanks being tested, Tanks on both sides of these were given a + at the hydro facility. Its probably nothing but i thought I'd let people know, it seemed really odd.

Also they were doubled up.

Which hydro facility? XS scuba tanks are typically worthington and I believe there is a special process to correctly and properly these steel tanks.
Not every hydro facility will be aware and it?s entirely possible the tanks are fine.
It?s probably too late, but I?d want a second opinion. And would suggest anyone with Worthington steel cylinders discuss this with their Hydro facility ahead of time.

And if I?m wrong, someone will come along shortly to correct me.

And to settle any debate, I?d contact Hydro Dave at Advanced Hydrotest as the expert.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

I would highly question the validity of the hydro facility's test. Is it a place that mainly does tanks or is it a fire extinguisher shop that also does dive tanks. If it's a fire extinguisher shop then I bet they didn't follow appropriate procedures like Draker said. There is a well known history of PST and worthington tanks being failed by fire extinguisher shops because they weren't aware of the special notices. For instance I believe some worthington tanks have to bre "pre-strecthed" at the time of hydro prior to the full hydro test. It's why I'll only let Hydro Dave do my tanks. I'm lucky enough that its only an hour drive.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Draker

Which hydro facility? XS scuba tanks are typically worthington and I believe there is a special process to correctly and properly these steel tanks.
Not every hydro facility will be aware and it?s entirely possible the tanks are fine.
It?s probably too late, but I?d want a second opinion. And would suggest anyone with Worthington steel cylinders discuss this with their Hydro facility ahead of time.

And if I?m wrong, someone will come along shortly to correct me.

And to settle any debate, I?d contact Hydro Dave at Advanced Hydrotest as the expert.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

---

I totally agree. I had some Worthingtons fail hydro locally. I sent them to Hydro Dave, and he said they were fine.

Its the facility that does all of the tanks for my dive shop. They do primarily do fire extinguishers. I will check with them on their procedures. Unfortunately we are hosed in the middle of Nebraska. Thanks for the input guys.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by FW

I totally agree. I had some Worthingtons fail hydro locally. I sent them to Hydro Dave, and he said they were fine.

---

You?re lucky they didnt xxx them out before you got to take them to Dave.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Randall

Its the facility that does all of the tanks for my dive shop. They do primarily do fire extinguishers. I will check with them on their procedures. Unfortunately we are hosed in the middle of Nebraska. Thanks for the input guys.

---

If they havent xxx?d them out I would take them somewhere else.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I can't speak for Worthington but PST DOT-E9791 hot dipped galvanized tanks have a special round-out procedure for hydro. I usually tape this to the cylinders in question when I drop them off at hydro.

http://www.hydro-test.com/files/RESi...1-Bulletin.pdf
http://www.ctcseminars.com/Files/Tec...tin%20D100.pdf

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by rddvet

You?re lucky they didnt xxx them out before you got to take them to Dave.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

---

Yes! However I didn't leave them, I stood there while they tested them :)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by rddvet

If they havent xxx?d them out I would take them somewhere else.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

---

Unfortunately he already xxxx out the numbers. He's a decent guy, so ill take the tanks back to him with the procedure i just printed from Worthington and have him re-test them with that procedure. I know the tanks are still condemned, but if they pass he will at least learn something and I hopefully wont have this issue in the future. On the bright side I learned something also, not sure that's worth a set of tanks but I guess some lessons are expensive.. Thanks again for all of the input guys,

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Randall

Unfortunately he already xxxx out the numbers. He's a decent guy, so ill take the tanks back to him with the procedure i just printed from Worthington and have him re-test them with that procedure. I know the tanks are still condemned, but if they pass he will at least learn something and I hopefully wont have this issue in the future. On the bright side I learned something also, not sure that's worth a set of tanks but I guess some lessons are expensive.. Thanks again for all of the input guys,

---

Yeah unfortunately thats a $4-500 lesson thats hard to swallow. Its definitely possible its a true failure. But I suspect its a procedural issue. I doubt there?s anyway to reverse it being condemned which sucks. I know of 2 hydro facilities that dont xxx them out until they speak to the person that owns the tanks. It would be nice if they all did that.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by FW

Yes! However I didn't leave them, I stood there while they tested them :)

---

I do that too but only because I enjoy hanging out with Dave.
I was very lucky that my first technical instructor was adamant that his students and friends only use Dave if they?re anywhere near his area. It was because he had the exact same issue on a set of tanks that the op had.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by rddvet

Yeah unfortunately thats a $4-500 lesson thats hard to swallow. Its definitely possible its a true failure. But I suspect its a procedural issue. I doubt there?s anyway to reverse it being condemned which sucks. I know of 2 hydro facilities that dont xxx them out until they speak to the person that owns the tanks. It would be nice if they all did that.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

---

Yea i will be having the conversation with him about calling me before he condemns another one. Never know maybe they pass and he does some free hydros for me.....

A few years ago I used to hydro tanks. If a tank fails hydro you are required to condemn them and your only allowed to run the test two times. Even if it's the test operator or equipment malfunction your required to condemn them. Shops can be fined a good bit of money if they are caught in violation- I have been inspected and it's not a fun process. Once they are condemned and XXX'd out they are scrap, unless you have a private fill station.

As others have said they likely didn't do the pre-stretch, which if I recall correctly, is at 90% of the test pressure. If you don't do this step you will fail tanks that should pass. It's a really crappy situation. The guy running the hydro likely destroyed your perfectly good tanks if they didn't do the pre-stretch. He's a nice guy but now who is responsible for 2- $400ish tanks.

That's small claims court territory...

Dave failed one of my tanks and I thanked him for keeping me safe, but it's different with someone who didn't follow the required procedure.

Give him a chance to make it right, I don't believe in courts as the first step.

In case anyone wants to see the notices issued by XS Scuba ages ago, here they are. They have been on XS’s website for years.

https://static1.squarespace.com/stat...ton_notice.pdf

https://static1.squarespace.com/stat...procedures.pdf

https://www.xsscuba.com/x-series-ree-values