October 2001

Vol. 16, No. 10     What's this?

Dacor Recall and Phony Tank Testing

from the October, 2001 issue of Undercurrent  

If you took your tank for a hydrostatic testing to Underwater Adventures in Leesburg, Florida — or bought a used tank of unknown origins — you may have to do it again. The U.S. Department of Transportation, which regulates pressurized tanks, has discovered that Underwater Adventures marked and certified many tanks as properly tested when they were not. They also marked many cylinders with a Retester Identification Number (RIN) that belongs to another company.

Some of these tanks may have a compromised structural integrity and explode upon filling. Underwater Adventures failed to keep records, so it’s impossible to determine the number of cylinders they improperly certified. If you have a tank marked with RIN numbers B095 or B059 and stamped with a retest date after 1986, you should not fill it until properly retested. As you might imagine, the Feds are investigating Underwater Adventures.

DACOR is recalling the 2001 Supreme SPG and SPG consoles because they may have defective metal fittings on the high-pressure hose. These may leak or become separated from the hose under normal pressure loads. The problematic hoses are black with gray lettering and horizontal gray banding along the entire length. According to Rob Cairns, vice president of sales and marketing, the problem surfaced in Europe. He says that there have been no reports of leaking or failing hoses in North America. Nonetheless, if you bought your console after February 1, 2001, return it to your nearest DACOR dealer for free inspection and hose replacement, if necessary. For more info, call DACOR at 800-323-0463 or visit their website at www.divedacor.com.